Week 2 Response

Are Comic Book For Adults or Children?

I believe that it depends on the intention of the author. However, in a comic such as The Blue Lotus, the range of age of the audience is very wide, and the comic is able to enjoyed by many readers. The comic has cartoon drawings, and this is appealing to children. The adventurous attitude of Tintin is also appealing to kids because they are also new to the world, and curious, so they are able to relate to him in that sense. Tintin is also a good role model to children, he shows characteristics that are appealing to the younger audience and this makes the comics addictive. Children are always left hanging on waiting to see how Tintin will get out of trouble and be the hero, possibly in hope that they will also be able to fight crime one day and be good citizens. The reason i believe that a comic like The Blue Lotus is also appealing to adults is because of its fictionalisation of real events. There are historical events that have been portrayed that are appealing to an older audience because adults have probably heard of the events on the news, and the fact that the events have been exaggerated and made into fiction makes the comic entertaining. Other than Tintin, other comics are usually directed at a target audience, and so they aren't appealing to all age groups. Comics such as "Sin City" are gory, and contain adult only themes such as sex, drugs, and graphic violence, so it's obvious that parents wouldn't feel comfortable showing their children such books. On the other hand, comics such as "Superman" are directed at a younger audience, and contain unrealistic themes such as superpowers, and villains that want to take over the universe. Parents are more comfortable showing their children these books because there is nothing that will "corrupt" the minds of their children.