Reading the Comics Section

I have always loved to read - nearly everything except the sports section of the news papers.  When I was young I read signs, comic books, short stories, magazines,  cereal boxes, even labels on food and clothing and even the fine print on documents that my parents left hanging around or needed my excellent near-vision to decipher (both parents wore glasses as do I now, with bifocals).  I am a person who waits patiently for appointments, service, airplane arrivals and departures and other events and activities  occ .  I always arrive early to wherever I'm going and read until the appropriate time.  Most people don't notice me sitting there with my books or papers and so on occasion I am overlooked when it's my turn requiring me to then wait a little longer.  I don't get angry, just pull out something to read again.  I  try to always have reading material with me especially small books and magazines like Reader's Digest that fit in my purse.


One thing I have always enjoyed since childhood is the comic's section in the newspapers and magazines.   My father would get so annoyed with me for grabbing the comics section from him.  When he started to give me and my sisters a weekly allowance (it was a weak allowance as well) I would sometimes buy Archie comic books (if I still had them they might be worth significant money today).  I credit them with igniting my interest and pleasure in reading. But then I got old enough to go to the library by myself. It was near my school to and from which I walked so I would stop in after school and get 2 books.  In those days they had a 2 book and 2 week limit with one renewal allowed.  Sometimes I'd bring them back in a few days, if they were thick books a bit longer.  I have to admit that my mother didn't supervise me much in that area and assumed all the book reading was an assignment for a book report or something.  Usually it wasn't, but on those occasions when we were assigned a book report , I was ready before everyone else.  

Is there a downside to all this reading?  Yes, but not everyone who reads a lot will run into the downside part as I did.  Of course the first thing is that it interfered with was homework assignments, as sometimes I didn't get homework assignments completed because I read too long into the evening or they were done in a shoddy, hurry-up manner.  Another downside was that I became a rather introverted person with few friends other than my books.  I  did venture away from the comic books as I became more engrossed in the library books, but discovered daydreaming as a pastime.  I became lost in some of the scenarios to the exclusion of outdoor activities.  I don't know how detrimental that might have been because I wasn't overweight then.  I was  a skinny kid and never learned to play any sports and only had a few friends.  The friend issue may have been affected 
by frequent moves.  We never stayed in the same school more than 2 years until we moved to CT and then grades 6,7& 8 were in the same school and my 4 years in HS   were in the same school.


In my last year of high school I learned the joy of writing.  My teachers were good, but didn't encourage creative writing only reports, and research etc.  I first started a journal that same year though I didn't write regularly - just when I had a problem or was unhappy about something.

I have continued to read the Sunday, and daily comics (my guilty pleasure), and I am
sometimes teased about it.  I am not impressed by the criticism or cleaver , negative comments.  I see it as an entertainment with benefits.  What are the benefits of reading comics?  Well for one thing laughter which is a healthy activity that helps alleviate stress (temporarily - I know), encourages a sense of humor, presents different viewpoints and allows us to laugh at ourselves.  For children it may entertain  them, encourage a love of reading and help introduce them to reading as a  method of research.  When they have questions they can search for the answers on line to satisfy their curiosity about almost anything and that of course does require reading. The important factor here is the parent needs  to supervise the selections and the amount of time spent reading  books, comics or online articles and stories and even research .  Even into high school the parents should supervise the online activities of their children for safety reasons as well.  Once in college they'll be on their own and hopefully will be able to make intelligent, safe choices.


But I will never disparage comic books or newspaper funnies.  I think they serve a purpose and  can be an adjunct to learning and understanding life.  I do not however advocate any comic book with a violent theme for anyone.  I'm more  of a "Sally Forth" or "For Better or Worse" and "Doonesbury" type of comic strip or book. If your point of reading is to escape to pleasure island why read about murder etc?