why do we read comics?>>

[craigm]

Hi guys and girls..It would be a great help if you could answer a couple of questions for me based on the world of comics I am doing a dissertation on the dual identity in superhero comics and wanted to get some first hand responses from the readers. Doesn’t have to be long answers!

Gender

Age

What first drew you to reading comics?

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?

How long have you read comics?

What have comics taught you about yourself?

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?

Many many thanks to anyone who responds it will be a great help.
craigm

[scratchie]

I can't get anyone to read them to me.

[winterteeth]

Gender

Male (shocker)

Age

28

What first drew you to reading comics?

My mother taught me to read using Spider-Man and Archie comics

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?

Starman (Jack Knight) - Who doesn't feel a little in over their heads sometimes? Also, I closely identified with that comic's themes of generational alienation/reconciliation.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?

I'm not sure there is a difference here. Fun is a big compenent of escapism.

How long have you read comics?

20 years (there was a five year or so break)

What have comics taught you about yourself?

I enjoy intricately plotted, character driven masterpieces and slugfest filler stories almost equally depending on my mood.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?

They are an area of consistency and stress relief in my busy life.

Hope this helps. Longer answers available upon request.

[desertfairy]

Gender: Female

Age: 29

What first drew you to reading comics?
In the late 80's I started picking up my older brother's cast aside copies of Akira, but didn't have the means to get to a comic shop or purchase my own stuff. 15 years later, I pull Kingdom Come off of my boyfriend's bookshelf and start reading. Now I spend more on comics than he does. I'm a monster.

Favorite superhero character and why:
Somwhat disappointing question because many of the best written characters are not superheroes. Richard Fell, for instance. For a superhero, I'd have to go with Batman. He's the only JLA member that doesn't have superpowers; he's a scarred man with the means to do the right thing. I don't particulary identify with him, but I'm sure if I were fabulously wealthy, I'd take the time to train as a ninja and fight crime.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?
I think these are pretty much the same thing.

How long have you read comics?
About two years.

What have comics taught you about yourself?
That I have the attention span of a gnat. And that I'm pretty picky about things like character development, dialogue and plot. Bad artwork I can live with. Bad writing just kills it for me.

What is it about comics that makes them relevant to you?
They're just like any other kind of literature. I love a good story.

[Josh S]

Gender - I poop standing up.

Age - 27

What first drew you to reading comics? - I'm not sure what you're wanting here. I liked the art. I bought comics for awhile before I even started reading them.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)? - Batman. Why? Because he's Batman! I don't relate to him, but I like cop/legal shows and he's a nice mix of superheroics and mystery (more so than most capes).

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism? - I thought those were the same thing, so I guess both.

How long have you read comics? - Off and on for 15 years.

What have comics taught you about yourself? - That I'm a dork.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you? - I like reading and I enjoy art. Comics combine the two into 22 pages of awesome.

[Strannik]

Gender: Male

Age: 20

What first drew you to reading comics? CrossGen digests at my local library.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why? Savant/Keesha of the Red Lament. A pulp adventurer, an archeologist, and explorer. She has seen everything and everyone, challenged the limits of knowledge, all while preserving a certain sense of innocence and wide-eyed enthusiasm. When you live as long as she has, it's far too easy to become jaded, yet somehow, she never quite goes that far. In short, in spite of her alien heritage, she represents the best of humanity.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism? I read comics because they entertain me, intrigue me and make me think about life. The last two are not manditory, but they help. Ultimately, I like comics that entertain me as well as comics that challenge me. Or both.

How long have you read comics? 4-5 years

What have comics taught you about yourself? That change is inevitable and should not be avoided.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you? Unlimited possibilities on unlimited budget. Anything you can imagine, you can draw. No limits. No restrictions. No boundries.

It's a shame that Marvel and DC tend to waste it ;)

[TheTen-EyedMan]

Gender


Male...last time I checked.


Age


Mid-30s


What first drew you to reading comics?


