Inside Look @ Marvel Comics

by

Mike & Amy Nappa

FAST LOOK:

For the past 40 years Marvel has been the unquestioned leader of the comic book industry, making superheroes like Spider-Man and the X-Men household names.

INSIDE SCOOP:

First the numbers:

Each month, over 10.8 million teenagers read Marvel comic books—more than the combined monthly readership of Seventeen and Teen People.

Each month, more than 20 million children (ages six to eleven) read Marvel comics—nearly 10 times the readership of Disney Adventures (2.8 million children) and Sports Illustrated for Kids (2.2 million children).

Recent movies based on Marvel characters (such as the Spider-Man trilogy, The Hulk, Iron Man, and the X-Men) series have dominated theatres, earning billions of dollars and fueling a pop-culture mythology of super-powered proportions. (The first Spider-Man movie alone grossed over $800 million in theatres worldwide, and sold more than 40 million DVDs and videos).

Marvel now also targets preschoolers with products like its Spidey & Friends books and a two-hour block of cartoons on the ABC network.

Marvel Comics is influencing your children through pop culture, and some Christian parents are concerned. Many point to the prevalence of violence and sexuality within Marvel titles as its downfall. Cultural commentator, Robert Knight says, “The emphasis [of today’s comics] is almost entirely on violence, sensual portrayals of both men and women, and a lot of psycho-babble.”

Comic book creators like Mark Millar fuel that perception. Speaking about a romance series he created for Marvel’s Epic line, Millar said, “There’s going to be plenty of [sexual intercourse] and nudity and very pretty people running around.” Additionally, movies like X2 (the sequel to X-Men) show that Marvel-style violence sells. A recent Wizard magazine article listed the following as the #1 reason to view X2: “Wolverine kills…Well, he maims a bunch of people who are left wounded and bloodied.”

In spite of those arguments, other Christians still speak out in defense of comic books and their influence. Christian film critic Bob Smithouser applauded Marvel’s first Spider-Man movie as “an impressive web of positive themes…Spider-Man draws a very clear line between good and evil and comes down on the right side.” And age-appropriate comics may instill hope, promote patriotism, provide a healthy escape from harsh realities, and help kids gain a better understanding of right and wrong.

Christian fans of Marvel also caution against “throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” pointing out that Marvel’s various titles target different audiences. They argue that it’s foolish to label all Marvel comics as unfit because some might contain over-the-top elements. And they applaud Marvel’s content rating (similar to ones used by the film and music industries) on the covers of their comics that allows parents to make an informed decision about their children’s comic book reading habits.

Are Marvel comics acceptable reading in your household? As always, that’s a decision your family must make for itself.

Special Note: Parents interested in discovering more about Marvel Comics are encouraged to check out these resources: Excelsior! The Amazing Life of Stan Lee by Stan Lee and George Mair (Fireside/Simon & Schuster); Comic Book Culture by Ron Goulart (Collectors Press); and Comic Book Nation by Bradford W. Wright (The Johns Hopkins University Press).

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT Marvel Comics.

“Marvel is a cornucopia of fantasy, a wild idea, a swashbuckling attitude, an escape from the humdrum and prosaic.”

—Stan Lee, Chairman Emeritus of Marvel Comics

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“Instead of having superheroes kids can admire, we have angst-ridden anti-heroes who spend more time agonizing over their sexuality, their relationships, and their own motives.”

—Robert Knight, Christian cultural commentator

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 “For many, adolescence can be an age of intense pain and isolation, when emotional demons must be exorcised...through fantasy…In this culture, comic books do have a place. And they will endure so long as they bring out the superhero in us all.”

—Bradford W. Wright, scholar and author of Comic Book Culture

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LOOKING INSIDE…:      

Use these questions to spark family discussion about Marvel Comics:

---Do you think Jesus would read Marvel comics? Defend your answer.

---What’s good about comics? What’s bad? Is it possible to gain the good without having to consume the bad? Explain.

---Why do Americans love superheroes? Why have so few Christians tried to influence the comic book culture?

[SIDEBAR]

If members of your family like Marvel Comics. then you may want to check out:

---Archangels. (Eternal Studios)

With their spiritual warfare series, Archangels, the folks over at Eternal Studios have made the first viable foray into Christian comics—and have received strong support from fans and critics as a result.

Following the battles of angels who strive to protect their assigned humans from the evil plans of Satan and his demons, this series features stunning artwork and captivating storylines. Appropriate for older teens and adults, this one easily stands up next to just about any Marvel comic book.

---Johnny Grav & The Visioneer® by Mike Nappa. (FamilyFans Communications Inc.)

OK, please forgive the blatant self-promotion here, but if you’re looking for a fun, Scripture-centered adventure comic for tweenagers (8- to 12-year-olds), then Johnny Grav & The Visioneer fits the bill. Following the struggles of kid superhero team, “Heroes LFC (Living For Christ),” JG and friends battle the evil genius Professor Twilight in his attempts to blanket the world in darkness. Named the “Best Cartoon of the Year” by the Evangelical Press Association, it’s now available for free viewing on the Internet magazine, FamilyFans.com.

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