Would You Read/encourage Kids To Read A Good, Christian Comic Book Series?

[Guest Joshua Berndt]

Joshua, are your comic books Bible stories? You mentioned Bible doctrine in your above post, but you've never said you were doing actual stories from the Bible. My impression was that you weren't aiming in that direction. Am I wrong?

The reason I ask is because I agree with some who have mentioned that the graphic format could trivialize - if it is Bible comics. I've seen some of those, and, frankly, they are (to me) demeaning of the beauty of the Bible. However, if it is as I'm thinking and it's modern day people in life situations, with Biblical principles being taught, then I don't have a problem with that.

I enjoyed comic books as a child - and even today still do at times (depending on the topic, dress, etc). It never took me away from reading more serious stuff. In fact, I read everything I could get my hands on then (including the dictionary - really!), and still read voraciously.

The sad truth is that today, many kids (and adults) don't read much at all. Libraries are going in for the graphic novel in a big way - and most of them are gore and ick. But they get read. If something clean came along that would be in a format that graphic novel devotees would read, (again, as long as it's not actual Bible), I would be all for it. The Holy Spirit could certainly use that format just as much as he could plain text.

Thank you for being an encouragement, HappyChristian. Yes, the stories I am talking about would be fictional stories about Christians. Some would be "superhero" stories, but not with the traditional "superpowers." We're not talking aliens, mutants and radioactive baths, etc. My stories lean more towards realism. Most of the series I am working on are set in the present and some are set in the past and future. So much "Christian" entertainment is either unsaved religious or if it does teach the truth, then they tend to be wimpy and/or flakey in their subject matter and what they teach. Example: "We all make mistakes..." instead of "We are all SINNERS!" So many Christians think they have to cater to the unsaved, to give them the gospel. NO! Give them the truth and let God do the work. I don't want to write so that the gospel and teachings are vague, but CLEAR! Nowadays people write vaguely, I think, so as to not offend. What will we do, offend them to Hell number 2? So I want to have adventurous, deeper, good stories that also teach Biblically accurate doctrine and truths, something I rarely see.


I am also against turning the Bible into a comic book, not because I think it demeans it but because the artist could not help but mislead the reader in some way by drawing things that weren't accurate to the events, history or custom. I study Biblical archaeology. Also, we are not to create images of God, so that leaves all movies out as well, if they tell the story of Jesus. Christians are wrong to have pictures of "Jesus" in their homes. This is forbidden, according to my knowledge.

I would also want to require my artist(s) to dress the characters modestly. Not new "modesty" but real modesty.

[Guest Joshua Berndt]

Mr. Oldtimer. Stop posting junk on my page. You cannot use a bad example to nullify the validity of an entire art form. And if this stuff is so bad, which I believe your links are, then why are you posting them so others can watch/read them? Please stop posting filth on my page. Thank you.

[Oldtimer]

Joshua, this post will not contain any links.

As to the "junk" and "filth", in my posts, are you aware that the first link is to Vacation Bible School material that will be shown to countless children this summer while they are at churches? Did you follow the second link to a news article about the upcoming trend of comic book producers? In my humble opinion, all adults should keep abreast of what's happening in an industry who's target audience is primarily young children.

Please forgive me for not realizing that you are planning to produce the "art form" being discussed. My choice of words and links may have been a little more diplomatic and probably would have addressed the issue in a different manner.

That said, we, as Christians, need more producers of QUALITY materials for children. As I mentioned in my first post, take a look at what's available today in Christian book stores. Using Noah, as an example, the ark is usually represented to be about the size of a small tug boat with cartoon Africian animals sticking their heads out the top. How many realistic renderings of the ark are found in anything produced for mass market appeal? And that includes the Christian market.

Being an oldtimer, I remember when quality children's books were the norm. I'm not an expert by any means, but it seems the trends for children's literature has fallen in line with the world's emphasis on Squarepants Bob, and the Simpsons. I used to read the comics page in the newspaper. Most if not all of the good/decent ones either disappeared or changed content. It's been a long time since I stopped reading them, so I don't have a good handle on what's being printed today as "comics". But, I can't imagine the trend has done a 180.

Again, one of the tag lines for this thread is "superheroes". The term brings up thoughts of Spiderman, Batman, and all the other caped crusaders. Modern day versions of Greek and Roman gods with powers beyond mere mortal man. Heros are ordinary people doing ordinary and extra ordinary things without mystic supernatural powers or golden lassos and invisible planes. A hero is the man who recently drowned after saving two other people. Not a man with x-ray vision or whatever the current super ability is being displayed by "superheroes".

You sound like a talented man with strong convictions. Is there any way you can achieve your goal of bringing quality Christian materials to children without those carrying a "comic, comic book, superheroes" connotation? Comics, comedy, caricatures, etc. are forms of entertainment with a lot of negative baggage associated with them. IMHO, there is a difference between a magazine with good stories and beautifully drawn illustrations and publications labeled "comic books".

[Guest Joshua Berndt]

My words are in bold add written within your quote for ease of understanding the context to which I am replying/talking.

Joshua, this post will not contain any links.

As to the "junk" and "filth", in my posts, are you aware that the first link is to Vacation Bible School material that will be shown to countless children this summer while they are at churches? Yes. Based on the word, "boogie," I guessed it to be no good and refused to watch it or give them a higher viewing number. Did you follow the second link to a news article about the upcoming trend of comic book producers? Yes. Modern comics, commonly, are filthy trash that no one should read. Modern T.V. and movies, most of them, are filth, immoral and abominable. That does not cause me to reject the entire medium. They could be used for God's glory and innocent entertainment. That is my intent. In my humble opinion, all adults should keep abreast of what's happening in an industry who's target audience is primarily young children. The comics industry, as a whole is garbage and should be ignored by children and their Parents. I would not allow my children to read D.C. comics or Marvel as they are made today, so therefore, seeing that that is not an option, I have no need to keep apprised of their condition, lest I be exposed to the gutter trash that it is. Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. - 1 Corinthians 15:33 KJV


Please forgive me for not realizing that you are planning to produce the "art form" being discussed. O.K. Thank you. My choice of words and links may have been a little more diplomatic and probably would have addressed the issue in a different manner.

