How do you get an 11 year old into comics

[DirtyMick]

I recently moved back to my home state and I've been trying to spend more time with little clone. When he was smaller I introduced him to the spider-man cartoon and the old x-men cartoon. He's shown a great interest in comics and every Wed. I take him to my comic book store and I buy him something. It's just been a struggle because I want to get him into the medium that I grew up on when I was kid because I think there's so much crap out there right now in entertainment. I believe comic books are something a kid his age can get into. His favorite character is spider-man and I buy him the current ASM (which I refuse to read) but what ends up happening is he asks me what happened to mary janes and he doesn't like the villians. He thinks menace is a Goblin rip off, the paper girl is a joke (I ended up having to explain how/why MJ was dating some actor), etc etc. He really likes x-men but I think he's a little too young at the moment. The only comic he's taking a liking to is new and mighty avengers. So I end up letting him read those and I buy old spidey back issues with the villians he knows. Do you guys have any suggestions?

[stingerman]

I recently moved back to my home state and I've been trying to spend more time with little clone. When he was smaller I introduced him to the spider-man cartoon and the old x-men cartoon. He's shown a great interest in comics and every Wed. I take him to my comic book store and I buy him something. It's just been a struggle because I want to get him into the medium that I grew up on when I was kid because I think there's so much crap out there right now in entertainment. I believe comic books are something a kid his age can get into. His favorite character is spider-man and I buy him the current ASM (which I refuse to read) but what ends up happening is he asks me what happened to mary janes and he doesn't like the villians. He thinks menace is a Goblin rip off, the paper girl is a joke (I ended up having to explain how/why MJ was dating some actor), etc etc. He really likes x-men but I think he's a little too young at the moment. The only comic he's taking a liking to is new and mighty avengers. So I end up letting him read those and I buy old spidey back issues with the villians he knows. Do you guys have any suggestions?

How about Nova?

[XPac]

YOu can always just go with the Marvel Adventures stuff.

Lots of kid friendly one shot comics with recognizable characters and villains.

And despite having a "kiddish" stigma a lot of the books are actually pretty fun.

I have a whole bunch in digest version that I used to bring to the school I worked at.

[DirtyMick]

thanks guys I appreciate it.

[DirtyMick]

I just remembered this he has taking a liking to Guardians of the Galaxy because of Rocket Racoon.

[stingerman]

YOu can always just go with the Marvel Adventures stuff.

Lots of kid friendly one shot comics with recognizable characters and villains.

And despite having a "kiddish" stigma a lot of the books are actually pretty fun.

I have a whole bunch in digest version that I used to bring to the school I worked at.

I picked up the one issue for my 4 year old where Hulk fought the Juggernaut. He loved it, as did I!

[Maestro]

Marvel Adventures seems good for elementary school kids. But by 10 and up, Ultimate Spider-Man is usually a better choice. I mean, I've seen a lot of 10 year olds read Harry Potter novels and such

[The Black Guardian]

I agree with what was said about Marvel Aventures. Also, maybe Ultimate Spider-Man and anything from the MC-2 line (Amazing Spider-Girl, etc.).

I really don't think any of the X-Books are mature than GotG, but that's your call. I'm not the type of parent that carefully watches what my daughter is exposed to.

I think the best way to get a kid interested in comics is to let them loose in your local store for 30 minutes and have them pick whatever fancies them (with your oversight, of course). It's pretty much what my mom did when I was a kid. This is what I did with my daughter a few years ago (when she was 12). She's still not big on comics, but she loves Runaways and a few other books.

[MakeshiftHero]

I just remembered this he has taking a liking to Guardians of the Galaxy because of Rocket Racoon.

Haha, yeah he's cool. If he like Rocket you should find the Star Lord Annihilation Conquest tie in. It's a 4 part mini that has Rocket in it, and leads into Conquest which leads into Gaurdians and shows the how and why the team was formed.

Then you might also want to get him the first Annihilation trade and the tie ins to that and get him Nova (highly recomended) if he continues to like the space characters.

Other than that, I'd say what all the other posters are saying, marvel adventures since they're aimed at younger readers. But I think since he's 11 he's old enough to get into the real 616 books that will continue to move the characters along instead of him reading them in self contained solo issues.

Or Young Avengers, New/Young X-Men, or Runaways are all very good books with teen heroes in them.

BUT since you mentioned bringing him in on the cartoons I'd highly recomend showing him the Spectacular Spider-Man cartoon that came out and finished its first season about 5 months ago, you can find all the episodes on Youtube. And X-Men Evolution wich is a good cartoon that was on a couple years ago which de ages the x-men to high school and is for younger audiences and is very enjoyable. You can find some online but the whole series (4 seasons) are collected in DVDs and still on sale.

