Nathan likes comic books! We've been assembling a decent junior collection for Alex, in the hopes that comic books might prove to be a good link in getting him to appreciate fiction (no luck on that front but I haven't given up hope).
Nathan found our stash and asked me to start reading to him. He's seen the Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes cartoon and has been playing with an Iron-Man action figure. He seems to really like the format. He can identify Iron-Man, Thor and the Hulk ... little fuzzier on Hawk-eye and the Wasp.
Comics are often dismissed as juvenile and trashy (sort of like romance novels and sci-fi/fantasy ... the other two genres I really enjoy) but I think it's an underserved reputation. Yes, there is garbage out there. No question. But there are also some amazing story lines and really interesting characters. I defy anyone to convincingly argue that Chris Claremont's Phoenix and Dark Phoenix sagas don't touch on universal themes of power and responsibility with emotional impact.
And don't get me started about Midnight Nation. (A battle between God and the Devil for a single soul and a breath-taking insight into the world of poverty and the street and how it remains hidden from our comfortable lives. Just read it, it's amazing.)
So I am thrilled that Nathan is showing an interest in venturing into this amazing world of adventure behind me. I can't wait to show him Spider-man, Batman, the X-men. These are stories that give great opportunities to touch on the challenges of life. Granted, most of us will never have to stop an invading alien race, but we all have challenges we feel are beyond us. The heroes give us a chance to explore how people react.
I am an unabashed geek and proud of my geeky heritage. And now I can share it.
No comments:
Post a Comment