No, not the stand-up type, comic books. As you might have noticed in my post a few days back, I’m starting a new course at Coursera this week: Comic Books and Graphic Novels (among others). I was only going to look, but boy, I’ve been hooked big-time. The head lecturer, William Kuskin, is so bloody enthusiastic. He is actually a professor of Medieval Literature and he loves comics because they have the same concept: telling a story with words and pictures.
In just under two months, I’ll need to produce a comic – four pages and a cover. How good is that! Well, it doesn’t have to be good. William assured us that most people aren’t good at drawing – stick figures will be fine. Just have a go. OK, I’m in, hook, line and sinker.
Now, this post was prompted by a discussion thread asking people about their favourite comic. I can’t remember now what popped into my head first, but today all sorts of comic characters came to mind. And a lot didn’t, not until I browsed eBay to see if one of the graphic novels recommended was there. It was, but then the comics surfaced. Memories!
Was my daughter named after Wendy the Good Witch? Remember her! – the one in the cute little red jumpsuit.
And then, The Phantom, mum’s favourite character, with his dog Devil. Casper the Friendly Ghost, Jughead, Archie, Veronica, Hot Stuff – that naughty little devil with the pointy tail. Superman, Batman, Spooky, the naughty ghost, Dennis the Menace. Beagle Boys, Donald Duck, Daisy and old Scrooge and the rest of that Walt Disney gang. 
Mickey Mouse didn’t appeal all that much.
And how could I ever forget Dagwood Bumstead and Blondie! Mighty Mouse?
It’s no good – I couldn’t possibly come up with a favourite! Not in a million years.
Unless it is Teena – she was a comic strip in the newspaper and I so wanted to be her, from the time I was eight years old. Mum even agreed that when I became a teenager, I could be called Teena instead of the family nickname of Teen. It didn’t happen, dad refused! As if adding an ‘a’ to my nickname would make be boy-mad and spend all day on the telephone. We never even had a phone, not that I can recall. I borrowed this from Mike Lynch Cartoons Blog. Climbing trees was great fun. And I actually did go on a debating team in fourth form at high school – and it won!
Do you remember how excited you were, when you got your hands on a new comic to read? What was your favourite?
Christine R 
Christ yes ! My/our favourite was The Phantom, and then Captain Marvel, and Mandrake the Magician (I always called him ‘Mandrake the Magican” because I wasn’t too familiar with the word … [grin] Archie, yes; Superman, too. Not the others. We kids ate ’em up !
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Wonderful memories, M-R. 😀
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Do I?!!! That was me as a kid too!
Every Saturday when I got my weekly allowance, it was promptly spent on a new comic book. We had stacks of them – from Superman to Archie, and everything in between. They were traded around the neighbourhood so we always seemed to have fresh material. I remember many rainy weekends with my nose buried in a comic book.
If I had to say a favourite, it would probably be Archie. My eye is still attracted to the covers of new Archie comic books at the grocery checkout 🙂
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And modern day kids wonder how we could have possibly survived without televison! 😀
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… or the internet!!
Actually I wonder how we survived without the internet 😉
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It’s a whole different world now. I scoff at those who say modern technology is dumbing us down!
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Peanuts, I think, was my favourite, especially any of the story lines with Snoopy. I look forward to seeing the results of your project, Christine!
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So do I, Maggie. 😀
Snoopy and the Red Baron! so many to remember.
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All these comics brought me good memories!
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I’m glad of that, Elizabeth. 😀
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sounds like a cool course! and I personally like calvin and hobbes – but have also come to appreciate the comic book too – as you note here – and the last comic was awesome e- “marriage” ha!
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I thought the Teena strip good, too. I’m only the first week in, at the course – free on Coursera. It’ll be hard work though. 😀
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yeah – my son took a summer course with them – and enjoyed it – what a cool thing – and hope yours goes well. 🙂
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Your right Christine, couldn’t possibly name a favourite. I was very lucky, the boy over the road used to get comics all the time and would put them away in a box, when the box was full mum used to buy it for 10 shillings. Didn’t know Teena. Remember Blondie & Dagwood also Li’l Abner.
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Ohhhh! Li’l Abner. Teena was in the ‘Sun’ newspaper, I don’t think I ever had a comic book for her. She spent most of the time talking about boys. Her career choice: marriage. A noble cause! ❤
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Wonder how her life turned out, how many divorces & kids. Come to think of it, image all of our comic book heroes 40 years on (balding, arthritis, hip replacements, false teeth, motorized chairs)
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Every kids sublime pleasure!
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And enter the graphic novel – comic books for grownups. 😀
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So many memories in those pictures. I loved those comic books. I’ve never quite got my head around graphic novels but I’m interested in the concept. Do please share more.
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