Monday, August 24, 2009
Narramore Years Part 12
Origins of Valiant Efforts Part 1
(Please see Campus Crusade part 38 - May 12, 2009 post of background to Valiant.)
One of the consequences of mailing out the first issue of
Valiant was receiving replies from interested individuals.
Most of these responses were in the form of letters. Early
on I received a phone call from a person in Southern
California who saw the Comics Buyer's Guide ad and
started receiving the issues. The phone calls were always
amiable and encouraging. These calls began on an infrequent
basis in 1984. By 1986 the caller who identified himself as
Ralph Miley moved to nearby Santa Fe Springs. Santa Fe Springs
is about 20 minutes by freeway southeast of Rosemead.
Ralph was a school teacher and recently married.
Ralph was one of the original members of Alpha-Omega when
it was formed in 1985. After two years of phone chats we decided
to meet in person and I visited him at his home on August 30, 1986.
Ralph is a delightful and out-spoken brother in the Lord and
this was the first meeting of many that occurred over the years.
Our first meeting (where I also met his lovely wife Desiree) was
one of talking about comics in general and possibly doing some
projects together.
The next time we met he brought another Christian comics
fan (and substitute teacher) with him named Charles Whitley.
Charles was a strong role playing game enthusiast and a
graduate of Point Loma Narazene College. Both Ralph and
Charles were intensely interested in producing comic books.
Ralph had met Charles at a comic book shop and their mutual
interest in making comics brought them together. Both were
filled with fire and vision about how good comics should be
done. They had past favorite series that loomed large in their
minds as the way comics should produced. However, most
of the then current professional offerings by Marvel or DC
didn't fit that standard. This type of attitude I've found is
hardly unusual but quite typical among older comics fans.
I have certainly have seen it in myself.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle for the older comics reader is
being able to lay aside these pre-conceived notions and
realize that while there is a huge amount of chaff being
produced at any given time in comics history there are also
examples of very good new material being produced. Among
many fan creatives there is a desire to show the world what
really good comics are like. For many it is difficult to separate
what is reality and what is delusion in terms of actually making
comics, marketing them and finding a sufficient audience to
continue producing them on a regular or even full-time basis.
Usually fan creators are disillusioned with the major publishing
houses and desire to go the independent route of self-expression.
When Ralph and Charles presented their desires to me I had
great reservations.
(Please see Campus Crusade part 38 - May 12, 2009 post of background to Valiant.)
One of the consequences of mailing out the first issue of
Valiant was receiving replies from interested individuals.
Most of these responses were in the form of letters. Early
on I received a phone call from a person in Southern
California who saw the Comics Buyer's Guide ad and
started receiving the issues. The phone calls were always
amiable and encouraging. These calls began on an infrequent
basis in 1984. By 1986 the caller who identified himself as
Ralph Miley moved to nearby Santa Fe Springs. Santa Fe Springs
is about 20 minutes by freeway southeast of Rosemead.
Ralph was a school teacher and recently married.
Ralph was one of the original members of Alpha-Omega when
it was formed in 1985. After two years of phone chats we decided
to meet in person and I visited him at his home on August 30, 1986.
Ralph is a delightful and out-spoken brother in the Lord and
this was the first meeting of many that occurred over the years.
Our first meeting (where I also met his lovely wife Desiree) was
one of talking about comics in general and possibly doing some
projects together.
The next time we met he brought another Christian comics
fan (and substitute teacher) with him named Charles Whitley.
Charles was a strong role playing game enthusiast and a
graduate of Point Loma Narazene College. Both Ralph and
Charles were intensely interested in producing comic books.
Ralph had met Charles at a comic book shop and their mutual
interest in making comics brought them together. Both were
filled with fire and vision about how good comics should be
done. They had past favorite series that loomed large in their
minds as the way comics should produced. However, most
of the then current professional offerings by Marvel or DC
didn't fit that standard. This type of attitude I've found is
hardly unusual but quite typical among older comics fans.
I have certainly have seen it in myself.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle for the older comics reader is
being able to lay aside these pre-conceived notions and
realize that while there is a huge amount of chaff being
produced at any given time in comics history there are also
examples of very good new material being produced. Among
many fan creatives there is a desire to show the world what
really good comics are like. For many it is difficult to separate
what is reality and what is delusion in terms of actually making
comics, marketing them and finding a sufficient audience to
continue producing them on a regular or even full-time basis.
Usually fan creators are disillusioned with the major publishing
houses and desire to go the independent route of self-expression.
When Ralph and Charles presented their desires to me I had
great reservations.
Labels: Charles Whitley, Comics Buyer's Guide, Point Loma Narazene College, Ralph Miley
# posted by Dino Don @ 9:40 AM 
