Are comic books only for kids

i have a research paper that i need to do and the question i choose to do my on is if comic books are only for children.

do we eventually grow up and shouldn't read comics or can't read them for they are seen to be to childish

what opinions do you have on the matter

if you can tell everyone you know to contribute to this board

Read ex machina, do you think this is for kids.

They are not only for children, not anymore. There're some that are written fro younger audiences. But the T-rated ones are more violent, depends on what you read.

the kiddies love hellraiser. ages 5+.

@3d_dedrick: check out History Channel's Superheroes Unmasked either on You Tube or Netflix, you should get alot of good info from that.

Here is a You Tube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKT0LLPgSnA part 1 of 9.

I hope this helps.

I like comics that can be for all-ages without watering them down too much.

@3d_dedrick if anything comics have become so teenage/adult orientated that the question should be is comics not for kids.

But if you want to point to examples point to "Walking Dead" an extremely popular "adult" tv show based on a comic.

That is a really interesting documentary. I usually close a video if it's more than 5 minutes long, but I'm about to start on part 5 now. Thank you for the link.

I can definitely recommend it for others who are interested in comics history.

Edit: Also, from what I have observed, lots of people who aren't interested in comics themselves, see comic books as something that 5 year olds should read. They simply have no idea what it's actually about. As a funny little anecdote, my coworker (who is 59) were showing me and everybody else pictures of her little grandchild (sp?) dressed up as a superhero. Only, to me she said 'look at him in his cute superman outfit' To another colleague she said it was a Batman costume. The truth was that he was dressed up as Spiderman... It's not that they and others like her (many of them much younger) dislike comics, but it's commonly seen just as children's halloween costumes or Saturday morning serials on the TV. I don't talk to them about comics, because I know they wouldn't get it, but on the other hand, I'm not afraid that they'd look down on me, if I explained the concept properly.

Of course, those of us who read comics know that with few exceptions, they are not for kids, but very few outside the comic-reading segment are aware of this. So, comics are not for kids; people who don't read comics have no clue about this, and thus we have the problem. Or at least that's my totally non-scientific findings :).

No, they are not.

There is a scene in the documentary where the editor for Darkhorse, IIRC says "Not only are comics not ONLY for kids, they're not MOSTLY for kids" I think there is some truth to that statement. And glad you liked the link. :-)

Last I checked Kids can't read, watch or play M rated stuff. And guess what? There are M rated comics so...

Yes. Just for kids. I mean, that's not going to scare anyone. Especially not kids.

EDIT: That was meant to be sarcastic. lol I'm not sick and/or demented.

Comics are my choice of reading material when I read fiction. Some of my favorite fiction stories of all time are comic story arcs.

Like everyone said, comics/graphic novels aren’t only for children but can range to teen and adult audiences. Besides aren’t we all kids? O.o

Daaerk

This is not a question that even needs to be asked these days. I mean, do you even read comics? From The Walking Dead to Revival to Saga to something as mainstream as Batman, there are no children's stories anymore. Well, that's not entirely true. There are some books that specifically target children, but by and large comics are for young adults now.

Yes

If you still think comics are for kids, you're living in a pre-Watchmen world.

No, the medium can be aimed at any age.

Nope, comics are not meant for kids. I'm 20 and I read comics. Many people I know read comics and are in their 30's.

I always see old men, and women in the comic shop.

hogwash no they're not

@3d_dedrick: Think about it, if they were for kids, they wouldnt have women in tight revealing costumes with big tits and ass, right? Plus there are the themes of crime and violence and death and tragedy. Maybe they're for teens and young adults coming of age but whereas a writer and artist needs a lifelong career, lifelong fans just dont stop liking comics. It's a universal industry!

Crossed

that is all

I'm having trouble contemplating how anyone who has ever spent ten minutes in a comic shop could ever think they were "just for kids."

It's as mind-blowing as when people discuss video games being a kid thing.

There are a ton of comics which are explicitly labeled "mature audiences."

The entire "question" requires one to treat comics as something other than a medium. Because if it's treated as a medium, the question becomes stupid. Would you write an essay on "are sculptures only for kids" or "is music only for kids" or "is live theatre only for kids"? Of course not.

No, hell 75% of the comics out there shouldn't even be read by kids. I remember that when I was a kid I read the killing joke and I had nightmares for a week.

What counts as a kid? As I am 24 years old and id be booboo without my monthly comics.

Comics haven't been for kids in decades.

Consider this: why should comics be treated like a children's medium, when TV shows, movies, books aren't held to that standard? It's just another way to tell a story.

There still seems to be a stigma that comic books are childish, and as we mature we should do away with childish things. I feel like this is a flawed argument. Comic books, for me at least, are a small bit of stress release during a hectic day. Many "average" adults enjoy stress-relieving activities that would be considered quite childish and immature. Sports for instance, are literally, games that children play. However, many adults relieve stress by either watching or participating in a sport in some form or another. This activity doesn't have the stigma that reading comics has, and in fact, is a global billion-dollar business. (full disclosure: I'm also a huge sports fan.)

Adults reading comics has lost a lot of its stigma in recent years, due in part to its positive portrayal in popular media. (Super hero movies, The Big Bang Theory, etc) IMO. The stigma of reading comics will continue to fall away as more people see its positive portrayal, and as always, as more people figure out ways to make money from it.

Kids do not have the money to buy comics.

@dabee: LMAO. funny guy haha

No, it's an outdated social stigma. Comics are as much for children as they are adults, they're meant to appeal to a wide variety of ages and tastes. It's basically another way to consume fiction.

If this was a thing, adults would've had no business reading the Harry Potter series or more recently the Hunger Games franchise.

@3d_dedrick: I think a more interesting paper would be "Are comic books only for adults?"

To the non-comic book reader, the title would seem more surprising given the kid-like aura that has traditionally surrounded the medium. But honestly, the pendulum has swung so far the other way that I think comics have begun to forget it's child-friendly roots. There's something wrong when a 8-year old can't pick up a mainstream issue of Superman or Batman without being exposed to a lot of the mature content that wouldn't even be allowed on TV. Don't get me wrong, as an adult reader I'm certainly enjoying the story. But then we wonder why kids aren't interested in comics nowadays.