The Motivating Power of Comic Books: Insights from Archie Comic Readers.

Abstract

Kay Haugaard's plea for research on com ic books is no less relevant today than it was 30 years ago. Haugaard was a teacher and a mother of three boys, all of whom were reluctant readers. She found that it was only when her boys started to read comic books that they did not have to be urged, coaxed, ca joled, and drilled to read (Haugaard, 1973, p. 54). The research described in this article can be seen as a response to Haugaard's call for greater understanding of the fantastic motivating power of comic books. Like Haugaard, I am also a teacher and a mother, and I became interested in Archie comics when my children began to pick them up at our lo cal grocery store. Their curiosity led me to investi gate not only why children read Archie comics, but also whether insights from Archie readers might provide a window on larger questions of literacy and learning. Thus the objective of my research is not to promote or denounce Archie comics, but to better understand the ubiquitous Archie reader and to determine if insights from Archie readers may have significance for literacy educators. In em barking on this research I was aware, as Haugaard was, that the comic book?perhaps more than any other literary form?has been the source of much controversy. Since the 1950s, when texts such as Wertham's (1955) classic Seduction of the Innocent were published, debates have raged about the value of comic books within educational practice. These debates have frequently been related to prevailing conceptions of the text, the reader, and the process of reading. While Wertham dismissed comic books as trash, Meek (1992) argued more recently that they deserve better. There has been little research, however, to answer Haugaard's call. For readers unfamiliar with Archie comics, an introduction will be useful (see also Robbins, 1999). Archie comics describe the lives of a group of teenagers living in a suburban area called Riverdale, in a temperate coastal region of the United States. The main characters in the stories are Archie, Betty, and Veronica, and the latter two constantly vie for Archie's attention. Other mem bers of the group include Jughead, something of a maverick; Reggie, the local rich boy; Moose, Midge, and Ethel; and various parents and teachers. The majority of the characters in the stories are European American, though African American characters occasionally play minor roles. The girls generally wear fashionable clothing, and beach scenes are common. Any given comic book has about 20 short stories of varying length, address ing a variety of themes about friendship, schooling, dating, and family life. The stories are frequently humorous, and there is much play on words. According to the Chief Executive Office of Archie Comics Inc., Michael Silberkleit (personal com munication, April 11, 2000), approximately one million Archie comics are sold on a monthly basis

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