--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It used to be that comic strips were the…" description: "\"It used to be that comic strips were the big thing, and comic books were toilet paper.\" — Neal Adams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/neal-adams-10689_big_it-used-to-be-that-comic-strips-were-the_242623.jpg" --- # It used to be that comic strips were the big thing, and… ![“It used to be that comic strips were the big thing, and comic books were toilet paper.” quote by Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/neal-adams-10689_big_it-used-to-be-that-comic-strips-were-the_242623.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/neal-adams-10689_big_it-used-to-be-that-comic-strips-were-the_242623.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/neal-adams-10689_big_it-used-to-be-that-comic-strips-were-the_242623.jpg) > “It used to be that comic strips were the big thing, and comic books were toilet paper.” [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comic strips once dominated pop culture, while comic books were undervalued and dismissed. **In simple terms:** Comics were once popular; books were ignored. Key Takeaway Value all forms of storytelling. Themes culture media history Mood nostalgic critical Type historical observational When to use this quote - collecting vintage strips - educational curricula - media criticism Key Concepts media hierarchy pop culture creative undervaluation Questions to Reflect On - Why do some media get dismissed? - How can we preserve undervalued art forms? A Different Perspective Current media may repeat similar devaluations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Comic book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-book/) [Comic books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-books/) [Comic strips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-strips/) ## Related quotes > [To me the important thing for a comic to be is emotionally honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/to-me-the-important-thing-for-a-comic-to-be-is-emotionally-honest/) [Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/) > [Every now and then you'll say something that didn't quite work. But the important thing is, as a comic, you try to learn why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-williams/every-now-and-then-you-ll-say-something-that-didn-t-quite-work-but/) [Brad Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-williams/) > [That's the great thing about Comic Con - people are so accepting of one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/that-s-the-great-thing-about-comic-con-people-are-so-accepting-of-one/) [Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/) > [“One thing that most comic artists avoid is showing decisions. They show action, sure, and they show results, but they don’t show (because it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/one-thing-that-most-comic-artists-avoid-is-showing-decisions-they/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The most important thing as a comic and a writer is to have a strong point of view. I have one and can recognise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mcdonald/the-most-important-thing-as-a-comic-and-a-writer-is-to-have-a-strong/) [Heather McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mcdonald/) > [I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-crow/i-propose-a-limitation-be-put-on-how-many-squares-of-toilet-paper-can/) [Sheryl Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-crow/) > [It not enough toilet paper for the shit people talk these days .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marqueis-baynes/it-not-enough-toilet-paper-for-the-shit-people-talk-these-days/) Marqueis Baynes > [When I was about 7 years old, I built a leprechaun trap out of a cardboard box, a biscuit tin and some toilet paper tubes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/when-i-was-about-7-years-old-i-built-a-leprechaun-trap-out-of-a/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [ You can't put toilet paper in the toilet \[in the space ship\], so there's a separate vacuum can in front of you on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mullane/you-can-t-put-toilet-paper-in-the-toilet-in-the-space-ship-so-there-s/) [Mike Mullane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mullane/) > [“Make your life like toilet paper. Long and usefull.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-riebe/make-your-life-like-toilet-paper-long-and-usefull/) Wolfgang Riebe > [When I was younger I was told to lose some weight because I was a little bit chubbier, but I didn't dream of modelling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vogue-williams/when-i-was-younger-i-was-told-to-lose-some-weight-because-i-was-a/) [Vogue Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vogue-williams/) > [There is so much shit coming out of your mouth.. sometimes I get confused whether to give u a mouth freshener or a toilet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-so-much-shit-coming-out-of-your-mouth-sometimes-i-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is like toilet paper, youre either on a roll or youre taking sh!t from some @sshole!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-joslan/life-is-like-toilet-paper-youre-either-on-a-roll-or-youre-taking-sh-t/) Azgraybebly Joslan > [You can almost judge how screwed up somebody is by the kind of toilet paper they use. Go in any rich house and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-almost-judge-how-screwed-up-somebody-is-by-the-kind-of-toilet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You know it’s the 21st Century when someone TEXTS you from the washroom to ask you to bring them a roll of toilet paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comic-strip-mama/you-know-it-s-the-21st-century-when-someone-texts-you-from-the/) Comic Strip Mama ## More by Neal Adams > [The first work I ever did in comics was for Archie Comics, and I didn't do that very long because I did other stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/the-first-work-i-ever-did-in-comics-was-for-archie-comics-and-i-didn/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [Nothing