Are Comics Children's or Adult's Genre/Media?
Personally I find this a difficult question to give a definitive answer to. Tintin is an excellent example of a comic that appeals to both children and adults. Tintin has countless examples of what can be considered mature content within a classic adventure story plot line. In Blue Lotus for example the titular destination is explicitly referred to as an opium den (Hergé, 1934), something an adult would understand while a child would only see it as a place the bad guys are in.
"The child will be gripped by the excitement of Tintin, the comedy, even farce. The adult will additionally find political satire and parody, puns and prescience" (Farr, M. 1991), not only does this quote from Michael Farr apply to Tintin but to almost all comics in general, superheroes being the obvious example.
Green Arrow, a DC superhero, first appeared in More Fun Comic #73 in November 1941. The comic contained issues relevant in that era, such as aids and homosexuality. These are things which adults would understand whilst all children see is a superhero battling a villain.
More and more frequently comics are being written with more adult audiences in mind and are being referred to as graphic novels. "The Walking Dead" and "Watchmen" are prime examples of this. This suggests that the era of comics for children is starting to wain but it is hard to believe there will ever come a time when comics are not enjoyed by children all over the world.
Ultimately it seems that the comic/graphic novel genre is one that is targeted at a broad demographic. Children and adults, men and women and all races find appeal in this genre.
Referrences:
Hergé. (2005; 1934). The Adventures of Tintin: The Blue Lotus. London; Methuen.
Farr, Michael. (1991). Tintin; the complete companion. London; John Murray.
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ReplyDeleteI definitely believe that comics in general are aimed at both adults and children, although there are some created specifically for children and others for adults. You provide an interesting argument and comparison between the age groups and your points make me rethink my original opinion a little.
DeleteWhen you talk about comics being written for adults instead of children, I can't help but think about Japanese Manga(comics) and it's influence on western culture. In Japan it's not uncommon for grown aged men to be infatuated with comics. I think that in western societies, it's interesting to consider where the general acceptance began for adults indulging in comic books considering not too long ago it would have been deemed rather childish or immature.