Are Comic Books Art or Literature? That is the Question
Whether comic books should be classified as literature or art has been debated since the 1960s when comic book collecting became a rising trend. When comics first came out, they were marketed to children. With the simplified storylines and bright illustrations, it was a way to get children reading and they were much cheaper to buy than a regular book. Because the majority of comic books depicted superheroes fighting off supervillians, many thought the good vs. evil theme was a good thing to have children read. In those days, the good guys always won so the underlying moral message was that good triumphs over evil.
Comic books have evolved greatly from the early days of the industry, with more complex storylines and ever more detailed illustrations. Today’s comics aren’t marketed to children so much but more to the collector although there are comics that appeal to the 8 to 12 age group. You can even find adult comic books today so the market has clearly expanded beyond children.
Through the years, the stories found in comics have maintained much of the good vs. evil themes but other messages can be found. Look back at some of the storylines found in comic books during the 60s and 70s and you can see evidence of the preoccupation with the Cold War and communism of the times. You can see the rise of the feminist movement and the changing roles of women through the years with the increase of female characters that were the heroine instead of the helpless victim.
Of course, the same themes run through the artwork found in the comic books. Illustrators of comic books had to convey much of the story through the pictures so the details are quite often extraordinary. Original panel or cover artwork is another aspect of collecting. Just as with other forms of art, price will be determined by a number of factors including who the artist is and how old the piece of art is.
The debate over whether comic books are literature or art is easily settled for fans – they are both.