I have recently gotten back into cartooning and have recently visited a couple of LCS and I was shocked at how much was there that there was no way I would take my children there. After having gotten on a couple of "secular" comic book blogs and starting some converation about the inappropriateness of so many comic books and then hearing many of them echo this concern - I thought I would just post a couple questions to see if anyone might have any leads, per say...1. Does anyone know of any "kid-friendly comic book stores" where they are supplying their stores with comics that are clean (though they may not be explicited "Christian") and they are actually making it in this business? With the amount of feedback I got from several artists (who were also parents) though they weren't Christian, they were concerned with the lack of "morally clean" books that were also of a good quality out there. I would think there would be somewhat of a market for this?2. Does anyone know or have a list of:A. Christian comic book publishers that are actively producing comics?B. A list of publishers and/or comics that though they might not be expressedly "Christian" they are at least attempting to produce a morally clean comic book that is also good story writing with good artwork?Thanks for whatever you can do to help me compile such resources...I would love to know of some secular comic book publishers that have it as their expressed purpose to produce such material - I would love to support them by passing on their work to others. -Matthew (happyhoffman@gmail.com)
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I know no bookstores...but I offer an alternative, if you enjoy webcomics.
This webcomics ring, Lunchbox Funnies, claims to feature all-age comics, which are pretty good. No, I wouldn't say they are Christian, but they are funnily good nevertheless.
Hey D.L.! Thank you so very much for your input! In my search for "wholesome" books that also have great artwork and storylines - I have run across "Lunchbox Funnies" they are great! I am looking forward to doing a series of reviews on them at my website comic review site Crab Orchard Comics www.craborchardcomics.blogspot.com
I have recently done a series of reviews on a great comic book and artist, Mr. Mike Kunkel's "Herobear and The Kid". This is outstanding artwork - brilliant storytelling and very wholesome and "kid friendly." Check it out and feel free to recommend more comics or sites to me - I would love to be able to recommend other books, art, etc. to others!
As it stands, Western culture is currently permeated by some very foolish notions at its highest levels:
1)"Kid friendly" = "drivel."
2)"Mature and sophisticated"="morally hostile."
On top of the hostility the world has to Christ and to Christian values, the "postmodernists" running the majority of our mainstream media outlets are wedded to the notion that they are not creating SERIOUS ART if they aren't tearing something down. They have a distorted perception of childhood (as a time of "purity" and "innocence") and of adulthood
And-- let's be fair here--- people have had bad experience with things that have been expressly labeled as "good for you." Go over your memories of your personal experiences with these catch-phrases:
"Sugar Free."
"Fat Free."
"High in Fiber."
"Educational."
"Learning Fun."
"Great Tasting Medicine."
Such labels are added to things to try and trick people into thinking that their terrible products are actually good--- or that its awfulness should be tolerated because it is "good for you."
"Christian" productions are just as guilty. (As the creator of VeggieTales noted, there are a lot of parallels between a "Christian" movie and a PORN movie: The acting's bad, the plot is wooden, the music is terrible and everybody knows how it's going to end.) I used to feel a lot guiltier about not liking to overtly label my comic strips as "Christian" till I realized this.... and until I noticed that I generally didn't have to. Most of my readers find that my conservative, Christian values come through quite loud and clear.... sometimes complaining that it comes through a little TOO loud (feh.) And no "Jesus Fish" sticker in the corner of my webpage to do it, either.
Maybe that's our problem, as Christian artists and writers and creators. We think that we can substitute being LOUD about our faith, for being CLEAR. An entire bookstore of "Christian books" will never surpass the value of a single good book written by a Christian.
Replies
This webcomics ring, Lunchbox Funnies, claims to feature all-age comics, which are pretty good. No, I wouldn't say they are Christian, but they are funnily good nevertheless.
I recommend Cow and Buffalo.
Lunchbox Funnies
I have recently done a series of reviews on a great comic book and artist, Mr. Mike Kunkel's "Herobear and The Kid". This is outstanding artwork - brilliant storytelling and very wholesome and "kid friendly." Check it out and feel free to recommend more comics or sites to me - I would love to be able to recommend other books, art, etc. to others!
As it stands, Western culture is currently permeated by some very foolish notions at its highest levels:
1)"Kid friendly" = "drivel."
2)"Mature and sophisticated"="morally hostile."
On top of the hostility the world has to Christ and to Christian values, the "postmodernists" running the majority of our mainstream media outlets are wedded to the notion that they are not creating SERIOUS ART if they aren't tearing something down. They have a distorted perception of childhood (as a time of "purity" and "innocence") and of adulthood
And-- let's be fair here--- people have had bad experience with things that have been expressly labeled as "good for you." Go over your memories of your personal experiences with these catch-phrases:
"Sugar Free."
"Fat Free."
"High in Fiber."
"Educational."
"Learning Fun."
"Great Tasting Medicine."
Such labels are added to things to try and trick people into thinking that their terrible products are actually good--- or that its awfulness should be tolerated because it is "good for you."
"Christian" productions are just as guilty. (As the creator of VeggieTales noted, there are a lot of parallels between a "Christian" movie and a PORN movie: The acting's bad, the plot is wooden, the music is terrible and everybody knows how it's going to end.) I used to feel a lot guiltier about not liking to overtly label my comic strips as "Christian" till I realized this.... and until I noticed that I generally didn't have to. Most of my readers find that my conservative, Christian values come through quite loud and clear.... sometimes complaining that it comes through a little TOO loud (feh.) And no "Jesus Fish" sticker in the corner of my webpage to do it, either.
Maybe that's our problem, as Christian artists and writers and creators. We think that we can substitute being LOUD about our faith, for being CLEAR. An entire bookstore of "Christian books" will never surpass the value of a single good book written by a Christian.
While these aren't necessarily Christian stores, they're at least not on the list of "Dungeons of the World".