Comics' growing influence: The New York Times News Service thinks "comic book fans are transforming popular culture":

"Much of the reason comics are in vogue can be attributed to the fact that writers and filmmakers who grew up on them are now of an age where they can dictate cultural values, whether they are filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez and Bryan Singer or highly regarded writers like Michael Chabon and Jonathan Lethem.

"... 'The acceptability of comics has really made great strides,' notes Sean Howe, editor of Atomsmashers, which offers appreciations of comic books by authors such as Gold, Lethem, Aimee Bender, Gary Giddins and Greil Marcus. 'People say it's cool to like comics, but it's one thing to talk about them on message boards, and another thing to bring them up on first dates.'"