Comic strip helps bring divorce to mass media

Even though families of divorce are prevalent in the United States, our country’s mass media does not seem to proportionately represent that. While there are many television shows or reading materials that depict families that deviate from the traditional structure, they are certainly not within the majority.

Recently, one comic strip debuted in newspapers from Lousiana to Oregon, and more than 100 newspaper websites. It is shining a light on these millions of families as well as bringing a new twist to the funnies. The comic strip is called “Gil” and it chronicles the life of an 8-year-old boy (of which the strip’s namesake is devoted to) who is primarily raised by his divorced mother. Compared to traditional comic strips like “The Family Circus,” this is a comic that challenges the norms of its counterparts.

The male artist who created the comic strip said that it is loosely based on his own life as he was raised in a broken home alongside his sister. The artist also points to the fact that, though the boy in the comic strip’s parents are divorced, he remains optimistic and driven, not unlike many children in real life.

The comic’s editor for the company that handles the cartoon said the comic strip is humorous, but more importantly, depicts life in a large amount of homes around the United States. The comic no doubt resonates with the American people, as an estimated half of all marriages in this country result in divorce. Furthermore, single parents are raising one out of every four children in America.

Source: USA Today, “Meet Gil, just another child of divorce,” David Colton, Jan. 3, 2012