That said, we, as Christians, need more producers of QUALITY materials for children. As I mentioned in my first post, take a look at what's available today in Christian book stores. Using Noah, as an example, the ark is usually represented to be about the size of a small tug boat with cartoon Africian animals sticking their heads out the top. How many realistic renderings of the ark are found in anything produced for mass market appeal? And that includes the Christian market. That is my whole point. I want to produce good, quality, Christian comic books. Fictional stories(mostly) with Biblical doctrines taught as part of it. Examples: Stories of thieves and why it is wrong to steal, giving the gospel very clearly, teaching tithing, not taking vengeance, you name it. All sorts of things can be taught within the stories.

Being an oldtimer, I remember when quality children's books were the norm. I'm not an expert by any means, but it seems the trends for children's literature has fallen in line with the world's emphasis on Squarepants Bob, and the Simpsons. I used to read the comics page in the newspaper. Most if not all of the good/decent ones either disappeared or changed content. It's been a long time since I stopped reading them, so I don't have a good handle on what's being printed today as "comics". But, I can't imagine the trend has done a 180. I agree. But we should not give up on the medium.

Again, one of the tag lines for this thread is "superheroes". The term brings up thoughts of Spiderman, Batman, and all the other caped crusaders. Modern day versions of Greek and Roman gods with powers beyond mere mortal man. Heros are ordinary people doing ordinary and extra ordinary things without mystic supernatural powers or golden lassos and invisible planes. A hero is the man who recently drowned after saving two other people. Not a man with x-ray vision or whatever the current super ability is being displayed by "superheroes". I noted in a previous post that my stories would not be about traditional "superpowers." No aliens, magic, etc.

You sound like a talented man with strong convictions. Is there any way you can achieve your goal of bringing quality Christian materials to children without those carrying a "comic, comic book, superheroes" connotation? Comics, comedy, caricatures, etc. are forms of entertainment with a lot of negative baggage associated with them. IMHO, there is a difference between a magazine with good stories and beautifully drawn illustrations and publications labeled "comic books". The word, "comics" no longer automatically means a corny or goofy or comedic story. They can be extremely serious. There is nothing wrong with the comic medium, in and of itself, and it can be used properly.

[Anon]

So, you are kinda actually talking about a Christian sort of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" thing, right? (Have you paged through those books? Stick figures and stuff with text in the "talking bubbles" instead of in paragraphs, stuff like that.)

I don't see what could be wrong with a moral "comic book" style book for kids. Heaven knows they have enough bad stuff to read. Why not something wholesome yet eyecatching? We parents have to say "NO" to soooo many books, the more books I can say "yes" to, the better!

I think some of you guys are misunderstanding what he's saying and taking this "comic book" thing too far. He isn't talking about giving Jesus a cape and having him flying around, for crying out loud.... he is just referring to good Christian stories in a "comic" style (i.e. drawings and conversation bubbles) as far as I can tell.

Sometimes I think IFB's work so hard to find the sin in things that they can't see when something is actually good.

[HappyChristian]

Maybe you should start referring to your creations as "graphic novels" since that is what the genre is currently called. Comic books are still the small pamphlet style that they always have been. But graphic novels more aptly name what you are describing, Joshua.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

While "comic" may not be in the 1828 Webster's Dictionary, the word "comical" is found in the 1726 Philip Bailey Dictionary.

It's definition: Merry, Facetious, Pleasant, belonging to or fit for a Comedy.

"Illustration" is another word in the 1726 dictionary. It means 'make clear or evident'.

Edited May 26, 2012 by Standing Firm In Christ

[Standing Firm In Christ]

The phrase 'comic strip' originated in 1891. The term 'comic book' came to being in 1941.

[Guest Joshua Berndt]

So, you are kinda actually talking about a Christian sort of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" thing, right? (Have you paged through those books? Stick figures and stuff with text in the "talking bubbles" instead of in paragraphs, stuff like that.) I am not familiar with "Diary of a Wimpy Kid," other than that I have seen the cover of a movie or book and it had stick figures. So yes my stories would likely have balloons for the characters' words, but my plan is that they would be ornate drawings, and not cartoonish.

I think some of you guys are misunderstanding what he's saying and taking this "comic book" thing too far. He isn't talking about giving Jesus a cape and having him flying around, for crying out loud.... he is just referring to good Christian stories in a "comic" style (i.e. drawings and conversation bubbles) as far as I can tell. Yes. We are not talking Peanuts or Garfield style, but more realistic drawings.

Sometimes I think IFB's work so hard to find the sin in things that they can't see when something is actually good. That could be. Thank you.

[Guest Joshua Berndt]

Maybe you should start referring to your creations as "graphic novels" since that is what the genre is currently called. Comic books are still the small pamphlet style that they always have been. But graphic novels more aptly name what you are describing, Joshua.

Please don't take this as offensive. None is meant. Graphic novels refer to one story which is begun and ended within that one book. Comic books are more like magazines. Actually they are also referred to as comic magazines. Garfield, Peanuts, etc., are just called comic strips and/or comics and one-panel shots are called comics.

I plan for my stories to go on and not have definite ends, like as in a novel. Thanks for the input, it is appreciated. I would also plan to give the gospel very clearly within the stories as well as within other part(s) of the comic book.