What first comes to your mind when you hear the word "comic?" Fighting? Garfield? Superman?

Does it come as a surprise to you to learn that there are gay characters? Occult characters?

Children's Express went to a comic book convention to talk to kids about their views about comics and comic characters.

WHY COME TO CONVENTION?

JOSH ROBERTS, 10: I came here to look for the new Superman issues after he died, because when I was little I was real interested in him. And I'm real interested in how he comes back from the dead in his clothes as Superman.

I've been reading since I was 6 years old.

JUSTIN HARRISON, 13: (I'm here) just to catch up on my comics and everything, and see if there are any new ones I don't have.

JAMIE SWEENEY, 13: I was trying to complete some collections and get some comics I like.

JOSH: I have about 5,300 comics.

JUSTIN: (I have) about 300 comics.

JAMIE: I own about 100 or 140.

WHY DO YOU LIKE COMICS?

JUSTIN: I like action and everything, fighting and everything.

JOSH: I like to read Superman comics (because of the) action. (He's) always fighting people, trying to save the planet and stuff.

JAMIE: I read Marvel comics, some Image, like Storm and Spiderman. I just like the way they're drawn and the stories.

CHRIS CHANDLER, 13: I read mostly superhero comics from all companies.

BEN SMITH, 13: (I like) X-Men and Image. I like the characters and nice drawings.

DO COMICS INFLUENCE KIDS?

JAMIE: I think they are pretty neat, something to do. Sometimes they make you feel better, I guess. (It) gives you something to do when you're bored or real mad.

CHRIS: It just gives you something to do.

BEN: (I like) the good deeds and how they try to make everything equal.

FREE SPEECH VS. CENSORSHIP

JOSH: One time I ordered this comic in the mail. It was the first issue of the Beavis and Butt-head comic. My mom just took it and tore it up.

JUSTIN: Most comics have bad words and stuff, but I feel they are not that bad.

JOSH: I feel that it's OK that comics have cuss words . . . It's people expressing what they think.

GAY CHARACTERS IN COMICS

JUSTIN: If they're gay, they're just gay.

JOSH: I think it's OK if they're gay. It's just I don't want them to get in the bed with me or anything like that.

JAMIE: I really haven't read anything about them in comic books, but I'd take a look at it.

BEN: I don't know any gay characters.

OCCULT CHARACTERS

CHRIS: I don't think it's really good for people to read (about) Satan worshipers.

JOSH: I think that that's really bad, because kids all over the world might start worshiping the devil.

JUSTIN: It's not bad or anything, it's just I don't know if they should really be in there. They could get more people to read them if they weren't in there.

JAMIE: If it doesn't pertain to me and it's not really the devil, I don't care that much.

BEN: I try not to buy those comics because I don't like that stuff.

EDITED BY: Rebecca Oberg, 15