My brother showed me a black and white reprint of Detective 408. The one with the Neal Adams Robin dessicating face cover.


Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?


Would you believe Spiderman...no? Batman, of course.


Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?


Before September 11th 2001, fun...after...escapism.


How long have you read comics?


32 years.


What have comics taught you about yourself?


That I am a talented writer who, given the chance, could make some of the so-called talents in the industry look like fools.


What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?


Batman makes me believe that anyone, given the right tools, is capable. Of anything.



Many many thanks to anyone who responds it will be a great help.
craigm

[craigm]

Thank you for all your varying responses so far they are very helpful.
I understand that what you are saying about the fact that fun and escapism tend to blend into one when reading comics and i think thats the mark of a good comic.


Winterteeth if you have a spare moment it would be a great help if you could email me your extended thoughts on the questions to dexter2k@hotmail.com

[The Mirrorball Man]

Gender
Male.
Age
33
What first drew you to reading comics?
My mother used to read them to me.
Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?
I don't think I have a favorite superhero character, and if I had, it would probably not be because I relate to him or her. For example, I think that The Fantastic Four are one of the strongest concepts in pop culture, but I don't relate to them and I'm not - or at least, not always - a fan of the comic book.
Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?
That is a loaded question, and it shouldn't be used in a serious survey.
I read comics because it's an art form I love. Like any art form, comics can tell any kind of story and convey any kind of emotions, and I see no reason why they should be limited to fun or escapism. I have fun while reading them of course, but I don't read them to have fun. I read them because like any work of art, they can be beautiful, thought-provoking, emotionally involving, well-crafted, formally innovative, and yes, fun. Not always, and rarely all at the same time but, you know, sometimes it happens.
How long have you read comics?
Since I was three. Well, my mom read them to me.
What have comics taught you about yourself?
They've taught me that I'm really interested in forms and narration. They also told me that a shared, neverending universe is not a very viable idea from a literary standpoint. They taught me that if you want to hide secrets from your closest friends, a pair of glasses is more than enough.
What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?
They've always existed and they will always exist. I can't imagine how they could be more relevant than that!

[stealthwise]

Male
24

My dad first gave me comics when I was a toddler, and used them to help me read from the age of 2.

Currently my favourite comic character is Simon from Andi Watson's "Little Star." The collected volume provides an intriguing analysis of the relationship of the dual roles that modern day middle-class males have to deal with when being both employees and stay-at-home parents.

Define "fun" and "escapism." I might have some idea of what you're getting at, but truthfully, I read comics for a variety of reasons. Some, like Moore's work, inspire thought and discussion. Others, like most of Garth Ennis's work, inspire a more visceral response. I read comics for almost everything, they're my medium of choice.

I've been reading comics since I was about 2.

Comics have taught me that I like that line between art and prose that the medium straddles, and that good stories can be told in a variety of different ways. Comics have motivated me to learn more about media, culture and life in general.

Comics are relevant because they provide an alternative to television, to novels, to magazines, to the internet, and yet are still plugged in to the concerns and issues of today. Some of the best things I've ever read or encountered have come from comics.

[Agentum]

Well i stopped reading comics when i was 15, i thought i was to old and cool then:D

I didn't read comics for over 10 years after that, but a lot of textbooks.
My comicsdays was over for good.

Then one day i found som pirate copys a comics on the net that i looked at (it was free so why not), and i got a bit curious what i had missed.

Well i missed a lot of junk but also a lot of very good storys, and finaly i understod that a story could be good even if it was in a comic book.

I had just overlooked the special qualitys that just comics can give you, i still like a good textbook or movie but also good comics.

So in the last 3-4 years or something i have bought thosands of comics and hundreds of trades, it's like i need to take back the time i wasted :D


I'm 30

I read comics for entertainment.

My favorite superheroes tends to be those without superpowers or low powerlevels.
I like Dardevil, Moon Knight, Green Arrow..........
Well i don't relate to them the much i just want a fiction story to forget the real world for some minutes.

