Introduction

For some people, the word "nerd" might bring to mind images of a skinny teenage boy with braces
and Coke-bottle glasses. The nerd was once a specific brand of social outcast: one who never talked
to girls, did well in science class, and read comic books religiously. Well, I have news for you: the
nerd is no more. Outcast boys have learned that there are also outcast girls, that being good at
science is no longer something to be embarrassed about, and that reading comic books is something
everyone can enjoy.

Still, not everyone has hopped on the comic book and graphic novel train. Some people don't take
comic books as seriously as they take other books, and most people don't realize the benefits of
reading these visual masterpieces. So, what are some of the benefits of reading comic books?

#1: Comic Books Help People Learn to Love Reading

Lots of people, especially young readers who are struggling to improve their reading skills, can
benefit from the visual format of comic books and graphic novels. Several studies have indicated that
comic books often appeal to readers who find other material too challenging or uninteresting. With
their intense visuals and focus on plot and characters, comic books can be much more engaging than
other literary media, such as novels or short stories.

Comic books may also help people develop the reading skills required to comprehend texts with
higher levels of difficulty. When people read comic books, they learn how to process information
differently, as we'll explore in the following section. Further, comic books and graphic novels can help
people learn information that they may otherwise find boring, such as stories from history or
other educational information.

#2: Comic Books Help Us Think Differently

According to University of Windsor English professor Dale Jacobs (2007), comic books require
readers to create meaning using "multiple modalities." Readers of comic books must process all the
different components—visual, spatial, and textual—of what they are reading and integrate these
components into one solid understanding of the story. This means that, even though comic books
may appeal to readers for the same reason these individuals are drawn to other forms of
entertainment, such as television and video games, reading these books actually involves much more
complex processing. More research remains to be done regarding the neurological benefits of
reading comic books, but it is evident that there is far more to this genre than simply "looking at
pictures," as some critics of comic books believe.

#3: Stories May Be Good for Your Brain

No doubt you've been told that reading is good for you. Growing up, you were likely told that the more
you read, the better a reader you would become. However, if you aren't interested in being a good
reader in the first place, this really isn't much incentive to read more. But what if reading were good
for more than just getting better at reading itself?

Neuroscientific research by Berns, Blaine, Prietula, and Pye (2013) indicates that reading stories
actually has a noticeable effect on brain function. This study showed how reading a compelling novel
changed participants' neuron activity not only while they were reading but also for several days after
they finished the novel that was assigned to them. Stories can actually change the ways in which our
brains function and the ways in which we think—and tell me, what's a more story-based medium than
comic books?

#4: Comic Books Are Cool

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Batman. Wolverine.

Green Lantern. Superman. The Incredible Hulk. Men in Black. Captain America. The Fantastic Four.
Iron Man. Spider-Man.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've likely heard of all of these characters. You've probably
even seen most of their movies. You know why? Because superheroes are cool. And where do
superheroes originate from? Comic books. If you enjoy big superhero blockbusters, such as The
Avengers or The Dark Knight, there's no reason you won't enjoy the stories from whence these
adaptations came. There is a whole culture to explore surrounding comic books and their
adaptations; why not join the fun?

#5: Comic Books Are More than Just Superhero Stories

Okay, so maybe you're not into superheroes. That's fair. But did you know that you can read comic
books and graphic novels about lots of other topics, too? There are tons of comic books out there
sans evil villains or vats of toxic waste, such as the Scott Pilgrim series, The Walking Dead, The
Sandman, and many more.

There are also tons of great graphic novels and graphic nonfiction books out there, such as Alison
Bechdel's autobiography, Fun Home; Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis; and many more. Many of these
stories, just like your favorite books, explore weighty themes and feelings. The visual nature of
graphic novels allows you, as the reader, to experience these themes in different ways than you do
when reading a traditional book. Don't limit yourself to regular prose; explore everything the world of
comic books and graphic novels has to offer. You probably won't like everything you encounter, but
then again, you don't like all the books out there, either. You just have to explore and find what's right
for you!

Image source: coombesy/Pixabay.com, KennyK/Shutterstock.com

Why Comic Books Are Important?

