Don’t Laugh at the Comics: A Modern Take

By | July 1, 2020

Hall, R.C.W., Friedman, S.H. (2020). Don’t Laugh at the Comics: a Modern Take. Acad Psychiatry. https://doi-org/10.1007/s40596-020-01257-2

ABSTRACT:

Although comic books may be used to educate the lay public and medical students, the comic book industry and mental health fields have often had a tumultuous relationship—which unfortunately can also yield the opposite result of perpetuating stigma. […] There are likely many reasons that comic books at some level are beginning to become more sympathetic to mental health concerns, such as societal transitions after 9/11, decreasing stigma overall about mental health and trauma, past fights with psychiatry being further away (e.g., today’s authors and artists are no longer being mentored by people who were directly affected by Wertham), and new generations of writers and artists being more aware of the impact of their work beyond mere entertainment.

Note “Table 1 Comic book hero stories that can be used to teach mental health concepts” at https://link-springer-com/article/10.1007/s40596-020-01257-2/tables/1