[RolandJP]

give him Alan moore's Watchmen to read!

[StoneGold]

You know, I was going to suggest some stuff, and then I realize the kid is grooving on New and Mighty, and that opens the doors up so much wider. At this point, it's more about some good comics with villains he knows than trying to mollycoddle a kid. So let's go with the easy stuff.

Captain America. The best written superhero book on the market today. With the Red Skull as a villain throughout the book. Good stuff.

Invincible Iron Man. It's like the movie, except instead of Jeff Bridges, it's his bastard 19-year-old son.

Incredible Hercules. An immortal god and his snotnosed genius companion fighting... pretty much everyone. SHIELD, other gods, the Eternals, you name it, Herc hits it.

[Vic Vega]

I'd suggest the Marvel Adventures Avengers, Spider-Man and Hulk and X-Men First Class if you can find the back issues.

These are great all ages books and in the case of MA Avengers more entertaining than the original title.

[DirtyMick]

Thanks for the recomendations so far guys. I never really thought to look at marvel adventures. I'll take a look into it. Yes my kid brother watches Spectacular spider-man. He was always banging on my door to get up and watch it. I thouhgt it was a pretty solid little show.

[DeeSnider]

I'd recommend (or second in some cases):

Runaways
Young Avengers
X-Men: First Class
Wolverine: First Class
Marvel Adventures
Amazing Spider-Girl

And if you're willing to try some books from other companies, maybe Blue Beetle from DC, and Invincible, Fire Breather and Perhapanauts from Image, and Mouse Guard from Archaia.

[StoneGold]

I'd suggest the Marvel Adventures Avengers, Spider-Man and Hulk and X-Men First Class if you can find the back issues.

These are great all ages books and in the case of MA Avengers more entertaining than the original title.

From what the OP said his kid is reading, we're going a little beyond the all ages stuff.

Actually, if he likes the current Avengers books, check out Iron Fist's adventures in his own book.

[PKIronMan]

There are a lot of good recommendations above. I'd like to suggest you go with a TPB in any case though to give him a cluster of material at once instead of a small tome. That way immersion is more likely if he is at all interested.

[mattx110]

As an eleven year old... I wasn't realy reading the kid-friendly stuff, except for Son the Hedgehog, which was an awesome book.

They reset it when the anime-y sonic came out... I don't know if it's still around, but if any of the writers have stuck around from the old days, it'd be worth a look.

[Tien Long]

believe that most mainstream comics can definitely be enjoyed by the average 11 yr. old. I remember reading the introduction of Carnage back when I was about 7, and, looking back on that now, there was a lot of killing in that storyline. I don't think it was too detrimental to my growth.

As for your brother, I think Ultimate Spider-Man or Spider-Man adventures would do the trick, not only b/c the writing is great, but the artwork is very exciting as well. I say this b/c I think your brother would like something that has alot of action and big blockbuster fights. Back when I was his age (SOOOOO long ago) I didn't pay too much attention to the dialogue, I mainly just looked at the pretty pictures. Thus, the bigger question is, which titles have the slickest looking artwork and consistently have the best, most action packed scenes. For me, that would be Incredible Hercules and Iron Fist. Both titles, every month, have a good mix of dialogue, as well as some very great action scenes. Iron Fist especially might be a good title to start off with, since a new storyline is cooking up, with artwork that is very dynamic. I highly recommend it.

[TROUBLEZ]

I don't think you should push them the comic reading too much.

My parents tried to get me into all sorts of hobbies that they liked but it only made me hate them more (the hobbies, not my parents).

They'll either take to them or they won't.

Oh yeah, as an 8 year old I hated the Adventures stuff, or the "little kids" comics.

Just take him to Borders or Barne's and Noble and let him find stuff on his own.

[StoneGold]

Just remember, getting comics into an 11-year-old is a felony.

[StarsAndGarters]

My best answer: give them something the grown-ups don't want them to read.

If you yourself are an adult, this could be troublesome.

[StoneGold]

My best answer: give them something the grown-ups don't want them to read.

If you yourself are an adult, this could be troublesome.

Someone who gets it.

Ditch the Marvel Adventures stuff.

[Brandon Hanvey]

My best advice is to find what he likes. Don't try to force your taste on him.

He may like manga so you might try some Viz titles. Naruto and One Piece are good action titles though they are recommended for 13+ but tons of kids younger read them.

I agree with the poster who said take him to a comic shop or bookstore and let him find his own stuff. Though look through it so you know if you are okay with him reading it.

