It can be said that modern teenagers are lucky to be growing up in this day and age, where entertainment has become so evolved. Leading franchises like Marvel and DC Comics that began as comic books now use various media platforms such as television, cinema, and video games to captivate their teenage target audience. What most teenagers do not realize is that Marvel and DC rarely give their comics any attention. Despite the fact that these companies began to entertain with comic books, their quality is now lacking in that department. Today it is much easier to find a good comic book from smaller, independent companies.

The main reason why modern Marvel and DC comics have become lackluster has to do with the writers and artists they employ, artists who do not really know the properties of their own comics because they were not the ones who created them decades ago. Writers and artists at Marvel and DC are largely there for the money they paid, rather than their interest in the quality of the comic book. Long story short, it is all about the money today.

One of Marvel Comics’ best writers, Brian Michael Bendis, who wrote titles such as Civil War II, has worked with the company for 17 years. He recently moved to DC, likely for better pay. As DC stated on its Twitter, “We are beyond thrilled to welcome Brian Michael Bendis exclusively to the DC family with a multi-year, multi-faceted deal. He’s one of the premier writers in the industry, having created so many unforgettable stories wherever he’s been and we can’t wait to see what he has planned for the DC universe.”

Unlike the big brands, most creators at independent publishers such as Image Comics and Dark Horse Comics have their own series and own the rights to the comics they work on. As a result, these comics are fresh, new, and original, unlike the rehashes of old storylines that are used at Marvel and DC.

One of the greatest modern comics of all time, Image Comics’ Saga, a sci-fi/action comic with themes of parenting and family, goes to show that original content made by writers and artists who are true to their work can have a large following and great success due to the originality of the comic. Beautifully illustrated by artist Fiona Staples and written by author, Brian K. Vaughn, Saga is stunning, intelligently written, and still has all the action a “superhero comic” should provide, which is hard to find in many modern comics from Marvel and DC.

Vaughn has written a number of successful comics at Image such as Paper Girls, We Stand on Guard, and many more. He actually got his start at Marvel Comics writing an original comic, Runaways, which eventually received a cult following, and now has its own show on Hulu.

All in all, Marvel and DC are massively elaborate franchises, and have entertained many fans for years, but unfortunately, the quality of their comics has declined, and independent publishers have stepped up to the plate to produce better titles. Comic books are a beautiful media platform that has become less and less popular, and has therefore been paid less attention by companies with movies and television shows to focus on. It is important for teenagers to realize this, as they should be seeking out entertainment on all platforms that are beautiful and intelligent. Missing out on independent comics that care about quality over profit is something that one should definitely regret.