Comic Books and the Christian Religion

One of the aspects of comic books I find interesting is how much some have in common with the Christian Bible. No doubt the Bible inspired some writers. I can understand why.

• Mythology. Gods, devils, heroes, villains, supernatural powers, etc..
• Such stories gain a following and read religiously.
• Open for interpretation.
• Contains a moral to the stories.
• Stories to inspire and to sometimes strike fear.

Further, the stories gain devout followers that are willing to devote a percentage of their income to it. These followers gather at their LCS and attend conventions and book clubs. And will vigorously defend their favorite publisher (book), character, theory, and arc.

In a sense, comics are a part of a religious movement. Many people have been inspired by comics to do great things. To find inner strength and to help their fellow man. To understand that there is a battle between good and evil, and we are called to pick aside. Many comics provide a message of hope and defeating evil. 

Both the Bible and comics contain "headspace." Headspace is room for you to use your imagination to fill in the blanks and expand the story. For example, the Bible is silent on the years of Jesus' life from the ages of 12 to 30. You can fill that missing time by using your imagination.

Perhaps:

At the age of 16, Jesus came upon a group of bullies. Jesus looked upon them and spoke, "You have sinned against God and man this day you shall die." The bullies ran, but all died that day just as the Lord had spoken.

Or:

Jesus caused a great stir among the people. Everyone in Bethlehem knew he was the Son of God and was fearful of him. They gathered their money and gifts as an offering to him. In so doing, he would allow them to live.

You are free to use your imagination to fill in the missing pieces. And I enjoy books that devise parts wide open for your imagination to run wild. Meaning you can have a different story every time you read. Maybe this why the Bible has so many interpretations?

I had a friend that told me, "I was born a Baptist, and I will die a Baptist." I asked him if that was on his birth certificate. It wasn't. But loyalty to a company, can in a way be the product of the home environment. If your parents or a loved one is predominate Marvel or DC, chances are so will you. 

The "Big Two" dominates the shelves at the LCS and have mass marketing. We see them in movies, on TV, clothes, toys, games, ETC. The "Big Two" have a smart marketing strategy that continues to gain more followers and more revenue for their respected companies. 

They are like the Catholic church of comic book publishers. They have a lot of power and wealth to sustain them. 

Companies like Image, Dynamite, Dark Horse, Boom!, Valliant, etc., are like the Baptist, Methodist, Protestants, Pentecostals, and Lutherans of comic books. They are known and have accumulated a following and are doing well. 

Then you have the Indies. Some Independently owned churches find it difficult to keep their doors open. Indie Comics also struggle to keep going. Like the churches, they are mostly local. [We have already talked about that.] 

You can compare underground comics to cults. [In my opinion, all organized religion is a cult.] and Web Comics to Cyber Churches. 

One big difference I suppose between church and comics is, faith and worship. {I have seen some fans that made me wonder if they may be worshipping a character}. We must have faith in the comic book writers and artists. You know when seeing names like Stan Lee, Chris Clairmont, Alen Moore, Rob Liefield, Steve Ditko, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Jim Lee, Gail Simone, Jack Kirby, G. Willow Wilson, etc. you are in for a treat. I imagine Christians have favorite authors and books as well. When a preacher says, "Turn to John chapter 3," some get excited. 

I have traveled a lot across this country. I have seen many empty church houses and empty LCS. I look at those buildings, and I can almost hear the echoes from the past. I can imagine all the happy faces and hearts filled with joy that no longer darken its door. 

We must support our LCS and Indie Comics. If not, they may become just another memory.