I love books - but I adore graphic novels too. They aren’t as widely read or accepted - which sucks! Comic books and graphic novels rule - they are the most fun ever and so very easy to read. The big comic book houses, Marvel and DC, even have loads of graphic novels aimed at teens now, and even for younger readers, like this I Can Read superhero series - so there is absolutely no reason to avoid these awesome stories any more! But if I haven’t convinced you with this little introduction, here are my top 10 reasons to go comic crazy!
1. Because of the awesome movies coming out based on comic books!
The Avengers: Age Of Ultron, Big Hero Six, Ant Man and Guardians of the Galaxy are just a few of the films that have come out recently - and then there’s Batman Vs Superman, Doctor Strange and Captain America: Civil War out next year, to just name a few! And then there are all the TV shows - Arrow, The Flash, Agent Carter, Agents Of Shield, Daredevil and soon Supergirl! There are so many brilliant films and shows - and wouldn’t you just love to be the one who watches it, sniffs and can point out all the things done brilliantly and terribly? Just me… Still, reading about your favourite comic book heroes is so much fun!
2. There have been loads of awesome graphic novel adaptations of brilliant children’s and YA books
I’ve read quite a few of these, some of my favourites being Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman, Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz. You don’t need to read the original versions first - but if you have, the brilliant pictures and dialogue just makes you love the books even more! I really can’t recommend awesome adaptations like these enough!
Oh, and did you know they even do graphic novel adaptions of classics - such as Shakespeare plays? Like Macbeth? Or this gorgeous version of Hamlet by Nicki Greenberg? You didn’t? Well, check ‘em out - because they are brilliant!
3. Comics nowadays host some of the most diverse characters out there!
There are awesome superheroes and heroines of all different sizes, nationalities and sexualities, with many major characters dealing with some of the diversities really lacking in other fiction. Did you know there was a whole storyline where Batgirl was stuck in a wheelchair and had to learn to be a different kind of superhero? Awesome, huh? And then there’s Daredevil, a blind superhero who is a lawyer by day and awesome by night!
4. Comic books and graphic novels are so much fun!
They’re the perfect sort of thing to dip into and out of, reading one issue at one sitting, the second at the next - or all in one go, like I tend to do with my Guardians of the Galaxy books (AKA my favourite comic book team)! I found that comics were perfect to read in between revising for GCSEs - they don’t require a lot of concentration and they’re so much fun to read!
5. Comic books are always being reinvented, which means there are an infinite number of stories out there
Yup, comics are pretty notorious for re-hauling whole series, switching up worlds and revamping old teams for teens of today. Which is so much fun for us - because it means there are just so many stories and comics to choose from! Yay! This Hawkeye comic is my brother’s favourite and is part of the new Marvel NOW franchise! Similarly, DC has been bringing their stories up to date with the New 52 line. It’s really worth checking both out - they’re awesome!
6. They deal with REAL ISSUES
Comics might be about dudes in tights with super powers, but they really tackle some serious issues and, back in the day, were quite ahead of their time. With storylines such as drug addictions, disability, racism, sexual assault, serious illnesses (including storylines from both major worlds about characters testing HIV positive), and all different kinds of sexuality, comic books really do examine many all-too-real issues that will really connect with their teenaged and adult audiences. They were also some of the first mainstream forms of fiction that had major black characters, like Black Panther - also the first superhero film with a black superhero as the main character.
7. They’re really exciting and quick reads!
If you are the kind of person who can’t sit still to read a whole book, comics are perfect! The drawings are always incredible and the dialogue snappy - it is so easy to just sit and read them, often in one sitting!
8. There is no escape like an escape into a comic
We all want to be heroes, don’t we? We’ve all thought, Boy, it would be so cool if I could fly or run really really fast… It’s inevitable - us kids have brilliant imaginations and the daydream of being a superhero is one of the best ones out there. When the real world feels so sucky and miserable and depressing, escaping into a world where people run around with superpowers, stopping villains and the world ending and wars, is just so brilliant and reminds you that there are people who are noble and can make a change. Which leads me to point nine…
9. Superheroes are awesome role models
Now, I’m not suggesting you all start running around in tights, beating up villains. But look at Captain America or Superman or Wonder Woman - all are so noble and so brave and so good: they fight when they have to, but they always talk first. Heck, Wonder Woman is a magical diplomat now - she really makes that job cool! We should all try to be a little more like our favourite superheroes - try to help more people or aspire to become people who can make a change in the future. Comic books remind us that heroes exist and that you don’t always have to have superpowers or millions to be one.
10. ‘Cause being geeky is awesome
So maybe some people think reading comics is nerdy or geeky or whatever. But you know what? Being a geek is awesome - you get to read the best books and comics and wear the coolest t-shirts (doesn’t everyone have at least one superhero shirt in their wardrobe? Or is that just me again?) and also get to know the most amazing characters. And you get to dress up as them and look absolutely awesome yourself. Bring on Comic Con 2016!
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