Opinion: If You Are Not Reading The Comic Books You Are Missing Half The Story
I have been hearing a lot lately about how comic books do not matter and how movie fans do not care about comics. Honestly, it pains me to hear that. This goes mainly for Star Wars fans because Star Wars is not a comic book-based franchise. It is a movie franchise. This is not an issue for Marvel, DC, or other comic book publishers because those fans are comic book fans first and foremost (with some exceptions). I get that, but like I tell people who do not read comic books, if you are not reading the comics, you are missing half the story. Are you okay with that?
Where Do I Buy Comic Books?
When I talk to friends about reading Star Wars comics, most of the time, the response I get is they do not have a local comic book shop, so they just give up. Maybe they will catch the synopsis on Wookieepedia. So the problem is access. Sorry, but in 2022, that is a lame excuse. Everything is accessible if you want it bad enough. If you do not have a comic book shop in your area, you can subscribe to Marvel Unlimited or Comixology to get digital comic books. You will not have to deal with comic book boxes taking up space. You can read them right on your phone or tablet. Digital books or comic books are not for me, but some people prefer that. And that is fine. You do whatever suits you. Keep in mind comic books are only $4 or $5 each. Collections can be $12 or more, depending on how many issues are in it. If you do not want to buy comic books because you will only read once, that is cool. I get that too. Not many people know this, but you can get comic book trades at your local library. That way you do not have to spend any money, and you can enjoy a good story. The bottom line is if you really want to, you can find good comic books to read anywhere.
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Time Is Not On My Side
Another excuse I hear a lot is I do not have time. It literally takes 15- 20 minutes to read a comic book. If you can spend hours reading a book for weeks, you can sneak a comic book in between. I know it is not as easy as that, and sometimes I cannot get around to reading a comic book right away, but I always make time eventually. Maybe skip Netflix tonight and read a comic book instead.
Comics Aren't Just For Kids, Folks
Some adults (not all) might consider comic books childish and therefore not important enough to read. These people have never read a comic book. Comic books are created for everyone. It is that simple.
Where Do I Start?
I know it is not easy keeping up with the Star Wars canon, with all the movies, series, books, and comic books. It absolutely can be overwhelming. That is how I felt about other franchise comic books. Where do I start? The best advice I can give you is to pick one and go with it. Do not worry about it if you feel lost (and you will feel lost). The more you read, the clearer the story will look. If you still do not know what to pick, you can always ask someone what book to read first based on your likes and interests. This happened to me with Marvel and DC. I had no idea where to start, so I asked my comic book guy or researched online. I don’t know about you, but I love doing nerd homework. Whenever a new comic book movie comes out, my first reaction is to find comic books on that character to learn more about them. Comic books can flesh out characters that movies don’t have time to, which helps you to appreciate the story even more.
Comic Book Homework Is The Best Homework
Some folks do not feel like they should have to read Darth Vader #1 to know who Black Krrsantan is. That is fine. It is also your loss because you miss out on some good storytelling. Just saying, but if you read War of the Bounty Hunters, you would get a much deeper appreciation of who Boba Fett is in The Book of Boba Fett. Do you want to see Qi’ra again? Sabé? Do you want more The High Republic content? Check out the comic books. Not only because of the story but the incredible artists who illustrate them. Over the years, I have compiled a list of favorite artists, which includes Declan Shalvey, Doug Wheatley, Phil Noto, Francesco Francavilla, and many more I can’t remember.
I will be the first to admit that I am not a comic book guy. I got into comic books through Star Wars when I bought my first comic book when I was 17. I did not read Marvel comic books until ten years ago. Not many people know this, so don’t tell anyone, but in 2012 I wasn’t sure if Superman was Marvel or DC. I know, right? I’ve made a lot of strides since then, and you know why? Because I put in the effort to read different comic books. Go read a comic book because, in Star Wars, they matter just as much as the rest of it.
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