“Why Comic Books?”
A Partial Explanation by Brian VanNostrand
It’s a question I sometimes get from friends after they’ve known me for a while, and after they realize how deeply into the hobby I really am. Most of the time, I respond with something about nostalgia or how comics have just been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Usually, they’re satisfied with these answers, but I end up being left with a nagging itch at the center of my brain; You see, to me, that answer just shows how little I understand about my own motivations and whatever framework underlies my obsessions. So, I thought I might try to provide a more satisfying answer and see if it resonates with anyone else who shares my love for comic books.
The first reason for loving comic books might seem the most shallow but, in truth, there is a hidden depth to it: Escapism. Comic books provide an alternate reality to the one we occupy on a daily basis, and everyone has a favorite way of escaping objective reality. Whether it’s a few drinks, obsessing over baseball, watching a movie, or binging a television show, people crave a break from the sometimes mundane and occasionally tragic grind of reality. There are many people who might think that escapism is a weakness – an inability to face the world for what it is – but I strongly disagree. Escapism gives us a break from the tedium of everyday life so we can return to everyday life feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. And, remember what J.R.R. Tolkien said: “The only people who object to escape are jailers.”
Escapism is closely connected for my second reason for loving comic books: Speculation. Since comic books create an alternate reality that is very similar to ours except for some truly large diversions (superheroes and monsters), they offer readers a chance to re-examine the world around them through contrast. People can read the stories of the comic books and find the events and characters within to be aspirational; they might ask themselves why our world is the way it is, and realize it can change.
Finally, I like comic books because they are subversive. They rival high art despite rising from low art origins, and do it through outlandish stories featuring colorful characters engaged in the very best melodrama. They are mythology in colorful tights. They are the campfire stories of the icky thing crawling out of the shadows. Like punk rock, comic books remind us that sometimes it’s just energy and silliness that can push us forward to shake us from the most entrenched status quo.
Banner Image: Bryan Nostrand with favorite comics. Image Credit – Collectors Confessions
Collectors Confessions
Chad and Brian are the duo behind Collectors Confessions, a YouTube channel born from a lifelong love of comic books, pop culture, and their hometown of Staten Island. What started as a shared passion for reading comic books, visiting local comic shops and conventions has grown into a community of over 64,000 subscribers who join them each week for shop tours, convention vlogs, creator interviews, and their popular weekly comic haul live streams. From exploring hidden gem comic shops across the tri-state area to sitting down with industry legends like Jason Aaron, Jeremy Adams, and Mike Allred, Chad and Brian bring an authentic, collector-first perspective to everything they cover — comics, toys, Star Wars, Marvel, and beyond.