A teacher reading comics!

That's right boys and girls! I, an English teacher, am reading a comic book! That can't be possible! It's true. I was so awestruck by the recent "X-men First Class" movie that I began to wonder if I had been destined for comic book nerd-dom my whole life but never realized it. So I called on my good friend Molly who is working on her doctorate in Media Studies. (Hopefully my follower TJ, who is her husband, will correct me on this if I am wrong and coerce Molly into writing a reply.)

Molly told me that like regular books, not all comics are equal. Some are written better and some are more entertaining. Joss Whedon's series of comics called "Astonishing X-Men" is both. I was excited because I was familiar with some of his other writing. Do Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Dr. Horrible ring any bells? Once again, I saw how an authors style is carried over in their work. I loved seeing Joss Whedon's humor in this comic. The same witty and unexpected quips were present as the ones I might see in one of his TV shows.

I also loved this comic because it provided me with an escape to a world unlike my own that has supernatural beings in it, just like all books in the fantasy and science fiction genre. In the X-men world, authors like Joss Whedon and many others have written about these characters for decades. That means that each character has been deeply developed and each has their own story. You can find the character who you like the best, the one you think is the most interesting, and the one you identify with the most. These are more than just superheroes in fancy costumes now. They are people, with personalities, flaws, dreams, and fears. I loved getting to know the characters I loved in the movies even more.

Remember to check with your parents and teachers before reading a comic. There are some comics like the Bone series that you can read in school, but most should be for after you reach you AR goal or as a break in between books. I would love for you to experience graphic novels and comic books for yourself, but does that mean you can write a book report on one? Sorry, but the answer is still "no."