The Comics Art of Architecture
Ninth Art recently published a round table discussion of the role cities and architecture play in comic books. The Web site's editorial board sets the foundation by asking whether the urban landscapes -- such as Gotham and Metropolis -- featured in comics-based narratives serve as the foundation for or the background of the stories. Riffing off of the fact that most Marvel comics are based in New York City, Andrew Wheeler suggests that urban settings (New York in particular) reflect the hope and idealism -- some might add escapism -- inherent in superhero comics. He even goes so far as to invoke St. Augustine's presentation of morality: city (man-made) vs. garden (God-given). "If there's one place where evil is most likely to fester, it's going to be in the cities, therefore that's where the heroes are required," adds panelist Antony Johnston.