[Aaron King]

Gender: male
Age: 22

What first drew you to reading comics? My dad read comics when he was young and began buying them for me when I was learning to read. Up until high school, I read them the same as I would read a book: it was just a story in print. Come high school, I was expected to pay for my own things. Combined with getting into punk music and girls, along with a growing embarrassment and boredom about comics, I stopped reading them. A few years later, I began finding trade paperbacks of things like Sandman and Swamp Thing. They weren't boring and I could pay for them. I also had enough self-confidence not to be embarrassed about liking comics. I also started appreciating comic artists and writers as individuals instead of following characters.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is there a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)? This is a really tough question due to my above statement of appreciating artists instead of characters. I assume that most superheroes have potential in the right hands. Lately, Daredevil's been tops for me. The fact that the man is a lawyer and a vigilante is really interesting to me and appeals to my appreciation of where I live and the laws that govern the US while being absolutely depressed with most decisions being made in politics today. Daredevil works in the system and against it. He's smart but prone to anger. He's a very rounded character, very real.
Superman and Green Lantern have been cool for me, too. Both of them have huge amounts of power but are very atuned to their own moral centers. Coming from a rural area, I understand how people might find it completely natural to use his powers solely to help others. When one lives in the boonies, what everyone around you is doing has an effect on the entire area, and things work best when everyone is striving to help each other and not just themselves.

Do you read comics purely for fun or for a sense of escapism? Yes. I also read them as art objects. I also think many of them are excellent sources of morality and ethics, although this isn't as true in the past couple of decades.

How long have you read comics? Since I was six or seven, so sixteen years or so.

What have comics taught you about yourself? Comics have taught me that I want to make comics for a living. Comics have taught me how to process multiple types of information into a cohesive whole, linking disparate ideas. This comes from both the pictorial/text nature of a comic and from reading them across a periodical schedule. They've influenced my morality. They've helped me to form opinions about art.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you? Most comics aren't relevant to me, I think. It's just like novels. 90% of novels are genre trash that I would never want to read. The artform is extremely relevant, though. I think most people are more suited to explain things through a combination of show and tell, or verbal explanation and physical action. Body language is obviously at least as important as what one says. Comics, then, are a natural medium for both showing and telling.

Sorry if my answers don't appeal much to the idea of dual identities. I think it's a very interesting topic, in comics as well as in things like art and performance. From freak shows to pen names to hip-hop artists, dual identities have been really important in helping someone define him/herself in relation to their artistic output and also in separating oneself from the artistic life. I listened to a program on public radio's This American Life recently about David Sedaris, a short story author, moving to Paris, France. He speaks very poor French and is humiliated almost daily. However, that's what he wants. He's tired of having to be "The Author" in America. I'd love to keep talking about this.

[Sparda]

Gender: male

Age: 19

I began getting into comics when spider-man the show from the 80's (owned the vhs back then) intrigued me in seeing a person with unique powers and the costume was so cool looking back then that I began to read spidey comics.

My favorite hero would have to be spider-man. I grew up reading spidey comics. I found it interesting and intriguing that no matter what happens, spidey will always tries his best to help others and even he as a hero makes mistakes in decisions. Always trying to balance out in paying for his rent while trying to be spider-man to help people. How I relate to him is the hassles of life and a shy teen like me. Mostly cause of spidey comics I began to let loose and lowered my shyness to talk to other people and such. Up to this day I still read spidey comics.

I read comics for fun and entertainment.

I've read comics for alot of years. I stopped reading comics when Ben Reilly took over the role of being spider-man for a period of time and wanted peter with his original costume back. Started reading comics by trades by 2003 or 04 after seeing comics got better again. Besides spidey comics, I've tried other types as well and began to enjoy them like Image, Marvel, and batman stories from DC.

Comics taught me about myself that life is fun and enjoy it while you still can.

[Reptisaurus!]

Gender Boy

Age Old

What first drew you to reading comics? Pretty Pictures. Seriously. I responeded to bold, primary colors as a kid. Still do. It honestly pisses me off that modern artists tend to avoid bold, primary colors in their work.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?

