⦁ One common myth about comics is that reading them can replace the reading of other types of reading materials. Research shows that worry is mistaken. Boys who read comic books regularly also tend to read more text- based material and report higher levels overall reading enjoyment, compared to boys who do not read comic books (Ujiie & Krashen, 1996). In fact, some evidence supports the idea that comic books provide a ‘gateway” to other types of reading material. For example, some researchers have argued that the language of comic books can help young people make the change from informal everyday language to formal written language (Krashen, 1993).