Comic Book Culture

Comic books can be a funny things. On the one hand, many people still think of them as something just for kids or nerds. On the other hand, they've totally seeped into our mainstream culture – just look at this summer's block buster films like Spider Man and the Fantastic Four. Tonight on the Front Porch, we'll probe at that dichotomy with one of the country's leading comic book critics. Douglas Wolk is author of the new book Reading Comics: How Graphic Novels Work and What They Mean. You can read his blog here.

We'll also hear from the medium's popular curmudgeon, Harvey Pekar. He's best known for his comic book American Splendor and his work with artist Robert Crumb. The movie American Splendor was released to critical acclaim in 2003. In 2005, he spoke with radio host Jesse Thorn on the program The Sound of Young America. We'll hear part of their conversation. (You can listen to the full interview here.)