The Outhouse - The Greatest Comic Book Forum

[Victorian Squid]

I just think that most 'all-ages' comics are shit, and are more likely to turn kids off comics than make them readers for life.

I think all-ages humor strip books are a classic part of the genre and many of the parents here seem to have kids who really enjoy them.

Where I do agree with you more is with the all-ages books that are basically like dumbed-down versions of already-dumbed down superhero comics.

One thing I fail to comprehend is folks who claim they have no earthly idea where to get their kids comics or where to start, when one can walk into pretty much any library and ask someone those very same questions for free, not to mention the chain bookstores or actual comic shops, or online resources. It just sounds like laziness to me, plain and simple, when the gov't subsidizes libraries full of overpaid but in most cases helpful staff who are there to make those sort of recommendations and it won't cost you anything.

Or--radical idea, I know--take your kids to the library and let them look through the all ages graphic lit and make their own damn choices where to start! It worked for decades!

[S.F. Jude Terror]

My kids do like Owly, but they want me to read it to them. How the fuck do you read Owly out loud? There's no words!

[Victorian Squid]

My kids do like Owly, but they want me to read it to them. How the fuck do you read Owly out loud? There's no words!

If I were you, I'd hand them the comic and tell them to tell you the story.

[rdrsfn82]

How do you get it and not get it at the same time (to the same fucking degree, I might add), Punchy? You're a genius in that regard.

Yes, you're 500% correct that the Comic Book Industry needs to focus on quality, and not insult the intelligence of its readers (which happens FAR too often in the General Big 2 Comics now and days). Writers will only assure that the 4-Color Comic Book Industry is resigned to magnanimous grave if they do not understand that All-Ages does not mean everything you described.

However, I really do believe that you need to understand that for ANY Industry to remain healthy, it must be in a place where you will most assuredly attract new customers/clients, which in turn will spend the most dollars for your product.The 4-Colors need to cast as wide of a net as possible to ensure the survival of the Industry at large.

Now before you continue to harp on the legitimate concern of whether we would see the amazing comic books that we do get, I must bring up a couple of points.

1) Creator-Owned Comics would not have to be aim at All-Ages Audiences, unless they want them to be. This Industry needs a place where the Older and Adult Reader can read stories that are aimed to entertain and challenge them. The Japanese Manga Industry has a thriving sector aimed at Adult Audiences. Creator-Owned Comics could serve as the arm (but not be limited to, mind you) for the older audiences who enjoy comics.

2) The thing that people need to remember is that Comics once served as the "cutting edge" of entertainment for young audiences. Now what I mean by "cutting edge" is that Comics, due to their nature could get away with things that Television could not. The same thing could happen today. Go back and Analyze the more famous (and critically acclaimed) stories of the past 7 years, is there REALLY anything that needs to be changed besides some of the more Vulgar Sexual Overtones and Graphic Displays of Violence? Sure you would need to be more creative with these things, but most writers would be forced to write a better story without such easy cop outs.

In short, I really do feel its time for the Industry (especially the Big 2) to get back to its All-Ages roots. Like the nostalgia lovers, the "No Kids Allowed in my LCS" bros need to be ignored.

Other than my personal dislike of Magna (which I realize is a popular thing, just not my cup of tea) I could not agree with this more.

[rdrsfn82]

I think all-ages humor strip books are a classic part of the genre and many of the parents here seem to have kids who really enjoy them.

Where I do agree with you more is with the all-ages books that are basically like dumbed-down versions of already-dumbed down superhero comics.

One thing I fail to comprehend is folks who claim they have no earthly idea where to get their kids comics or where to start, when one can walk into pretty much any library and ask someone those very same questions for free, not to mention the chain bookstores or actual comic shops, or online resources. It just sounds like laziness to me, plain and simple, when the gov't subsidizes libraries full of overpaid but in most cases helpful staff who are there to make those sort of recommendations and it won't cost you anything.

