By Pete Pichaske
Doug Higdon spent part of a recent Saturday afternoon prowling the aisles at Third Eye Comics, a popular comics mega-store on West Street in Annapolis. But wait a minute. Holy toddlers, Batman! Was that his 4-year-old daughter with him? In a comics store!?
Yes, indeed, that was his 4-year-old daughter, Aly.
“She likes to come here,” said Higdon, of Columbia, explaining that while Aly doesn’t read yet, she likes the drawings in comics like “My Little Pony” and “Spiderman,” and already has a couple comics of her own. “She’s a bright girl,” says Higdon, “I figure it can’t hurt. And if it helps her to read, well, that’s just a plus.”
It probably wouldn’t surprise anyone that a 34-year-old man like Higdon enjoys comic books: He fits the traditional demographic. But it’s becoming less and less unusual that parents like Higdon are exposing their children, even their toddlers, to comics.
And why shouldn’t they? Even professional librarians think it’s a terrific idea these days.
