Comics are amazing as they can open our minds to a whole world of imagination. G. K. Chesterton said that the power of stories wasn't that they told us that evil exists but that it could be defeated and I think comics and graphic novels are the modern day fable that have these power fantasies that allow us to live in other people's shoes and gain a deeper understanding of the human condition.
There are many comics and graphic novels which are based on real life and tell us about a wide variety of historical and biographical events but I particularly enjoy comics which talk about the human condition and humanity which are not always based on real life but capture its intricacies and complications; there is power in the truthiness.
My eldest is in her final year of primary school and will be going to secondary school. She is excited but also has a sense of worry and trepidation; the same feelings I'm sure we had when we were that age and were confronted with the same transition.
We have spoken to her a little about how it is an amazing time with so much potential to find your tribe, persue the interests that draw you in and possibly make friends for life. However, this being the unknown, she is naturally worried and it can become overwhelming. When that happens, she can shut down and not want to talk about things, and that's fine... I was the same with my parents. However, I’ve found that graphic novels are the ultimate tool for low-stakes processing as the medium presents complex ideas with visual immediacy and zero preachiness, it bypasses the defensive walls a child might build. It’s a shared language I've used to open doors throughout her life. So, whilst in London for a course, I went to my go-to comic shop, Gosh! in SoHo and bought New Kid by Jerry Craft. It’s about a gifted pupil called Jordan who wins a scholarship to a prestigious school but struggles to fit in. The book masterfully handles themes like systemic racism, stereotyping, and code-switching but does so through a relatable middle-school lens.
By seeing Jordan navigate his anxieties, I’m hopeful my daughter can find the vocabulary to address her own. It’s the perfect example of how a ‘simple’ comic can provide a roadmap for resilience during life’s biggest shifts.
LINK: The Evolving Fears of a Horror Gamer
LINK: The Power of Stories and How They Are Manipulated
LINK: The Message by Ta-Nahisi Coates - Book Review (and Some Thoughts)
LINK: The Anxious Generation: Book Review (and Some Thoughts)
LINK: Utopia for Realists- Book Review
LINK: Toxic: Women, Fame and the Noughties- Book Review (and Some Thoughts)