Superman is no longer an American...

[OldGreyEagle]

Are we talking Comic Books or Graphic Novels?

[Eagle92]

OGE,

 

Comic books. My boys picked up some free comics on Free Comic Book Day at the local store, and yes a few of the comics I wouldn't let them get b/c of content. Shoot one of the comics got by me, and it was after I started reading it did I realize it was not appropriate. Luckily the oldest didn't read it yet and he won't for some time.

[Tampa Turtle]

At free comics day at his school my kid got "Lincoln hates Werewolves" with "Jesus Hates Zombies". I was not exactly happy with some of the content....gotta look at all the stuff that comes in....

[nolesrule]

"Talking to some younger folk at work (late 20s) and they said that comic books now are more like PG-13 with sex, rape, murder, etc. and not really appropriate for 8 - 12 year olds like back in the dinosaur days of my youth.

 

Is there credence to this? "

 

There's still plenty of kiddie stuff for the younger audience (Disney puts out some nice fluff comics about Donald Duck), but yes, the subject matter of many comics is more mature than in the 40s and 50s. For the most part, the mainstream superhero stuff (Superman, Batman, Spider-man, X-men, etc) is written for a teenage audience with some more mature subject matter thrown in on occasion, but most of the independent or small studio stuff is aimed at older teens to adults. Part of the reason for this is the average age of the typical reader is older and more mature and more in control of their disposable income.

 

But it's been that way for a few decades now. Sin City, Watchmen, V for Vendetta aren't exactly recent, and were all originally released as mini-series, not graphic novels.

 

But even the more mature stuff isn't always about sex, rape and murder. There's been some great stuff released over the years that looks cutesy, but would be over the heads of most younger people (Beanworld & Bone just to name two older ones that I enjoyed).

 

I think the real issue is that people perceive comics as kiddie material. But really it's just a story-telling medium that combines visual art and written word. As a story-telling medium, it's no different than TV, movies or books, where there's a wide selection of material for every age range.

 

 

 

 

[NJCubScouter]

Tampa, that reminds me of the books my children have been giving each other as gifts the past couple of years, such as "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and "Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter." (Or something like that.) The front cover of the latter has Abe Lincoln holding something behind him, then I think the back cover shows that he is holding the head of a vampire. I assume these books are supposed to be funny, and maybe they are, I haven't read them. In any event, since my kids range from 19 to late 20's, they can read whatever they want.

[packsaddle]

Coming from a point of view in which I see the results, I would just like them to read something, if for no other reason than to appreciate the power of a good book. Even if they don't read a good book until years from now. Just read.

P.S. some writing skills would be nice too.