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Rome, 8th October
2002 (Zenit).- "Romics 2002," a comics fair that was held here from
Oct. 3-6, organized a round table to discuss religion and comics.
ZENIT interviewed
one of the speakers, Carlo Climati, a journalist who specializes in
research related to communication and the young. His latest book,
"Youth and Esotericism," has been a best seller in Italy for months.
It has already been translated into several languages.
Q: Comics and
religion -- a contradiction in terms?
Climati: Not at
all. Comics can be an excellent means of religious communication.
Every means of communication can be used for good or evil. Think of
a scalpel. It can kill in the hands of a murderer, but in those of a
good surgeon, it can save millions of human lives.
Comics are a means
of communication that can be used to do good. They can transmit
those values imprinted in the heart of every man: love, respect for
life, friendship, truth.
Q: Are comics'
heroes like the saints?
Climati: Some are.
Personally, some have made me reflect on the idea of holiness. They
are the superheroes of the American Marvel publishing house --
Spider-Man, the Four Fantastics, the X-Men, Devil, Thor and Silver
Surfer.
They tell their
problems and doubts in their stories. In his ordinary life,
Spider-Man is a student who experiences love problems and is
concerned about his sick aunt's health. Devil is blind. The X-Men
live the drama of loneliness and exclusion.
These superheroes
are men like us -- human beings who suffer and stumble. In a word,
they have "super powers" but also "super problems." The saints might
seem like supermen, but in reality they have doubts and problems,
like all of us. The saint, however, have always found the strength
and constancy to get up and start again.
This fact calms me: Each one of us, despite our defects, can commit
himself to the daily struggle to attain holiness.
Q: Are men of
religion lacking some of the humor and freshness of the comics?
Climati: Religion
should be constantly renewed in its language and manner of
communicating. A bit of joy is important. We are taught this by John
Paul II himself, who often shares amusing jokes with the faithful.
At the same time,
however, religion must not lose its identity. It must not be watered
down, imitating passing fads or allowing itself to be influenced by
the prevailing thought. There is no need to invent strange things to
attract people.
Suffice it to
recall what happened during the World Youth Day in Rome in the year
2000. Thousands of young men queued up to go to confession.
Confession is something simple, yet it has fascinated thousands of
people.
Q: Which are the
comic strips that have made you reflect the most?
Climati: In
addition to the superheroes, those of Charles M. Shultz, the author
of "Peanuts." His strips always give very beautiful messages, using
very simple language.
Another very nice
comic is that of the "Pitufos," a population of little blue dwarfs
who solve problems peacefully. The message of the "Pitufos," created
by Belgian Peyo, is a sincere love for nature, without falling into
ecological fanaticism, and then, never allowing oneself to be
overcome by the adversities of life.
The hierarchical
structure of their little country is very interesting, led by a more
elderly little dwarf. He is the one who makes the decisions, paying
attention to the relation with each Pitufo. The Pitufos all seem to
be the same, but in reality, each one has his character and style:
from a Pitufo who is an inventor to one who is a poet, and from one
with eyeglasses to one who is a lazy sort.
The grumpy Pitufo
is an emblematic figure, who is always complaining and constantly
looks ridiculous. It is a way of reminding us that we must not be
dramatic in life; every obstacle can be overcome.
Lastly, I would
like to mention Kriminal, an Italian comic strip of the '60s created
by Max Bunker and Magnus, authors of the famous Alan Ford.
Kriminal robs and
kills, dressed in a suit with the design of a skeleton; he is, of
course, a negative personage, who must not be imitated. However, one
of his stories made me reflect: "The Way of Destiny." In this
adventure, Kriminal has a son. His eyes shine when he contemplates
him. He expresses tenderness and love. However, the story has a
tragic end, because the little one dies, murdered, and Kriminal
continues as a killer.
I cannot avoid
thinking about how Kriminal looked at his son. No one is totally
evil. Even a criminal is capable of finding the strength to start a
new life.
Q: In what way can
Japanese comics, often criticized, help to transmit religious
values?
Climati: It is important to make a distinction. There are Japanese
cartoons that are very violent and disagreeable, but there are also
those with the capacity to transmit values, such as the Cyborg 009
series. The actors are robot-men created to do evil, but they rebel
against their fate and decide on the way of goodness.
The adventures of
the special pirate Captain Harlock are particularly interesting. He
is a positive hero who combats nihilism. It is a metaphor of our
society. It is not accidental that his principal enemies are women
vegetables who live in Mazone, who have succeeded in infiltrating
themselves in earthly society and controlling its government.
The message is
obvious: It is necessary to reject the insensitivity of a life of
vegetables and rediscover the "strong" values of another time.
Another good
Japanese comic is Maison Ikkoku, of Rumiko Takahashi. It tells the
story of Yusaku, a young student who goes to a boardinghouse in
Tokyo. The youth falls in love with Kyoko, the beautiful manager.
She, a widow and older, still feels attached to her deceased
husband, and is very prudent in her relation with the youth.
The poetry of this
comic lies in the relation born between the two of them, made up of
glances, tenderness, modesty, enthusiasm, rethinking.
Maison Ikkoku is a
gentle and delicate comic, in which love is experienced as something
important. This is very beautiful and goes very much against the
current. In a world like ours, where the logic of easy sex often
prevails, this comic gives a positive message and teaches a much
deeper love, to be experienced little by little. And it is in this
way, with little steps, that the two actors arrived at their happy
end. |
