A Super-Villain Ate My Homework Using COMICS IN THE CLASSROOM

Nick Kremer Columbia Public Schools University of Missouri

Comics - Overview

THE LINGO: Sequential Art Narrative: a series of pictures (with or w/o text) that tell a cohesive story Comic Strip: ~6 or less frames, on-going series Comic Book: ~24 pages, on-going series Graphic Novel: Full stand-alone book/album

THE PEOPLE: Writer – writes the script (story + dialogue) Artist – draws/lays out the script Letterer – adds text to the drawings Inker – darkens the pencil drawings Colorist – adds color to the drawings Editor – the proofreader and business manager

THE HISTORY: History: Cave Painting, Heiroglyphics, Stain-Glass Windows, Wood Carvings, Illustrations, Political Cartoons, etc. 1896: Richard Outcalt: Voice Bubbles + the Funny Pages (The Yellow Kid, Krazy Kat, Pop-Eye) 1929: Picture Adventures (Dick Tracy, Tarzan) : Golden Age of Superheroes (Superman, Batman, Shazam, Wonder Woman, Captain America) 1945: Rise of the Rest: Horror, Romance, Western, Crime, “Adult Themes” 1950s: Seduction of the Innocent + Comics Code : Silver Age of Superheroes (DC Revivals: Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Marvel Origins: Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Hulk, Spider-Man, X- Men, Daredevil) 1970s: Underground Comics + Weakening of the Code, Civil Rights 1980s: The Graphic Novel (A Contract with God, Maus, Watchmen) 1990s: The Gimmick Age, Image Comics (Spawn), Vertigo (Sandman) 21 st Century: Corporatization and the Comic Book Renaissance

Comics: Troubleshooting

Comics aren't intellectual!!

BUT REMEMBER… Stereotypical comic books are only one genre within the large medium of Sequential Art Narratives Texts rich in popular culture and varying formalist choices are misleadingly complex

Looking at Comics isn’t reading!!

BUT REMEMBER… Images have to be “read” using critical literacy skills in the same manner that words do Research shows that comics can help improve literacy with struggling readers

Comics are misogynistic!!

BUT REMEMBER… Comics are products of their culture and reflect the social values found therein While some comics misrepresent various demographics, others empower them

Comics are too expensive!!

BUT REMEMBER… Class sets, grant money, “sampling,” and scanning are cheap solutions Comics can also be studied in single images or excerpts

Comics Don’t Fit into My CURRICULUM! !

BUT REMEMBER… Contemporary curricula stress skills, not specific texts, in an era of abundant global multimedia Comics are rich sources for literary and writing lessons

Comics: Literature Lessons

#1) Literary Elements Comics offer short, accessible stories with lots of concrete examples of abstract literary concepts [Ex: Symbols, Point of View, Character Types, Plot Structure,…]

#2) Denotation vs. Connotation Use comic images to practice visual literacy skills: what literally do you see, what does the image suggest, how/why does it make you feel?

#3) Deconstruction Comics provide a visual context for discussion on how artists elicit intentional responses from readers using conventions

#4) American Mythology American comic books reflect our own cultural values + hero myths and should be studied alongside ancient mythology

#5) Dystopian Literature Graphic Novels are a popular medium for contemporary dystopian literature.

#6) Classic Adaptations Comics provide visual references for classic texts (Ex: Shakespeare), aiding in student comprehension and engagement

Comics: Writing Lessons

#1) Descriptive Writing Students can practice attempting to capture all the details of a picture in words, or having pictures drawn from their writing

#2) Storyboarding a Paper Students can create storyboards to help organize their writing and visually chart the flow of their papers

#3) Dialogue Students can use comic scripting as practice for incorporating dialogue into their prose writing.

#4) Hero Narratives Comic Books provide models for students to design their own hero myths: origins, powers, battles, personal lives, etc.

#5) Sequential Art Narratives Incorporate interdisciplinary learning into your Language Arts classroom by having students create their own comics or adapt existing literature.

Comics: Resources

Instructional Texts Understanding Comics – Scott McCloud Comics and Sequential Art – Will Eisner Graphic Novels: Everything You Need to Know – Paul Gravett Drawing Words and Writing Pictures – Jessica Abel/Matt Madden The Comic Book in America: An Illustrated History – Mike Benton Building Literacy Connections with Graphic Novels – Dr. James “Bucky” Carter

The Comic Book Project

The Graphic Classroom

National Association for Comic Book Educators

EN/SANE World

Comics: Reading Lists

NONFICTION

Maus Art Spiegelman

Persepolis Marjane Satrapi

Safe Area Goražde Joe Sacco

The 9/11 Report Sid Jacobson

FICTION: FANTASY

Watchmen Alan Moore

Sandman Neil Gaiman

Marvel Firsts Stan Lee et. al.

Marvels Kurt Busiek, Alex Ross

Kingdom Come Mark Waid, Alex Ross

FICTION: REALITY

A Contract With God Will Eisner

Jimmy Corrigan Chris Ware

Kings in Disguise James Vance

ALL AGES

Bone Jeff Smith

Mouse Guard David Petersen

Robot Dreams Sarah Varon

NEW STUFF!

American Born Chinese Gene Yang

Satchel Paige - Striking Out Jim Crow James Sturm

Pride of Baghdad Brian K. Vaughan

The Arrival Shaun Tan