THE WORLD ACCORDING TO THOR and THE WORLD ACCORDING TO IRON MAN.
Who is it that loves superhero comics the most? Kids! Yes, superhero comics are for kids. There are plenty of stories geared toward older readers but, at the heart of the matter, if you stray so far from your younger readers, you have really lost something vital. Well, the focus shifted many years ago to mature and dark content to say the least. While an all-ages sphere of influence would prove quite interesting, we’ve moved past that model. Whatever the content, ultimately it depends on the creative team as to merit of each project. That said, kids must get their due. In that regard, Insight Editions has come up with a series with young readers in mind.
Tony Stark takes it easy.
I can well imagine books like these being warmly received, taken at face value, by younger readers. Sounds idealistic? No, it’s just the power of childhood. Each one of these books is part of the Insight Legends series from Insight Editions. The series kicks off with a focus on characters from the Marvel Comics universe.
Thor postage stamp stickers.
Each book comes packed with extras like posters, stickers, and “top secret” documents. Pages are full of intriguing facts, maps, and family trees, providing a veritable guidebook on a particular character. That’s the theme: a focus on one character and that character’s view of the world. Included in the series are Iron Man, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Captain America, and Thor. Each book is around 64 pages with about 10 inserts, varies with each book.
For more details, visit our friends at Insight Editions. You can find THE WORLD ACCORDING TO IRON MAN right here. You can find THE WORLD ACCORDING TO THOR right here.
Glad to know that superheroes for the young live on and that they have a home I can visit.
Superhero comics for kids do continue to be made, for sure. But they’re not the dominant form of storytelling for comics publishers today.
In fact, comics for all ages have as much, if not more, to offer than content aimed at older readers.
Like I say, ultimately, you want to see who the creative team is behind a project to get a sense of the worth of any particular comics story.
Much more can be said on this topic!
Good to know these exist. As a primary school teacher, I’ve found comics to be a great way to get reluctant young readers (especially boys, but girls too) to engage with the printed word. It’s not always easy to source them – even in Scotland which has a long tradition of publishing comics, but worth the effort. Using the graphic/comic novel is also an excellent way of getting children to write their own stories as well.
Another very informative post. Thank you.
Anne, you are so right. Now, both the “Big Two” comics publishers, DC Comics and Marvel Comics, shifted their focus to their older readers a long time ago. Basically, these were young readers who either came back or never left. The die was cast. Content became more and more geared to that demographic. The thing is that the clock cannot be turned back and some truly landmark work has been created for older readers. However, the world of all-ages comics is so rich and powerful. Every time that it is tapped into, the potential is there to create something compelling and everyone is rewarded. The more people ask for it, the more comics publishers are inclined to respond.