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Posted by:

Kent

Date:

February 5th, 2007 9:08 PM

Header:

Letters Page

Bulletin:

Why is it that the letters page is becoming as extinct as K-Fed's career?

Growing up, all I wanted to do was win a no-prize. I would scour Frenz's run on ASM for hours trying to figure out a continuity error, or art flub. Nothing---which actually is a compliment to Ron's ability as an artist.

But moreover, the letters page would be where a fan could feel a part of what they were reading; feel that their opinion and dollars were worth something.

But now, it seems that ad space is more important. The irony of it all, is that with the advent of email, etc, it's easier for people to write to their favourite books and creators. I realize that 'forums' appear to be taking over these pages, but it just isn't the same.

In forums, an opinion can be broken up over several posts. With a letter sent however, the reader actually sits down and WRITES. If you write a letter, there's a chance it will be printed. You won't want spelling mistakes and such in the letter would you?

No. There's the difference right there.

I think perhaps the last great letters page with a bit of history, is the Fin-addicts page in Savage Dragon. It used to be as long as the book itself, and sadly it has shrunk considerably. But it is still going strong.

Erik Larsen's influence on this is apparent in other Image books, Robert Kirkman's Invincible and Walking Dead as examples.

Here is a place where readers can vent their beefs with the book, praise the book, and even dump the title. But at least they are writing.

I have faith that creators such as Larsen and Kirkman will be adamant in keeping the letters page alive, because it doesn't seem to have much of a future at the other Big Two.

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