6 Best comic books to improve your English

What are comic books?

Comic books are set of comic books in a book, usually in chronological order telling one or more series of stories. They usually include a main character and tell of their adventures during the stories.

When were the first comics written?

Comics have been around since the late 19th century. The first comics in Europe were made published in the 1920s. They were ‘The Adventures of Tintin’. The character Tintin has caused a lot of controversy as he is seen as being racist and anti-semitic. Despite his controversy, the comics have sold thousands of copies and been made into films as well.

One of the most famous British comic books is The Beano. It was first produced in 1938 and is still going strong with over 4000 issues being sold up to now. It tells the story of Dennis the Menace, a boy who likes to create chaos with his friends. This was also made into a TV series on the BBC.

Why are comic books good to improve your English?

There are many reasons why comic books will help you improve your English. Here are a few of them:

1. Simple language. Comic books use very simple language, which makes them easier to understand. Furthermore, there’s lots of colloquial language, which also helps you to widen your vocabulary knowledge
2. Idioms. Comics use idioms to describe different situations. This will help you sound more like a native.
3. Images. Even if you don’t understand the language used, the images will help you to understand the story better.

Learn to sound like a native Brit

Best comic books to improve your English

There are many comic books, which you can read to help you improve your English. I have chosen some of them for you:

1. Calvin and Hobbes; Level A2; Humour*

A comic that began in the 1980s, it is still popular today. The main character called Calvin, who plays with a tiger called Hobbes. People think he is just a toy, but to Calvin he is a live animal. The main topic is contemporary American culture.

2. The Beano; Level A2/B1; Humour

As mentioned above, The Beano is one of the most famous comic books to have been released. It follows Dennis The Menace and his friends as they create chaos in different situations.

3. Garfield; Level B1; Humour*

The story about the lazy cat, this comic book follows Garfield. In these books you will see how Garfield laughs at his companions and makes fun of what they do. This is one of America’s favourite comic books, which has also been made into films.

4. Peanuts; Level B1; Humour*

This story follows Charlie Brown, a persistent young boy, who fails at everything, but doesn’t give up. Another one of the famous characters is Snoopy, a dog. In this comic book, there are many different emotions, such as love, friendship, humour and sadness.

5. Roy of The Rovers; Level B1 / B2; Football*

A British comic book based on a fictional footballer Roy Race, who played for Melchester Rovers, who later became the manager of the same team. It follows the highs and lows of his career. It was first published in the 1950s and is still going today.

6. Spider-Man; Level B2; Action*

The story about Peter Parker, who is bitten by a spider. He then helps New York City against bad people such as the Green Goblin. There have been numerous films based on Parker’s adventures in the comic books.

For More Ideas On How To Improve Your English Skills And Sound Like A Brit Download The Guide Below

Be adventurous and read one of these fantastic comics. Take your English on a pictorial adventure and improve it immensely.

For more book ideas read this blog post about graded readers.

Let me know in the comments below which comic is your favourite.