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DEL.ICIO.USComic proves to be superhero to boys
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It had been a good day.
We’d spent Saturday morning viewing “Galaxy of Heroes,” an exhibit in the Children’s Gallery of the Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for the Arts in Duluth.
The exhibit’s name says it all. It’s a nearly 70-piece display of superheroes. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Incredible Hulk are represented in fine shape and form.
And then there’s Galaxy Man and Cosmic Girl, a newbie among the traditional league cast. Galaxy Man,the good guy in the child-friendly comic story, is an astronomer with super powers. He’s looking for his lost wife. With the help of Cosmic Girl, he fights dangers both in space and on Earth.
The comic is the creation of Kyle Puttkammer, an illustrator who owns Galactic Quest Comic shops in Buford and Lawrenceville. He hopes to take Galaxy Man national one day.
On Saturday, Puttkammer gave visitors a tour of the exhibit. He knows most of the contributing artists, and because of that, he was able to note nuances and explain techniques. He expressed his love for comics, talked about the art and how now, as a family man, comic retailing helps him pay the bills.
He did something else, too, something he may not even have realized.
In those few short minutes, he turned on two light bulbs — those of my son, Miles, and his friend, Benjamin Ashby. And for that, I thank him.
Spending a Saturday morning at a gallery holds little attraction for 10-year-olds. They’d rather watch cartoons on TV, not get dragged to a lecture and how-to show on drawing comics. The topic offered promise, though. And Puttkammer’s passion brought it to life.
My kid hears it from me all the time, how he can do most anything with a little creativity and determination. I don’t know if any of it sticks, but I know this for certain: Puttkammer’s message struck a chord with the boys. Made them want to tap their creative sides.
I heard proof of it after we’d left the gallery and headed to Gwinnett Place mall to check out a store that sells Yu-Gi-Oh cards. On the way, Benjamin started reading the script aloud.
“He needs more villains,” he said, noting that there are only two evil characters — Dr. Ross Rex and Cosmonaut Sirus.
“Man, he drew his own comic book when he was 10,” said Miles, amazed by the possibility. “When we get home, I want to draw.”
That night, after Benjamin had gone home, dinner had been eaten and all was quiet, Miles and I sat at the kitchen table. We popped in a Marley CD and poured some ginger ale. He got out some colored pencils, a sketch pad and a few pieces of plain, white paper.
He sketched out his own super hero, “Sindrome.” And a good day ended like it had started.
Miles hasn’t written a script for his superhero yet. Who knows, it may never evolve into one. But anything is possible.
Decades ago, it happened to a kid named Kyle. When he was 10, he wrote and designed his first comic book about “Star Wars.” Two years later, the Wisconsin native created his first comic-book story line, Metela Man. Both comics are part of the “Galaxy of Heroes” exhibit that runs through Sept. 2.
Take your kids. They may walk away inspired.
For more information about Puttkammer and his local appearances, visit www.galacticquest.com.
Comments
By T
June 27, 2006 08:28 AM | Link to this
I have been to this comic book store and am very disapointed in it. I had my son take lessons in drawing from Kyle and found him to be a nice guy like you said. The thing that bothered me and I called it to his and his wifes attention was, they have and sell comic books with nudtiy that show characters engaging in sexual acts in these so-called comic books!
Such is the world we live in and I am not one to try to sensor everything, but, my problem with his store was that did a terrible job of keeping this away from children. Any child could walk in and pick up one of thes books!
Rick, I don’t know if you have been to the store in Buford yet but, if you do be prepared to answer a 10 year olds questions about X-rated comic books. Believe it or not they exists. The store you are refering to carries them and children have access to them!
My son also loves to draw and we now order our comic books by mail because I have yet to find a decent comic book store where I can take my son. There are still good comics out there unfortunately there are bad ones out there too.
By Jan
June 27, 2006 08:52 AM | Link to this
Good Cop, Bad Cop - Good Comic Books, Bad Comic Books - Good Grief, Bad Grief??????
SomedayS, you just can’t win.
By LG
June 27, 2006 09:49 AM | Link to this
One of the featured artists at the comic exhibit is Trevor Hawkins (www.popimages4u.com). He will be painting Superman tonight for the special showing of Superman at the IMAX at the Mall of Georgia. I’ve commissioned two paintings from him, one landscape and one a portrait, he’s very good.
Thanks for visiting the exhibit.
By Bruce Wilcox
June 27, 2006 12:07 PM | Link to this
To “tap their creative sides”, something that is lost in this modern, fast paced time. Art and music programs being cut at schools so they have more money and time to teach for the test, teach for the test, to teach for the test. X-boxes and television the new babysitters of our time. It’s nice to see there are still outlets nad parents that care enough to visit them.