Comic books are important because they represent a segment of the population that like to
fantasize that they can escape the hardship of everyday life. In comic books they can be the
hero, the nemesis, or a third party that may or may not become pivotal in the end.
A person may identify with a certain character because the personality the superhero or villain
embodies what the person visualizes, or identifies with. Comic books are important because the
scenarios that the people face exhibit situations where confrontation isn’t necessarily the only
answer. The quandaries faced enable a person to see a situation and how it is dealt with. Comic
books allow people to create their own versions and see how different scenarios are played out,
which can result in new ways of defusing stressful situations. It may permit a person to see
situations in life differently and hence; think outside the box when warranted.
Comic books are important because the venue in which they are supplied is an alternative to
regular book reading. They are shorter in length so a person who is more visual will get
additional enjoyment out of a forty-eight page comic book versus a short story or a novel. It
would be less time consuming and allow the reader to engage in other activities. Time
management and comic books are synonymous in the vein of everyday life. People seem to
have little time to read. The busy lifestyle, the children’s needs, all those requirements play a
role in time constraints. Comic books offer a solution to the active person. The reader is limited
in time so he or she must be enthralled immediately to gain full attention. Once the reader
immerses himself or herself, the ambiance changes. He or she is thrust into an unknown
situation that demands total attention. The plot thickens and the hero is cast in circumstances
that demand a resolution. The confrontation ensues and against seemingly impossible odds, the
hero finds an answer in an unlikely place or person. Once the comic book is finished being read,
very little time had elapsed.
Yet the reading of the comic book doesn’t end there. The reader now has time to dwell on what
transpired, what could have been done, what should have been done and a myriad of other
possible outcomes. That can be done while daydreaming or at a quiet time when you’re alone.
The significance of contemplating the different endings of a comic book induces thought. The
what if landscape could produce an unexpected epiphany. It might help with a problem that had
eluded you and the answer to your dilemma was spelled out. You might have to apply it
differently than the comic book did, but the answer could have been contained within the story.
Comic books are important because people need them for an outlet. It channels our thoughts to
construct a better picture of how we need heroes to behave, and what limits we set upon them to
handle crisis that inevitably happens.
You could argue that delving into the importance of comic books is inane. But looking at the
bigger picture and what comic books represent, I would argue the reciprocal.

Be Sociable, Share!

Sample Comic Book Scripts

While there are no set formats for comic book scripts, here are a few comic book scripts written by pros so you
can see how they do it. (Click on cover to download.)

Courtesy of James Asmus

Courtesy of Adam Beechen

Courtesy of Vince Hernandez

Courtesy of JT Krul
Courtesy of Rob Levin

Below are a few other sites that you can find comic book scripts for your reference.
 The Comic Book Script Archive – A fantastic compilation site of scripts by a wide range of top comic book writers
including Brian Michael Bendis, Chuck Dixon, Warren Ellis, Neil Gaiman, Geoff Johns, Alan Moore, Grant Morrison and
more.

NOTE: These scripts are intended for educational purposes only. We do not own any rights to these scripts, ideas or
characters and they are linked to publicly available websites for personal use only. Should any of the links change or be
broken, or if you would like to request us to remove a link, please contact the webmaster at webmaster {at}
scriptsandscribes [dot] com.


 Issue #5

Amazing Spider-Man (1970 L'uomo Ragno) Italian Series #5

Tags: Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Foreign Language, Hulk, Iron Man, Reprint, Spider-Man

Published 1970 by Editoriale Corno.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list

Add to cart
GD/VG 3.0
$68.59
View scans
This is a
consignment item. A 3% buyer's
premium ($2.06) will be charged at
 checkout. It has been graded by
MyComicShop's experienced
graders.

Italian language reprint of Amazing Spider-Man #5 (Doctor Doom). (W) Stan Lee (A) Steve Ditko.
Plus secondary story Doctor Strange #173 (W) Roy Thomas (A) Gene Colan. 6 3/4-in. x 10 1/4-in.,
48 pages, color cover, pc/bw interior.

