A passion for video games is the definition of my life, though more recently, I have found a new love for the pen and panel art form, comic books. However, it appears as though my passion for the artistic medium is coming at a time that is rife with hardship for the industry.
An aging fan-base, a lack of interest in reading and the vilifying of comics as a medium are all problems the comic industry faces today. Nearly one in four comic book patrons is older than 65 years of age, leaving young readers in their wake. Sadly this older generation of ink lovers doesn't have as much disposable income as it once did due to the incredibly widespread impact of the 2007 recession.
The youth, however, have taken to comics in a different way; they manifest their love for the medium in the form of movies. While Christian Bale isn't the first to don the cape and cowl, he is certainly the most successful. In 2008, The Dark Knight grossed more than $500 million in the U.S. alone, putting it at number three in the top 10 grossing movies of all time.
The educational system in this country is slipping in recent times, losing ground to its international competitors. By no means am I advocating that reading comics produces a more intelligent population, but putting more reading material into the hands of American children can't be a bad thing. Also, let it be said that children need heroes. No, scratch that. People need heroes. Someone who is of upstanding morality, has a sense of honor and integrity and ideally, keeps the world from harm. In a society so engulfed in violence, hyper-sexualized media, and mind-numbing entertainment, shouldn't we, as a society, push for higher standards of ourselves?
I digress. Comic books are in danger; they are only as strong as their readers, and while there is still a fan base of a respectable size, its numbers need bolstering. Next time you feel the urge to watch some of this decade's more reputable comic-gone-mainstream movies: Jonah Hex, Red or X-Men Origins: Wolverine, I implore you - no, I challenge you - to read their ink equivalent and not be impressed.
Adversely, my other passion is thriving in ways like never before. Video games as a medium are invading homes and changing the minds of skeptics at every turn. Games like Brain Age, Wii Fit and Professor Layton challenge their players both physically and mentally, proving to parents and politicians that games are perhaps a constructive use of their children's time. While some games do push the limits of what is socially acceptable, there are a multitude of choices that can be played instead.
Sadly, this is the paradox of these two historically outcast media. While one thrives the other is failing, though one must stay optimistic that over the course of time both may see another "golden age."
