--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a mystery to me why comics have been…" description: "\"It's a mystery to me why comics have been so despised for so long. Obviously, it has to do with the history of the medium - arising out of cheaply-repr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/jessica-abel-36253_art_it-s-a-mystery-to-me-why-comics-have-bee_3204141.jpg" --- # It's a mystery to me why comics have been so despised for… ![“It's a mystery to me why comics have been so despised for so long. Obviously, it has to do with the history of the medium - arising out of cheaply-reprinted booklets of newspaper strips, just out to make a quick buck, followed by mostly-crappy original work. It took a while for really talented…” quote by Jessica Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/jessica-abel-36253_art_it-s-a-mystery-to-me-why-comics-have-bee_3204141.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/jessica-abel-36253_art_it-s-a-mystery-to-me-why-comics-have-bee_3204141.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/jessica-abel-36253_art_it-s-a-mystery-to-me-why-comics-have-bee_3204141.jpg) > “It's a mystery to me why comics have been so despised for so long. Obviously, it has to do with the history of the medium - arising out of cheaply-reprinted booklets of newspaper strips, just out to make a quick buck, followed by mostly-crappy original work. It took a while for really talented artists to move into the comic-book world from the newspapers. It really is strange that even TV commercials got respect before comics did. I have never been able to figure it out.” [Jessica Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-abel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comics have been undervalued due to early low‑budget origins and stigma, despite later artistic talent. **In simple terms:** Comics were once seen as cheap and lowbrow. Key Takeaway Recognize comics as a legitimate art form. Themes media perception artistic merit culture history commercialism genre evolution Mood reflective critical inquisitive Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - publishing - education - media criticism - collecting - museum curation Key Concepts cultural stigma artistic evolution media economics Questions to Reflect On - How does early commercial intent affect long‑term artistic respect? - What can elevate a medium’s cultural status? A Different Perspective Even with talent, market forces and early reputation can hinder acceptance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Comic book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-book/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [When I was a kid, I read many more Marvel comics than I did DC. As I got older, in high school and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/when-i-was-a-kid-i-read-many-more-marvel-comics-than-i-did-dc-as-i/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I read comics and I did science, and never really put them together until I accidentally found myself in the middle of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-munroe/i-read-comics-and-i-did-science-and-never-really-put-them-together/) [Randall Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-munroe/) > [I've never done anything half-heartedly. It's the reason my comics did well. It's the reason my comics were drawn well. I can't do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-ve-never-done-anything-half-heartedly-it-s-the-reason-my-comics-did/) [Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/) > [Hanging out with comics, all they did was make fun of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/hanging-out-with-comics-all-they-did-was-make-fun-of-me/) [Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/) > [When I started in the comic book business, 'Art Of' books were strictly the provenance of the greats, like Rembrandt and Da Vinci. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-starlin/when-i-started-in-the-comic-book-business-art-of-books-were-strictly/) [Jim Starlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-starlin/) > [For some reason, I tend to take on the stuff that people are really passionate about. If you make a list of people you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/for-some-reason-i-tend-to-take-on-the-stuff-that-people-are-really/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I didn't really grow up a comic book fanatic. I was a big baseball player, and my passion in life, in third grade, was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ritchson/i-didn-t-really-grow-up-a-comic-book-fanatic-i-was-a-big-baseball/) [Alan Ritchson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ritchson/) > [One of the best things that happened for me as a playwright is becoming a comic-book writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-aguirre-sacasa/one-of-the-best-things-that-happened-for-me-as-a-playwright-is/) [Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-aguirre-sacasa/) > [Comic books have gone mainstream. The audience is there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley-shipp/comic-books-have-gone-mainstream-the-audience-is-there/) [John Wesley Shipp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley-shipp/) > [I spent a lot of time drawing and writing little comic books, and my mom was a rapper, so I would steal her instrumentals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-thee-stallion/i-spent-a-lot-of-time-drawing-and-writing-little-comic-books-and-my/) [Megan Thee Stallion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-thee-stallion/) > [I enjoy the fact that we have these mobile comics now, which are sort of a cross between a comic book and an animated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-enjoy-the-fact-that-we-have-these-mobile-comics-now-which-are-sort/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [When you think of comic book readers, you never think of the brown girl, and I was that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iman-vellani/when-you-think-of-comic-book-readers-you-never-think-of-the-brown/) [Iman Vellani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iman-vellani/) > [I've always had a soft spot for comic books. I learned to read from them. The words in them were so interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/i-ve-always-had-a-soft-spot-for-comic-books-i-learned-to-read-from/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [Most men are secretly still mad at their mothers for throwing away their comic books. They would be valuable now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/most-men-are-secretly-still-mad-at-their-mothers-for-throwing-away/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [One of the key characteristics of the comic book medium is that it is not brought to life by just one voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/one-of-the-key-characteristics-of-the-comic-book-medium-is-that-it-is/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) ## More by Jessica Abel > [I haven't really lost faith in my work - other than for quite short periods when the work is harder than usual - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-abel/i-haven-t-really-lost-faith-in-my-work-other-than-for-quite-short/) [Jessica Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-abel/) > [I don't use recurring characters. I do get very interested my characters while I'm working with them, and I find the process of fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-abel/i-don-t-use-recurring-characters-i-do-get-very-interested-my/) [Jessica Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-abel/) > [Women’s voices, LGBT voices, and the voices of people of color are all needed in any art form if we want to explore the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-abel/women-s-voices-lgbt-voices-and-the-voices-of-people-of-color-are-all/) [Jessica Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-abel/) > [“I sit in front of the notebook and feel like it’s just too late for me. 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It's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-abel/why-does-the-need-to-explain-comics-still-exist-because-that/) [Jessica Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-abel/) > [My drawing, like that of most cartoonists, is intended first of all to be functional: to create believable space, and communicate information. My strongest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-abel/my-drawing-like-that-of-most-cartoonists-is-intended-first-of-all-to/) [Jessica Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-abel/) > [I can certainly be surprised by turns a story takes, but usually not once I'm actually in the writing/drawing stage. In the plotting stage,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-abel/i-can-certainly-be-surprised-by-turns-a-story-takes-but-usually-not/) [Jessica Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-abel/) > [I don't think comics use iconic forms - or they don't have to. 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You’re saying, “I don’t care what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-abel/the-decision-to-carve-out-time-and-attention-to-make-your-work-is-a/) [Jessica Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-abel/) > [Cartooning is completely different from other media: it is closely related to film and prose, other narrative forms, but the skills needed to realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-abel/cartooning-is-completely-different-from-other-media-it-is-closely/) [Jessica Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-abel/) [Explore all 13 Jessica Abel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-abel/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's a mystery to me why comics have been so despised for so long. 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