General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Show of hands, how many adults here enjoy comics... [View all]Hekate
(90,643 posts)Have not yet picked up John Lewis' books about the civil rights era. We also have Doonesbury 40th Anniversary and the Calvin & Hobbes collection 3 volume collection in hardcover.
Sometimes the combination of art and text deepens the experience enormously.
I have not warmed to either Neil Gaiman's Sandman nor Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. I am a fan of Gaiman's books in text form -- same with the Dresden Files.
I used to like 10c comics when I was a little kid, but a dime was a lot of money at that age, so I read the neighbor-kid's stash. MAD was transgressive and fun, throwing in enough adult references to keep me engaged. When I moved on it was to science fiction written for adults. I was an early and fluent reader -- all comic books were certainly more engaging than Dick and Jane, which bored me to tears.
As an adult I have met several people who came to the US as kids who spoke no English, but instead French, Dutch, or Spanish, and they all credited comic books and afternoon cartoons for their ability to learn English quickly and fluently. All college grads, like me.