Neither my mom nor my dad ever bought me any comic books.

Host: The dim light of the evening filled the room, casting soft shadows that danced against the walls. The world outside was quieting, the hum of the city fading as the day turned into night. Jeeny sat by the window, her fingers idly tracing the edge of the sill, lost in thought. Jack leaned against the table, a half-finished cup of coffee in front of him, his eyes focused on the thought at hand. There was a soft pause between them, a space waiting to be filled.

Jack: (his voice light, tinged with a bit of humor) "Neither my mom nor my dad ever bought me any comic books. Certainly not for Christmas. I suspect that doing so would have violated the Parents' Code."

Jeeny: (looking up with a small smile, her voice playful) "The Parents' Code? What’s that, exactly? Some kind of unspoken rulebook for raising children?"

Jack: (chuckling softly, his tone nostalgic) "Yeah, something like that. The idea that kids should be exposed to 'proper' things — books, culture, education — not these 'lowbrow' distractions like comic books. I mean, they were fun, sure, but comic books were considered a bit of a guilty pleasure. Definitely not Christmas gift material."

Jeeny: (her expression thoughtful, a gentle smile playing on her lips) "It’s funny, isn’t it? The way certain things get deemed ‘worthy’ or ‘not worthy’ based on how people view them. Comic books, of all things, were so often brushed aside as not serious enough, even though they hold incredible storytelling and creativity. But I get it — it was about wanting to expose you to things that seemed more ‘elevated,’ more in line with the rules of what adults thought you should enjoy."

Jack: (nodding, his voice reflective) "Exactly. It was like the 'grown-up' world didn’t take comics seriously. They were seen as frivolous or childish, but to me, they were this window into incredible stories, into worlds of adventure, heroes, and complex characters. I think it’s that whole idea — if something’s too ‘fun,’ it’s almost seen as a waste of time, especially for kids."

Jeeny: (smiling softly, her voice gentle) "It’s interesting how people place value on things. You’re right that comic books were so often dismissed. But in reality, they’ve become an important part of our culture, influencing everything from movies to art. The stories are as rich as anything in 'serious' literature, maybe even more relatable for a lot of people. In some ways, they teach important life lessons about good and evil, about perseverance, and about identity."

Jack: (his expression softening, his tone mildly amused) "I know. It’s funny how people were so focused on protecting me from those things, like comic books were somehow going to ruin me or make me less intelligent. But honestly, some of the best stories I’ve read have been in those pages. Maybe they didn’t fit the mold of what was expected, but they shaped how I think about characters, narratives, and even life itself."

Jeeny: (her eyes brightening, her voice gentle, but filled with understanding) "It’s the same with art in general, right? People get caught up in what’s ‘appropriate’ or ‘refined,’ but creativity doesn’t work like that. The best stories are often the ones that don’t follow the rules, the ones that come from unexpected places. Maybe the 'Parents' Code' wasn’t necessarily about what was best for you — it was about conforming to what society thought you should like."

Jack: (smiling, his voice more relaxed) "You’re probably right. It wasn’t about protecting me, it was about control, about shaping my tastes into what they thought was appropriate. But looking back, I think those comics were exactly what I needed. They sparked my imagination, they gave me a sense of possibility, of adventure. And, in the end, they didn’t need to fit into a mold to be meaningful."

Host: The room felt lighter now, the conversation turning from humor to understanding. Jeeny and Jack had uncovered a truth in the exchange — that creativity and expression couldn’t be confined by rules, by the expectations of others. It was in the things that didn’t fit the traditional mold that some of the most meaningful moments happened. And whether it was comic books or any other form of art, the importance was in the freedom to explore and embrace what spoke to you, not what was deemed "appropriate." In that moment, both of them realized that sometimes the things that are discouraged or dismissed are often the very things that hold the most value.