IELTS Speaking Part 1: Comics questions and answers

Not very often these days, to be honest. I used to be really into them, but now I usually just flick through webcomics on my phone during my morning commute. I still appreciate the artwork, though, especially serialised mysteries with vibrant illustrations.

Absolutely, yes. I grew up reading weekly comic magazines that my parents bought from the local newsagent. My brother and I would eagerly wait for the latest issues and spend hours copying the characters into our sketchbooks. It was a massive part of my childhood.

Superhero stories and imported manga are definitely the biggest hits, especially among teenagers. You see a lot of young people queuing outside bookshops whenever a new translated volume comes out. Having said that, digital comic strips about everyday life are also catching on quite quickly.

I definitely lean towards physical copies. There is something really satisfying about the texture of the paper and turning the pages. Plus, intricate panel layouts and colour spreads just look far crisper in print than they do on a tiny mobile phone display.

I would love to, but I do not really have the artistic flair for it! I can come up with amusing storylines or quirky dialogue easily enough, but drawing the actual panels would be a struggle. Perhaps I could collaborate with a talented illustrator one day.