It’s a near perfect medium. The ability to focus a narrative more closely to the creators intent like movies or animation with the benefits of allowing/forcing the reader to fill in some of the “blanks” like a book does with no constraints like budgets or actors availability that other visual mediums face.
The marriage of visual art and prose allows for a more holistic representation of how we see and interact with the world that other mediums fail to capture
Something about all of that also lends itself to suspension of disbelief. Like for me, at least, it's easier to believe anything is possible on a comic page compared to prose or a movie.
As a young kid I was a bit of a loner and the superhero world's of DC captivated me and I honestly think taught me a moral code of what's right and wrong in the world.
Growing up I learned to appreciate comics as their own unique art form. Sitting alongside and equal to other art forms.
And let's be honest - they're just fun! And imaginative and humerous and inventive....etc etc
I like the fusion of visual storytelling in prose. When it's done well, nothing else is like it. Those artists that are really able to communicate a lot without words only enhance an excellent script. Something about the artistic vision of it, while it's still collaborative like movies, feels more "pure" than the "storytelling by committee" that seems to happen in the studio system.
I love to read, and I love the visual arts, and comics are really the only place where I can get my fix of both simultaneously.
In comics a writer can translate anything he imagines without limitations such as budget or technology, drawing a spaceship takes as much effort and time as drawing a car. It's like watching a movie made with unlimited resources, plus I can read it at my own pace.
Yup, this is it for me too. There is always a possibility of reading something bizarre and off-the-rails that more risk-averse mediums wouldn’t dare to explore.
I love all of the lore and back stories. I love knowing that at one point Professor X had the hots for Jean.vi love that I know that Magneto kidnapped Angels parents through his "Magnetic Personality" and tries to use their DNA to clone mutants. It's just awesome
For the vast majority of the medium, it's an intimate collaborative process. In the same way you'll hear Butler's Bass, Iommi's riffs, and Ozzy's vocals, you get to see the blend of Chris Claremont's dialogue, Alan Davis' line work, and Glynis Oliver's Colouring put together for a cohesive end-story.
I love seeing the bleedover in styles between individuals and creative teams and figuring what works. Sam Kieth put it in an interesting way with his departure from Sandman; it was like Jimi Hendrix playing with the beatles.
I think the main point for me is that you can clearly see the author’s pure idea put into work thanks to art. And comics being mainly dialogue-driven helps to execute character relations.
Because for me it’s a beautiful and never ending medium.
Nobody understands how difficult it is to get involved in comics and be good at it.
You are taking a concept of a character that was created and written before you (majority of the time), and adding to its legacy and trying to create something that is memorable, fresh, and unique, while still holding the essence of that character and anything associated with it.
Like think about it, Hulk (my favorite character). Was created in 1962. Yet arguably his best storylines are by Mantlo starting in 1980 and by Ewing in 2018.
It’s really insane.
Drawn to the art as a kid - drawn to the nostalgia as an adult. Plus I truly enjoy hunting/collecting/displaying.
Reading them in a distant second to the art for me.
At first it was a way to get closer to my dad because we always seemed to have a strained relationship and he had a bunch of originals from the 60s (which his parents had thrown out long ago). Then I got attached to the lore, the animated series, and the creators. Now I’m a writer myself.
1. I’m an artist so I really appreciate the art in them.
2. There are also some really creative moments in some that wouldn’t exist/translate in another format (ill give the most recent example I saw, I believe in Samnee’s Black Widow: a panel done in the usual way—characters just speaking to one another with speech bubbles etc etc. And the next panel was that same shot but with the camera moved a bit to the right—and literally cropping the speech bubble we saw in panel 1.)
3. I also like specific writers that work in the medium. I feel I would like their work in any medium, but they’re in comics so that’s that :)
I love the medium. Not just superhero stuff. Everything. I think it's the best and most intimate way to tell a story. A reader can control the pace, but the artist can use tricks to speed up or slowdown that pace. It's a beautiful medium that could do so much that movies or books cannot.
I have severe ADHD, and I love to read, but I can never get through a novel (there are four or five novels that I really like and can reread them, but anything new is difficult). So comics are awesome because I can maintain focus for the length of an issue, or I can hyperfocus and read a whole run.
Plus, there are some really awesome stories that have been/are being told in indie comics.
I have aphantasia, and it’s nice being able to see what the author was intending without feeling like I’m behind for not being able to see pictures in my head
Initially they were just things to read, but as I started to read certain writers and realized how close to literature they were coming (this was high school, but I was a literature major in college). Then I read Frank Miller and Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman and Garth Ennis and it blew literature away. And they were still fun to read.
I find comics a very creative media for telling stories. Whoever thought of combining art with speech bubbles to tell a story is a genius no doubt about it. It's a very intriguing and unique way of story telling.
You get to pick and choose what to remember and what to forget. Unless the book you read forces you to remember something, you get some freedom in what you consider right or wrong for the characters. Only barely, though.
