New Member. . Mom looking for comic recommendations for reluctant reader?

[illustrateth]

Hi everybody,

I'm a mom with an 8 yr old child who is a bit of a reluctant reader (uneven vision in eyes due to birth defect probably doesn't help.) She refuses to read chapter books, BUT she does like comic books. . however, she's a bit picky. She likes Garfield, does not like Calvin & Hobbes, liked the three thieves series, and, "The Courageous Princess," series, but wouldn't read, "Wings of fire," or the medieval mouse one (I don't remember the name.) not interested in superheroes. I think she generally likes a more traditional drawing style. I don't think she likes too much angst in the story.

My 83 yr old father LOVED POGO as a kid, and was mentioning he would love a book collection of POGO, which got me thinking about one for her, but I don't think she would get the politics. But. . thought perhaps she might like some of Walt Kelly's stuff made for kids. . . which is how I ended up finding this website. (I was looking at one on amazon, and noticed a free domain notice on the front page of a comic book in the, "look inside this book," feature, which got me thinking there must be some online in the public domain, but didn't have too much success on archive.org and found this place.) I am an artist (with minor in illustration, but no time to draw since having kids), but not really up on my comic book history. Anybody have any particular recommendations? For a particular comic book of his, or perhaps another series?

Thank you so much!!!

[illustrateth]

Also. . I'm presuming there's no way to print these?   

I'd rather have her be able to read on paper? Well, any recommendations for good printed collections?

Thanks.

[OtherEric]

To answer your second question first:  the files are just collections of images, so it's not too hard to print them.  The problem is most of them are scanned at a resolution that looks fine on the screen but doesn't necessarily print well.

For Walt Kelly, we have a large selection of his books here.  (He's tied with Sheldon Mayer as my all time favorite comic book creator.)  I would double check any of them before you share them with your child, though.  Some elements have not aged well; and Kelly was genuinely progressive for his time but some of his stuff still shows its age.  And other artists in the issues can be much worse.

Animal Comics has the earliest appearances of Pogo and the swamp crew, and quite a few other non-Pogo stories by Kelly, and other good artists.
https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=571

Fairy Tale Parade covers tons of fairy tales, Kelly drew all the first issue and then had material in all the issues except the last one.  (The later issues are under the four color series, the ones at this link all have some Kelly.) 
https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=651

Kelly did lots of issues in the Four Color blanket title, we can't host all of those but just to start he had work in pretty much all the Mother Goose books, the early Santa Claus Funnies, and the early Brownies issues, as well as the later issues of Fairy Tale Parade.
https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=410

And finally, we have a large selection of Peter Wheat.  This was originally done as a promotion for a now defunct bread company, but you would never know it by looking at the stories.  Charming, delightful stuff.
https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=683

I'm sure others will chime in with other suggestions; but I figure that's already a lot to get you started.  Just make sure to check the books before you share them, and I hope both you and your child enjoy them!

[erwin-k]

Hi Illustrateth,

I'm going to slap down some links that I think might be suitable. But, be sure you read them first! You never know when some now objectionable stereotype may pop up.

This is adapted from one of my own favorite radio shows as a kid. That show "Big John & Sparkie," pioneered many of the educational concepts perfected by Sesame Street. https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=918

A few titles from Fawcett Comics, creators of the character recently filmed as Shazam. Again, read them yourself. Fawcett is mostly good & harmless material, but occasionally there is an objectionable surprise.

https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=1097

https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=1127

https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=67

https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=1207. (Sort of like Archie.)

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Walt Kelly created Pogo. Here is a list of books he contributed to:

https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?ACT=dosearch

Also, at least a bit of Walt Kelly/Pogo here:

https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=571

Slightly more advanced reading here, in Sparky Watts:

https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=963


Good luck helping your daughter… Been there, done that…. ; ^}

Bob Kennedy