My sons have been heavily encouraged by me to be interested in comic books and super heroes. The boys each receive their own monthly comic in the mail, they have a sizable Super Hero Squad collection and I’m fairly certain they are aware that any Marvel related product they ask for in a toy aisle has a high probability of being allowed into our shopping cart.
It is not because I want these toys and comics that I encourage my sons’ interest in them. Okay, yes it is. I most definitely try and influence them to buy Marvel action figures and have even stolen a few to set upon the shelf above my desk for display. I grew up on Marvel and use my sons to acquire toys I’m concerned I am too old to buy for myself without getting stared at. I admit it. I have a problem. What I meant to say is, this is not the only reason I encourage their interest.
There are several other benefits to having your kids read comics and love super heroes. Sure, you get to relive your childhood and play with their figures while they sleep, staging epic battles where alliances are formed between heroes you always hoped to see work together (not that I have ever done this). You can also influence their behavior and instill specific values in your kids through the awesome world of super heroes.
Comic books are a great way to get young kids excited about reading. When they have a reading assignment for homework, you may notice your child is a bit less than enthusiastic about it. They sit at the table or desk with the textbook open before them, leaning on their hand, with a look on their face that screams they are not going to retain anything. A question about what they just read will be met with, “Uh…” This helps kids learn to hate reading and slows it down.
Have you ever seen a kid relatively new to reading with a comic book? The only thing that slows them down is to run over to you during a particularly cool part and tell you what just happened. They will quote the word bubbles, showing they’re actually reading, not just looking at the pictures, and then they’ll describe the action in their own words. Talk about reading comprehension.
Kids also learn values from comic books. The stories behind the characters are basic morality tales. The heroes stand for what is right. They don’t steal, they don’t kill, and they defend their fellow man. The villains are greedy, angry and unintelligent or, if they are intelligent, they are self-important and egotistical. The good guys have a code they live by (like “with great power comes great responsibility”), choosing what is obviously right over what is wrong. They are fictional incarnations of all the lessons you try to teach your kids to have them be good people. They are bastions of good behavior. The bad guys think only of their own selfish motivation. They show where thinking only of yourself will lead. The more your kids get to know these characters, the better they will understand the personality traits each embodies. The better informed they will be to make decisions.
If I do this, I’ll be like Spider-Man. If I do that, I’ll be like Dr. Doom.
I’ve taught my sons that when they are faced with a decision and they are tempted to do something they know is wrong, they should stop and ask themselves a question. What would Captain America do? I know that the ever-patriotic Steve Rogers would never steer them wrong.
I choose which heroes I want my kids to know more about based on values each embodies which I want them to respect. When they are introduced to Tony Stark, Reed Richards or Bruce Banner, I explain the science and intelligence that lies behind their abilities to kick constant bad guy ass. I explore the Peter Parker side of Spider-Man, the normal kid who is very smart and tries to do right by his family and friends despite the odds. When it comes to practicing a new skill, the dedication of Captain America and Clint Barton are examples of how practice can allow you to chuck a shield at a moving object 200 yards away and nail it or take down an alien spacecraft with a single arrow. Dr. Strange has taught them to accept there are forces beyond our control we may never understand and to have faith.
An interest in any or all of these heroes can also foster a love of history. These characters have been around for a long time. They may want to know more about how they came to be. Pick up the Marvel Encyclopedia and let them research the lives of their favorite super heroes. This will translate into an increased ability to do so when they have to do a paper on William Taft or Grover Cleveland down the road.
So, readers, the next time your kid picks up a comic book, open your mind to the possibilities. You have a budding reader on your hands, a child who is learning to distinguish right from wrong, and a child who is learning about the lives of decent, moral, often highly intelligent people. They have found positive role models.
And if you aren’t going to read that comic book when they’re done with it, send it my way.
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