Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Read Comics
Feature by: Nicole D'Andria (Posted on March 23th, 2016)
Originally written for my "Writing for Publication" class, I've been meaning to share this article for quite some time. If you know someone who isn't a fan of comics and you're trying to get them interested, please pass this along! If you're a fan of comics, I hope you see some titles on here that interest you.
There are a lot of stigmas about comic books, like they’re for kids and only about superheroes. However, I’m here to tell you that there is a comic book out there that you will enjoy! Comic books offer both educational and entertainment value that can appeal to anyone.
Originally written for my "Writing for Publication" class, I've been meaning to share this article for quite some time. If you know someone who isn't a fan of comics and you're trying to get them interested, please pass this along! If you're a fan of comics, I hope you see some titles on here that interest you.
There are a lot of stigmas about comic books, like they’re for kids and only about superheroes. However, I’m here to tell you that there is a comic book out there that you will enjoy! Comic books offer both educational and entertainment value that can appeal to anyone.
10. Comic books can be enjoyed by any age group
Comic books are not just for kids. Graphic novels and comics books typically have dialogue twice as complex as children’s books according to Stephen Krashen’s The Power of Reading (“Why Should I Read Comics?”). These graphic narratives could be targeted for children, all-ages, or even mature audiences. For instance, the comic book Princeless is an all-age fantasy series about a princess who decides she doesn’t need a prince to save her. Then there's Nailbiter, a bloody series that I wouldn't recommend for the young'uns. If you are looking for a kid-friendly comic book, there are plenty of those too! Just look up Mega Man... which I'd actually recommend to all-ages as well!
9. Not everyone wears spandex (but some do)
The superhero genre is well-known but it is only one type of story. There is a wide variety of genres in comics. Just like films and novels, comic books can be scary, funny or action-packed.
There are some comedic, bizarre titles, like Sex Criminals. In this ongoing series, the two main characters, whenever they have sex, can freeze time. This is an example of how bizarre comics can be versus other media, which can make for some really fun and original stories that couldn’t be done on television or in the movies. Another example of a bizarre comic is Army of Darkness: Ash Saves Obama, a mini-series about a zombie-killer who protects President Obama at a comic convention… only in comics.
There are series such as Saga, a space opera heavily inspired by Star Wars featuring a forbidden love between two alien races. Then there’s great titles for horror fans that feature classic villains like Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees and Chucky, usually with the iconic characters fighting one another. There’s also your classic superhero tales featuring characters like Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man and Iron Man. These stories can range from the classic superhero brawl or a drawn-out story arc that focuses on emotions rather than punching. After all, superheroes have feelings too. Finally, there are a lot of biographical comics that may feature your favorite celebrity such as Jennifer Lawrence, Ozzy Osbourne or Lady Gaga.
There are some comedic, bizarre titles, like Sex Criminals. In this ongoing series, the two main characters, whenever they have sex, can freeze time. This is an example of how bizarre comics can be versus other media, which can make for some really fun and original stories that couldn’t be done on television or in the movies. Another example of a bizarre comic is Army of Darkness: Ash Saves Obama, a mini-series about a zombie-killer who protects President Obama at a comic convention… only in comics.
There are series such as Saga, a space opera heavily inspired by Star Wars featuring a forbidden love between two alien races. Then there’s great titles for horror fans that feature classic villains like Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees and Chucky, usually with the iconic characters fighting one another. There’s also your classic superhero tales featuring characters like Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man and Iron Man. These stories can range from the classic superhero brawl or a drawn-out story arc that focuses on emotions rather than punching. After all, superheroes have feelings too. Finally, there are a lot of biographical comics that may feature your favorite celebrity such as Jennifer Lawrence, Ozzy Osbourne or Lady Gaga.
8. Comics are infecting the mainstream
Over the past few years there have been numerous blockbuster hits that were adapted from comic books. The Avengers (2012) grossed $623,357,910 (“All Time Box Office”). Fans of the movies with these classic heroes can experience new scenarios with them in comics. The source material is often better than the adaptation, so many fans of the movies will probably find themselves enjoying the comic books more than what they saw on the big screen.
7. Adaptations from the mainstream
Adaptation works both ways when it comes to comic books. While many properties are currently being adapted from comics, there are also many movies, television shows, books and video games that have been adapted to comic book form.
Comic books can be great for fans of many TV shows that are now off the air. If you were a fan of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and want to know what happens after the season finale aired on TV, you can continue to follow Buffy and her friends in comic book form. The same goes for Smallville, which features a young Superman learning to cope with his powers, and Dexter, the story of a serial killer who murders other serial killers.
If you are a gamer and you finished playing games such as Mass Effect and Dead Space, you can enjoy even more stories from both in comic book form. Readers can also see classic games turned into comic book series, including Sonic the Hedgehog and the aforementioned Mega Man. These are new stories, not just rehashes of the original material.
Comic books can be great for fans of many TV shows that are now off the air. If you were a fan of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and want to know what happens after the season finale aired on TV, you can continue to follow Buffy and her friends in comic book form. The same goes for Smallville, which features a young Superman learning to cope with his powers, and Dexter, the story of a serial killer who murders other serial killers.
If you are a gamer and you finished playing games such as Mass Effect and Dead Space, you can enjoy even more stories from both in comic book form. Readers can also see classic games turned into comic book series, including Sonic the Hedgehog and the aforementioned Mega Man. These are new stories, not just rehashes of the original material.
6. Free comic books
You can actually get dozens of comic books for free—legally—online. The biggest website for digital comic books, ComiXology, has a page devoted to free comics that users can legally download and read. If you’re unsure about a book, you might be able to try it out. The website offers numerous comics including The Walking Dead #1 and Sex Criminals #1.
