Lausanne World Pulse – Themed Articles – Christian Comics? It’s No Laughing Matter!
By Nate Butler
July 2006
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Why are Comics so Popular Around the World?
Some of the reasons that comics are globally popular are fairly clear:
- They use exciting visuals to draw the viewer into reading compelling stories.
- They engage the readers emotionally.
- They are completely accessible, portable and reviewable, both by the individual who originally buys them as well as for other members of their household or community.
- When compared with other forms of available “entertainment media,” they are relatively inexpensive both to produce and to purchase.
Many governments and international agencies have taken note of the obvious ability of comics to reach the masses. In the last presidential elections in Mexico, both major parties handed out comic books as part of their campaigns. The Brazilian health ministry prepared 1.4 million comic pamphlets to promote the government’s views on AIDS and sex education. In Kanpur, India, the citywide asthma awareness program used comic books. The Cambodian government publicized the country’s first census in more than thirty years with a media campaign that included comic books. The South African government distributed nearly 100,000 cartoon pamphlets to inform farmers about anthrax. UNICEF Somalia disseminated more than 500,000 anti-cholera cartoon leaflets and another twenty thousand on diarrhea, dysentery, diphtheria and dyslexia, drawn by one of Somalia’s top cartoonists.
Perhaps the most significant case to be cited is China, where 1.8 million copies of Mi Laoshu (Mickey Mouse) sell each month. Chinese authorities have made greater use of the medium than any other national government. Chinese comics have been produced to combat Western influence, promote national patriotism, explain Socialism, encourage oral hygiene and discredit religion. Indeed, the modern Chinese have a significant track record of using comics to persuade that dates back to at least World War II, when Chinese cartoonists engaged in “cartoon warfare” resistance. After the war the Communists propagandized Nationalist China with cartoon booklets before their takeover.
Comics and Christianity
Missionaries and Christian nationals have also recognized that comics are excellent communication tools. They see that gospel truth can be represented in an engaging story format, making it more memorable to both children and adults. They realize that comics can teach Christian discipleship to new believers with an understandable directness.
This is where COMIX35 comes in. COMIX35’s primary mission is to train ministries and individuals to produce effective Christian comics as part of an evangelism strategy and/or discipleship program for their own people.
The whole purpose is summed up in the “X35,” which refers to Exodus 35:30-35, where the Lord calls the artisans whom he will fill with his Spirit. The Lord not only gives them the ability, intelligence, knowledge and craftsmanship to do every sort of work, he also inspires them to teach it. Likewise, those at COMIX35 have been inspired by the Lord to teach others the comics production skills he has given them through years of training and professional experience.
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Nate Butler is president/cofounder of COMIX35. He worked for over twenty years as a cartoonist and writer/illustrator for clients such as Jim Henson, King Features and comic publishers DC, Archie and Marvel. |