Stegron the Dinosaur Man, who's technically a super-villain. Two reasons. (A) Dinosaurs are cool, and obscure dinosaurs like Stegosaurus who don't get T-Rex levels of publicity are even cooler, and (B) He's a completely incompetent villain but he tries sooooo hard. It's inspiring. And sort of sad.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?

Do I read, say, The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation for fun or a sense of escapism?

No. So not purely.

How long have you read comics?

26 years, give or take.

What have comics taught you about yourself?

James Kolchalka's Sketchbook Diaries taught me how to put swears inside of swears to get more swearing in.

Fu-fuck-uck!

But taken as a whole the question is too big. I learn different stuff from individual works of art, but nothing from "comics" as a whole.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?

Again, too big. There's just too much variety in the medium for me to narrow it down to any ONE thing that makes it relevant to you.

Gilbert Hernandez' Palomar is relevant 'cause it makes me more aware of the intricate, subtle connections that tie people and places together, and how we can be unaware of them.

Scurvy Dogs is relevant to me because I think Pirates are cool.

Can't really group them together in any sorta meaningful way.

[Fish Sauce]

Gender: Male

Age: 16

What first drew you to reading comics?
I guess I'd always had a vague interest in them. The art had always appealed to me, but when I saw Sin City and Batman Begins I became more interested. While procrastinating for study I somehow ended up looking at Wikipedia articles for heaps of characters, then went out and bought a few GNs.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?
The Flash is probably my favourite, followed by Batman. I guess it's just that he does something I could never do but would love to. Don't know why running fast appealed to me more than flying, but meh. It's also the fact that he loves what he does.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?
Same same.

How long have you read comics?
Couple of months :P

What have comics taught you about yourself?
Can't really think of anything for this one.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?
Not really sure about this one either. I think they're just fun.

[nihil_domini]

Gender
Male. That means bad in Latin.

Age
22

What first drew you to reading comics?
It was the hip thing to do in Boy Scouts when I was 10-13. They weren't my own though. I started picking them up again about a year ago after I graduated college and stuck around to do an internship while all my friends left. I decided I needed a hobby. Great friggin hobby! No one else I know reads 'em.


Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?
The Savage Dragon. The closest I've seen a comic character come to representing a bona fide average guy.


Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?
I suppose any hard core fan reads it for escapism, but then again, escapism is fun. I'm a hard core fan.


How long have you read comics?
Not long. About a year.

What have comics taught you about yourself?
That I'm too worried about what others think. I intentionally read them on the train because of this.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?
Dunno. I don't suppose they even are. I have yet to thwart anyones malevolence.

[Chimichanga!]

Gender
Male
Age
17
What first drew you to reading comics?
90s cartoons
Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?
Jesse custer (not a hero but bah!). He kept going at his task, sense of honor, he's a texan.
Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?
Fun
How long have you read comics?
About a year
What have comics taught you about yourself?
Screw what people like, do what you enjoy
What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?
The wolrds are full of extravagant battles where the good fight the evil, its a world of morals, sacrifice, and dedication. All heroes have their flaws that they try to overcome to accomplish their goals.

[Gilda Dent]

Gender: Female

Age: 29

What first drew you to reading comics?: As a small child, they were the book equivilent of cartoons--brightly colored, simple, easy to comprehend artwork, filled with energy. In later tween years, I connected to the morality of superheroes. They were there to save the day and helped people because they needed to be helped, not for personal gain. That really appealed to my primitive sense of what was fair.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)? : The Thing. The character concept is that of finding and accepting the person inside as the real person, despite how you and others might see your outer shell, which is something that I can relate to easily.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?: Both. I like goofy fun Silver Age DC with it's simple black and white morality, and I like the moral ambiguity of Preacher and Transmetropolitan. I like the symbolism and exploration of creator to creation in Animal Man and the evolving complex relationships of Andi Watson's comics and the deconstructionist work of Alan Moore. I like Frank Miller's comic noir and the silliness of Plastic Man, the surreal juxtapositons in classic Shazam, the poignant personal stories from Harvey Pekar, Art Spiegleman, and Will Eisner, the close up looks at seemingly ordinary characters of Daniel Clowes. I like it for everything it does and can do.

