Art?

Here's a big ass can of worms: are comics art?

Better yet: what is art?

The best answer to this question I've heard comes from the maniacal maestro himself, Dave Sim. Diamond Dave said, "Art is defined by the individual." And that's perfect, ladies and gentleman, because it's so damned simplistic and cuttingly accurate.
When the French Impressionists first showed their work, they were mocked by most famous critics of the day. Slowly over time, the esthetes began to grasp the new aesthetic, and the artistry of the work was finally understood. The very same paintings that had been mocked a scant few years previously, were suddenly heralded as modern masterpieces. This is a grand example of how art is defined by the individual. The Impressionists knew that what they were doing was legitimate; they were just a few years ahead of everyone else.

So are comics art?

Bill Watterson, creator of the best comic strip of the modern era, seemed to view the comic strip as an art and the comic book as a bastardized, substandard art form in a rare speech that he gave to the National Cartoonists' Society back in the late 80's. Granted, Bill's criticism of comic books and their appeal towards artistry were apparently based solely on Frank Miller's original "Dark Knight" series, so the trappings of super hero comics colored Watterson's view of the format. Perhaps Watterson would have felt differently if he had read Pekar, Speigleman, Sim or the multitude of others who were not working under the confines of the super hero genre. Then again, perhaps not... comic strip cartoonists are notoriously egomaniacal.

Why am I bringing up comments Watterson made nearly 2 decades ago? Because it shows that even someone who is heavily involved in an art form itself can sometimes not see the forest through their own trees.

Are super hero comics art? Is Kurt Busiek's opinion that super heroes represent the modern mythology correct?

Well, that's up to you to decide.

My answer is, yes - of course super hero comics are art. No, not ALL super hero comics are art, far from it. Very, very, very few comics are art, period; but certainly some are, regardless of their genre. At least according to how I define art.

Art: timeless work that communicates ideals of the human spirit that transcend the mundane and speak to the soul (or "inner consciousness," for you atheists out there).

Anything can be art; few things are... this is how it should be.