Comic books vs. books

[Yame]

Originally Posted by Idun

A lot of people say that comic books are of a lesser value than a "real" books; that comic strips belong to a culture of pictures, so are good enough for those who spend their free time watching TV or surfing the Net. It is widely belief that comic books are an obstacle on the way to reading something more serious; that they are mostly aimed at children, and adults, who are wise enough to appreciate literature shouldn't waste time on them.

Is this opinion true? Or rather: is it a rule? Can one person be a bookworm and a comic books fan?

This is along the lines of what do you prefer a book or a film? Each medium has its own tropes and powers of expression and also its own limitations. The validity of each is found in the fact that it is suited to the storyline it depicts and succeeds in creating the verisimilitude necessary for the suspension of disbelief that takes us into another world.

There is no 'better' or 'preferable' it's simply what works for the storyline at hand.

[SilverHammer]

I'd personally rather read a regular book any day of the week.

[sparkchaser]

Originally Posted by SilverHammer

I'd personally rather read a regular book any day of the week.

Sandman was way better in comic book form than novel form.

[steelclaw32]

The thing lads and ladies IS... their BOTH very different furry Bunny's.!
Like films/TV based on books and or comics, they'll mickyditich around with the final thing, and you'll wind up with a half arsed story.
Marvel Comics are or were doing a reasonable..ish rendition of Stephen King's
Dark Tower series of books, the books themselves I've not read, as yet, their in my, with a hell of lot of others TBRPile, which is about 600 and pregnant!

I've know connection with or even write for The Comics Journal, but I've been reading it for yonks now, 25 years if memory serves,! and it is a damn good magazine. If you want a mature non arse licking Marvel/DC etc,

I would highly recommend tcj.com site, for some pointers to some really innovative and truly thought provoking stories and Graphic novels .
You'll not be disappointed but it WILL blow your mind, thoughtful well thought out reviews, interviews and...well go see for yourselves, like I said it's a goodie.

[Phlebas]

Not strictly relevant to the thread but I spotted a hardback book containing "10 of the best Commando comics".
I was tempted but unusually for me resisted.

I think my years of reading comics when younger (Eagle, Battle, Tiger) is one of the reasons for my voracious appetite for books now. Generally I prefer books but do occasionally still pick up comics (or Graphic Novels to give them their grown up name). These do however tend to be more of a mature theme such as Sandman.

[Heteronym]

Marvel and DC may not produce particularly good monthly comics today, but they have their importance in reprinting seminal classic comics. DC, for instance, has recently finished publishing the complete collection of Will Eisner's 1940's The Spirit, which is one of the landmarks in comics history. And I'll give credit to Marvel for translating the occasional Franco-Belgian comic.

But the really good American comics today are being published by small publishers like Fantagraphics and Drawn & Quarterly.

I think it's unfair to compare comics to novels: comics are a medium and have their own language; you don't just read them; the pictures complement the writing. When writer and penciller work closely, it's a joy to experience the result. The way words and pictures can interact to form a narrative is unpredictable and fascinating.

[Libra6Poe]

Originally Posted by sparkchaser

Sandman was way better in comic book form than novel form.

What is this novel form you keep talking about?

[steelclaw32]

Libra6, I think sparkchaser was referring to this body of work, when "comics" really became more then the funny pages, or clowns (superheroes?!) in equally funny outrageous clothes,

from 1989 until 1996.

Check out the below thingie, can't at the more give you URL addy proper, haven't enough posts on this site apperantly.

httpenwikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sandman_(DC_Comics_Modern_Age]The Sandman (DC Comics Modern Age - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[sparkchaser]

Originally Posted by Libra6Poe

What is this novel form you keep talking about?

Bah. I went and looked up what I was referring to and it's not authored by Gaiman. Amazon.com: The Sandman: Book of Dreams: Neil Gaiman,Ed Kramer,Gene Wolfe,Steve Brust,Clive Barker,Tori Amos: Books

So...I take back everything I said about the novel form.

[joderu95]

Comic books vs. books

Comic books have a more specialized style than books. My guess is that readers of comic books are generally younger and much more male than female and so it fits more of a niche audience. I appreciate how they can introduce people to reading but they are just not as powerful or versatile as something that forces you to use your imagination from beginning to end.

[The waveguide]

Originally Posted by joderu95

Comic books have a more specialized style than books. My guess is that readers of comic books are generally younger and much more male than female and so it fits more of a niche audience. I appreciate how they can introduce people to reading but they are just not as powerful or versatile as something that forces you to use your imagination from beginning to end.

I do not agree that "readers of comic books are generally much more male than female "...

I mean, when I go to my work by public transportation, I frequently see both male and female persons reading comic. But yeah, regarding the age - I never saw a grand-ma (or a grand-pa)- aged people reading comic books... The very idea of it makes me smile for whatever reason...

I myself like only one comic - Asterix! I can not concetrate on the others...

[joderu95]

So not even in the most general sense? Really?

I'll stand by that claim as far as U.S. readership goes and I'll concede that it is not necessarily the case elsewhere. We need a random sample to know for sure.

[gundamgirl]

i read both comic books and books, it depends on the comic as they tend to show feelings expression well, you get a good idea about clothing etc, books give you a good feeling of these but sometimes it is good to see what the characters actually look like. Laurell k hamiltons anita blake books have been turned into a comic series, they are good, but the characters are slighty different. also quite a few authors of the sci-fi and fantasy genre are writing comics at the moment like tamora pierce.

Originally Posted by Idun

A lot of people say that comic books are of a lesser value than a "real" books; that comic strips belong to a culture of pictures, so are good enough for those who spend their free time watching TV or surfing the Net. It is widely belief that comic books are an obstacle on the way to reading something more serious; that they are mostly aimed at children, and adults, who are wise enough to appreciate literature shouldn't waste time on them.

Is this opinion true? Or rather: is it a rule? Can one person be a bookworm and a comic books fan?

[N3kr0]

Where do you ppl buy your comics books and graphic novels online?

[gundamgirl]

i usually buy mine from forbidden planet or amazon. if you like manga you can read online at mangafox.