Comics

Lately, I have been reverting back to an activity that I stopped years ago - reading COMICS. Of course, I am a bit of a relic in today's world of manga and other new superheroes. I stick to the ones I grew up reading - Asterix, Tintin, Spiderman, Fantastic Four, and of course Lee Falk's "Phantom - the ghost who walks".

Of these, Tintin is my absolute favorite. Created by Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi (or better known as Herge), Tintin series are absolutely delightful accounts and adventures of the reporter Tintin, his faithful dog Snowy, and colorful characters- Prof. Calculus, Captain Haddock, and of course detectives Thompson and Thomson ("..without a P, as in Venezuela"). They embark on adventures ranging from forests of South America to Tibet to even the Moon.

The best part about these classic comics, in my opinion, is that they deal with history, travel, and or world events (like the sole Gaulish village which defied the Roman empire,.. depends if you want to believe that!!). Comics are a classic artform, they create and stretch our imagination; we are exposed to them at an age when the mind is most amenable to absorbing information. It would take some effort, but I think comics can be integrated into teaching modules in school... imagine that!! A class devoted to "reading comics"!! Where can I sign up for that....

P.S: Here is a cool link for International superheroes!!