It is the dreamers that bring great changes, not the robots we try to turn out in our schools. X-boxes and televison have a place, but it should be limited. Children need art, music, evem a simple walk in the woods to ” tap their creative sides’.
“No Child Left Behind” and teaching for the test are massive failures, we see it in the test scores. It’s time we allow our schools to return to the time when children can tap their creative sides and think for themselves instead of being parrots.
By Blog Marm
June 27, 2006 02:07 PM | Link to this
Tap “Creative Sides”? On that one my sides are splitting.
Surprised the other Blog Nags haven’t handed you your head. Please stay on topic and to the narrow point.
How dare you think freely, worst speak of it ;)
This blog doesn’t allow for that!
Put your blinders on, become a drone or shut up.
This comment has been censored in violation of exceeding the ten word cogent limitation.
Sincerely,
Your Blog Marm
By test
June 27, 2006 03:12 PM | Link to this
test
By Bored
June 27, 2006 03:28 PM | Link to this
I see the fools have chosen Rick’s blogs to make complete idiots of themselves again today…like yesterday wasn’t bad enough.
By CJ
June 27, 2006 03:36 PM | Link to this
At Galactic Quest we try to be very family friendly and not stock comics with nudity. Unfortunately the publishers in this industry try to cross the line too often. We are doing what WE can to promote the good comics and not the bad. We have made a concerted effort to clean up our stores in recent months to make sure these comics are not in our stock. We always encourage parents to preview the books before they get into the hands of the children. We have a policy to not sell questionable material to children. We are doing our best to create a kid friendly comic environment.
By Childhood Love Affair
June 27, 2006 08:00 PM | Link to this
I had a long affair with comic books as a child growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, and as soon as a new one was due out in the local “drug store”, I was the first in line. Now that they have turned to violence and sex, I want my kids and grandkids to have no part of them. What happened to Archie, Donald Duck, Little Lotto, Richie Rich, Nancy and Sluggo, Superman? I mean the REAL comics of yesteryear.
By Bruce Wilcox
June 28, 2006 10:35 AM | Link to this
There was violence in the comics of 50’s, Sgt. Rock, Batman, Green Hornet, even Superman, the worse were the westerns where indians or redskins were still being treated as savages.
The selection hasn’t really changed, just our recall.
By Childhood Love Affair
June 28, 2006 05:37 PM | Link to this
I’m talking about blatant nudity and sex acts. What’s so “comic book” about that crap? (Look up the word “comic” in the dictionary.) I don’t care what people view in their own homes, but quit calling them “comics” and put them in the smut shops where they belong. Let’s bring back and .10 (reg.) and .25 (lge.) cent REAL comics. Not these $5, 5 page pieces of garbage that are far from entertaining or fun. When comics reached $1.25, I refused to buy them for my kids. They had to earn their own, and if they wanted to blow it on 15 minutes of entertainment (and I use that term loosely), then that was their choice. They learned real quick that there was a lot more they could get for their money that was actually worth it.
By Bruce Wilcox
June 28, 2006 08:03 PM | Link to this
Tell you what, you look up ” violence’ while I look up comic. It seems your sense of humor went out with the fifties too, ease up a little.
By Kyle Puttkammer
June 28, 2006 09:43 PM | Link to this
Thank you to Rick Badie for his kind words regarding our presentation at the Hudgens Center for the Arts. Our “Galaxy of Heroes” exhibit is getting excellent reviews. Our goal is to entertain.
Some concerns were brought up in the follow up postings and I’d like to adress them now.
1 - Comics are no longer 25 cents. They are, however, affordable. The average collector can spend $10-$20 a week and get the top reads. As hobbies go, this is reasonable.
2 - On the subject of kids and comics, Galaxy Man is designed specifically for parents to read to their kids. I’m doing something to change this industry in a positive way.
3 - Books, movies, TV, video games, the internet, music, and magazines are all subject to criticism. If you think comics have too much sex and/or violence, support the good stuff.
It’s not complicated… it’s just art.
Keep well, Kyle Puttkammer
By Childhood Love Affair
June 29, 2006 12:49 PM | Link to this
I KNOW what “violence” means. Do you mean shooting a space invader, or raping an unsuspecting woman with outright views of the whole attack? There are different degrees of violence. You’re the one who needs to chill.
By Childhood Love Affair
June 29, 2006 12:52 PM | Link to this
I lost interest in comic books when they became a “hobby” for collectors and the prices reflected that. I enjoyed sitting down and laughing at Donald Duck and the like and I saved a stack of the oldies for my kids and grandkids. Do you think I’d sell them to make a few dollars? No, because they wouldn’t be used for their original purpose…enjoyment. They would be used for show-offs to say “look what I just found!”.