Or--radical idea, I know--take your kids to the library and let them look through the all ages graphic lit and make their own damn choices where to start! It worked for decades!

Parents who do that shit or complain about violent games ruining kids are so fucking lazy. How about taking 5 fucking minutes to understand what your kid is reading/playing/listening to and deciding if it's OK for them and if they are mature enough to handle it? In today's age, where most people have internet access and you can find out about anything online, you should be able to look that shit up and get informed in just a few minutes. If GTA is too much for your kids, or you've never heard of Bone, it's pretty easy to find that information out and then direct your kids to the right stuff.

[rdrsfn82]

My kids do like Owly, but they want me to read it to them. How the fuck do you read Owly out loud? There's no words!

[Dalarsco]

Some good, some bad. Something about comics for kids, especially on a website with some many parents, is good. But the "dieing artform" stuff is utter bullshit. Dieing format? Probably, at least in a physical form. But collected edition sales, especially in book markets, are doing well, and webcomics are immensely popular. I can see the end of paper serialization, but sequential art isn't going anywhere.

[Victorian Squid]

Parents who do that shit or complain about violent games ruining kids are so fucking lazy. How about taking 5 fucking minutes to understand what your kid is reading/playing/listening to and deciding if it's OK for them and if they are mature enough to handle it? In today's age, where most people have internet access and you can find out about anything online, you should be able to look that shit up and get informed in just a few minutes. If GTA is too much for your kids, or you've never heard of Bone, it's pretty easy to find that information out and then direct your kids to the right stuff.

Yep. Or like I say, go with them to that section of the library and let them explore their own choices. After we lived in the ghetto, I spent countless hours at the library or museums, and my parents knew enough to get me access to those places and let me make my own choices.

[rdrsfn82]

Yep. Or like I say, go with them to that section of the library and let them explore their own choices. After we lived in the ghetto, I spent countless hours at the library or museums, and my parents knew enough to get me access to those places and let me make my own choices.

But it's so hard to take 2 minutes to flip through the book they chose and see if it's something you are good with letting them read. I mean, who has 2 minutes?

[S.F. Jude Terror]

Bring my three kids to a library? We'd be banned from every library in the state of NJ.

[SuperginraiX]

My kids do like Owly, but they want me to read it to them. How the fuck do you read Owly out loud? There's no words!

If I were you, I'd hand them the comic and tell them to tell you the story.

Nice. I like that.


I'm just happy whenever my almost three year old points out Iron Man and Spider-Man to me. It's pretty awesome. We'll work on the comics soon. Soon.

[Victorian Squid]

But it's so hard to take 2 minutes to flip through the book they chose and see if it's something you are good with letting them read. I mean, who has 2 minutes?

Hey, they probably aren't monitoring their social-networking, online activity, tv watching, or video games either, so why bother?

[sdsichero]

I just think that most 'all-ages' comics are shit, and are more likely to turn kids off comics than make them readers for life.

Hmn maybe, maybe not. Though maybe the kid should decide if it is shit or not.

I never really thought about it before, but my gateway into comics may not have been the "normal" (eg. Marvel/DC) comics of the day... I think I actually started off reading more Harvey (Richie Rich, Casper, etc) and Archie. Those are kinda in the "all ages" vein. I did love my superheroes, but I didn't start heavily collecting them til later.

Of course kids of today may be different (and no two kids are exactly the same), but it may not be such a bad thing to have a start that is not a mature title, just to get them to love comics and reading.

[rdrsfn82]

Nice. I like that.


I'm just happy whenever my almost three year old points out Iron Man and Spider-Man to me. It's pretty awesome. We'll work on the comics soon. Soon.

My kid was 3 and pointed out Booster Gold on the cover of a comic, thanks to JLU. It was a proud day for me.

[Victorian Squid]

Bring my three kids to a library? We'd be banned from every library in the state of NJ.

Nah, you're underestimating how devolved the rest of the state of NJ is too.