Narrative: Reading - What is Comics Poetry? An essay by Alexander Rothman

Marvel Comics Characters

Honestly for me is difficult to see a relationship between comics and poetry, maybe because I see them as individual forms of literature. Yes, I agree both can be used to tell a story. Also, I agree with the idea of comics being more easily to understand rather than poetry and other pieces of reading. Also, people might have  a prejudgment or stereotype against comics. I remember this Chilean comic character known as "Condorito"; this character was really popular in Ecuador during my childhood years but people reading this comic were perceive as uneducated, if you liked "Condorito"you will be associated with low class or construction worker. Other memory from my childhood was the comics placed on the newspaper in the same section with the obituaries, I was reading Mafalda and then 5 minutes after the condolences to the family of an unknown human. 

"Condorito" by Pepo

Now days I believe comics have become more popular and is slowing breaking with the negative associations probably thanks to superheroes and their entertainment production. Comics can be useful to introduce kids to literature, changing the typical idea of readings as something boring. I cannot see comics as a foundation of poetry; it is true that comics and poetry have a similarity on their structure like the shortness of the narrative and the process of repetition but that do not explain the connection. In the other hand I agree that the job of an artist or creator is to make work, it does not matter the way or medium you choose to used to communicate as long as you do it. I was grateful of how at the end of the essay Rothman acknowledge how the term "comic poetry" really is not important, the essential is to work on something different and creative in order to make it attractive. Also, I love how he describes art as an "empathy engine" and how making art create an attachment with the world opening the artist/audience mind. 

"Mafalda" by Quino