What have I learned from comic books?

General Discussion Comic Books
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There were recent comments made about those who would read comic books as adults that many found offensive.
I would like to say my thoughts on being an adult reader of comic books in order to add something positive to this discussion.
Many comic book stories are reflections of what is going on in society at any moment in time. Yes, it may be exaggerated to the world of people who can fly or live underwater, but this is no different than the great satirists such as Swift, Orwell or Dickens.
Like them, today’s comic creators reflect issues through the lens of entertainment while prompting long discussions. Who among us has not debated the actions of a character or found the courage to talk about racism or discrimination or the impact of mass shootings easier when we can point to stories we like.
We also cannot forget comics are also entertainment and can also provide an escape from reality as well. When the world seems dark and too much, we take solace in stories that inspire us of the ideals our heroes strive for. This has been going on for a long time as we have stories of Beowulf, Odysseus, and many others.
We need to remind the world that just because comics have pictures as well as words and are read by kids that they have their rightful place in the world’d literature and no one should be mocked for their choice of reading material.

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Ms. Marvel opened my eyes to the humanity and everyday love of an entire people … and that New Jersey can be a beautiful place!

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Superman taught me to be the best of myself during tough situations. Redhood taught me that it’s ok to question or challenge ‘perfect’ people.

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What I learned from comics is that the world needs heroes–be they “men of steel” or “dark knights”. They inspire and instruct–and more importantly–entertain. When I was eleven I read my first Legion of Super-Heroes story in Adventure Comics and it dawned on me that not all teenagers were juvenile delinquents (hey, it was 1966!). They Legion showed me that young adults could be brave, courageous and bold. Now that was an aspiration I could embrace.

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X-Men as a kid taught me that it was ol t I be weird or different and to embrace it. The villians of Batman taught me sometimes you gotta just not care and take what you want…
And avoid the Bat :rofl:

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I learned that:

Superheroes don’t die (at least not for long)

Things aren’t always what they seem

Villains don’t always see themselves as villains; they often think they’re justified in their actions. Good and evil depends on your point of view (I also learned this one from Obi-Wan Kenobi).

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I am loving all of the responses. It is showing me I am not alone in our comic book community in understanding comics are much much more than “pretty pictures”.

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I learned to never put anyone else down. Because as great as you are at anything, there’s always someone better.

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“heroes get remembered but legends never die”…

Some of the most legandary characters aren’t always the good guys. Just like real life.

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A story is as good as its villain. Superman needs Lex, Batman needs Joker, Wonder Woman needs Ares and Cheetah.

The best known heroes have faced the most challenging villains.

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Batman’s epic and relatively relatable and down-to-earth rogues gallery is a constant reminder that villains are no different from normal people. It’s a constant reminder that if you make bad decisions, you can end up just like them. But it’s also a reminder that even though you can’t change the past, you can come back from any mistake if you stay determined to make the right choice next time.

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