How long have you read comics?: A little over 20 years.

What have comics taught you about yourself?: I think they're like a lot of literature, in that one of values is in allowing us to empathize with people we'll never know personally, and at the same time to find bits of yourself in the characters you encounter.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you? : They're entertainment, escapism, informative, sad, funny, exciting. Anything that a good book or a good movie can do you can find in a comic. The relevancy is in finding art that speaks to you as a person. Different comics do that for me in different ways, as with any art form.

[Cei-U!]

Hi guys and girls..It would be a great help if you could answer a couple of questions for me based on the world of comics I am doing a dissertation on the dual identity in superhero comics and wanted to get some first hand responses from the readers. Doesn’t have to be long answers!

Sure, Craig, I'll take your survey.

Gender: Male

Age: 48

What first drew you to reading comics: My mother taught me to read using comic books starring my favorite animation characters.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character): Batman, although there are long stretches where his titles have ben unreadable. I'm particularly fond of the Finger/Robinson, O'Neil/Adams/Novick/et al and Batman: The Animated Series versions. He is the definitive mystery man-style comic book hero.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism: Fun. If I want to agonize over the human condition, I'll watch the news, thanks. (Actually, it depends on my mood. Sometimes I crave something deeper, like Gilbert Hernandez's "Palomar" stories, or more demanding, like Alan Moore's books.)

How long have you read comics: See above.

What have comics taught you about yourself: That I like comics? Seriously, comics are only a small part of the zeitgeist that made me me. Aside from reinforcing some moral lessons (and shaping my early career choices), they didn't have a significant affect on me.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you: They *aren't* relevent except as entertainment and/or nostalgia.

Many many thanks to anyone who responds it will be a great help.
craigm

You're welcome. Good luck.

Cei-U! (aka Kurt Mitchell)

[Cody H]

Gender
Male
Age
24
What first drew you to reading comics?
I used to watch the 60s Spider-Man cartoon when I was a kid and as soon as I got access to a comic shop, I figured I'd check out the comics.
Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?
That would be Spider-Man. I've always liked the underdog thing he has going. Plus he has a great sense of humor and for lack of a better term, a cool looking costume and super powers.
Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?
Purely fun.
How long have you read comics?
About 11 years I guess.
What have comics taught you about yourself?
Hmm, not sure really.
What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?
I enjoy reading them, that's about it.

[shawnh]

I like these, because generally no one cares about what I think in my real life.

Gender

Male

Age

30

What first drew you to reading comics?

I was so young that it's hard to remember. I really liked to read everything and it just seemed like a natural thing.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?

It's hard to pick. I guess my all time favorite is still Spider-Man, because I can relate to his underlying humanity. When he's written right he's a well-developed person.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?

No. I think anything you read should make you think, even comics. Both escapist comics and, gasp, relevant comics have their place.

How long have you read comics?

Since I was six or so.

What have comics taught you about yourself?

I don't know. As much as other books or movies, I think. I guess they helped teach me a few things about what is right and wrong. But I don't have a rigid comic book morality system, either.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?

Comic books, and I always say this, are just books with pictures. They aren't a genre, they are a medium. What is relevant in the comic depends on the comic.

[matt levin]

Gender

Age
56 (years)

What first drew you to reading comics?

My Uncle Sidney used to come over to my house on sundays to read Pogo to me. Then there was Mad Magazine. Big skip in time from kid-hood to college: Horseshit magazine, Freak Brothers, and then, finally, GL/GA 76: the cover where Green Arrow shoots out Green Lantern's lantern: "Nevermore"-- that brought me back into comics for a short time. After college, as I grew tired of the lunacy of making (small-time) movies,
I realized comics were storyboards, after all, and began looking into comics again-- Starlin's "Warlock" and "Captain Marvel", Gerber's "Manthing" and "Duck", Kirby's "Kamandi", Gene Colan's Daredevil... those were my downfall...

