If you've been to the movies at all in the last 15 years, you've probably seen a movie that began as a comic book. Author Hillary Chute covers the factors that make comics a unique and popular medium. Far from just superheroes, comics include Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir Fun Home, Art Spiegelman's Holocaust tale Maus, Neil Gaiman's genre-bending Sandman, and more. But what is the essence of their appeal? What do comics offer that other forms of media lack? Focusing on major themes including, superheroes, but also subjects like sex, war, and queerness, Chute explains how comics are the most effective at conveying their themes and messages. With over 100 color reproduction, Why Comics? is a useful guide whether you've read one comic or a thousand.(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)