What do the people in your life think of comics?

The other day, my mother was saying I should read a book because it's "productive". I said something to the effect of "Well what about a comic book since that's literature?" And then, in a very condescending and rude manner, she said "No, I want you to read something with a story." As you can tell, I wasn't pleased, and when I tried to tell her that comics tell stories just like any other medium, she got prissy with me. Thankfully, most of my friends read comics and agreed that her statement was very closed minded.

This begs the question, what do the people in your life think about comics. Granted, my mother is 52, and so I really shouldn't expect her to think much of a medium that was for kids when she grew up, but how do your family/friends act toward the medium?

I'd appreciate any feedback about this. Thanks!

They ignore it, mostly.

I don't talk about comics with my parents, as they have no interest in it. Same with my siblings. Most of my friends are either already into comics or are just getting into them, I have one that couldn't really care less though.

My parents think they're stupid. My brother and I read them a lot, and we have friends who do as well. Friends who don't read them, dig the characters in other forms of entertainment such as movies or video games or tv shows. The only people in my life who think negatively of comics are my parents

My dad actually reads all of the comics I buy, and everyone else I talk to doesn't mind them or hate them or anything so its all good for me.

Well, my parent's doesn't really care, my friend loves Batman but don't read comics, most of my classmates only know movies and TV shows and video games, so, yeah.

My mom tells me the same thing, even though I read like 20+ novels a year. My dad doesn't care.

I'm the Dad of the house, so the dynamic isn't quite the same. My wife thinks I could have worse habits and seems generally bemused. My son loves comic characters, but is more interested in seeing them in movies and games. He borrows my trades sometimes and asks me a lot of questions. Introduces me to his friends as Nerd Prime.

No one cares tbh. Two of my friends and my gf think its awesome but they don't read regularly.

My dad use to read comics before he got into the navy, most of my friends don't read them but still enjoy the characters. But I am currently reading the Lucifer story and I get weird and disgusted looks from people that think its about worshiping satan. Smh. I find it humorous.

I get crap from my brother but my mom humors me at least. She saw Man of Steel with me last year. People still think that comics are this little kid read with life lessons and s**t. Like Full House in print. People don't realize most stories nowadays are a tad more mature haha.

My mom thinks it's really childish. When i try to tell her that the genre outgrew being just for kids 20 years ago she ignores me. So i ignore her when she complains about it.

My parents are actually cool with it, although the do think it's weird that I spend so much of my money on it (hey it's better than spending money on drugs or alcohol right?)

My friends are actually really fascinated by it too, I've lent out out my graphic novel collections on many occasions.

My girlfriend is a big supporter of my love of comics. Over the years she's bought me lots of cool stuff. Statues, busts, original art, etc. I have a 13 year old son. He used to borrow my trades, pick up Archie books out of the dollar bin and read Scott Pilgrim. But he's more interested in playing basketball with his friends now.

They don't care except this one friend of mine. Always asks me questions about comics. He was amazed to learn that different famous characters share the same universe and was also confused about what the word "canon" meant. He woke me up at seven one morning to tell me he just thinks he found a rare comic at a flee market. It was just a normal character crossover.

My parents don't have trouble with them, they just ignore them.

But most of the people that i know tells me that i should stop reading them, no girl will be interested in a guy that reads comics. Of course, i keep ignoring this advice knowing that is mere bullsh*t

My friends who I used to share the same interests in comics have all disappeared eversince they got married or took their girlfriends/fiances seriously. Alot of people in the office talk about the super hero movies though but I cannot share my interests with them even if they are talking about the same character as they (especially the fan girls) make it look like the cinematic universe is exclusive from the comic universe, which even if its true is just sad. lol

Seems the only peeps I can share the same interest in comics with are here in the vine.

They don't care

I live in the middle of nowhere, no-one reads comics around here.

My parents couldn't care less... Though my mom is always up for watching anything with "Captain America"... >_>

My sister likes the idea of knowing about characters (she wants to read Captain Marvel, sadly I'm just not interested enough in her to buy her comic)

I'm really the only "comic book guy" among my friends they're mostly into anime or video games.

My sister reads comics, but I swear she's like a typical cb fan who hates change, but 10x more annoying, probably because she's family. She hasn't seen dofp yet, but she was complaining that QS was called Peter instead of Pietro. She mostly reads comics relating to TT, GLC, other teen superhero comics, she gets comics that I have no interest in reading.

My parent's cared at first because they were paying for it, now that I pay for my own comics they could careless. They both enjoy the cbms, I tried to convince my dad to read comics still haven't yet.

My younger brother won't read comics, for whatever reason, but he'll read web comics, if I could I'd smack all of them upside the head. They don't have any sense!

@perethorn: tell those ppl to go F*CK themselves and the f*cking horse they rode in on. My GF reads comics as well, so I don't know what those losers are talking about. If I were you, I'd unleash on ppl like that!

When I get into something, the whole family does. So they kinda love it. It also doesn't hurt that my father is comic fan, and my mother loves the transformers.

My 2 best friends think it's cool, though they don't read comics. My family ignores it, a few kids at school who are pricks anyway make fun of me for it, and I know a few people who love them.

I try to talk to my teacher about it but she zones out only because her husband talks about the same thing. My friends don't read it.... I'm getting my bros to read it though.

They have always generally dismissed them as irrelevant.

They think I am nerdy but I could care less. Its what I enjoy

Depends. A lot of people I know have at least some interest in them.

only me my brother and a friend of mine who I got addicted, collect. although my friend drops hobbies left and right so no telling if he'll keep up.... I know a decent amount of people, and while the movies and the idea of super heroes in general are cool and popular people nowadays just don't go into comic shops and buy comics. maybe if more companies adopt online stores and somehow get people to know about them things would change. I really feel like people today would buy into that but there has been no big push, I mean if they made an app got it to be angry birds popular can you guys imagine the possibilities!?!?

I don't hide it as it's something I enjoy, but I do think most people in my social group would be shocked to find out I like comics as much as I do.

(edited to remove personal info)

@powerherc: As in.... they talk about them like they can't tell a story? They dismiss them as stupid or childish? What exactly do you mean?

I've gotta find an adult place to talk comics...

@hislolita: I'm in this seat pretty much, people don't know about my interest in comics not because I deliberately hide it but just because I read them during my "me-time" so to speak.

they don't think of it much. I don't bring em out and mostly read them to go to the bathroom. they don't think it childish as when my uncle and I use to discuss subject it was clearly over the head of mainstream topics in other medium but its still drawings and cartoons.

Anyone who says that comic books are just childish with no story apparently have never read any of the hundreds of titles that we complain about daily being too dark and twisted.

But to answer the question, most of my family doesn't care. Though my uncle was the one who started me off on comics when he gave me his old ones (I freaking love Secret War and the Trigon story from the New Teen Titans (in fact, these are two titles that show comics are not just for kids)).

They usually automatically dismiss comics because they have preconceived notions that comics aren't very sophisticated or entertaining.

My family are mostly nerds. Gamers and anime fans. All my siblings like superhero movies and cartoons as well. So my family doesn't mind. My friends, depending on the friend, seems to think it's a little quirky/weird or cool, depending on the person.