Last Year in eighth grade I was sitting in reading class without a book. So I pulled out a comic from my back-pack and began reading. Before long the teacher came and told me to put it away and get a book. She didn’t think comics were appropriate reading material. But was she right? Are comics not good to be reading? There is evidence to prove they are suitable reading material. Many reject them without even looking at them because they believe the content is bad. But comics are more educational and complex than anyone thinks.
Comics are often dismissed before ever being picked up. They have been stereotyped as “bad” and “uneducational.” Professor Carol Tilley, From the Depart5ment of Library and Information Science, says, “Any book can be good and any book can be bad, to some extent. It’s up to the reader’s personality and intellect.” She then continues to say, “As a whole comics are just another medium, another genre.” Some are even seen as “just another genre” comics are rejected based on content that is or is believed to be in them.
The content of the pages often leads to comics be looked down upon. Some people will read only one comic and decide that all comics must be bad because the one they read happened to be one of inappropriate content. They start to think all comics must be violent and gruesome. They are wrong it’s prejudice, not all comics are meant for kids but, they are definitely not all meant for adults. In fact most comics now have a rating clearly printed on the front or back cover. So any parents who don’t want their children introduced to violent or sexual scenes there are comics that are rated A(all ages) or T(Teens) may even be appropriate depending on the child’s age. For the younger kids who are just getting into comics there are series like Marvel Heroes that are meant for a younger audience. But, just because it’s written for younger kids does not mean it’s a children’s picture book.
Comics are more than that; they have very good, detailed, and well thought out stories and characters. They could easily be turned into full length novels if wanted and some have been. Whereas a picture book only has one or two sentences a page and could never be a full length novel. “Comics are just as complex as any other literature.” Carol Tilley later stated.
When compared to other literature comics are at the bottom of the list. They’re not considered good. But, what if you were to put a comic to novel form. Anyone who read this would get the exact same story and learn the same things as they would if they were to read a comic. One difference though, is it would take longer and probably be less interesting (depending on personality) than to have read a comic. I believe it is actually more educational reading a comic. In a chapter book it tells you what is happening and you visualize it but with comics it’s the exact opposite. They show you what happens and you put it to words in your mind. So why are they so often rejected?
Those of you who reject comics as literature should open up your minds and try something new. Read a few comics and maybe you’ll realize comics are just as good as other books if not better. when you think of it comics really are just another genre.