“If you can’t spend it, money’s just a lot of worthless paper isn’t it?” -Batman.
In this case, you can spend money. You can spend that money on comic books.
Freshman Bela Coats likes comic books and has been reading them for the past two years.
There are many different heroes that have been developed over the years, but Coats’ favorite hero is Batman. Coats likes Batman because of his popularity and because there are elements of the stories told in the comic that are both realistic and unrealistic.
“The over-the-top elements like jumping off a buildings and surviving, is something that makes comics appealing to a lot of people and keeps it interesting,” Coats said.
Being able to relate to someone, whether they are real, from a movie, television show, book, or even a comic book, is an important aspect that reflects on the enjoyment value of whatever you’re reading or watching.
Coats said that he can relate to more than one famous character in the DC Universe.
The introverted villain from the Batman series, Scarecrow (Dr. Jonathan Crane), grew up as the kid that would rather read than do any physical activity. Coats said he can relate to Crane because he was the slim, timid, child that was not the most popular student.
“I was skinny and shy. Scarecrow was picked on. It’s good to have a character you can relate to,” Coats added.
Coats said he’s also like Robin, The Boy Wonder because though Robin does help Batman, he’s just “going with the flow.”
“Like the reader, he [Robin] is along for the ride,” Coats said.
Coats’ favorite comic is a 1986 release “The Dark Knight Returns” where a retired Batman returns to working as the Dark Knight, following the return of the comic’s most infamous villains. Coats claimed this is his favorite comic because there’s not only one element in the story, but a lot of different elements in the adventure.
Before he started reading the comics, Coats said he stuck to watching the Batman television shows.
“I didn’t have access [to comic books], so I just watched the animated series,” Coats said.
Often, comics are drawn and then duplicated. Comic books and drawing go hand in hand.
Coats enjoys drawing. He draws portraits, but also likes to draw things that are out of the ordinary. The fact that you can draw something that isn’t real is harder that being able to draw something that’s real and has a specific look. This skill requires a lot of creativity.
“I like to draw weird things. It’s easier than drawing something already real because I have trouble drawing people and making it look real,” Coats said.
Isolation isn’t the best way to make friends, but if you isolate yourself to read comic books, you may find more things in common with the characters, than if you were to go out with friends.