Why Comic Book Writers Deserve Respect

A novelist sits at a desk for ages trying to type out something memorable; he or she gains respect because of this. The screenwriter is similar: he or she is never looked down on, even with the state of movies. Comic book writers are a different story. Though comic books are popular across the world to various age groups, this writer is given less respect than the novelist and screenwriter does. Why is this? This essay will explore why they don't get the respect, and why they should.

Consider first the fact that comic books have been around for a very long time. They are far younger than the novel, but the screenwriter might note that films came about close to the same time comic books like "The Shadow" first came. There is a rich history in the comic form. The problem is, originally comic books were intended for children. It stayed that way for a while. When Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were writing stories for X-Men and Fantastic Four they intended the stories to be read by children and teenagers. Nowadays, everything has changed, but many things are similar. Most comic books can be read by children, but the new age writing has brought in surreal storytellers like Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, and Grant Morrison to older readers. "Watchmen," a story by Alan Moore, was definitely intended for an older audience.

Consider also the amount of talent in the comic medium. Alan Moore is perhaps the most talented comic writer of the last twenty years. His works have moved many fans. If anyone deserves more respect, it is Moore. Even with countless films being made out of his graphic novels, like "V For Vendetta" and "From Hell," Alan Moore is an unknown to many.

Lastly, writing a comic book is an incredibly hard process. It may take less time than the novel, but often the degree of difficulty is harder in the comic book. Peter David wrote in "Writing For Comics" that the novel has more freedom, and is superior to, the comic book. The novel is superior, but is also a different art form that has its own difficulties. The comic book has to meld two or more talents together, usually the writer and artist, and they have to find a way to visually tell a story.

So the comic book writer has no picnic when it comes to writing. They do not get the respect that novelists do because the novel is a superior form. Perhaps they should not receive the same respect, but writers like Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman deserve a lot of credit for their works in the comic medium.