Comic or Literature?

When considering Alan Moore's, Light of Thy Countenance, the question that quite easily arises is whether or not it can be considered literature. But then again, what is literature? Can a comic/graphic narrative seriously be thought of as literature? Or is it a classification exclusive to expansive novels and esoteric poetry? This would certainly seem to be the traditional view of literature, and if this is indeed the case, Light of Thy Countenance would definitely fall short. However, in many ways, Light of Thy Countenance, is, in my opinion, more worthy of being called literature than many of the 'great' classics because it simply, yet elegantly, conveys a powerful meaning.

I guess to fully understand why I think Light of the Countenance is an excellent example of modern literature, you would have to go back to when I first encountered the question of what literature is. It happened several years ago, when I tried to convince my brother to read a book. He had just come home from college for the summer, and I remember asking him if he'd be interested in reading Diablo: Legacy of Blood, by Richard Knaak; a book I'd really enjoyed. He scoffed at me, replying that he was only interested in reading real literature, not fantasy. Literature, he said, transcended mere entertainment value and rested in the what books can tell us about ourselves – what messages they can impart upon us. This fantasy book, he surmised with obvious scorn, couldn't possibly hold any real value. However, looking back, I can see a number of ways in which this view is fundamentally flawed. Regarding it's message, Diablo: Legacy of Blood, actually carried several profound themes. Albeit, it's a story about demons and magic, but its' main plot is focused around the tragedies and destruction that occurs when the main character shuns his friends and succumbs to his lust for demonic power. So while it was certainly meant to entertain, it is also a novel warning us about how greed can destroy all we hold dear. Point being, even fairy tails can be considered literature because of the very real themes they carry.

In this respect, Light of Thy Countenance, even though it's comic book and not a novel, can be considered literature. Not only that, but the graphic nature of the story actually helps reinforce the theme it carries. The story is ultimately a commentary/critique on how TV has infiltrated our daily lives to such an extent that we have begun to look to it for guidance. Moore bluntly suggests that TV has become a new god, one that is quickly growing out of control in it's influence over us. And what better way is there to show TV as a monster than to paint the pictures of it's creation like a scene out of Frankenstein with lightening, a mad scientist and Igor all included? In this way, Light of Thy Countenance succeeds where mere description might fail, as it quiet literally portrays TV in ways that are more creepy and disturbing than could ever be possible in the written world alone. It is in this way, that Light of Thy Countenance is really more deserving of being called literature than most other novels. Not only does it waste no time in delivering it's theme, but it does so with a vividness and power that is usually reserved for only the greatest narratives.