Representations of difference in comic books - Essay Example

In doing so, one considers the range of potential readers and therefore thinks about gender balance to at least reach all kinds of people. Of course profitability is a serious matter to cartoonists and writers because it is not just an expression of their artistic side but it is also their job that should be well-compensated. Minority representation is a social issue that becomes a major concern in comics. It does not only make readers critical of social issues going around them such as feminism, sexism, racism and others which have been the theme of many comic strips that made great noise in the industry.

Sometimes, the most daring themes often succeed because of the popularity it can cause from the criticisms it gains from the public eye. Nevertheless, there are laws that often hold back artists in seriously considering their kinds of material otherwise they will be considered pornographic just as it was ruled in 1973 by the Supreme Court that a material is “considered obscene if they offended prevailing community standards”. Another important detail to consider in representations is diversity of genre.

When genres are determined, it would be easier for writers and readers to identify what is most read. As a medium, some of the benefits of representations are becoming the voice for minorities, discuss on social issues in a catchy manner and educate and encourage children to become more critical of social issues. Comics are interesting because of the cartoonish drawings that attract the attention of readers from children to adults. Therefore it is a medium that one can use to speak to a variety of readers.

The images represented and captions written on comics can reflect the environmental circumstances and oftentimes call the attention of readers of different ages who have diverse opinions as shown in “Say it Loud”. The representations became the voice of Lesbians (Bechdel), racial minorities (Coleman) and feminists (Farmer & Robbins). Although there have been various reactions from readers, there have been a lot who applauded the works of cartoonists who had the courage to speak for the ones they represented.

The limitations of representations are interconnected. As mentioned earlier, writers and cartoonists are concerned about gender balance, minority representations and diversity of genre which often limit their decisions. In addition, technological advancements have a great effect on the products because of the use of television and computers which draw the attention of potential readers. There are diverse products that cater to diverse audience which results to a low percentage of possible comic readers.

Therefore, the probability is the fear of many cartoonists, that when one starts small, it might stay small (McCloud). There have been tensions that arose among readers and writers about visibility and assimilation. For the artists, perhaps their objective was to create a critical mind in their readers with representations that would appeal to their audiences. However, they have received various reactions. Some enjoyed comic strips while others were able to relate to them because they find that it is their very life that is being represented.

Some simply acknowledged the genius of the artists but some had violent reactions. One of the readers of Aaron McGrouder’s is quoted to have said his comic strips are teaching children to become racists. The reader claims to understand the objective of the comic strips for the adult audience but