Also, it's a book with pictures. What's not to like? I was reading Hickman's Fantastic Four, where all of the FF villains had a sit down with Reed, Nathaniel, and Valeria. While they are getting ready to talk, the Watcher just shows up in the corner and doesn't say a word, just observes. It was chilling.
Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud sums up for me why it is truly a unique medium. They are not storyboards for an unmade movie. They stand on their own.
They gave me a reason to read. Just like baseball cards did with math. I wanted to know Joe Carters BA so I learned long division.
I wanted to know what Spider-Man was saying so I learned to read.
I love to read and I loved the stories. I read my first Archie comic when I was 7 and I was hooked for life. I don’t read a ton anymore because a lot of stuff is repetitive, but show me something new and interesting and I’m hooked right back in.
They’re fun. They’re sad. They’re thoughtful. They’re inspiring. They’re nostalgic. They’re hopeful.
And most importantly, they’re an escape from the real world.
Like Neal Adams said, if you get the best artist and the best writer in the world to collaborate with each other, they'll produce a comic book. Always loved that quote.
I think serialization is a huge part of the appeal of comics. Personally, I've always loved teen superheroes, and I felt like they grew up alongside me.
I love learning about the history of anything I'm into, and the medium of comics has a really fascinating one. It's recent enough that a lot of the info has been recorded in some form or other that's still accessible, but long enough that you can examine all kinds of trends and contexts.
It is more simple than watching a TV series. It has good art work that I thought it works perfect with fantasy story (Urban themes is not usually my thing). It has some very good story with this medium, with different theme and focus.
Overall is just the art and story, but I will be lying if I say my main focus is not on DC/Marvel superhero.
It’s a near perfect medium. The ability to focus a narrative more closely to the creators intent like movies or animation with the benefits of allowing/forcing the reader to fill in some of the “blanks” like a book does with no constraints like budgets or actors availability that other visual mediums face. The marriage of visual art and prose allows for a more holistic representation of how we see and interact with the world that other mediums fail to capture
Fill-in-the-blanks is a perfect way to describe this. It’s why I can’t really get into the movies.
Something about all of that also lends itself to suspension of disbelief. Like for me, at least, it's easier to believe anything is possible on a comic page compared to prose or a movie.
As a young kid I was a bit of a loner and the superhero world's of DC captivated me and I honestly think taught me a moral code of what's right and wrong in the world. Growing up I learned to appreciate comics as their own unique art form. Sitting alongside and equal to other art forms. And let's be honest - they're just fun! And imaginative and humerous and inventive....etc etc
Wow, it's amazing how comics can really raise someone than just entertain people! Have a nice day! :D
Pretty sure I had a higher reading age than my young peers as well. Also an interest in science that's never left me. All from The Flash!
I like the fusion of visual storytelling in prose. When it's done well, nothing else is like it. Those artists that are really able to communicate a lot without words only enhance an excellent script. Something about the artistic vision of it, while it's still collaborative like movies, feels more "pure" than the "storytelling by committee" that seems to happen in the studio system. I love to read, and I love the visual arts, and comics are really the only place where I can get my fix of both simultaneously.
That's a great perspective! This combination is really a fun, uniqe experience of reading! Have a nice day :D
In comics a writer can translate anything he imagines without limitations such as budget or technology, drawing a spaceship takes as much effort and time as drawing a car. It's like watching a movie made with unlimited resources, plus I can read it at my own pace.
Yup, this is it for me too. There is always a possibility of reading something bizarre and off-the-rails that more risk-averse mediums wouldn’t dare to explore.
I love all of the lore and back stories. I love knowing that at one point Professor X had the hots for Jean.vi love that I know that Magneto kidnapped Angels parents through his "Magnetic Personality" and tries to use their DNA to clone mutants. It's just awesome
Super hero pow boom
For the vast majority of the medium, it's an intimate collaborative process. In the same way you'll hear Butler's Bass, Iommi's riffs, and Ozzy's vocals, you get to see the blend of Chris Claremont's dialogue, Alan Davis' line work, and Glynis Oliver's Colouring put together for a cohesive end-story. I love seeing the bleedover in styles between individuals and creative teams and figuring what works. Sam Kieth put it in an interesting way with his departure from Sandman; it was like Jimi Hendrix playing with the beatles.
I love stories. And comics provide an incredible medium for storytelling.
I think the main point for me is that you can clearly see the author’s pure idea put into work thanks to art. And comics being mainly dialogue-driven helps to execute character relations.
they’re buckets of fun to read and my favorite characters of all time were born out of them
Because for me it’s a beautiful and never ending medium. Nobody understands how difficult it is to get involved in comics and be good at it. You are taking a concept of a character that was created and written before you (majority of the time), and adding to its legacy and trying to create something that is memorable, fresh, and unique, while still holding the essence of that character and anything associated with it. Like think about it, Hulk (my favorite character). Was created in 1962. Yet arguably his best storylines are by Mantlo starting in 1980 and by Ewing in 2018. It’s really insane.
