ENTERTAINMENT
The University Daily KANSAN
January 23.1984 Page 6
Larry Funk/KANSAN
A display of comic books line a wall at Krogers Super Store, 23rd and Naismith streets. The comic book industry has been experiencing a boom on new-issue comics, with more than 200 new titles a year flooding the market. Larry FunKANAN
Comics are not just kid stuff
By CHRISTY FISHER Entertainment Editor
Steve Ferrell doesn't mind telling people he reads comic books. As a matter of fact he's proud of it.
Corinida Carford, sales manager for DC Cemes,
said that 45 percent of the market was
sold by the end of last year.
"The strength of the comic book market now is no longer little kids." The market is boys from 16 to 24. They're more interested in science fiction than comics. Wayne, Clark Kent, or Dick Grayson," he said.
Ferrell, St. Louis, Mo. sophomore, knows that comic books consist of more than the humorous escapades of Daffy Duck and Mickey Mouse. To learn more about these characters and resemble soap operas more than cartoons,
Ferrell is not alone in his comic book collecting. Lawrence comic specialty shops report that college students are responsible for 80 percent of their comic book sales.
HOWEVER, THIS TREND does not stop at the Lawrence city limits. In an interview with Savvy magazine this month, Paul Levitt, vice president of the company, said that the comic book industry had changed.
If one stops by any newstand, one will quickly see that comics are no longer just for kids.
FOR EXAMPLE, Nightcrawler owes Wolverine 253 cases of beer after repeatedly losing in tracking matches. The Flash has recently been arrested for manslaughter. The Invisible Girl, who married Mr. Fantastic, is having pregnancy problems because the baby is a mutant and is throwing off hard radiation that almost kills her.
Today's superheroes are more true to life and have problems just like everyone else. They
"Characters now are three-dimensional," said Michi Graves, who owns Kwality Comics, 107 W. 7th St., with her husband, Tom. "Characters have a good and bad side. There's no clear-cut line between a good guy and a bad guy anymore."
laugh, cry and even die. Comic books resemble soap operas but have an additional science fiction or a fantasy twist, said Gene Alloway, Parsons sophomore.
The appeal to the older market has proven to be successful because sales have been increased. The impact of these trends on the
MARVEL.COMICS GROUP in New York, the world's largest comic book company, reported that newsstand sales increased for the first time in many years. In the first six months of 1983, newsstand sales increased 18 percent while direct sales to specialty comic bookstores increased 33 percent, said Steve Saffel, assistant promotional manager for direct sales.
DC Comics also reported an increase of about 60 percent in overall sales, said Carford.
Since about 1981, the comic book market has been experiencing a new-issue boom. People are
buying new titles instead of collecting old ones, Tom Graves said.
Local comic specialty bookstores report that they receive about 200 new titles a year from about 20 different publishers.
Part of the reason for the explosive growth in the comic book market is because of direct sales marketing, in which specialty stores are allowed to buy the comics instead of returning the unoleds. Because of success because the stores get more diverse, exclusive titles and can control their own stock.
MOST KU STUDENTS said they spent an average of $5 a week on clinics, and in some extreme cases up to $70. The students said they then took part in comics and collected them for their increased use.
Another reason for the growth in the comic book market is that publishers are paying their creators royalties for their characters. Comics are of higher quality because the creators can make a decent living and the company does not lose its best people, Saffel said.
All the students said that reading fantasy and science fiction made a welcome study break and that they enjoyed escaping from the pressures of every day life for a little while.
Several KU employees will perform in Community Theatre production
"People want to grow up too fast these days. I think it is good to keep a tie with your childhood. It's a break from seriousness. It's important to realize that person and be silly once in a while." Ferrell said.
By MELISSA BAUMAN Staff Reporter
Some KU faculty members will be able to set aside their mild-mannered scholarly roles for a chance to bask in the limelight in the Lawrence Community Theatre's production of "The
Several KU employees and retired professors will perform in Ronald Harwood's play Thursday. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at Lawrence Arts Center, Ninth and Vermont streets.
