If you are wondering whether adults read comic books, the answer is a big yes.
Comic books are fun to read because they spark your imagination. They will increase your literacy if you read them consistently and also provide educational tidbits and nuggets.
Creative writers use comics to help people understand what is going on in society. They do so by addressing different issues.
There is so much more to comic books other than pictures of guys and gals flying in tights and capes. Here are the 6 best reasons to start reading comic books.
Comic books are fun to read
The number one reason for reading a comic book is for enjoyment purposes. Let’s admit it, we all find great enjoyment when a protagonist and antagonist are in a fierce battle. We lose ourselves in that fantasy world as we cheer for the protagonist who, to our delight, ends up saving the day.
The fact that enjoyment comes first does not discount the other reasons for reading comic books. The reason? If you can’t enjoy it, then you can’t experience the other benefits.
Comic books contain educational nuggets
You can glean a wealth of knowledge from comic book characters. Writers usually add real-life facts to their stories to make them relatable. These facts range from historical, medical, scientific, mathematical, and other fields.
Of course, the knowledge that comics offer cannot equal taking a graduate course but hey, you never know when that information could come in handy. For example, Captain America, which is one of the best comic books, will teach you some things about World War II while Batman comics will give you a couple of scientific facts.
Comic books promote literacy
This is true even for older folks who have literacy issues. Literature, such as the one found in comic books, is a treasure of ideas and information.
For children who find reading other books to be a chore, comics are a great way to combat this problem at an early age. Reading comic books will promote literacy in the following ways:
- Improve reading skills
- Increase vocabulary
- Teach story-telling formats
- Arouse a desire to seek information
Comic books are culturally relevant
The evolution of comics is related to changes taking place in society. Societies deal with war, economic problems, health pandemics and many more. Comics are a reflection of what is going on in society because writers use them as a platform to address social problems.
For example, early Wonder Woman comic issues portrayed self-empowerment and women often looked up to such comic characters for empowerment when faced with gender inequality issues.
Comic books spark imagination
There are people who attribute their creativity to comic books. Some like fantasy novelists and web designers point to comics as their influencing factor. As writers spin tales around these fantasy characters, creative people begin to think of how they can bring those fantasies to life.
For example, comic characters traveled in space and used computers long before these things became a reality.
Creative people have also used comic books to create movies that bring the book to life. An example is the movie X-Men which is based on a series of comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Comic books teach good morals
If you wish to teach kids good morals, comic books might help. They address real issues in a fantasy setting. Most, if not all heroes in comic books, have to go through a lot of trouble to selflessly save others from danger.
Teen Titans, the animated series, is one example of how comic heroes can be used to instill good morals in children. In the series, the characters: Starfire, Raven, Robin, Cyborg, and Beast Boy teach kids these morals:
- How to connect with other kids who seem lonely
- How to control powerful negative emotions
- How to be courageous and stand your ground
- How to rise despite physical disabilities
Conclusion
The main benefit of comic books is that they provide entertainment through interesting illustrations and a simple structure. These books help to improve your literacy and provide you with educational nuggets that might come in handy someday.
As for the young in society, they help shape their morals from an early age. And as we stated from the start, comic books are more than just guys and girls flying in costumes; they have a lot of hidden benefits to offer. Understand this and you will never find reading them uninteresting again!
Article by Born Realist