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The Everlasting Endurance of Comic Arts

Comics magazines background. (Photo:© Dimitris Kolyris | Dreamstime.com)

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By John Olusegun

July 10, 2023
5:51 pm
Los Angeles, CA

Comics made a loud appearance with the creation of the first comic book and character, Superman, in 1934. Thousands of other characters have been created since, with many gaining cult-like following worldwide. Many have started asking recently: why have comics endured over so many decades and evolved into the art it is today? The answer is in the appeal of the medium, its versatility, and the unending desires of the comic community to keep evolving the art. From their inception, comics appealed to diverse audiences. The text spaces were enough to communicate messages, while the images kept readers glued to the pages. As if those were not enough, comics include imagery of expressions like the sound of a knock or the angry looks of a character that would typically

From their inception, comics appealed to diverse audiences. The text spaces were enough to communicate messages, while the images kept readers glued to the pages. As if those were not enough, comics include imagery of expressions like the sound of a knock or the angry looks of a character that would typically not be graphically expressed in a book.

Perhaps, comics gained popularity and easily endured because children could read them without difficulty, and adults who did not enjoy reading a block of texts liked them as well.

Another reason comics have stuck around for so long is their versatility. Through the years, grouped into periods like the Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, and the Ageless Age we are now, comics have explored different styles that have kept the community busy. It started with the superhero’s stories expressed through basic sequential images in the Golden Age to stories that explored darker themes in the Silver Age.

Comics took a more realistic turn with characters that faced personal challenges like alcoholism in the Bronze Age. What we have now is an art form with no definitions. Comics can be whatever they want. Comic creators have used comics to express any idea, from social issues like drugs and war to ideologies like feminism.

Despite their challenges over the years, comics have stayed relevant for almost a century. No one can deny that comics have kept evolving from the moment we had Batman to challenge the monopoly of Superman. Apart from the diverse and inclusive characters being birthed by creators, the form keeps evolving. Comics went from being an art form on paper to box office successful TV series and video games.

The medium of communicating has also evolved, enabling easy access for creators. Now, the possibility of online publishing and an enthusiastic community means that one does not have to work so hard to get a comic published.

Finally, one must credit the unending dedication of the comic community for the endurance that art enjoys. Not just the creators keep the industry alive; millions of dedicated comic enthusiasts must also be credited for keeping the art alive through censorship and evolution. Many contribute their talent, time, and resources to the evolution of comics.

We now have an ever-growing community of enthusiasts who read and promote comics on a scale that could never have been dreamt of when Superman first came to life.

Anyone can boldly say now that comics will endure for many more years. We are now in the Ageless Age, where comics have no restrictions or boundaries. Anyone can create whatever they want and use comics to pass their message without restrictions.