Not Just For Kids

So, I was watching Hercules with my mom Monday. She had never seen it before, despite the fact that she bought it for me when I was 6 and it was one of my favourite movies, so I was a little disappointed; therefore, we watched it. Anyway, she didn't like it anyway because it was a "boy movie", and she doesn't like "boy movies", but this is all besides the point.

The point is that, after it was over, I mentioned that I thought that Herc and Meg have one of the cutest love stories ever, and she replied by questioning my emotional attachment to cartoon characters (considering that live-action characters are clearly less fictional than animated ones, they are ok to become attached to). Anyway, somewhere in the ensuing argument, a comment about how it's weird that I still read comic books arose, because she was under the impression that comic books are only written for young children. She didn't understand the concept of comic books intended for an older audience, and basically didn't believe me that they existed.

Anyway, in an attempt to change the minds of anyone who might share this same opinion, I have decided to summarize some elements from five series (three of my favourite manga, and two from western comics) that clearly demonstrate how some comic books are clearly not designed simply for children, and can be immensely (and respecfully) enjoyed by an older audience. I hope that this post may change the perspective of some people, and maybe help create a bit more respect for one of my favourite art forms. Also, after the break, there will be unmarked spoliers a-plenty, so be warned; if you intend to read any of these and don't want plot points spoiled, please skip the respective comic's section.

What Happened to Rachel Leigh Cook?

Ok, so I decided to do a kind of "Celebrity Disappearing Acts" article, and I have decided to focus on the incredibly talented Rachel Leigh Cook. Cook was a pretty big hotshot during the late 90's, appearing in a handful of popular films, and being hyped like crazy by the media, being declared the 26th sexiest woman of 2002 by Stuff magazine. Yet, for some reason, she managed to completely drop out of the public eye around 2002-ish, despite the name she had managed to create for herself, and the talent she had displayed.