12 On Kids & Comics
In which our heroine prepares for Comic Con
I know I said last week that we’d be back to our usual programming this week. I guess I lied! See, on Thursday (tomorrow, when you read this) I’m going to be on a panel about recommending kids comics, specifically those that portray difficult topics, without raising red flags with parents/guardians. Or it’s about using kids comics to portray tough topics—also without raising red flags. I’m not totally clear on the finer points, but it’s all within the same vein: comics, kids, and tough topics.
Panels make me queasy, and I haven’t had as much time to prepare for this one as I’d like to, so I’m using this lovely newsletter to stir up my mental juices. Prepare yourself. I am now going to ramble on about why comics are important especially when it comes to talking about life’s tough shit.
It is probably unnecessary to argue that comics are worth reading. The fight to bring comics into the mainstream and/or to make people realize they’re a worthy form of literature seems more or less over. But just in case people aren’t convinced, here are my two main arguments for why kids should be encouraged to read comics:
For some readers, comics are more approachable than non-graphic works—whether because they seem easier to read or because they look more interesting than pages of text, kids are drawn to comics (pun totally intended)
Comics are a complex reading experience. Despite them feeling more approachable, comics demand an engagement on both a visual and textual level. What are the pictures saying that the words aren’t, or vice versa? How does one inform the other?
I know, they’re kind of contradictory. Comics seem easy but really they’re tricking kids into developing memory, inference, visual literacy, and a whole host of other skills, not to mention a lifetime love of reading. And who doesn’t love tricking kids into loving learning?
So what makes comics in particular a wonderful medium for introducing young readers to topics/concepts like bullying, racism, death, sex, eating disorders, war, and identity crises?
I was reading March by John Lewis and really chewing on that question. The first volume of the March trilogy covers Rep Lewis’s younger years: getting an education, learning about passive resistance, and protesting racist laws through sit-ins. You can tell a kid about Rosa Parks, about nonviolent protests, about racism, but if they’ve never experienced discrimination, a jail cell, or slurs it just won’t have the same impact as seeing Lewis’s story laid out on the page. It’s easier to connect to history through personal stories, easier still when those stories are enriched with images. It’s not first-hand experience (and who would wish that on anyone anyway), but it feels closer than just words on a page.
Speaking of words, the n-word makes an appearance at least a dozen times. Lewis never breaks the fourth wall to explain what this word means or how harmful it is. He doesn’t have to. It’s obvious from the malicious grins and leers the word emerges from. A quick flip through March might make some parents hesitate to hand this comic to their kid. But the other benefit of comics is that, often, all it takes is a quick flip through to know if there’s content inside that might prompt a conversation. I’m against censoring books; if a kid wants to read something that I think may be too scary/sexual/intellectual or otherwise above their head, I see that as an opportunity to have a discussion. Let’s talk about where the n-word comes from, why people use it, why they shouldn’t, and what a slur even is.
Representation and diversity in literature has always been an important issue, but more than ever it’s one that a lot of readers, writers, publishers, and booksellers are talking about. Kids want to read about other kids like them, and more not-white not-cisgendered not-straight kids can read about themselves than ever before. It’s nice to know that not all superheroes are white dudes—at least one is a Muslim teenager! Comics make it easier to represent a diverse cast without making it feel like tokenization or lip service. And this has the dual benefit of showing readers other kids who aren’t like them. Just as important as the validation of seeing yourself represented, is the experience of learning about other cultures/lifestyles/preferences and realizing that they are equally valid.
I think comics make difficult topics more approachable and understandable. And let’s be realistic, the world is full of injustice, terror, and bullies. We should prepare our kids, let them know that life isn’t fair, while simultaneously teaching them how to fight back.
This topic feels so big and important, I’m being pulled in a number of directions. It’s hard to know where exactly the conversation will lead, so I’ve tried to keep my mental arguments general, without being platitudinous. Mostly, I’m hoping I’ll be able to get deeper with specific recommendations. Obviously, I just finished March so its arguments are at the forefront of my brain. Some other comics I think deal well with difficult topics include:
This One Summer written by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
It deals with the liminal space between childhood and teendom, the awkward dance we do when we want to be taken seriously but also want to goof off with our best friend. It also touches on marital issues, abortion, and generalized angst.The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
It’s not just about a prince who enjoys wearing dresses and struggles with his identity; it’s also about friendship and sacrifice, how the choices we make can have an unintended ripple effect.Speak written by Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrated by Emily Carroll
This adaptation of Anderson’s YA novel by the same name is incredible. It perfectly evokes the lonely terror MC Melinda feels after being raped and facing ostracism of her peers.Making Friends by Kristen Gudsnuk
I get to be on a panel with this creator! Another comic about friendship, bullying, and fitting in except in this one MC Dany literally makes herself a friend by drawing one in a magic sketchbook. So it’s also about an “imaginary” friend having an existential crisis, which is both touching and fascinating
And there’s still more I plan to read by Thursday, like New Kid by Jerry Craft, Hey Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, and American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang.
If you have recommendations, or thoughts on kids comics and the topics they tackle, I’d love to hear them. And, if you live in Seattle, my panel is taking place Thurs 3/14 at noon at the Seattle Public Library. Should be a good time?
Other Ways to Find Me On the Internets
Once a month (or so) I host a podcast called Drunk Booksellers where my best friend and I interview a fellow bookseller while drinking. I sometimes tweet about books and politics. I sometimes post pictures of books I’m reading, or cats I’m hanging out with on Instagram.
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