History of the Comic Book

             This was an interesting week looking at some early comic books. I looked at Ducktales and this was deeply contrasted by an action comic I read which I believe was The Punisher. The first was wholesome family fun with appealing Disney characters; the latter was realistic, gritty, and full of violence. Both types of stories have their place in society.

            As I was saying Ducktales is wholesome family fun. It was full of characters that were cartoony and far from reality. The conflicts in the stories were never anything huge  - in one McScrooge dreamt he gave away his money and woke up glad that he did not and could still go swimming in his piles of money. They were cartoons that did cartoony things. It was a goofy world that lived in the imaginations of it’s readers and brought joy and entertainment to it’s audiences.

            The more action-oriented comics were successful because of their “realism”. The characters looked more like they belonged in our world and the story lines were more relatable to real life. These comics began to include more adult topics and graphic violence. Because of the intensity of these stories, the cliffhangers raised anticipation and desire for the next issue. People who like drama or action were more drawn to these types of comic books.

            Both types of comic have their audience, which usually overlaps. I’m a fan of both and depending on what is going on in my life I will gravitate towards one or the other. I love intense storylines, but sometimes it is nice to read something light and fluffy. Other times I want content and I want to go on an emotional rollercoaster with fictional characters. I like both.