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Dear Phil: |
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It was wonderful meeting you and your wife at the CAPS (Comic Art
Professional Society) dinner. Although I can't complain about the food
at the Friar's Club, I found your observations regarding the lost role of
comic books in promoting reading among preteens to be much more filling. In
fact you inspired me to go on a hunt. Chris and I took our 10 year old son
to an old, privately owned comic book store (those big chain places are no
fun) and allowed him to choose several outdated - but not valuable - comic
books with heroes who don't splatter the "bad guys" all over the page and who
don't have more psychological conflicts than the villains. The magic
was immediate. Just as you predicted, a boy who would only occasionally
select a book for recreation hit the car seat turning pages and didn't stop
until he had finished all six comic books! He was in another world for over an
hour after we got home.
It's a pity the current publishers are so taken with sensationalism and "pushing the envelope" that all story-line and art are lost. This also makes me angry at the organizers of the San Diego Comic Con. They've packed the convention center with commercialized gore, satanic characters, and over-sexualized women; so much so that there's not a single aisle suitable for children. Chris has attended the San Diego ComiCon annually since the first meeting at the El Cortez Hotel. With the Pokemon craze, our son was desperate to go with Chris this year; but we couldn't even consider it for fear of what horrible advertisements he might see at every turn. As parents we understand our job to protect our children, but when faced with a tsunami of all types of titillation as found at the ComiCon, we have to sacrifice what good there is to be found in order to block out the bad. Chris and I both used to enjoy the ComiCon's lectures and panel discussions with the great strip and graphic artists. It was inspiring to hear tales of these artists honing their skill and following the lead of their own muse. Because of the changes in the ComiCon's atmosphere, I've been forced to find other activities for our kids (Thank you, Sea World!) while Chris does a quick tour of the booths then heads out the doors. How shortsighted of the San Diego ComiCon organizers to let an event, capable of opening horizons, degenerate into something from which the young must be sheltered. Thanks to you, we'll take another trip to that little comic book store and let our boy visit the dollar bin. He'll come out with some old heroes to teach him honesty and sacrifice, heroes who don't dwell in the depth of the dark side because they are too busy righting wrongs. More importantly, reading will be his inspiration: he'll be strengthening his most important skill. Keep up the good fight. |
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Karen Diamond Bar, California [Back to Fan Mail page] |