Week One

Do you think comics are a children’s or adult genre/media?


I think that comics don't just fall under 'adult genres' or 'children's genres', but are applicable to almost every age group. The Tintin comics are a very good example of this, because they translate so well across the age span.

Farr (1991) states that there is something about the Tintin comics that can appeal to both children and adults, and this is part of what has made them such a success. I think this statement can be applied to the genre as a whole. Granted, not all comic books are so open with their audience (I wouldn't want to see a child reading The Walking Dead, for example), but the genre has reached a point where it can cater to pretty much everybody.

I find that some comic series such as The Umbrella Academy, to have a certain darkness and subtlety to them which greatly appeals to me as an adult comic book reader. There are many other wonderful series out there that are directed at the adult market as well - this being reflected in both their price (because some comics are very expensive!) and their location in the book store. However many comics made just for children are also available, and I think this is a wonderful thing. I believe comic books are one of the few literary genres that you can get interested in when you are just starting to read, and still love when you are an adult. In fact, with the Tintin series you could read them as a child and see one story, then read them as an adult see something totally different due to the exquisite layering of the storytelling.

Overall, I think that comics are for everybody. People may argue that they are for children, but I would like to see those people say, in all honesty, that they don't enjoy the idea of the likes of Batman or Wolverine. Comics are a way for people to open their imaginations, and you are never too old or too young for that.

References

Farr, Michael. (1991). Tintin: the complete companion. London: John Murray.

According to the second Farr extract (p.50-59), how did Hergé research China for The Blue Lotus?

Farr (1991) states that Hergé did practically all of his research on China through a young man named Chang Chong-chen. After their introduction, Hergé quickly realised that most of the stereotypes about the Chinese were actually untrue, and it was through his close relationship with Chang that he was able to create The Blue Lotus in such an accurate manner. Through information that Chang provided, Hergé was able to use Mandarin in some of the panels, along with creating accurate street settings, and even street signs! He learned a lot about the culture of the people and was able to translate that in to the comic, making it extremely successful from the story line down to the drawings.

Despite Hergé's serious efforts to make the comic as accurate as possible, I did sense a bit of racism toward the Japanese. Of course it's meant to be satirical, however one of the characters was constantly going on about 'seven suffering Samurais' whenever something went wrong, and I don't think that was wholly appropriate as the Samurai were, and are still, very sacred in Japan, and a Japanese person would never say such a thing. Having someone who was Chinese there to help with the finer details was a good move by Hergé for the most part, however I think it would have been prudent to pull back on the mockery of the Japanese just a little.

References

Farr, Michael. (1991). Tintin: the complete companion. London: John Murray.