 Issue #8 (15-16)

Amazing Spider-Man (1975 Spiderman Vol 3) Spanish Series #8 (15-16)

Tags: Foreign Language, Spider-Man

Published Jul 1976 by Ediciones Vértice.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list

Add to cart
VG- 3.5
$120.00
View scan
This is a
consignment item. A 3% buyer's
premium ($3.60) will be charged at
checkout. It has been graded by
MyComicShop's experienced
graders.

Spanish language reprints from Amazing Spider-Man #15 (First app of Kraven the Hunter) & 16
(Featuring Daredevil) . Cover by Rafael Lopez Espi? 7 1/2-in. x 10 1/2-in., 44 pages, full color.

 Issue #23 (46-47)

Amazing Spider-Man (1975 Spiderman Vol 3) Spanish Series #23 (46-47)

Tags: Foreign Language, Spider-Man

Published Oct 1977 by Ediciones Vértice.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list
 Add to cart
GD+ 2.5
$50.00
View scan
This is a
consignment item. A 3% buyer's
premium ($1.50) will be charged at
checkout. It has been graded by
MyComicShop's experienced
graders.

Spanish language reprints from Amazing Spider-Man #46 (1st Shocker) & 47. Cover by Rafael
Lopez Esti? 7 1/2-in. x 10 1/2-in., 44 pages, black and white.

 Issue #45 (97-98)

Amazing Spider-Man (1975 Spiderman Vol 3) Spanish Series #45 (97-98)

Tags: Foreign Language, Spider-Man

Published Aug 1979 by Ediciones Vértice.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list

Add to cart
GD 2.0
$40.30
View scan
This is a
consignment item. A 3% buyer's
premium ($1.21) will be charged at
checkout. It has been graded by
MyComicShop's experienced
graders.

Spanish language reprints from Amazing Spider-Man #97 & 98. 7 1/2-in. x 10 1/2-in., 40 pages,
black and white.

 Issue #47 (100-101)

 Amazing Spider-Man (1975 Spiderman Vol 3) Spanish Series #47 (100-101)
Tags: Foreign Language, Spider-Man

Published Oct 1979 by Ediciones Vértice.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list

Add to cart
VG- 3.5
$40.30
View scan
This is a
consignment item. A 3% buyer's
premium ($1.21) will be charged at
checkout. It has been graded by
MyComicShop's experienced
graders.

Spanish language reprints from Amazing Spider-Man #100 & 101. Cover by Rafael Lopez Espi? 7
1/2-in. x 10 1/2-in., 40 pages, black and white.

 Issue #60 (121-122)

Amazing Spider-Man (1975 Spiderman Vol 3) Spanish Series #60 (121-122)

Tags: Foreign Language, Spider-Man

Published Nov 1980 by Ediciones Vértice.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list

Add to cart
GD/VG 3.0
$81.45
View scan
This is a
consignment item. A 3% buyer's
premium ($2.44) will be charged at
checkout. It has been graded by
MyComicShop's experienced
graders.

Spanish language reprints from Amazing Spider-Man #121 & 122 (Death of Gwen Stacy and Green
Goblin). Cover by Rafael Lopez Espi? 7 1/2-in. x 10 1/2-in., 44 pages, full color.
 Issue #63-A (150-151)

Amazing Spider-Man (1975 Spiderman Vol 3) Spanish Series #63-A (150-151)

Tags: Foreign Language, Spider-Man

Published 1979 by Ediciones Vértice.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list

Add to cart
GD/VG 3.0
$70.00
View scan
This is a
consignment item. A 3% buyer's
premium ($2.10) will be charged at
checkout. It has been graded by
MyComicShop's experienced
graders.

Spanish language reprints from Amazing Spider-Man #150 & 151. Cover by Rafael Lopez Espi? 7
1/2-in. x 10 1/2-in., 40 pages, black and white.

 Issue #63-C (154-155)

Amazing Spider-Man (1975 Spiderman Vol 3) Spanish Series #63-C (154-155)

Tags: Foreign Language, Spider-Man

Published 1979 by Ediciones Vértice.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list

Add to cart
VG- 3.5
$70.00
View scan
This is a
consignment item. A 3% buyer's
 premium ($2.10) will be charged at
checkout. It has been graded by
MyComicShop's experienced
graders.

