When I ask myself why I think it is so important that comic books be taken seriously I think about what English students can learn from reading comic books as a part of their annual diet of literature, and as inspiration to help them to write in prose or dramatic syntax.  This idea will be slow to find followers I am sure, but when I think back to the history of literature and remember that poetry and novels have long feuded over what structure is more instructive to better writing, I have to remember that the more reader friendly and popular form of prose won out.  Will comic books ever replace prose? I seriously doubt it, but there is room enough in the curriculum of English majors for a little taste of the incredible art form we call comic books.

First of all it would be very difficult to understand popular culture without a taste of comic books in your background.  I've harped on the fact that comic book movies rule the block office, but my point is more than that.  When you look at the fact that some of the highest rated shows on television are cartoons, and that even live action television is centered on super powers more as the powers of CGI continue to evolve, it seems like to not know comic book's relationship to these art forms would be a detriment to your analysis of the current reading climate.

Of course there are comic books that stand up to the very best in literature, we have our Alan Moore, and our Neil Gaiman, and many more personal favorites besides, but in the end it should be remembered that for every comic book looking for literary success the majority of comics are still commercial ventures, pieces on action and adventure to satisfy a niche of masculine lit that nothing else can really compare with.  There is very little real pulp fiction out there and it's getting harder to find, so reading comic books is the next best thing if not preferable when enhanced with enough shots of scantily clad female heroes, (DC comics leads the race in scant outfits, [Power Girl] but Marvel is not far behind, [Spider Woman]). I still think English majors should study what is being read and not just what should be read.  the twain shall meet, but only when we have academics without pretension, which may be like sandwiches without Grey Poupon, hell I don't know, I like Stone Ground myself.

As far as creative writing goes, reading comic books should be mandatory.  From the ability to start and finish a story, which is extremely instructive in a short form like comics; to the idea of writing iconic characters that will survive into the future, it is a blast to read comic books and learn what one can about writing.  More than anything comic books inspire me to read as I am never too tired, too bored, too anxious, or too busy to read a comic book.  Then there is the heritage claim that if we don't understand this American art form we are destined to loose our place as the writers of the best comics to the English and the other Europeans. (To be honest I am not that worried, only Moore and Gaiman are bullet proof and they are writing a little less each year).

So once more I take a little time off from analyzing a certain comic book to answer some more primal questions in my mind, and hopefully gave you, my readers, something to consider about an outsider art form.  And who knows, it might be you who write the greatest comic book of all time...