Why You Should Read Comics

By Connor Ferry on February 21, 2016

Why should you read comics? I feel like, as a comic fan, comics have experienced a disproportionate amount of criticism ever since their infancy.

There are bad books, books that are vapid, that are written poorly, that have uninteresting stories with uninteresting characters, books that are completely uninteresting. So, why is that no one says to you, “Don’t read books, they’re garbage?”

From Flickr

Why is it that we feel that the only real intellectually stimulating experience that we can achieve is from reading a book? I assume it has a great deal of involvement with our perception of books as learning tools, textbooks and manuscripts, but even still, if a child reads a fantasy book, parents are proud, because the child is engaging their imagination, but comics don’t do that?

Or maybe we believe that comics are not realistic. Comics often have superheroes with powers not of this world. These superheroes dawn spandex and run around the city, saving the day, or in the case of Jason Todd, seconds too late.

From Flickr

As for imagination, I want to say that all forms of artistic medium allow for creative interpretation via the imagination. When you read a book, the guidelines are there, characters are big or small, muscular or not, what colors they wear, the objects in a room, their expressions, their thoughts. It’s up to the reader to picture the room.

In comic books, the reader pictures something else. The reader pictures the movements that are not listed, how Batman may move more calmly and calculated than his son. But there’s more.

When given the room of a character, when given the background, you can look into the character’s mind. Superman has to fly from the Fortress of Solitude to Metropolis; when he leaves, he passes his trophy room. Why does Superman need trophies? Why does Batman need a trophy room? Is it because they realize that crime is inevitable and that all they can do is stop some of it and remember the times that they did fondly? In a non-visual medium, an artist can’t convey this type of message without drawing attention to it, which ruins the subtly of it.

From Flickr

Comics are unrealistic, all speculative fiction is unrealistic. The skill of the writer is in how they create these worlds that are similar and dissimilar to our own, and how they can then make commentary of our world.

Take the Steampunk genre, it typically takes place in Victorian England — why? Because Victorian England is similar to our society and it allows the artists to make commentary on what in our society needs changed.

From Flickr

Most comic books take place during the year they are written in worlds that seem more or less perfect than our own. These worlds are created with reason. Why is Metropolis so perfect and why is Gotham so terrible? Some people say that Metropolis is New York City during the day and Gotham is New York City at night. What does that mean for the reader? It depends on the comic; the comic could want you to act like it’s daytime during the night and live without fear, or the comic might want to instill awareness of what happens at night.

Comics have always been a medium for the outcast. The X-Men are a metaphor for all outcasts. Superman is the last of his kind. Green Arrow and Green Lantern talked about drug addiction before anyone else, Green Arrow continued to have a sidekick with AIDS while during the height of the disease, in attempt to show in what manner AIDS was contagious and to educate people. Individuality is celebrity in comic books, not muted.

From Flickr

They might not be diverse enough, but there is a great Cyborg series, there was an amazing Ghost Rider series, Kate Bishop as Hawkeye is incredible, we have a new Hulk. Comics are changing and always looking to make sure that no idea is left out and that no person can feel excluded.

So, why should you read comics? Because they have the time and the ability to tell realistic and compelling stories with real character development. Because there are characters and stories for any age. There are ongoing philosophical questions about the identity of self and other. There are moral questions of life and death. There is art that could be hung on a while.

If nothing else, these comics are the perfect thing to read between classes. If I have convinced you, check out any of these comics for your interest.

Grayson – Robin grows up and becomes James Bond.

Action Comics – Superman has lost his powers, but still protects as best he can.

Earth 2 (Society) – Alternate DC universe, the heroes are there, but it takes place in the future, where these heroes have to make an alien planet home.

Hawkeye (2015) – Marvel’s archer with no powers. What does he do when he isn’t saving the world with the Avengers?

Constantine: The Hellblazer – Is he a powerful magician or the best liar? Constantine protects the DC universe with magic.

The Astonishing Ant-Man – Single father and superhero Scott Lang has to find balance in his life. This is an incredibly funny comic.

Ringside – A realistic view of wrestling organizations.

Other great comics are Omega Men, Old Man Logan, Daredevil (2016), Joe Golem, Moon Knight (From the Dead), Injustice Gods Among Us, Aquaman (New 52), Hawkeye vs. Deadpool, Hank Johnson.

So, go on, pick up a comic.

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