Ever since I've been a Dad, I have been plotting a way to get my kids interested in comics. They are only 4 and 2.5 right now, so I really haven't taken them down that road just yet (except for the
Classics Illustrated Junior: Wizard of Oz, but that's another entry altogether). I'm one of those guys who constantly complains that 'Comics Just Ain't For Kids Anymore', but I was more than happy to be proven wrong. I had always enjoyed what I'd seen of the JLU cartoon series, so when I discovered there was a monthly book - I made it a habit to pick it up whenever I saw it in bargain bins. I figured that these books, along with the stack of
Super Friends and
Spidey Super Stories I've got put aside, would be a gateway to superhero comics when my kids are a couple of years older.
As part of my role as a responsible parent, I vetted these comics for content and, in doing so, I absolutely fell in love with this series. While the writers and artists may rotate, there is an underlying consistency throughout the entire series in the design and 'look' as well as the storytelling and pacing. Much like the TV show, the great thing about this series is that the stories are mostly 'one and done' along with some recurring themes in the background. I also love the fact that 2nd and 3rd tier characters are often highlighted as I know that as a child, I was far more intrigued by the Creeper than I was Superman. I've read nearly two-thirds of this series, and I've yet to come across a bad issue. In fact, it's probably one of the better series put out by DC over the last 10 years, regardless of target audience. I cannot wait to share these with my son and daughter, and I only wish that DC had kept it going for at least 100 issues. Good stuff!
Ever since I've been a Dad, I have been plotting a way to get my kids interested in comics. They are only 4 and 2.5 right now, so I really haven't taken them down that road just yet (except for the Classics Illustrated Junior: Wizard of Oz, but that's another entry altogether). I'm one of those guys who constantly complains that 'Comics Just Ain't For Kids Anymore', but I was more than happy to be proven wrong. I had always enjoyed what I'd seen of the JLU cartoon series, so when I discovered there was a monthly book - I made it a habit to pick it up whenever I saw it in bargain bins. I figured that these books, along with the stack of Super Friends and Spidey Super Stories I've got put aside, would be a gateway to superhero comics when my kids are a couple of years older.
As part of my role as a responsible parent, I vetted these comics for content and, in doing so, I absolutely fell in love with this series. While the writers and artists may rotate, there is an underlying consistency throughout the entire series in the design and 'look' as well as the storytelling and pacing. Much like the TV show, the great thing about this series is that the stories are mostly 'one and done' along with some recurring themes in the background. I also love the fact that 2nd and 3rd tier characters are often highlighted as I know that as a child, I was far more intrigued by the Creeper than I was Superman. I've read nearly two-thirds of this series, and I've yet to come across a bad issue. In fact, it's probably one of the better series put out by DC over the last 10 years, regardless of target audience. I cannot wait to share these with my son and daughter, and I only wish that DC had kept it going for at least 100 issues. Good stuff!
2 comments:
Four is not too young for comics. I don't remember a thing about being four, but I remember that I could read before I even got to the first grade. My Dad was a comic fan, so I don't ever remember a time when there weren't comic books around.
The combination of sequential art, dialog and captions is the perfect way for a child to learn to read. Essentially, a story told on three different levels.
While my Dad bought "kids" comics for me and my sisters, I also read his favorites, like Star Spangled War Stories, G.I. Combat and Our Army at War.
Oh, all the DCAU comics are good! I, too, prefer "done in one" stories and you can find more in Batman Beyond, Superman Adventures, and Batman Adventures. Just like JL, there are rotating artists/writers, but the look and quality is very consistent. Well written, well crafted stuff!
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