One only has to look at the recent blockbuster movies like "Spider-Man," "Batman Begins" and "Iron Man" to see the major influence that comic books have on popular culture. For nearly 70 years, this industry has provided iconic characters, fantastic storylines and enjoyment for all ages. Even so, many people in the UT community are still unaware of this great source for weekend entertainment, let alone where to buy comics.
Funny Papers is a comic book store that has been in the Dobie Mall for 20 years. Each week the store has about 250 customers, most of which are subscribers - weekly customers who receive comics at a discounted rate. Despite the success of comic book movies, employees say that business isn't really affected.
"There's still this perception that seeing the movies is as good as reading the comics," employee Greg Webster said. "They're still viewed as inaccessible, even though lots of popular shows are written by comic book writers." He referred to shows including "Lost," "Heroes" and "The OC."
While the character of Comic Book Guy from "The Simpsons" defines comic book shops and fans for many college students, there is a group of core supporters that keeps the comic book shops up and running. The customers consist of people of all ages, from undergraduate and graduate students to professors and Austin residents.
Webster explained the appeal for the comic shop: "Book stores don't get comics on time, and they don't know what's good. I have read almost every comic in this store and can discuss the ones that I haven't."
This specialization is why comic book stores around the country are thriving.
Webster also claims that comics themselves are also greatly different than many people view them.
"Besides a well-written superhero story, comics are modern art forms," Webster said. "They're relatively inexpensive and are so much more than they used to be."
Recently, comics such as "Batman: The Killing Joke" have taken their subject matter to new heights by looking into the psyche of the Dark Knight, while Marvel Comic's "Civil War" questions the civil rights of superheroes and how much freedom we as Americans really have.
Comic book shops are located all around the city. Funny Papers is in the Dobie Mall, and another popular shop with students is Austin Books and Comics, located at 50th Street and Lamar Boulevard. Not only are comic books an interesting introspective into American culture, they're also great stories filled with wonderful artwork. In addition, they're a short read for anyone, whether between classes or between supervillains.
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