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What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

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Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

...so you didn't read the article. I'm not sure why you feel the need to announce that.

I read it word for word. That is pretty much what he wants to communicate.

Just because your eyes passed over the letters doesn't mean you read it. You went in with preconceived notions of what it was going to say and you came out without those preconceptions changed. Reading requires that you actually spend time trying to understand what someone is saying.

I admit it's not entirely clear what the author's point is, but that doesn't mean you get to fill in your own and pretend like the author said it.

I'm pretty skeptical of a lot of feminism, but there's nothing particularly outrageous being said here.

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#293
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because kids don't read comics. When your demographic changes you have to adapt or die.

Do kids not read comics because they wouldn't be interested in them? Or do they not read them because they're no longer kid-friendly? Which is cause and which is effect?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_comic_book#The_Modern...

The shortened-to-the-point-that-it's-mostly-wrong version:

Prices went up for a variety of reasons, ordinary stores stopped stocking them, and the only way the companies found to move enough issues to avoid total disaster was to target men in roughly the 14-40 age range through dedicated comic book shops, embracing, in the process, a sub-genre of "grittier" comic story lines that had gained some traction.

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#294
post #13

I had a similar 'revelation' with violence in video games. I knew a lot of games were violent, but it wasn't until I found my 2 year old son watching me murder human after human with a crossbow in Tomb Raider that I 'got it'. It has ruined AAA video games for me. I solved the problem by buying a Wii U. I'm not sure why that's better. I have killed hundreds of pikmin, squashed hundreds of goomba and worst of all, used…

Uhg this. Recently decided to pick up some of my old favorites (Quake Live, Counter-Strike) and didn't realize fully what I was doing until my two daughters, ages 6 and 8 were peering over my shoulder watching me throw grenades, shoot rockets and snipe opponents (complete with blood effects).

Honestly, I don't think they even blinked, as they are exposed to a lot of media these days, but it certainly gave me pause, and started my quest for more appropriate games (for them).

To contrast this, I have several nephews of varying ages and they would do backflips at the chance to play one of these extremely violent games. Not sure what that means, or says but a man with daughters lives a different life than a man with sons. Not that my daughters don't enjoy shooting rockets and blowing up bad guys, but it doesn't have that same "power" over them as it does with young boys (which I've witnessed first hand as a boy myself and uncle)

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#295

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I could be wrong but it seems you have issues with the idea of games for adults and games for kids. The fact that a game is unsuitable for your child to play, or even watch you play, prevents you from enjoying certain games seems just wrong. Did you stop watching movies rated PG-13 or higher as well? And why is it wrong for young children to understand the concept of life and death? I mean, an overly gory game is one…

You missed his point. Once he saw what he was doing from his child's perspective , he was uncomfortable with it. Note that this is distinct from being uncomfortable with his child seeing what he is doing. I had a similar reaction after not playing many games during grad school, which was 2003 - 2010. After graduating, I picked up a PS3. Some games it wasn't too much of an issue (such as Mass Effect), but in others, i…

I think you missed my point, which is if he was uncomfortable with his child watching him play such games, don't let them watch such games. His negative reaction to "AAA" games in general because of that is what I found odd. If he no longer found the games appealing due to that then I suppose that's cool. But there are games in that space that don't fit that style of gameplay.

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#296
post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I could be wrong but it seems you have issues with the idea of games for adults and games for kids. The fact that a game is unsuitable for your child to play, or even watch you play, prevents you from enjoying certain games seems just wrong. Did you stop watching movies rated PG-13 or higher as well? And why is it wrong for young children to understand the concept of life and death? I mean, an overly gory game is one…

Why killing needs to be presented as a game? You want to teach children about life and death? Get then to a slaughterhouse. No? Why not? It's just teaching them about life and death...

Well, considering many children learn to kill and dress game early in life; I don't see a problem with that. Depends on the child and the parent. But I appreciate you trying to show my point is invalid by trying to get me to disagree with a completely different example.

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#297

I've never understood Americans' obsession with superhero comics. When I was a kid I was reading Asterix[1], Gaston Lagaffe[2], Spirou et Fantasio[3], Lucky Luke[4], Prince Valiant[5], The Phantom[6] and similar stuff. Of course, I've read Superman, Batman and Spiderman also but at least I've had a choice. I can't understand why they don't exist in US, why are the only comic books Americans know superhero comics? [1]…

Mafalda seems exactly what you are looking for. Perfect for smart little girls.

Calvin and Hobbes, Marsupilami, The Smurfs, Superlopez, Asterix, Gaston, Spirou, Lucky luke, Zipi y Zape, Rompetechos, Mortadelo y Filemón, El botones sacarino, Tintin...

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#298

As a father of daughters, I'm waiting for the series of articles that will help me understand the proper way to have a conversation with them about the fact that their boyfriends, when they are old enough to have them, do not have the muscular build nor the attractive looks of common comic book characters such as Batman, Superman, and so on that they constantly see. Never mind when they see movies with all those over…

Thanks for the feedback. I, for one, feel the negativity only reinforces much of my point.

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#299

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Japanese manga is fully of sexy, weird, objectifying stuff that most people really wouldn't want their kids to see, but go to a bookstore in Japan and you'll also see bookcase after bookcase of manga totally appropriate for all ages with young girls pressing their nose into them. Stories about teenage girls getting picked on at school or trying to meet the right guy or saying stupid things in class. Stories about gi…

This is such a good post, its shameful the HN political correctness crowd have downvoted it so. I don't think HN is a mature enough forum for this discussion. Its just a reddit-like upvote/downvote gamificiation machine at this point. I find it amusing that American culture dictates that once you become 18 you are now sexualized and free to partake of whatever media you like, but an hour before your birthday you are…

I like your post, but I'll just say that nobody I know personally would care about displaying traditional roles, sexuality, and violence. When people get pissed I think what they're mostly pissed about is the ridiculous caricaturization that occurs. For instance, a movie with tons of ass-kicking makes you feel excited. Realistic portrayals of violence usually makes you feel sick and horrible. Similarly with sex and gender roles. Much could be said on the topic, but my feeling is that too much of the caricature-fiction produces similar effects as eating too much candy. It's fine in small quantities, but not something to organize your diet around.

In fact, I'd be interested to see who's getting upset about realistic portrayals of anything. Even with the caveats about what would count as a 'realistic portrayal' I think you'd be left with a tiny minority of weirdos and chronic pains-in-the-asses.

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#300
post #12

I can already hear the debate raging about weather or not the images or particular examples in this article are acceptable or defensible or not. I think it's totally fine for the comics that this one shop has are there. Artistic freedom! Great! What's not super is that it's really the only kind. It's like netflix with only action movies. This article should feature a bunch of blank photos representing the comics that…

>Japanese manga is fully of sexy, weird, objectifying stuff that most people really wouldn't want their kids to see, but go to a bookstore in Japan and you'll also see bookcase after bookcase of manga totally appropriate for all ages with young girls pressing their nose into them. Stories about teenage girls getting picked on at school or trying to meet the right guy or saying stupid things in class. Stories about gi…

> Meanwhile, in our more "enlightened" mainstream American culture, people write angry blog posts filled with stupid impact font image macros about how they literally judged an entire medium by its cover, because the female body is offensive or something.

It is absolutely offensive when it is posed in an unreal and unnatural way with impossible proportions and impossible looks.

I get that they are comics, but a story about super girl where she has a perfect 36-24-36 with Tripple F boobs that are molded and sculpted and pointed so far north you could almost navigate by them...it...it is a bit ridiculous.

Fun to look at, yes, but they don't offer much other than a fantasy.

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