vexationGreat thoughts Chris - and comments on the topic all. I think there's always a certain stigma with any thing that is new...the television versus reading a book debate? I think it's nearly the same thing - it takes time for new media to be accepted.
Particularly with anything people see as being "easy" (and be "easy" people usually mean "quick"). If something takes a fraction of the time it must not be as stimulating as something that takes days or weeks to absorb. But we accept now that a movie can be as stimulating as a book (not all, but some movies!). The fact that it only takes two hours to watch a movie doesn't mean it's without artistic merit.
But always - there's good and bad work. Art Spiegelman's "Maus" is considered to be a high art example of the comic book form. A person who argues that the latest trashy thriller trumps "Maus", just because the latter is prose and the former has pictures, is definately missing out on a rich and thought provoking form of storytelling.
JodiCleghornGreg... we've been very careful never to make our son feel ashamed about any part of his life - especially reading... thus I've come and asked those I trust to give me the low down.
As you say - we're thrilled he is reading and I get a tingle all over when I see him in the back of the car with his latest comic book totally absorbed in it. He's 6 and the fact he wants to read something is brilliant. The only problem I foresee now is his reading ability outstripping what is actually appropriate for his reading level.
He told me reading is comic is like "reading a movie" and he then went on to explain to me the intricacies of the thought and dialogue boxes etc.
And I should reframe what I said about thinking comics were "trash"... I just never appreciated what they actually were/are.
gregmcqueenOne thing I always say to people is, never be ashamed of what you read. Just read. As Chris says, "Let the boy read comics." If you make him somehow ashamed of what he's reading, you'll probably put him off reading totally. Don't make this more complicated that it needs to be. The boy IS reading. Let him get on with it. If anything, you should read what he reads. Be proud of him. The rest will come.