[StarsAndGarters]

Someone who gets it.

Ditch the Marvel Adventures stuff.

Exactly. I think we'd all be surprised by the ability of the average 11 year old to get complex ideas and the stuff we think of as mature.

[Spike-X]

I'm guessing he's a little young for Preacher just yet?

[StarsAndGarters]

I'm guessing he's a little young for Preacher just yet?

Kinda what I was guessing. If the kid likes Bendis, yes to Daredevil, no to Powers.

[JDogindy]

This is probably one of those "gradual steps" things. I'd start out by giving him a comic from your favorite period and explaining the basics of the character.

Then you shove every bit of information, including alternate realms, storylines, and Crisises down his throat.

Of course, doing it that way wouldn't be good. Is there anything you want him to get into, specifically? Or do you just want him to get into the basics of DC and Marvel (and maybe a few of the smaller publishers, like Dark Horse)?

[LtMarvel]

Bone

Astro City (Especially "Confessions")

Usagi Yojimbo

[JDogindy]

Bone

Astro City (Especially "Confessions")

Usagi Yojimbo

Ooh. Good picks, especially "Bone".

[Ilash]

Ultimate Spider-man would be my pick, easily. I think it's a pretty great way to get anyone into comics but it's especially good for kids or young teenagers. Start with the first trade and move on from there.

[Ontir]

You make comics something an 11 year-old wants to read and can afford.

That's going digital.

[Ilash]

You make comics something an 11 year-old wants to read and can afford.

That's going digital.

Oh rubbish. What on earth does going digital have to do with anything? I would imagine that even kids today would still to prefer to read the things on paper rather than on a computer monitor.

[Ontir]

See the other thread. There are reasons!

Money/price per unit.

Being in a form that young kids are interested in.

[mattx110]

See the other thread. There are reasons!

Money/price per unit.

Being in a form that young kids are interested in.
Amazon Kindle?

[JDogindy]

Oh rubbish. What on earth does going digital have to do with anything? I would imagine that even kids today would still to prefer to read the things on paper rather than on a computer monitor.

I dunno. Having them go digital may be cheaper, but you have to teach them that the comic wasn't born on the Internet.

[Agent Helix]

As the average comic isn't very big, I'd say you'd have to fold him at least seven times.

[Kid Omega]

See the other thread. There are reasons!

Money/price per unit.

Being in a form that young kids are interested in.

Kids have no problem spending 8 to 10 dollars a pop on B&W Naruto digests, or ten dollars on BONE, both of which move in the millions, with little or no digital support.

Maybe your market research is a little conjecture-y, no?

[Agent Helix]

No young kids are only interested in internet with their www and their dot coms and their hip hop and their gangster raps

[K'Nort]

Keep in mind that just because he's enjoying some of the all ages books does not mean that he won't also enjoy some of the really good kid-friendly stuff. Hell, adults enjoy the good kid-friendly stuff. It doesn't have to be either/or.

[Michael P]

Be Denis Kitchen.

[Tony Bang]

No young kids are only interested in internet with their www and their dot coms and their hip hop and their gangster raps

Don't forgot our video games. I mean they're whats killing the comic industry, right?

[EZMOHR]

Instead of suggesting a title, maybe just read with him or her. My oldest kids are almost 10, and don't really like it if I read to them any more, so maybe 10-11 is an age where kids don't like to be read to anymore....but your kid might be different.

[DrewTheXenocide]

You make comics something an 11 year-old wants to read and can afford.

That's going digital.

You know, even if I don't like the idea of digital comics, you might be right. I distinctly remember being twelve and being highly grateful that Marvel had Ultimate Spidey up on their website.

[Winslow]

Kids have no problem spending 8 to 10 dollars a pop on B&W Naruto digests, or ten dollars on BONE, both of which move in the millions, with little or no digital support.

My kids have "gone manga" as well.

They fork over bucks for Naruto, Bleach, and Hikaru No Go. They check out Shonen Jump from the library, and purchase the story lines they like.

They'd also buy Usagi Yojimbo and Bone, but Dad buys those so they don;t have to.

Marvel and DC get none of their love.

[Mac Danny]

Well, does he have any superpowers? Hard to sell a book these days without superpowers.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

My little cousin for a long time always rejected comic books because I pushed too hard for him to read em. But now he is getting into Wolverine due to the fact he was bored and picked up the "Messiah Complex" and started reading right off the bat. He loved the voilence and all and took to Wolverine.

He's getting cheap back issues for now....so I'm pleased. He goes with me to the LCS at times.