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?

I suppose Dr. Strange... or, currently Daredevil: for me, it's a matter of how well written the character is, rather than 'who I identify with'.


Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?

I read comics for the pleasure of the combination of words and pictures, for the enjoyment of another truely American art form.

How long have you read comics?
Lessee... let's say from the time I began seriously purchasing them, ie., making the weekly trek to the local comics shop: 30 years.

What have comics taught you about yourself?

I like recognizably individual styles of depiction, and clear, concise dialogue.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?

I enjoy the artform.

hope this's helpful,
Matt

[The Mirrorball Man]

I read comics for the pleasure of the combination of words and pictures, for the enjoyment of another truely American art form.
Where did that come from? Since when are comics a "truly American art form"? :confused:

[Kaos]

Gender - Male

Age - 17

What first drew you to reading comics? - I have no clue...really. It's probably the cartoons on tv, Batman was one of the greatest. I was into all the superhero stuff; cartoons, movies etc. I was about four or suming.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)? - Invincible at the moment, the guy is just real and ish. He's not much older than me and he's dealing with what he's got in a cool way. Also Deadpool, ha that dude is just jokes that's probably the guy most like me.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism? - both. I have moments when I really just hate everybody and can't stand people, so I read comics and just get out of the bullshit.

How long have you read comics? - time bruv...since I was about 5 probably....yup that long ago. I think my first comics were some Superboy and a Robin comic...might not be five....but it was ages ago.

What have comics taught you about yourself? - Dunno but they have helped my creativity loads.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you - Dunno I just enjoyed them. The characters are rarely like me I'm some hip hop listening black yute that gets into trouble with the cops and is on bail at the moment. Comics are like heh maybe in that world I'd be different, or that'd be live..get me.

[Sir Tim Drake]

Gender Male

Age 23

What first drew you to reading comics? My dad.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)? Starfire, but not because I feel I can relate to her. By the way, you mean "is there a reason," not "their."

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism? Neither (and I don't see the difference between these two options). I read comics because I'm a comics scholar.

How long have you read comics? About 16 years.

What have comics taught you about yourself? That I want to be a comics scholar.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you? The perfect, seamless blending of word and image.

[Punch]

Gender
M

Age
30

What first drew you to reading comics?
Suprheroes on TV and film in the mid to late 70's. Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, The Hulk, Wonder Woman, Captain America.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?
Umm I guess Batman. I understand why he wants to be Batman, he's frustrated with the world he lives in and wants to do something about it. Also he's one of the few who has a choice to be a "superhero" or not.
Very early on though, I learned that I was enjoying a particular writer/artist rather than a character.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?
Well we wouldn't read comics if it wasn't fun, and any fiction is escapism really, so I guess both. More than anything now I have an intellectual interest in comics.

How long have you read comics?
Well I had comics pretty much all of young life, like any kid does. But I started collecting regularly in 87 until about 93, then dropping to only following 2 or 3 creators.

What have comics taught you about yourself?
I'm a fine arts painter and I credit my comic reading with not only exposing me to different art styles, but to amazingly diverse ideas.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you? The combination of story and art

[saintsaucey]

Gender
Male

Age
26

What first drew you to reading comics?
Well I can remember owning a GI Joe comic when i was younger. And I used to read the disney afternoon comics in the Disney Adventures Magazines. But the first one I grabbed because i simply had to know was Batman: War Drums TPB because it had Steph Brown on the cover in a Robin suit and I mistakenly assumed it was Carrie. When the clerk told me I was wrong I just had to know more.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)? Im a big Robin fan I have like a dozen varrient figures of him. (more like 7) But I remember reading Amazing Fantasay with spider-man when i was little and then running around school at night (while my dad was playing basket ball) with a ski mask on.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?
escapeism. My life sucks and when I first started reading it sucked out loud. so much to the point that jumping off a tall bridge seemed like a good idea. comics make me happy.

