The Adult Who Reads Comic Books

I am a grown adult, and I like to read comic books.  Well, to sound less conspicuous, I might call them 'graphic novels.'  I especially enjoy manga, which are Japanese graphic novels.  In fact, my favorite book series of all time is a manga called "Fruits Basket."  I have collected all twenty-three volumes and cherish them with all my heart.

But wait, aren't comic books just for kids?  Am I implying that I enjoy books that are below my reading level?  Have I failed to mature my literacy, and recognize the imminent importance of reading "Le Adult Literature?"  I should be spending my time studying books that are worthwhile, like "The Canterbury Tales" and "Moby Dick."  Then I can show off my literacy knowledge to my peers.

The truth is, I have read and enjoyed many classic literature, including "The Canterbury Tales."  I recently finished rereading "The Secret Garden," and I'm currently reading "Heidi."  However, my favorite kind of literature is still comic books, and there are several reasons why.

1. As a right-brainer, I am very visual.  I can imagine my own images when I read text-only books, but I especially connect with comics because of their picture-based story telling.  In "Fruits Basket," the author tells the story through amazing imagery sequences that often don't need dialogue at all.  I can just feel the emotions of the characters through the image without any words whatsoever.  After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.  Like this beautiful piece by dandonfuga on Deviantart.  Nothing is said; there isn't even an explanation of what's going on, but I can just feel the emotions from this beautiful image.
2. My sense of humor is revolved around visuals, too.  There are just some funny things that cannot be expressed except through images, especially things that have no dialogue.  For example, here is a short comic from one of my favorite comic series on the Internet, Lackadaisy by tracyjb (the last panel just cracks me up!)

The last (and perhaps most important) reason I like reading comics is because they are (usually) kid friendly.  I am an adult, but that doesn't mean I have to read books that have adult content, and I'm not just talking about sex scenes.  When books are 'realistic,' that usually translates to being 'depressing.'  Cheating/abusive spouses/parents, death and illness, commentary of human suffering...  I would rather indulge in comic books that, more often than not, are based on fantastical plots, whether it's cat gangsters or kids with wings.  Comics just make me feel happy, and there is no reason why they shouldn't be considered liable reading material.  It's just another style of it, and one that I enjoy to this day.