Men in revealing tights, women in less, alien overlords, and capes. Lots and lots of capes. Wander into any hobby shop and you may notice these images plastered over 70 percent of the reading material you can see. These pictures are the visual trademark of comic books, and have been for more than 60 years. But, to the surprise of many unfamiliar with the comic world, there is far more to them than the stereotypical muscle-bound madman with extraordinary physical senses and ironically, a lack of fashion sense. With so many decades to expand, the world of comics has done just that, turning from colorful caped heroes, and growing into everything from elephant super-soldiers, to soap-opera styled dramas, and even blantent pornography.

This variety is one of, if not the main reason, comic serials still survive today amidst a society filled to the brim with more modern media. While we can be amused with television, film, and virtual software, the age old pastime of literature, and visual literature still manages to maintain its little spot on the sofa that is entertainment. And to keep up with other forms of media, comics have gone down varying fields of territory, some would say, going to the point beyond what television and film may have gone.

Even with the large range of stories being told, collectively, comics have always struggled to maintain their relevance in the media. While there are a lot of interesting characters, stories, and successful comic books, the comic medium in general just doesn't rake in the benefits that other successful forms of entertainment do. Comic writers don't become millionares, and comic artists don't usually become world-reknown, even if their art is "museum" grade.

Yet interestingly enough, in recent years there has been a distinct surge in creators and emerging artists, inspite of the lack of fame and fortune. What is it about a field, that doesn't promise a secure retirement, in fact it doesn't even remotely suggest it, that lures aspiring artists and writers?

Arguably, the most prominent aspect can be explained in a single word: creativity.

Comic serials are notorious for being creative, and writers of the genre are similarily associated with the same creative genius. From the highly innovative storytelling brilliance of Neil Gaiman, to the gritty edgyness of Frank Miller and Garth Ennis, to the unrelenting blunt works of Warren Ellis, comic books have been breeding very talented artists for years. This may not be entirely coincidental.

Within the comic world, creativity, and innovation are often mandatory for successful titles. As sales will suggest, readers tire quickly of the classic hero saving the world. New ideas, and fresh twists of old ones, are what keep the faithful coming back month after month. And unlike more mainstream fields, comic book writers are often seen taking more risks with the stories they tell, and how they choose to tell them. Defying the status quo today is as commonplace as evil masterminds where in the past. And it's this environment that can really entice the hungry young creator looking to make a name for him or herself as a writer or artist.

It is also this reality of creativity and free expression that has not only allowed comic books themselves to endure, but to spring forth and grow. The success of some comic adaptations, both superhero themed and otherwise, has given the genre a much appreciated shot in the arm. The stories we once could only read in print, are now becoming movies and television shows that we can watch, and even video games we can play. This surge of popularity no doubt helps contribute to the wave of new creators and aspiring artists on the horizon. But with this jolt of popularity comes potential dangers. In the past, comics have suffered the same illnesses that plague other forms of entertainment: trends.

Trends can singlehandedly cause the rise and fall of any said creative work, or form of media. While trends often help sprout a new idea on an old franchise or genre, if overdone (and when isn't it?), it can quickly get stale, old, and uninteresting. It is at this point more than any other, that the eyes of the readers move on to other things. All it takes is one creative idea from one talented person, and a "humble" one million readers, for just one marketing agent to pick up the idea and run with it to TV, movies, and eventually into the ground after milking every last cent out of it.

But money isn't what comics are about, and comic artists know it. Sure, if comics and their creators didn't earn their editors and publishers the proper amount of green from time to time, comics as we know them probably wouldn't have survived as long as they have. Regardless of that, comics are about creativity. They are about expression at its purest level. Even with the inevitable crashes that trends can bestow upon the field, one could see this as a natural, and helpful "cleansing" of the genre. Trends to comics, are like natural fires to forests. Burning away the decrepit ideas, and lackluster writers. Only to make way for new, better ideas. Allowing room for even more daring artists to take even more risks, ultimately allowing them to do what every aspiring talent yearns for at their core, whether they draw, or write. To tell a good story.