How long have you read comics? 2 years since november of 2004 maybe a few months prior but not much longer than that.

What have comics taught you about yourself? That if you want something bad enough you'll do anything. I have sold blood,(my own) walked several miles at least a hundred. slept at work when i couldn't get home from the comic shop and still made it in the next day. and paid people to take me to the shops and paid people to pick stuff up without me there.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you? Everyone's lives suck no matter if you are rich or poor, married or single. You assume that if you have powers money and a hot girlfriend/wife that life won't suck but it does, just for different reasons.

I will be posting a buddies responces as soon as he emails me.

[saintsaucey]

Gender: Male

Age: 21

What first drew you to reading comics?

Originally, I’m not certain; I was rather young when I first started reading comics. I think it was just something that felt normal back then. I’ve been a fan ever since I was a kid, but not a consistent purchaser of comics. Lately what brought me back in to buying comics on a monthly basis are IDW’s Transformers comics. I also buy other titles that I discovered while picking up TF comics.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?
I don’t think I could narrow it down to on specific character, but there are five that consistently worm their way in to my hands: Wolverine, Batman, Superman, Azrael (from Batman) and Captain Marvel (the SHAZAM! One, not the Kree supersoldier). I think anyone who went through a time of confusion and teenage angst can relate to the berserker rages and tormented mind of Wolvie, furthermore he has a caring side which is surprisingly well written at times. He’s a tortured hero who knows so much about the world, but so little about himself and how to control himself. Azrael is similar to Wolverine, only without the life experience. He’s young, naïve, doesn’t know entirely how to control himself and the system can sometimes completely override his own thoughts. I really feel like Az sometimes, I think we all have. Batman is harder to relate without having actually lost someone to crime, in the real life experience idea. However, Bats is so well explained, over and over and over, that we can just understand him. Plus some of the best stories ever done in comics were Batman stories. If I could ever write one comic book, I’d want to write an issue of Batman. Superman is that ultimate ideal of what is good and right with the world. He stands for everything we should believe in. Superman, as a representative or righteousness and justice, is pretty much invincible, thusly Justice and Righteousness are Invincible. Captain Marvel us similar to Superman, but filled with so much innocence. He’s younger, and sees things from a childlike viewpoint. It’s very comforting to see such innocence available in the world. Plus, what 12-year-old boy wouldn’t want to scream SHAZAM! and become a mystical powerhouse with a lantern jaw?

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?

Fun, escapism, education. I read comics because I love them, and they bring out the ever-present kid in me. Plus, I intend to get in to the industry myself, so they’re valid things to study :D

How long have you read comics?

Almost my whole life. As soon as I could read on my own.

What have comics taught you about yourself?
Well, primarily, that I wanted to create things. Comics and Cartoons and other creative mediums showed me that I couldn’t do a desk job, it’s just not in me. I was put on this world to at least be an unsuccessful artist, at most to be very successful :D


What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?

I think I’ve answered this question already throughout the rest of the survey…

James

[Gavin Higginbotham, BotF]

Gender

*checks* Male

Age

25

What first drew you to reading comics?

I've actually no idea. None of my friends ever have read them. I think my mum used to buy me some when I was younger (old UK comics of Transformers, He-Man, MASK) as I was a fan of the properties as cartoons. I suppose it happened again when I was older when the X-Men cartoon came out, as it was X-Men I started reading first.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?

Savage Dragon. The guy will do ANYTHING to protect his friends and loved ones. He will fight on no matter how much has been done to him, even hitting someone with his own severed arm once. He's also a really human, identifiable character; He can be a jerk, he's funny, he's loving, he's stubborn, he's confident, he's caring, he's brave, he has a temper... things that most people are, really.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?

Both. It's also something to do between looking at porn.:)

How long have you read comics?

As mentioned earlier, I read them sporadically when I was little, but properly since January 1995 (the X-Men's Age of Apocalypse-still probably my all-time fave comics storyline).

