kids comics

It’s not a radical idea to say that superhero comics should be for children, but it seems an increasingly radical idea in a time where a Marvel comic recently had Hawkeye shoot Bruce Banner through the eyeball. All-ages comics at the Big Two are the exception, not the rule. Are the demands of continuity the reason why? Does "everything should fit together" inevitably create, for lack of a better term, "tone bleed"?

Imagine you're a kid, and you and your mom live on the edge of a forest by a mountain. Your mom works from home, so you've got lots to do outside of schoolwork. So what do you do? Well, if you're the curious, blue-haired Hilda, you tromp around nature, drawing and running into trolls, invisible elves, house spirits and all sorts of things. All accompanied by your faithful companion, the reindeer-dog Twig.

LGBTQ representation in comic books is important, and it’s something we’ve talked about --- and will continue to talk about --- at ComicsAlliance at length. But what doesn’t get said enough is that LGBTQ representation is especially important in all-ages and young adult comic books. Representation at such a young age can be legitimately life-changing for children, and while certain publishers are making tremendous strides in the right direction, others are missing the boat completely.

Superhero comic books are a great way to get kids of all ages reading, while teaching solid moral lessons and giving them something to aspire to. However, it can be difficult parsing which titles are suitable for kids and teens, and which titles most assuredly are not, so ComicsAlliance has put together a list of some of the best choices. Today we're looking at DC Comics, which has been making increasing attempts to be more inclusive and provide a wider range of comics for all audiences over the past couple of years. Whether it's comics for fans of TV shows, new spins on classic franchises, or a Young Adult take on political satire, there's something for everyone these days at DC.

There are a lot of kids' stories about ghosts. There are a lot of kids' stories about friendship. But what if there was a kids' comic about ghosts... who are friends?!? That's what James Kochalka's Johnny Boo books are about and they're delightful, combining simple stories, good lessons, colorful artwork, goofy humor, and ghosts and monsters, to create an appealing series of tales that can be laughed over and read again and again.

Avengers Academy is a hit mobile game where your favorite Marvel Comics characters are inexplicably reimagined as teenagers attending high school, and I am addicted to it. I’m not the only one, as the charming character designs and spot-on characterization of the students has millions of people playing. So why isn’t there an Avengers Academy comic?

Whenever Laika put out a new film, it's worth sitting up and paying and attention, and between films like Paranorman, Coraline and The Boxtrolls, the studio has proved itself one of the best places for nuanced and touching approaches to films aimed at children. Laika's newest release, Kubo and the Two Strings, is based on classic Chinese stories and traditions, and comics is a medium that has provided opportunities for creators from around the world to tell their own cultures' stories and traditions. If you loved Kubo and the Two Strings, we've put together a list of five comics to check out next. Love that? Try this!

If you had told me five years ago that we would one day get a comic where James Kochalka explored the inner desires of the Putty Patrollers and their eternal conflict with the Power Rangers, I would've said that you were living in a world of dreams that was but gossamer. And yet, here we are. Tomorrow, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Annual 2016 hits shelves from Boom Studios, and along with other stories, like an origin for Goldar and a brand-new Bulk and Skull adventure, that's exactly what we're getting. Clearly, this is something we needed to know more about, so ComicsAlliance spoke briefly to Kochalka about why he decided to put the spotlight on the Rangers' faceless foes. Check it out, along with an exclusive preview of his story!

Everyone loves comic book trivia, but with over 75 years of superhero comics behind us right now, there’s always some new obscure fact to learn. That’s why ComicsAlliance is going deep into the minutiae of your favorite names in comics in our continuing video series. You think you know comics? Well, here’s a few things you might not know! This week we're taking a look at one of the most beloved all-ages comics in the history of the medium, Jeff Smith's Bone.

It’s Kids’ Week at ComicsAlliance! As the summer draws to a close and young comics fans get ready to go back to school, we’re presenting a week of articles focused on great kids’ comics, including comics recommendations for younger readers. Hey! Kids’ comics! In Benjamin Bailey, Joey Esposito and Boy Akkerman’s Captain Ultimate, evil flourishes when good heroes go bad, and good flourishes when one single kid believes in the greatest, most noble superhero of all.