The plot revolves around Sir, an aging actor, and Norman, his dresser, as they prepare to meet a potential buyer.
The role that the actors play reflects their role in Sir's hierarchy. Because Norman is only a dresser and not an actor, Sir cruelly treats him as a lesser person.
SIR HAS COLLAPSED and the third-rate Shakespearean troupe is uncertain as to whether he can perform. Not only is Sir the leading man production, but he is also the troupe's manager.
However, his role extends from merely managing the troupe to managing their lives. As the plot develops, the backstage politics reveal a definite caste system.
"The way the actors are treated offstage is reflected in the kind of role they were playing onstage." said Mary Doveton, the director, who was asked to explain the more established actors to the bit players.
Doveton said that the theme of the play was how people relate to each other.
"He believes in what he's doing, but he's just not very good at doing it. You certainly shouldn't dislike him, but he's pretty self-centered. And in turn, he isn't the most likely of persons. Lown said."
BUT. SIR IS NOT a show-off. He is just a second-rate actor doing the best he can, said Charles Lown, retired KU professor of speech and drama, who also designed the lighting for
"You get a constant reference to struggle and survival of the acting troupe and the individual. But, I think we all go into a play and somehow little different message from it. Doveton said
one play is also interesting from the audience's point of view because they get a backstage view of performing and its politics, she said.
"YOU ACTUALLY USE the company creating some of the effects like the thunderstorm in 'King Lear,' and the audience sees Sir as he goes through the makeup transformation."
TODAY
The cast includes many past and present KU faculty members: Kenneth Smith, retired professor of music performance, as Sir; Nan C. Scott, Independent Study instructor, as Madge; Ambree Saricks, retired professor of history, as Geoffrey; Hi Stockwell, production coordinator for the KU Printing Service, as Kent; and Paul Gilles, professor of chemistry, as Gloucester.
The director also pointed out that there are similarities between Sir and Norman, and King Lear and the Fool.
ON CAMPUS
"AFRICA: Portraits of People and Places in the Northeast," a photography show by Nancy Loving, will be on display through Friday in 126 Summerfield Hall.
"MOLECULAR TECHNIOLOGY: Building All That the Laws of Nature Permit," a speech by K. Erie Drexler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will be at 2:30 p.m. in 610 Haworth Hall.
"THE FUTURE BY DESIGN; Coping With a World on its Way to the Limits of the Possible," a speech by K. Eric Drexler, MIT space systems
laboratory scientist, will be at 8 p.m. in the Frank R. Burge Union.
"ROEYER BOATS, Hulls and Floaters 1960-1984," boat related sculptures by Mark Roeyer, will be on display through Friday in the gallery of the Art and Design Building.
"THE FIRST HOUR/ Awesome Destruction," the first of a discussion seminar "Nuclear Holocaust and Christian Hope," will be at 4:30 p.m. Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 109 Orad,
THE COMPUTER CLUB will meet at 7:15 p.m. in the Computer Center Auditorium.
THE CLIQUE
Popular area rock band returns Saturday
By PHIL ENGLISH
Staff Reporter
The Clique is not a narrowly exclusive band. They do not like to keep to themselves, and they are not snobbish or arrogant.
As a matter of fact, their only selfish interest lies in the fact that they want to continue having fun while they build a reputation for themselves.
On Saturday night, The Clique will return to Lawrence for a concert before an expected crowd of more than 400 fans, said the manager of the Pladium, 901 Mississippi St.
ALSO APPEARING with The Clique is another Lawrence favorite, Plain Jane, a Kansas City, Mo. band recently featured on the movie soundtrack album of "Zapped."
United Entertainment Productions
According to Don Blake, guitarist for The Clique, the homecoming marks the high point of their career.
Members of The Clique, are from left to right: Spike, drums; Don Blake, guitar and vocals; Bill Jolly, keyboards and vocals; and Barry Stevens, bass. The group will perform in Lawrence on Saturday.