Spanish language reprints from Amazing Spider-Man #154 & 155. Cover by Rafael Lopez Espi? 7
1/2-in. x 10 1/2-in., 40 pages, black and white.

 Issue #63-F (160-161)

Amazing Spider-Man (1975 Spiderman Vol 3) Spanish Series #63-F (160-161)

Tags: Foreign Language, Spider-Man

Published 1979 by Ediciones Vértice.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list

Add to cart
VG 4.0
$80.00
View scan
This is a
consignment item. A 3% buyer's
premium ($2.40) will be charged at
checkout. It has been graded by
MyComicShop's experienced
graders.

Spanish language reprints from Amazing Spider-Man #160 & 161. Cover by Rafael Lopez Espi? 7
1/2-in. x 10 1/2-in., 40 pages, black and white.

 Issue #63-G (162-163)

Amazing Spider-Man (1975 Spiderman Vol 3) Spanish Series #63-G (162-163)

Tags: Foreign Language, Spider-Man

Published Mar 1980 by Ediciones Vértice.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list
 Add to cart
FN 6.0
$120.00
View scan
This is a
consignment item. A 3% buyer's
premium ($3.60) will be charged at
checkout. It has been graded by
MyComicShop's experienced
graders.

Spanish language reprints from Amazing Spider-Man #162 & 163. Cover by Rafael Lopez Espi? 7
1/2-in. x 10 1/2-in., 40 pages, black and white.

 Issue #63-I (166-167)

Amazing Spider-Man (1975 Spiderman Vol 3) Spanish Series #63-I (166-167)

Tags: Foreign Language, Spider-Man

Published Apr 1980 by Ediciones Vértice.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list

Add to cart
VG/FN 5.0
$105.00
View scan
This is a
consignment item. A 3% buyer's
premium ($3.15) will be charged at
checkout. It has been graded by
MyComicShop's experienced
graders.

Spanish language reprints from Amazing Spider-Man #166 & 167. Cover by Rafael Lopez Espi? 7
1/2-in. x 10 1/2-in., 40 pages, black and white.

 Issue #67 (174-175)

 Amazing Spider-Man (1975 Spiderman Vol 3) Spanish Series #67 (174-175)
Tags: Foreign Language, Spider-Man

Published Jun 1981 by Ediciones Vértice.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list

Add to cart
GD+ 2.5
$75.00
View scan
This is a
consignment item. A 3% buyer's
premium ($2.25) will be charged at
checkout. It has been graded by
MyComicShop's experienced
graders.

Spanish language reprints from Amazing Spider-Man #174 & 175. Cover by Rafael Lopez Espi? 7
1/2-in. x 10 1/2-in., 40 pages, black and white.

 Issue #12

No image available

Amazing Spider-Man (1979 De Spektakulaire Spiderman) Dutch Series #12

Tags: Foreign Language, Reprint, Spider-Man

Published 1979 by Junior Press.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list
This item is not in stock. If you use the "Add to want list" tab to add this issue to your want list,
we will email you when it becomes available.

Not dated, circa late 80's. Dutch language reprint Amazing Spider-Man. 32 Pages, 6 1/2-in x 9 3/4-
in, Full Color.

 Issue #106

Amazing Spider-Man (1979 De Spektakulaire Spiderman) Dutch Series #106

Tags: Foreign Language, Reprint, Spider-Man

Published 1988 by Junior Press.

o Available Stock
o Add to want list

Add to cart
 VG+ 4.5
$89.95
View scan
This is a
consignment item. A 3% buyer's
premium ($2.70) will be charged at
checkout. It has been graded by
MyComicShop's experienced
graders.

Not dated, circa late 80's. Dutch language reprint of the first half of Amazing Spider-Man #300.
(C/A) Todd McFarlane (W) David Michelinie. First full appearance of Venom. This is the last issue
in which Spider-Man appears in his black costume. 6 3/4 x9 3/4, 32 p, FC.

 Issue #5

Amazing Spider-Man (1980 Hamahakkimies) Finnish Series #5

Tags: Foreign Language, Reprint, Spider-Man