There is a certain magic in a child’s first brush with words that make pictures come alive. For many parents, the problem isn’t that children dislike reading; it’s that the books offered to them rarely capture the wild curiosity that drives them.

This is where comics such as Asterix and Tintin work so well. Their worlds are witty, fast-moving, and full of visual cues that allow even hesitant readers to feel the rhythm of storytelling without being overwhelmed by text.

The evidence supports what parents have long suspected. A study of eighth-grade boys in the United States found that reading graphic novels significantly increased motivation and self-confidence in reading. Researchers in Slovenia reported that regular use of comics improved literacy and enthusiasm in primary-school children, even closing gender gaps in reading engagement. Initiatives such as The Comic Book Project in New York have shown that creating or reading comics strengthens vocabulary and comprehension skills, especially among reluctant readers.

In South Africa, where only about 20% of ten-year-olds can read for meaning, comics can be a way to get kids into the world of reading. Paging through a comic with brightly coloured pictures and engaging action scenes can be the “gateway drug” for children into books and literature.

Psychologists explain the benefit of reading comics through the “dual coding” theory; when the brain processes words and pictures together, understanding and memory deepen. Studies in health education and science classrooms confirm that comics improve recall and conceptual grasp. The same mechanism works in entertainment: Asterix’s puns encourage linguistic play, Tintin’s mysteries sharpen reasoning, and both quietly build the stamina needed for longer texts.

Parents who read alongside their children often find that comics bridge generations too. Adults rediscover satire in Tintin while children revel in the slapstick. The ritual of turning pages together builds not just literacy but shared memory. From there, the leap to prose books feels natural, as curiosity expands beyond the speech bubble.

If reading begins with delight, comics remind us that laughter and learning can live on the same page; and that every great reader once began with a Gaul in a winged helmet or a boy reporter chasing a clue.