The Kansas City area band, consisting of Barry Stevens on bass guitar; Billy Jolly on the keyboards and "Spike" (real name unknown to band members) on the drums, has always felt loyal toward their Lawrence fans.
"Lawrence has always been our home away from home — our bread and butter." Blake said. "We always have our largest kitchen, which we receive us with warmth and excitement."
When their first album, "The Clique," came out in 1983, it was distributed in Lawrence, months before the national release.
"WHENEVER WE COME to Lawrence, we always try our new songs," Blake said. "If the song is good, they'll let us know, and if it stinks, they let us down easily."
Their first album, sold well enough in the college towns across the Midwest that a follow-up album with a national music video are in the process.
Their current video, "Firing Line," which was filmed at the Uptown Theatre in New York, stars a young man with
video bars around the Midwest, Blake said.
Wake said that he was very optimistic about the future for The Clique. Things do appear like they are going well because the band recently hired a San Francisco lawyer, Steve Seger, RHO Speedwagon and Journey, to help find a major recording contract.
THE CLIQUE HAVE also appeared as the opening act to several major bands including Jefferson Airplane.
Blake said that he didn't like to label the band's music because their style depended on the sound of instruments.
their music is original, and heavily infuses
early 1900's rhythm and blues and today's
soulful music.
The band is serious and dedicated to their quest for stardom. Blake said that they spent almost all their time on the road or in the studio.
the stars.
"At times, all the travel can be hectic, but it's a lot better when you're in a band with your best friends," he said.
The group named themselves The Clique because they were all best friends in high school. And as best friends, the Clique remains a small, exclusive group.
'Hot Dog' leaves viewers with bad aftertaste
I knew I was in trouble when virtually none of my friends wanted to see "Hot Dog . . . the movie," with me. My buddies are a tasteful lot and I couldn't understand why they wouldn't want to see a film that was heralded as "the wildest collection of ski-bums and ski-bunnies ever to kick-turn across a motion picture screen."
But one of my friends, Johnny Scum, did look forward to going because he sensed the movie would be filled with much profanity, clever vulgarities and many naked women. He was eager to attend and was not disappointed.
Harlan Banks, who hopes to win the World Free-Style Skiing Championships, crashes through a restaurant window for his grand finale in "Hot Dog . . . The Movie."
MGM/UA Entertainment Co
BRUCE
FREY
Kansan Film Critic
BY BERKE BREATHED
Johnny, who lays awake at night praying for a second "Porky" sequel, enjoyed this film.
Theoretically, "Hot Dog" is a comedy. The movie is about the zany trials and tribulations of Harlan Banks, a young skier, who hopes to become the world free-style skiing champion.
So many strokes of cinematic genius can be seen in "Hot Dog" that Johnny stared at the screen in a blissful confusion. He was fascinated by the effect Colorado air has on his skin, and when he jumped in the air to do a difficult ski trick, his looks mysteriously changed and he resembled a movie stuntman.
AS HE COMPETES, he meets an assortment of odd-ball fellow skiers, an evil-defending ski champion and many naked women.
"Hot Dog" proudly features the film debut of Shannon Tweed, 1982 Playboy Platemate of the Year. She's easy to spot. She's the naked woman who can't act.
Johnny marveled at the artistic necessity of a lengthy wet T-shirt scene. He was also amazed by the cameo appearances of the movie's camera crew in the skier's mirrored sunglasses.
JOHNNY KNOWS NOTHING is funnier than a foreigner who can barely speak English and the film makers ingenuously added a token
foreigner. One of the skiers is Japanese, or is he Chinese? The film makers apparently can't remember so they make slurs against both races.
I felt somewhat out of place at "Hot Dog." I sat quietly, thinking of the many 12-hour long Czechoslovakian art films that I would rather be watching. But, the people around me were laughing and applauding. Apparently, they agreed with Johnny that this was entertainment.
Personally, I think a paper cut is more entertaining.
BLOOM COUNTY