is gained by not being kind and courteous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/nothing-is-gained-by-not-being-kind-and-courteous/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [Neal has a good time all the time. It's really nice to be Neal Adams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/neal-has-a-good-time-all-the-time-it-s-really-nice-to-be-neal-adams/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > ['The Dark Knight Rises' does not beat 'The Avengers. ' The reason? It is a totally different kind of movie - to compare them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/the-dark-knight-rises-does-not-beat-the-avengers-the-reason-it-is-a/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [Believe me, when I do a story - if you read 'Batman: Odyssey,' I never do something without there being a reason. There's always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/believe-me-when-i-do-a-story-if-you-read-batman-odyssey-i-never-do/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [Most of what we know or assume to know is wrong one way or another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/most-of-what-we-know-or-assume-to-know-is-wrong-one-way-or-another/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [I have always felt that effect covers are very good covers. They bring you into the story if you pay attention to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/i-have-always-felt-that-effect-covers-are-very-good-covers-they-bring/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [There's a bad thing that we have in America, and that is a slow, sticky way that we get out of prejudice. We get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/there-s-a-bad-thing-that-we-have-in-america-and-that-is-a-slow-sticky/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [Sometimes you're forced to do the cover before the story is done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/sometimes-you-re-forced-to-do-the-cover-before-the-story-is-done/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [Back in the olden days when we were rubbing sticks together, everybody wanted to have a comic strip, to live in Westport Connecticut, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/back-in-the-olden-days-when-we-were-rubbing-sticks-together-everybody/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [Not too many people draw black people as well as I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/not-too-many-people-draw-black-people-as-well-as-i-do/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [What populates a comic-book convention? Well there's actors, and there's dealers, and there's comic-book artists and writers, and there's cosplay people, toy sales people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/what-populates-a-comic-book-convention-well-there-s-actors-and-there/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [Nobody is looking for work who doesn't need work. That's why we look for work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/nobody-is-looking-for-work-who-doesn-t-need-work-that-s-why-we-look/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [I want a Superman that men will look up to - that somehow he manages to go out and work out and add muscles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/i-want-a-superman-that-men-will-look-up-to-that-somehow-he-manages-to/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [Motion comics are a medium all their own. It is certainly not animation, in which a large number of artists do tens and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/motion-comics-are-a-medium-all-their-own-it-is-certainly-not/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) [Explore all 64 Neal Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) ## More Big quotes > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I always want to do a big finale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-yuh-nelson/i-always-want-to-do-a-big-finale/) [Jennifer Yuh Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-yuh-nelson/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [I think a big part of success in football is mental, not physical. How you are inside your head matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iker-casillas/i-think-a-big-part-of-success-in-football-is-mental-not-physical-how/) [Iker Casillas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iker-casillas/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [What I know about Ali Krieger is no moment is ever going to be too big for her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-ellis/what-i-know-about-ali-krieger-is-no-moment-is-ever-going-to-be-too/) [Jill Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-ellis/) Browse all 12,477 Big quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It used to be that comic strips were the big thing, and comic books were toilet paper.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neal Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/it-used-to-be-that-comic-strips-were-the-big-thing-and-comic-books/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/it-used-to-be-that-comic-strips-were-the-big-thing-and-comic-books/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/neal-adams-10689_big_it-used-to-be-that-comic-strips-were-the_242623.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/neal-adams-10689_big_it-used-to-be-that-comic-strips-were-the_242623.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/neal-adams-10689_big_it-used-to-be-that-comic-strips-were-the_242623.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It used to be that comic strips were the big thing, and comic books were toilet paper.” — Neal Adams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Neal Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It used to be that comic...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/it-used-to-be-that-comic-strips-were-the-big-thing-and-comic-books/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/it-used-to-be-that-comic-strips-were-the-big-thing-and-comic-books/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```