Do comics for kids need to have a moral?
Paul Benjamin: My Marvel Adventures editor set a goal for me early on that, if there was a natural moral to the story, that’s great, but I shouldn’t force it. But I find that in any story with heroic characters making choices about how to deal with a dilemma, there’s usually some moral center. Sometimes it can be a big and important theme, like Sulley learning not to let work get in the way of his friendship with Mike in Monsters, Inc. Other times it’s simpler, like Spider-Man discovering the dangers of underestimating people based on their outward appearance, like Paste-Pot Pete. Andy Runton: I’m not sure, but I guess I’d maybe like readers to learn that it’s okay to be kind and gentle. And maybe that the beauty of nature is all around us, and if you stop and look in your own backyard, you can see amazing things. I’d like them to learn that there’s adventure around every corner. If I can manage to capture and communicate just a little of that, I’ll be very happy. AVC: What kind of kid