What have comics taught you about yourself?

Sad as it sounds, I actually try to keep a somewhat superhero set of morals. I'd never betray a friend, I'm always there for those that need it (even so far as to protect my friends from other people when the need arises), I try to cheer up anyone that's sad, things like that.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?

Dunno. I guess the previous answer sort of links here too.

Many many thanks to anyone who responds it will be a great help.

No worries.

[The Batman]

Gender Male

Age 27

What first drew you to reading comics?

My cousin somehow started reading comics briefly in the mid to late 1980's. probably 1987 or 1988. for whatever reason i read a few of them, GI Joe comics that i'm pretty sure i still have somewhere, and as my cousin moved on to other things i didn't. I didn't stay with GI Joe for very long, and soon moved on to whatever else was available at the newstand from Transformers to Spider-Man. i think the reason that i stayed with comics, moving from newstand to specialty shop and from one or two titles a month to 20 or 30, is because i found stories that weren't being told anywhere else being told in a way that wasn't happening anywhere else. i'd always liked superheroes and sci-fi(Superfriends, Transformers, Star Wars, Star Trek) and for the most part i found comics to be the best place to tell those stories.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?

right now it's easily Batman. he combines a relentless drive with a complete victimization. at the same time he posses an iron will and perfectly honed mind and body but he's also in many ways still the victim of a hapless mugger with a gun. he's simultaneously the most human and most inhuman of the superheroes, or at least he can be. Batman shoes the power of determination, of will, and of the spirit. or at least he can. that and he's a remarkably versatile character. that and he's just plain cool.

i like Superman alot too. he's just undeniably noble and inspiring and fun and silly and just awesome.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?

both, neither. i really don't know. i read comics because they tell fun entertaining stories about things i find interesting and let me escape for 10 or 15 minutes. i read comics because they can tell compelling stories that can't be told the same way anywhere else. From Hell wasn't a fun read or an escapist read but it was certainly a comic and a compelling one at that.

How long have you read comics? 18 years or so i suppose.

What have comics taught you about yourself?

that i'm a geek and that that's not so bad. that i don't take things nearly as seriously as other people do, be they comics fans or not, and that that's not so bad.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?

i can't find the kinds of stories i am reading in comics being done as effectively anywhere else. the closest thing is animation, which i also love, and even that isn't quite the same. that and comics use the written word and the image in a terribly unique way. they really are one of the best hybrid mediums out there.

[Radical]

Gender-Male

Age-32

What first drew you to reading comics?-Hey, it was fun. Besides, I was too young at the time for "grown-up" books.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)?-God, there's so many...

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?-Both.

How long have you read comics?-Nearly all my life.

What have comics taught you about yourself?-That anyone can be a hero.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?-They're a release from job stress.

[Mia]

Gender: Female

Age 100

What first drew you to reading comics? Bordedom and the pretty pictures

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)? Batman, Emma Frost, Daredevil (the Bendis version) and Zealot (Wildcats). I can't relate to them but I admire them. They are disciplined, Strive for excellence, highly intelligent and play to win.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism?

For entertainment and so that I can read about qualities I admire in men and women.

How long have you read comics? 17 years

What have comics taught you about yourself?

Live life. Never let life live you.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?

Looking good and keeping in shape is a must.

[Gingold]

Gender- Male

Age 30

What first drew you to reading comics? Superman.

Who is your favourite superhero character and why (is their a reason that you feel you can relate to your chosen character)? Superman. Because he's the best.

Do you read comics purely for fun, or for a sense of escapism? Is there a difference?

How long have you read comics?
I can't remember ever not reading comics in some form. I took a couple years off from being an active buyer of comics in the mid 90s, but I never stopped reading my old ones or following the comic strips.

What have comics taught you about yourself?
Not sure.

What is it about comics that make them relevant to you?
I like good stories. If the stories are good, I like the comics.

Many many thanks to anyone who responds it will be a great help.