I have interviewed some of them recently and collected the so called reasons that separate them from the audio book world. I have proven to each one of them that those reasons are only myths and even succeeded in persuading some of them to try those threatening audio books. Here are the main myths I have encountered: I believe audio books are expensive – wrong. In fact, there are free downloadable audio books online. Audio books on mp3 files are usually cheaper than the same title in its book version. Audio book on Cd and books on tape could cost more but are still not expensive. I think that audio books will never be a good substitute for the “real” books – Right. Audio books’ publishers do not see audio books as potential books substitutes. They are only an extension for the book concept. You can learn foreign languages or learn history by listening to audio books – You will enjoy it more this way than reading a book about it. Audio books are intended for the times of the day when you can not read books. I have no time to listen to audio books – Wrong. Most of the people listen to audio books driving, cleaning the house, jogging etc. You can not read books in these times. Did you know that the average annual delay due to traffic congestion has more than tripled since 1982 and that More than 19 million commuters travel more than 45 minutes each way to their jobs. In fact, More than 97 million workers drive alone to work each day. To sum up, to all of you “audio book phobic” people who claim they can not afford audio books. Listen to me; you can not afford not listening to audio books.

It is hard to trace the history of comic books, as many countries seem to have come up with the idea independently of one another. In Britain, they go back to the late 18th century, and in Japan the late 17th. If we’re talking about the worldwide explosion of comic book popularity in the format we know today, however, it can be most easily traced back to 1930s America, especially the beginning of the Superman series in 1938.

Since then, comic books have been both hugely in fashion, and very much out of fashion. The situation today, though, is most interesting: children have largely abandoned comic books for video games and television, with the few big-selling comics of today being largely restricted to the big names – and even they aren’t doing so well, at least in the West. Manga comics in Japan outsell comics in America by over fifty to one, and the influence of manga (and its animated cousin, anime) is pervasive in Japanese society.