I think the immediacy of comics is more accessible for many readers, and can, in some cases, exacerbate a fear of reading prose. I say this both from my own experience as a reader and the children I’ve worked with. But personally I think there will always be an appetite for both comics and prose. - ThreadSky

mariannedoherty.bsky.social • 15 days ago

I think the immediacy of comics is more accessible for many readers, and can, in some cases, exacerbate a fear of reading prose. I say this both from my own experience as a reader and the children I’ve worked with. But personally I think there will always be an appetite for both comics and prose.

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mariannedoherty.bsky.social•15 days ago

I do think publishers are now realising how much they’re missing by not investing in graphic novels and the size of the untapped market. I see it more as a levelling than an overtake. But either way it’s great to see comics getting more investment and recognition.

squidlingking.bsky.social•15 days ago

I don't know that they do and some are actively stepping away. I think a lot of industry people don't get them. Compare the UK to the rest of Europe. Comics there are off the charts. It could be a good time to start a GN publishing house!

alzamon.bsky.social•14 days ago

Can relate to the sentiment. The discussion in my country 🇨🇷 regarding comics is still divided between the Big Two, or manga, and that's it. The kid's book market is still synonym with picture books. MG GNs aren't even a blip in the radar of most colleagues, sadly. But I'd rather stick to my guns 😅

metaphrog.bsky.social•14 days ago

At least the US book market is open to creators from all over, even though it’s tough to get in.

mariannedoherty.bsky.social•14 days ago

There’s certainly still a long way to go. And yes we’re way behind the rest of Europe. But the number of comics I’m being sent through in the book data I add to the Bookzilla app has increased dramatically over the past year. That’s a list of all the recently published kids titles.

markbradley.bsky.social•14 days ago

Yup. Multiple of them.

metaphrog.bsky.social•14 days ago

You mean that some publishers are stepping away from comics? Is that in the US or UK?

metaphrog.bsky.social•14 days ago

They’re certainly quicker and easier to read so I can see that they might indeed put kids off prose.

mariannedoherty.bsky.social•14 days ago

I think not so much putting off as exacerbating an existing fear of long pages of text. But equally those kids would possibly not read anything at all without access to graphic novels.

metaphrog.bsky.social•14 days ago

Comics are such a different way of reading to prose. It’s especially noticeable when you read a comic and then there’s a long bit of text, not in a bubble, either say, a newspaper extract in the story, or the book alternates between comics and prose. When that happens, the prose is hard to read…

metaphrog.bsky.social•14 days ago

… and I personally have to force myself to reading it (the long prose) because the brain is so used to a pattern of reading image+text in a rhythm.

mariannedoherty.bsky.social•14 days ago

Yes, I’m very much the same. Though being dyslexic plays its part too. I love prose when I get into it but it’s so much easier picking up a GN and getting started.

metaphrog.bsky.social•13 days ago

For bedtime reading I always go for a book book, not a GN, because otherwise it’s like taking your work to bed 😁

metaphrog.bsky.social•14 days ago

PS: I also love reading prose books, not just GNs.

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