Characters and ideas coming from some of the most popular comic books have ingrained themselves into the hearts of many young people today. Older generations of fans have invested years into comic books, films, and games, but the stories and characters were never as publicly recognized to the scale we see today with modern-day fandoms. With many forms of entertainment now originating from comic book licenses, there is seemingly a new inspired interest in them from a long list of large and small publishers.

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But comic books were not always so highly touted. They started out from humble beginnings as just short strips in newspapers. They slowly grew more popular and were recognized in the mid-20th century because of their support for the military during World War II. The image of Captain America striking Adolf Hitler became a popular representation of pro war propaganda. It was not until the war ended that the voices of many critics of comics had shifted opinions and their portrayals of comic books’ impact on society. For a history lesson: during the time of the Cold War when the so-called “Red Scare” was happening, a movement led by U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy attempted to accuse people of being communists, causing many to lose their jobs. Oddly enough, comic books had also been caught up in this time of paranoia and fear. The general argument against comics was that they often depicted violence and storytelling that was much too graphic for young readers. Individuals like psychiatrist Fredric Wertham were instrumental in creating a moral panic over the content presented in comic books. During his research of children who displayed poor behavior, he found that a common pass time among many was reading comic books. Despite the fact that most of these children were living in more impoverished areas with a high crime rate, Wertham believed that it was the comics and their content causing their behavior. Even when he and other critics admitted that not every comic book was a bad influence for children, Wertham was adamant that comic books were a poor influence. He made statements such as, “All child drug addicts, and all children drawn into the narcotics traffic as messengers, with whom we had contact, were inveterate comic-book readers.” This quote comes from an article written by comic historian Carol Tilley, who has pointed out the responsibility Wertham had in creating the falsified narratives around comics. In her article, “Seducing the Innocent: Fredric Wertham and the Falsifications That Helped Condemn Comics,” she explains that Wertham was disturbed by the graphic natures that some comics represented, and that he viewed their circulation as a public health concern that had to be controlled and regulated. At the base of his argument, Wertham was asserting that comics possessed no real merit and that children who viewed comics were not really reading, just looking at the graphic images. Even today, this is still a common sentiment argued and felt by some. Despite the attempts of those like Wertham to discredit comics as a recognized form of art, comic books have become a popular purchase. But why?

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Almost anyone could recognize that big household publishers like Marvel and DC are the two top dogs when it comes to the publication of comics. They have persisted through the tests of time and own claim to some of American culture’s most iconic superheroes. The big cinema blockbusters inspired by the years of stories from these publishers have without a doubt left their large stamp on history. They have even taken steps in recent years by striving for more inclusivity from the voices of those less heard, such as Marvel getting the talents of Ta-Nehisi Coates, an influential black writer and journalist. He wrote a line of comics for the character Black Panther. But other good publishers have risen and created opportunities for starving creators as well. Image Comics is a popular name and has won many awards while being recognized as a successful publisher that creates an array of comics for its readers. Marjorie Liu, the author of the horror fantasy comic Monstress, became the first female to win a Best Writer Eisner Award back in 2018. Not only did Liu break boundaries as a female writer, but she also did it within a genre that is not as widely popularized within comics, perhaps in comparison to superheroes.

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But comics have expanded even farther than these larger publishers. There are critically acclaimed works being created with new stories and art that go above and beyond in order to encapsulate stories uniquely fresh to comic books as a form. Within this form, there have been a staggering range of stories made by those with both unique narratives and art styles. Publisher Drawn and Quarterly published a work by author, Marguerite Abouet, and artist, Clément Oubrerie, called Aya: Life in Yop City. This was based on Abouet’s experiences living in the Ivory Coast. The story combined with Oubrerie’s art makes for a well-crafted and memorable piece of work that delves into how profound the style of the comic can be. Aya is one of many bits of proof as to how varied and diverse comics can be, both in story and art style. Since the years of the critics and nay-sayers, comics have evolved like many other industries of media and have asserted a firmer presence in society, being sold in more bookstores and displayed more prominently on bookshelves. They are no longer a form associated with cult followings and lowbrow art. Publishers know that the form of the comic is one that can encapsulate a wide range of interests, whether the meaning is tied to the comic’s art or narrative. But more importantly, more writers are being drawn to comics, bringing in new ideas to be coupled with higher quality art.

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Certainly, people have always had a persisting interest in comics and celebrated them for many years. Fans of comics recognized the medium as a different and compelling form of expression beyond that of conventional texts. Now more than ever is that being recognized. This can be said not only because of the booming amounts of content and stories being produced by publishers, but the wider recognition of the form of comics and what it has to offer in an educational setting. Dale Jacobs explains in his article, “More than Words: Comics as a Means of Teaching Multiple Literacies,” how comics can be studied and retained by students. He conveys that if comics are thought of by readers as “multimodal texts,” texts that go beyond just words, we do not lose the benefits of word-based literacy instruction, but instead strengthen it through the inclusion of visual literacy. He continues by saying that all of the properties that make up the page work at making a realm of different meanings in distinctive ways. This would stand in direct opposition to Wertham, who was adamant that comics were representative of a regression in learning and an inspiration for delinquent behavior. With this in mind, the future of comics should be looking fairly optimistic. While market trends and other factors could come into play, disrupting this positive outlook, the general cultural support from consumers, publishers, and academics alike, has grown exponentially since Wertham’s campaign against comics. There is a general positivity towards them and overall realization that comics have cemented themselves in culture. Could publishers even look to make comics aimed at teaching children?

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With a surging popularity and continuous desire for new titles, there will likely be a push for comic book publishers to continue following trends and listen more to what their consumers want. Comics have already expanded onto digital platforms and there are droves of new titles and characters that are being produced by publishers big and small. Likely, the printing of comics will never diminish, as the collecting of them is a long-standing tradition that has importance and value. Having a copy of an original in a fan’s hand is more authentic and valuable than on a tablet. So, with all of this in mind, the relevance and significance of comics’ history, present, and past, we can only admire, and wonder what new directions, roles, and meanings comics will take on. It will also be interesting to see if there will be an increase in the range of genres within the form of writing that could change many of the long-standing assumptions and misconceptions. Or will we only see the major comic book publishers still around a few years down the line? Hopefully, there will be no monopolies on comic books.