Comics are not books but a different medium

I find it strange that most people class
manga and comics (I prefer the term albums
though) as a poor substitute for books
when they are a different medium
altogether. I mean if albums/comics/manga
came first, then it would be the other way
round. Most people say that albums are
dumbed down books because they use
pictures, if vice-versa I could say 'lol books
are dumbed down album because
everything has to be explained for you
hurhurhur'. But what do you guys think
( People who read novels and manga)
P.S before people accuse me of being dumb I am actually an A student of both English and Literature AND do Visual arts. My IQ is also high, but I digress. I want to see intelligent replies on this subject.

It's common knowledge that comics aren't books though....

Comics are a more visual medium. They are no worse or better than books, just different.

Originally posted by -Pr-
Comics are a more visual medium. They are no worse or better than books, just different.

Some guy on another forum made a post that goes 'Why read cmics/mnga they rot your brain, I'd rather my child nt reading at all than read trash'
That is the kind of attitude I mean.

Originally posted by ea7
Some guy on another forum made a post that goes 'Why read cmics/mnga they rot your brain, I'd rather my child nt reading at all than read trash'
That is the kind of attitude I mean.

He's an idiot, tbh.

Originally posted by -Pr-
He's an idiot, tbh.

Nah, I'm sure that guy, too, is an A student of both English and Literature AND does Visual Arts. His IQ is also high.

Originally posted by Bardock42
Nah, I'm sure that guy, too, is an A student of both English and Literature AND does Visual Arts. His IQ is also high.

Undeserved sarcasm.

Originally posted by ea7
Undeserved sarcasm.

Anyway...that didn't even come close to intelligent argument, next.

lol, are you insulting your own post?

Originally posted by ea7
I find it strange that most people class
manga and comics (I prefer the term albums
though) as a poor substitute for books
when they are a different medium
altogether. I mean if albums/comics/manga
came first, then it would be the other way
round. Most people say that albums are
dumbed down books because they use
pictures, if vice-versa I could say 'lol books
are dumbed down album because
everything has to be explained for you
hurhurhur'. But what do you guys think
( People who read novels and manga)
P.S before people accuse me of being dumb I am actually an A student of both English and Literature AND do Visual arts. My IQ is also high, but I digress. I want to see intelligent replies on this subject.

I think you are right to say they are different, they are. Manga and comics show you what they want you to see whereas books are more about the readers imagination. Maybe that's where the criticisms you see might come from, because it could be argued that as a result of that difference books require more 'effort' because you have to visualise everything yourself but a comic just lays it all out for you with no effort on the part of the reader at all.

Some comics have as much literary depth as any novel. Though almost cliche within the comic world, the best works of Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore count as better novels than most of the ones I've read in my life. As (originally) an English major, I've both written about them and taught them to students before, and it can be really great.

You won't get this reading Spider-Man/Superman, obviously, but it's there if you're looking.

So different medium? Sorta. No need to make a clear line though. It's fuzzy.

Originally posted by Mr. Marshall
It's common knowledge that comics aren't books though....

They are when the stories are collected into volumes/Trades.

Originally posted by Digi
Some comics have as much literary depth as any novel. Though almost cliche within the comic world, the best works of Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore count as better novels than most of the ones I've read in my life. As (originally) an English major, I've both written about them and taught them to students before, and it can be really great.

You won't get this reading Spider-Man/Superman, obviously, but it's there if you're looking.

So different medium? Sorta. No need to make a clear line though. It's fuzzy.

I think that's quite true because I've seen some out there that are comics or graphic novels but the emphasis is clearly on the story and not so much about what is visually happening. Like, they'll be a lot more dialogue, a lot more descriptive text banners but there will be some visual aid but it won't be laid out the same as a comic that relies a lot on action and sex appeal.

Personally I'm a fan of the latter because I like a comic to be about the imagery and the artwork and how that tells the story itself. Part of the reason I never liked reading the old Marvel comics was where everything was being described for me even though I could see it for myself. Internal monologuing I didn't mind, as long as it wasn't repetitive and overdone within the scene.

My posts rot brains, not comic books. Also comic books are just as good a story telling medium as anything else.

Originally posted by ea7
Undeserved sarcasm.

Originally posted by ea7
Anyway...that didn't even come close to intelligent argument, next.

Originally posted by Lord Shadow Z
I think that's quite true because I've seen some out there that are comics or graphic novels but the emphasis is clearly on the story and not so much about what is visually happening. Like, they'll be a lot more dialogue, a lot more descriptive text banners but there will be some visual aid but it won't be laid out the same as a comic that relies a lot on action and sex appeal.

Personally I'm a fan of the latter because I like a comic to be about the imagery and the artwork and how that tells the story itself. Part of the reason I never liked reading the old Marvel comics was where everything was being described for me even though I could see it for myself. Internal monologuing I didn't mind, as long as it wasn't repetitive and overdone within the scene.

Heh. I gloss over descriptions of battles and scenery in books (not comics necessarily, but regular books). The dialogue, monologues, and character interaction is what grips me these days.

Originally posted by Digi
Heh. I gloss over descriptions of battles and scenery in books (not comics necessarily, but regular books). The dialogue, monologues, and character interaction is what grips me these days.

The internal monologue over-use was mainly when I read this old Silver Surfer collection and the constant moaning over Shalla-Bal was driving me nuts - it was, dare I say it - a bit emo? 😄

I encountered the same in Spider-Man too but it wasn't that bad but now in modern Marvel comics they let the action carry the story even though some of the stories are pretty well written.

.

To me comics are really no different than books, they're just a means to tell a story. Movies, books, comics, manga, and even a lot of video games are just different templates people use to tell a story, and r usually interchangeable. Books have been made into movies, movies into video games, comics into novels, and every combination u can imagine. People have been using combinations of pictures and words to tell stories forever and comics are no different. To me a good story is a good story no matter what form it's told in.