Will Peischel
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Reed Cain has a vision.
The owner and proprietor of Dr. Cain’s Comics and Games on Marsh Street hopes his beloved medium of art is accessible to anybody; it isn’t just that “weird boys’ club.” But according to Cain, the cherished medium has fallen victim to the ever-lurking sense of exclusivity haunting most art communities.
In a universe where the public perceives comic books as only for adolescent males, a beacon of hope illuminates the void. The store’s sign, which evokes the image of a 1950s soda bar, shines on Marsh Street in yellows and reds. Inside the single-room shop, the walls are lined with rows and rows of editions. The bearded Cain sits behind a desk with his arms crossed, ready to find you the perfect fit.
“There’s so much cool stuff,” he said. “I want people to not feel weird when they come into a comic book store. As the proprietor, I try to match the book to the person.”
Cain understands that approaching something new can be intimidating, and it can be hard to know where to start. He thinks now is an opportune time to give comics a chance. With the popularity of superhero films, comic book culture has a relevant niche in entertainment. He asks why not opt for the same story in a superior medium?
“I read the book and I see the movie and the book was really good,” he said. “The movie doesn’t offer the time. You always imagine things a little differently and the interpretation never really works. The same thing for comics. Captain America: Winter Solider is this badass three-and-a-half-year story; it’s awesome. They boil it down and condense it, throw out the major plot points and hammer the adventure.”
Cain also points out that illustrating has largely exited popular culture’s consciousness. However, comic books have been a safe haven for the art form.
“Illustration almost doesn’t exist in the mainstream anymore,” he said. “You rarely see magazines full of illustrations. Look for a magazine with an illustrated cover. Photography took over. The top illustrators are working in comics.”
He points to Daniel Clowes, a closet comic book illustrator who moved on to illustrate covers for The New Yorker.
To Cain, the marriage of illustration and writing provides a totally unique experience.
“Everyone has read Where the Wild Things Are,” he said. “You can’t really think of the story without the illustrations. If you become accustomed to that, as you read more comics, there’s a lot of information. You’re a participant in the comic because you’re imagining what’s happening.”
The word “imagination” might conjure the perception of childishness. Don’t tell that to Cain. He’ll explain that the themes discussed in comics are much more extensive than the stereotype allows.
“I think anything you’re looking for is available,” he said. “There’s philosophy, social studies. I have a great one about the legalization of prostitution.”
When asked what an average Cal Poly student should start with, Cain pointed to Alan Moore, famous for The Watchmen.
“The start is Alan Moore,” Cain said. “His writing is awesome, and it really does cross a lot of barriers in terms of literature, style, tone. It’s accessible, it’s complex, it’s really good stuff.”