Age Appropriate Material
Buying comic books for young people can be difficult.
Traditionally, comic books used a simple blanket approval system known as the Comic Code. This stamp was necessary for comics to be sold on newsstands following the outcry in the 1950s that comic books contribute to juvenile delinquency. Over time, the distribution venues for comics changed and parent groups became more concerned with music and video games, so the Comic Code gradually lost significance until it was abandoned entirely. Today, publishers use their own rating systems to determine age appropriate material (i.e. Marvel Rating System).
Although the target audience in the Golden Age and Silver Age were young children, more sophisticated tastes of new generations have always pushed them into more mature themes in order to stay relevant. As the themes matured, older readers became the norm. Today, the primary demographic for comic books are young adult males, but they are constantly striving to attract older readers, younger readers, and female readers. Usually, these efforts are blatant and pandering, but the fact that they are always trying to explore new ground means that there can be a wild inconsistency in maturity level of any given comic, even under the same brand.
Probably the least consistently age appropriate character is Batman. Ranging from childish camp to sadistic gruesome violence, Batman has the widest array of interpretations. Probably the easiest way to gauge the appropriate nature of the book is to read the back cover and glance through the artwork. Titles which use graphic content often do so explicitly. Often the style of art can also suggest the appropriate age of the material, but do not assume that a cartoony art style means the book was meant for children.
If nothing else, you can always contact us and ask. We're happy to help. Just tell us a bit about the recipient of the gift, what s/he likes in terms of movies/books, and we'll help you as best you can.
See also Dated and Offensive Material
Traditionally, comic books used a simple blanket approval system known as the Comic Code. This stamp was necessary for comics to be sold on newsstands following the outcry in the 1950s that comic books contribute to juvenile delinquency. Over time, the distribution venues for comics changed and parent groups became more concerned with music and video games, so the Comic Code gradually lost significance until it was abandoned entirely. Today, publishers use their own rating systems to determine age appropriate material (i.e. Marvel Rating System).
Although the target audience in the Golden Age and Silver Age were young children, more sophisticated tastes of new generations have always pushed them into more mature themes in order to stay relevant. As the themes matured, older readers became the norm. Today, the primary demographic for comic books are young adult males, but they are constantly striving to attract older readers, younger readers, and female readers. Usually, these efforts are blatant and pandering, but the fact that they are always trying to explore new ground means that there can be a wild inconsistency in maturity level of any given comic, even under the same brand.
Probably the least consistently age appropriate character is Batman. Ranging from childish camp to sadistic gruesome violence, Batman has the widest array of interpretations. Probably the easiest way to gauge the appropriate nature of the book is to read the back cover and glance through the artwork. Titles which use graphic content often do so explicitly. Often the style of art can also suggest the appropriate age of the material, but do not assume that a cartoony art style means the book was meant for children.
If nothing else, you can always contact us and ask. We're happy to help. Just tell us a bit about the recipient of the gift, what s/he likes in terms of movies/books, and we'll help you as best you can.
See also Dated and Offensive Material