The ridiculously acclaimed and frightfully delightful author Neil Gaiman has had a profound influence on the contemporary literary world. His comic books paved the way for a new wave of enthusiasm for the industry, and his fictional works have been world-expanding and era-defining for many in the fantasy and science fiction realm.
Gaiman spent his childhood in Sussex, England, during which time he hung out very frequently at the local library. His passion for literature began early, especially genres that mentioned the fantastical, and he frequently mentions the incredibly helpful librarians who helped him hunt down more and more things to read. These experiences must have instilled in him a love of writing as well, since after finishing school, he became a journalist. In that position, he was able to connect with other literary and artistic minds; for example, he forged a close bond with author Terry Pratchett and artist Dave McKean, both of whom he collaborated with on later literary endeavors. Gaiman has used some of his own personal and childhood experiences as inspiration for his fictional works, most notably in The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which centers on a boy who confronts emotional and physical monsters of sorts (I don’t think the physical magic is based on Gaiman’s life, but I suppose you’d have to ask him to find out for sure).
Gaiman, with friend and artist Dave McKean, worked on a mini-series for DC Comics called Black Orchid, which was part of a larger wave of dark adult comics gaining attention in the late 1980s. From there, Gaiman and McKean began the award-winning DC series, The Sandman, focused on Morpheus, the king of dreams. As the monthly comics gained greater attention, Gaiman embraced his opportunity to explore complex themes and characters, which only engaged the audience further. His unique stories that spanned spaces and times had a bigger impact than he expected -- the Sandman series outsold Batman and Superman, and, what’s more, drew in a new and excited population of comic book readers. Gaiman, with McKean working on the cover art of the issues, helped usher in a new era in the comic book industry. Gaiman’s especial impact on the genre was solidified when he implied that once he was done writing for The Sandman, the series should end. This was relatively unheard of with successful comic series, which would typically bring a new writer in as soon as the first left. Gaiman eventually convinced DC that this norm should not be followed, and they relented; so he not only helped rejuvenate the comic book industry, but also shook up systemic commercial practices within that industry to preserve his work’s integrity. These revolutionary acts make me believe that Gaiman may be eminent enough to be considered a contemporary Big-C creative.
Gaiman has also contributed greatly to the genre fiction community, as well. He has released dark fantasy and science fiction works for adults, teens, and children, with settings ranging from 19th-century English countryside (Stardust) to a Wonderland-like world underneath contemporary London (Neverwhere) to a weird house and museum in Wisconsin (American Gods) and a pantheon of iconic characters that includes everything from fallen stars and old witches (Stardust) to bantering angels and demons (Good Omens, co-written with Terry Pratchett) to children raised by ghosts (The Graveyard Book) and little girls exploring terrifying alternate worlds (Coraline). He has won more literary awards for these works than can reasonably fit in this blog post, but go to his website (www.neilgaiman.com) and you can see just how acclaimed this man is. He has played an active role in adapting several of his works into movies (Stardust and Coraline) or television series (American Gods and Good Omens), dipping his toe in and leaving his unique fantastical touch on several artistic media. Based on the wide-reaching support from critics in his fields as well as his expansive fan base, his hand in revitalizing the comic book industry, and his ability to successfully cross over into several different fields, I would make the claim that, though only time will tell if this comes to pass, this pro-C author could one day reach the cultural eminence of being considered truly big-C creative.
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