I loved the stories about heroic women on the back page of the Girl.

My favourite was Gladys Aylward and I still have my battered copy of The Small Woman which was given to me by my grandmother when I was a teenager.

I also used to read my older brother's Eagle and sit alongside my little brother helping him to read Robin.

Happy memories.

I have always believed that comics are a great way to get kids reading, especially boys! Encourage not discourage!

Anything that encourages reading is good.

In answer to the OP questions, yes, and so are cereal packets and similar things.

question singular

I still love comics. I grew up on the Beano and Dandy. When I had to go into hospital to have my tonsils out my mam bought me a Jack and Jill as a treat. I was so happy. I lusted after the Jack and Jill comic every week but it was too expensive for mam to afford other than on very special occasions. But that Jack and Jill comic led to one of the most traumatic episodes of my life ( well it felt like it at the time). Sister Black ran her ward with a rod of iron. She was an evil, sadistic woman who was obsessed with tidiness. I had been reading my beloved Jack and Jill comic and it was still on my bed (which I was also in). She went mad and threw my comic in the bin. I was devastated. To get something like that was so rare and she threw it away! I still hate Sister Black with a vengeance.

"He's small, he's sweet,
He's seldom neat,
He's full of fun and joy,
He's grubby, naughty, friendly, cute,
He's like any little boy,
He's my ... baby brother!"

Twinkle, where I wanted to be a nurse like Nurse Nancy.

Then onto Mandy and My Guy when I was older.

so are cereal packets and similar things.
Sauce bottles - one way to learn French.
And notices on buses - 'No Spitting' etc

I still read all the notices if I have to wait anywhere - one way to learn a bit of Welsh!

Great post JanT8 your dad was a wise man

Sunny Stories, neighbour's son's Beano and Dandy, a cowboy comic whose name I forget, School Friend, Girl's Crystal, some small paper books with the same themes and characters, Girl, my granny's film magazines and their annuals which we gave her at Christmas, all in dark blue and sepia!
I got my oldest GD a few graphic novels to help with GCSE, her 10 year old sister enjoyed them and told her surprised teacher she'd read 'Jane Eyre' - I explained. The same GD when about 8 had a book of classical ballet stories with accompanying cassette, enjoyed them at bedtime and one night said thoughtfully, half asleep 'Nan, it was a shame for Gisele, wasn't it?'

I think I've somehow derailed this thred into the one about what books to buy GC. Oops!

I agree with previous posters - anything (appropriate) that encourages children to read is good. I also agree that current 'comics' are expensive and the free gifts are the main reason for children wanting them. However inside them is quite a good range of activities to develop hand/eye co-ordination and problem solving as well as the stories to read.

AnythingMy mother was a bit sniffy about comics but I was allowed 'The Girl' and my brother had 'The Eagle'. I don't recall much about 'The Girl' but do recall Dan Dare, the Mekon and the Treens from 'The Eagle'. I did occasionally get a glimpse of 'Bunty', 'The Beano' and the The Dandy' usually at school wet playtimes! I loved them as they were funny and exciting. I hope the Dgc stay safe.

I don't know where 'Anything' came from

Nor do I know what 'I hope the Dgc stay safe' is about. Is there someone writing over my shoulder'?

rosequartz what a shame there is no French on bottles of HP anymore! I thought it very exotic when I was a child (even though I couldn't speak French and hated the sauce!).

Oh no!! I didn't realise as I don't eat it any more!!

Like sweets and chocolate- only if used in moderation and part of a balanced diet of more challenging things.

Quell dommage, rosequartz!

I loved my comics as a child and often was lucky enough to have two or three different ones a week as my parents were avid readers themselves.

During my career as a teacher I spent a lot of time working with children who struggled with reading and lost count of the number of parents who apologised because their child was only reading comics at home. I always told them to concentrate on the fact that they were reading. I pointed out that as adults we often read for pleasure and are not constantly stretching ourslves to a higher level. Comics have another benefit, though. We use clues to depiher words and those clues are often in the pictures in childrens books. Reading comics encourages children to look closely at the pictures as well as text. Children also need to see a purpose to reading and if that purpose is pleasure that is fine. I recall a college tutor telling us that she introduced the racing newspapers to a chap who had struggled with reading as a child and he learned to read using them so that he could place his bets.

Comics for both children and adults are just another form of literature to be enjoyed.

Oui, c'est une sauce de haute qualité etc etc

And children need to enjoy reading too!

If a child is struggling to read and a comic encourages that child that is all to the good, as Buddie says.

Not everyone is going to progress on to War and Peace.

I adored comic books as a child, however as money was tight I tended to get given out of date ones but that didn't matter to me, I loved reading about adventures and lifestyles other than mine. I was given about 500 of the comic books, 'girls picture library' and I was in seventh heaven.
Some of the adults of that time scorned comics and said that we should be reading 'proper' books but I think as long as children are reading anything at all and especially what they enjoy then it will help their reading experiences.

I looked at comics today for the DGDs and they were so expensive I decided not to buy them - £3.99 each - nearly £8 for two!

Instead of a weekly treat they have become a very occasional treat.

Are you still there Tom Fickling?

My 5 year old GS and his little sister often travel by train. Today's glossy comics/children's magazines with taped on toys are very expensive. I look for suitable books in charity shops, usually well under £1, and in Poundland etc.
I recently found, in Tiger, a pad of 'Find the 5 Differences' coloured pictures. This kept GS happy and busy for a 90 minute train journey - when he does have a magazine the 'Find the Differences' his favourite activity and he loves to point them out. Tiger is full of surprises, things perfect for Christmas stockings!

We have a shop called 'Buyology' which is full of surprises including lots of different colouring books and puzzle books for children, all at about 99p or not much more.
(the same ones that can be bought at other stores for about £2.99 or more)

I think everything in moderation. Sadly the computer, though I would not be without it, has taken over a lot of children's recreation time. Comics are good because they not only encourage children to read but they inject some much needed humour into their little lives. I love to hear the odd chuckle when DGS reads the Beano or Dandy knowing that he is in a harmless little world if his own, and I must admit to enjoying them myself.