5. The perfect alternative to a novel
A lot of people don’t have the time or energy to read a novel. Comic books are a great way to keep reading without requiring as much time. The average comic book is about 32 pages long and usually costs $2.99 - $3.99. Many classic works such as The Odyssey, Huckleberry Finn and Genesis are given the comic book treatment. If these classics confused you, reading them as comic books may help clear up the complicated language. Rather than just reading words, readers will also get to enjoy looking at beautiful artwork.
4. Considered literature
Comic books aren’t called sequential “art” for nothing. This medium is being taken more and more seriously by the academic community. Professor Michael Bitz started “The Comic Book Project,” which teaches kids how to read, write and use punctuation by reading comic books (“Comic Books in the Classroom”). The project is available in classroom and individual packages on their official website. Many colleges offer classes revolving around comic books. Professor Edward Shannon is a teacher at Ramapo College of New Jersey who loves using comics in his classes.
There are also comic books which have won prestigious awards. Art Spiegelman won a special Pulitzer Prize in 1992 for Maus and Maus II, two graphic novels which are Holocaust parables about Spiegelman’s family.
There are also comic books which have won prestigious awards. Art Spiegelman won a special Pulitzer Prize in 1992 for Maus and Maus II, two graphic novels which are Holocaust parables about Spiegelman’s family.
3. Great community
If you join the comic book community you are bound to find numerous fans who not only enjoy comic books but are kind individuals who will happily share their love of comics with you. Comic conventions are fun gatherings where you can bond with comic book fans and even comic book creators over the medium. Some fans become so involved with comics that they make costumes modeled after their favorite heroes and dress up. This is known as “cosplay” and is another fun facet of the comic book community.
2. Cultural and social significance
Comic books often serve as time capsules. It’s enjoyable to pick up an old comic book and look at the advertisement for X-ray goggles that REALLY work. You often see the time period reflected in the work.
In the 1940s, comic books were being used as war propaganda, with heroes such as Captain America punching Hitler in the jaw. Then the comic books of the 1950s reflected the popularity of film noir and horror. The comic books of the 1960s handled racial intolerance with Marvel’s “mutants”—people with powers that were ridiculed by the non-mutant population. A comic reader can also enjoy how women in graphic narratives have evolved from the housewife into the heroine fighting for truth and justice during the 1970s. Then comic books became darker and “edgier” in the 1980s and 1990s. Sequential art continues to be defined by the time period they are made in and can serve as a fascinating look at our past.
In the 1940s, comic books were being used as war propaganda, with heroes such as Captain America punching Hitler in the jaw. Then the comic books of the 1950s reflected the popularity of film noir and horror. The comic books of the 1960s handled racial intolerance with Marvel’s “mutants”—people with powers that were ridiculed by the non-mutant population. A comic reader can also enjoy how women in graphic narratives have evolved from the housewife into the heroine fighting for truth and justice during the 1970s. Then comic books became darker and “edgier” in the 1980s and 1990s. Sequential art continues to be defined by the time period they are made in and can serve as a fascinating look at our past.
1. Emotional and fun
The main reason to read comic books is that you are bound to find a comic book which is a lot of fun to read and that might even make you get emotionally invested in the characters and story. Some comics may even surprise you. I found myself teary eyed after reading a Batman story featuring his nemesis Two-Face. In this particular story, Two-Face is contemplating suicide because of the horrible actions he has committed in his life. His moral dilemma is gripping and tragic.
Comics may even teach life lessons in an innovative way. For instance, Buzzkill is a comic book about a superhero who gets his powers by consuming alcohol, but his life is ruined by this. This is more entertaining and compelling than a public service announcement and is easily relatable to college kids. It even shows the main character’s high school and college drinking days.
I spoke with Kat West, a comic book fan and the writer for the comic book series Like Father, Like Daughter, about why she loves comics: “…it brings the visual and liter[rary] world together into one place. If you like storytelling then I think you can find a comic book that is perfect for you.”
So, now with this new information about the diverse nature of comic books, I ask that you give them consideration—if not to read yourself, to at least incorporate it into your own thinking about what the word “literature” really includes.
Comics may even teach life lessons in an innovative way. For instance, Buzzkill is a comic book about a superhero who gets his powers by consuming alcohol, but his life is ruined by this. This is more entertaining and compelling than a public service announcement and is easily relatable to college kids. It even shows the main character’s high school and college drinking days.
I spoke with Kat West, a comic book fan and the writer for the comic book series Like Father, Like Daughter, about why she loves comics: “…it brings the visual and liter[rary] world together into one place. If you like storytelling then I think you can find a comic book that is perfect for you.”
So, now with this new information about the diverse nature of comic books, I ask that you give them consideration—if not to read yourself, to at least incorporate it into your own thinking about what the word “literature” really includes.
Works Cited
“Comic Books in the Classroom.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 02 Jan. 2008. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/opinion/03thu4.html?_r=0>.
“Free Comics.” ComiXology. Iconology Inc, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015. <https://www.comixology.com/free-comics>.
“Why Should I Read Comics?” No Flying No Tights. No Flying No Tights, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015. <http://noflyingnotights.com/comics-101/why-should-i-read-comics/>.
“All Time Box Office.” Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Web. 04 Apr. 2015. <http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/>.
“Free Comics.” ComiXology. Iconology Inc, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015. <https://www.comixology.com/free-comics>.
“Why Should I Read Comics?” No Flying No Tights. No Flying No Tights, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015. <http://noflyingnotights.com/comics-101/why-should-i-read-comics/>.
“All Time Box Office.” Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Web. 04 Apr. 2015. <http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/>.
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