Several eminent writers and thinkers give comics the credit for helping them develop the competence for and interest in "heavier" reading. Among them is South Africa's Bishop Desmond Tutu:

 One of the things that my father did was to let me read comics. I devoured all kinds of comics. People used to say, "That's bad because it spoils your English," but in fact, letting me read comics fed my love for English and my love for reading. I suppose if he had been firm I might not have developed this deep love for reading and for English ?" (Tutu, 2004).

For additional cases, see Krashen, 2004.

A popular criticism of comic book reading and of "light reading" in general is that children, once they start to do light reading, will never move on to more serious reading. Reassuring evidence comes from the case histories mentioned above as well as the finding that readers gradually expand their reading interests as they read more (LaBrant 1958).

What about movies?  The concern that movie-going may inhibit reading has been around for a long time.  Cleary (1939) reported that heavy movie goers, those who attended more than three films per week (5 percent of her sample) read more books and read higher quality books.

To summarize, although there is no evidence for an obvious decline in interest in reading in the United States, there are many children who do not read well.  For the most part, these are children of poverty who have little access to books.  The solution to their "reading problem" is straight-forward: improved school and public libraries.  For those with access to books who are still "reluctant" readers, there is good reason to believe that comic book reading and other forms of light reading can serve as a conduit to "heavier" reading.

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