Comic books have become part of popular culture in recent years but this passion and excitement for these genres have been a part of me since I was a kid.
My first interest with superheroes was when my parents took to see the first Spiderman movie. It was amazing to see this action, story, and amazing effects come to life on screen. After seeing this movie I continued my interest and fascination with superheroes by seeing every superhero movie that came out after. These movies didn’t become popular for a while until Iron Man brought superheroes and comic books back into the mainstream.
As I was growing up, my family and friends wondered if my fascination with this genre would change, but with the explosion of comics in movies and TV shows, it only made my passion stronger. Whenever I became busy or stressed out, reading or watching one of my favorite comics was my escape.
One of my favorite superheroes is Superman who, despite his amazing strength and powers, always made sure to do the right thing. Superman always had a positive outlook on life no matter how dark the situation.
The unexpected thing that came out of being a superhero fan was exercising. Watching these live-action heroes such as Arrow, Man of Steel, and The Avengers motivated me to want to get in shape. Even though these actors had the best trainers money could buy, comics ingrained the benefits idea of hard work and exercise.
In college, it wasn’t difficult finding like-minded people who also share my love for comic books and later became great friends. Whenever I meet a classmate that is wearing a t-shirt or has a superhero on their notebook, I instantly know they are a fan. The most common answer on why they like comics or heroes is “I like the story and the costumes.”
Events such as Comic Con show the height of the fandom for these mythical heroes, and some even dress up like his or her favorite hero through cosplay. Meeting other college students at these events is always fun especially when you compare what stories and costume designs they prefer. And it’s no wonder why these genres help college students take a break from the fast-paced lifestyle and indulge into a little fantasy.
College is already busy enough with deadlines, long readings and spending hours studying so why not pick up a comic with great art and creative storylines. In a world often filled with stress, chaos, and at times sadness, comic books are where you go to see the hero save the day or overcome evil. Some may think comic books as cliché or old fashioned but as Agent Phil Coulson said from The Avengers, “people just need a little old fashioned.”