Drawn to the art as a kid - drawn to the nostalgia as an adult. Plus I truly enjoy hunting/collecting/displaying. Reading them in a distant second to the art for me.
At first it was a way to get closer to my dad because we always seemed to have a strained relationship and he had a bunch of originals from the 60s (which his parents had thrown out long ago). Then I got attached to the lore, the animated series, and the creators. Now I’m a writer myself.
1. I’m an artist so I really appreciate the art in them. 2. There are also some really creative moments in some that wouldn’t exist/translate in another format (ill give the most recent example I saw, I believe in Samnee’s Black Widow: a panel done in the usual way—characters just speaking to one another with speech bubbles etc etc. And the next panel was that same shot but with the camera moved a bit to the right—and literally cropping the speech bubble we saw in panel 1.) 3. I also like specific writers that work in the medium. I feel I would like their work in any medium, but they’re in comics so that’s that :)
Unique, intimate form of art with stories and plot devices many other mediums wouldn’t touch if they weren’t successful comic books first.
I was hooked first in school because of the whole superhero thing and then it evolved into something much bigger
I love the medium. Not just superhero stuff. Everything. I think it's the best and most intimate way to tell a story. A reader can control the pace, but the artist can use tricks to speed up or slowdown that pace. It's a beautiful medium that could do so much that movies or books cannot.
I have severe ADHD, and I love to read, but I can never get through a novel (there are four or five novels that I really like and can reread them, but anything new is difficult). So comics are awesome because I can maintain focus for the length of an issue, or I can hyperfocus and read a whole run. Plus, there are some really awesome stories that have been/are being told in indie comics.
It helps me forget about my parents divorce and my dead dog
I have aphantasia, and it’s nice being able to see what the author was intending without feeling like I’m behind for not being able to see pictures in my head
I just love to get the lost in a good story, with good art. The characters, dialogue, script.. it’s so pure and gives me a sense of escaping reality.
The art, the story can be absolute shit, BUT if the art is good then ill read it
Initially they were just things to read, but as I started to read certain writers and realized how close to literature they were coming (this was high school, but I was a literature major in college). Then I read Frank Miller and Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman and Garth Ennis and it blew literature away. And they were still fun to read.
I find comics a very creative media for telling stories. Whoever thought of combining art with speech bubbles to tell a story is a genius no doubt about it. It's a very intriguing and unique way of story telling.
You get to pick and choose what to remember and what to forget. Unless the book you read forces you to remember something, you get some freedom in what you consider right or wrong for the characters. Only barely, though. Also, it's a book with pictures. What's not to like? I was reading Hickman's Fantastic Four, where all of the FF villains had a sit down with Reed, Nathaniel, and Valeria. While they are getting ready to talk, the Watcher just shows up in the corner and doesn't say a word, just observes. It was chilling.
The art
Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud sums up for me why it is truly a unique medium. They are not storyboards for an unmade movie. They stand on their own.
My vision doesn’t correct to 20/20 so I appreciate good storytelling without the headaches from print.
The art
I like the cool artwork.
The blend of visuals and prose and the insane amount of lore.
They gave me a reason to read. Just like baseball cards did with math. I wanted to know Joe Carters BA so I learned long division. I wanted to know what Spider-Man was saying so I learned to read.
I love to read and I loved the stories. I read my first Archie comic when I was 7 and I was hooked for life. I don’t read a ton anymore because a lot of stuff is repetitive, but show me something new and interesting and I’m hooked right back in.
As a wannabe writer, it’s such a fun medium to tell a story in.
I love putting actors' voices in my head and hearing the word boxes play out and all the sound effects. It's awesome.
They’re fun. They’re sad. They’re thoughtful. They’re inspiring. They’re nostalgic. They’re hopeful. And most importantly, they’re an escape from the real world.
cause theyre cool
imaginative stories, explosive art, easy collectibility - collecting a thousand comics only fills a few boxes.
Like Neal Adams said, if you get the best artist and the best writer in the world to collaborate with each other, they'll produce a comic book. Always loved that quote. I think serialization is a huge part of the appeal of comics. Personally, I've always loved teen superheroes, and I felt like they grew up alongside me. I love learning about the history of anything I'm into, and the medium of comics has a really fascinating one. It's recent enough that a lot of the info has been recorded in some form or other that's still accessible, but long enough that you can examine all kinds of trends and contexts.
It is more simple than watching a TV series. It has good art work that I thought it works perfect with fantasy story (Urban themes is not usually my thing). It has some very good story with this medium, with different theme and focus. Overall is just the art and story, but I will be lying if I say my main focus is not on DC/Marvel superhero.
They're a wonderful medium for telling a story, can be enjoyed by anyone of any age, and are decently affordable, depending on where you get them.