Learning in the Comic Book Form

Comics can reach a variety of students of all learning abilities: Text-based, picture-based, or auditory-based while students can work out thematic elements in the comic book form.  This unique piece of popular culture can also have a tremendous impact on students with a variety of learning disabilities and disorders. Students who don't feel confident enough to speak out about "traditional" novels may feel more inclined to participate in discussions on an alternative novel, such as the graphic novel version of Fahrenheit 451, as the pictures appeal to their visual acuity. Other students that struggle with word disorders, reading ability or dyslexia can benefit from a "silent comic (one with no words)" to aid their reading ability:

http://www.bleedingcool.com/forums/showthread.php?36255-Wednesday-Comic-Reviews-Fantastic-Four-588-and-Amazing-Spider-Man-655

Though both of the issues are silent in nature, the ability for students to read and interpret these panels/pictures to tell the story elevates comic books from simply a "juvenile" medium of popular culture, to one that can have a profound impact on how students learn. For example, Marvel Comics has recently posted an "audio-edition" version of Daredevil #1, which came out in stores last month:

http://marvel.com/news/story/16485/daredevil_1_audio_edition
http://marvel.com/files/podcasts/DAREDEVIL_1_edited.mp3

"This project came about because, as we were getting to relaunch the new daredevil book with Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin, on the creative side, we got a lot of letters from actual blind Marvel Comics readers who have friends who read comics to them ever single week the books come out. So I thought it would be a cool and fun little exercise to get a few of us together here, very impromptu, and read the first issue of Daredevil." Stephen Wacker

Like any other form of written media, comics and graphic novels can be read. Comic books and graphic novels also have a unique voice and identity all their own. Just as films are be novelized, graphic novels can be read and enjoyed by all types of students."There's no difference between a novel and an illustrated novel. "Ray Bradbury. http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m30TKS9VUU3JDC/ref=ent_fb_link

Comic books and Graphic Novels can have a profound impact upon students with a variety of learning disorders: Dyslexia, where comics can tell stories in picture form, writing disability, where students can refer back to pictures to interpret and refer back to topics/themes in the work, or auditory processing disorder by means of graphic audiobooks using the pictures, words and audio to guide them.  These are only some of the impressive methods comic books and graphic novels impact students of any grade level with nearly any form of learning disability.  Just as each student is unique, there are a variety of unique means to appeal to their special educational needs.

The Case for Comics in the Classroom

"We’re living in a moment of profoundly shifting cultural attitudes toward the comics medium. The graphic novel industry is the strongest growth sector in all of publishing, and the majority of the top 20 highest grossing films of the last 10 years were based on comic properties." Josh Elder, Executive Director Reading with Pictures.  http://graphicnovelreporter.com/content/big-picture-interview

It is no coincidence that comics are quickly becoming a more prominent aspect of popular culture, but we are currently on the cutting edge of something noteworthy.  Comics are applicable to a variety of classroom settings, appealing to those students that benefit from visual and tactile learning. Comics and graphic novels provide the best medium for a variety of learners.  Some students cannot gain interest or meaning from texts while they are being lectured, or "talked at," in many cases. The use of comics and graphic novels manage to set a standard for all types of learners to benefit.  Those students who prefer to view a story unfolding before them have the benefit of pictures to draw meaning from, those that prefer to read and gain understanding from the written word have the benefit of reading captions and inner monologues for characters to gain meaning, and those students who benefit from crafting and directly engaging in the story in an applied manner using art and written elements to create their own stories and meaning, can create their own stories to enhance their awareness of other novels, books, etc.

Comics are no longer just a "fringe medium" on the academic stage, as Maryland is at the forefront of this wonderful educational medium.  The Superintendent of the School District in 2005, Nancy Grasmick, spearheaded this program in order to combat the declining reading proficiency of countless students in her district that couldn't read in a consistent manner.  The project grew by leaps and bounds and is still going strong as of 2008.

http://cnettv.cnet.com/comic-books-classroom/9742-1_53-50037819.html
http://www.msde.maryland.gov/MSDE/programs/recognition-partnerships/md-comic-book

Though this is one magnificent example, a key architect of the development of Marvel Comics also believes that comics and graphic novels have their place in the educational realm.  Stan Lee, former writer and Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics, believes that comics are no longer a "taboo" medium and have a wealth of meaning to engage readers of any age and proficiency.  Stan Lee in defense of comic books:

"So many people have come up to me and said: 'how happy they are that they read these comics in their childhood' and I'm talking now about people who are now doctors, lawyers, important people, and it occurs to me that when you think about it: comics are a wonderful way to tell a story! A well done comic has good writing, beautiful illustration, and it gives people pleasure. How can you knock something like that?"

http://video.comicbookresources.com/cbrtv/2011/cbr-tv-todd-mcfarlane-interviews-stan-lee/ (5:40-15:40)

Comic books are a wonderful means to teach plot, characterization and character elements, setting, theme, and countless other literary techniques that can also be gleaned from "traditional" media forms such as novels and films. We are at the forefront of a wonderful teaching tool in schools that possesses all the benefits of appealing to visual learners, tactile learners, reading and writing learners, et. al.  Comics appeal to a myriad of learning styles and should be considered as valued reading materials when building course catalogs around the students that will benefit from reading them.

A Very Good Place to Start

     This blog is simply to catalog my research for my Philosophy of Education Academic Writing Assignment during my independent study, but this also is a place to share my thoughts with any and all that want to listen about the wonderful world of comic books and graphic novels in an educational setting, or for their own merits as well.

For my first post, I'll be linking to my Public Diigo Page in order to show the work that's already been started on the unique topic of exploring academic and philosophical merits of using this unique medium to affect change in how educational materials are selected and used in the secondary educational realm and beyond.

Listed is my public diigo page: http://www.diigo.com/user/jjjett2

Also listed below is my list of 10 Great Graphic Novels for those that are not well-versed in this incredible medium:

10) Chew-Layman, John and Guillory, Rob.This quirky series should be more gruesome and violent than it actually is.  This unique and odd work is simply about a detective that gets psychic impressions from the food he eats.  It is also a very, very funny book as we see the impressions our protagonist Tony Chew receives.  Some foods, like oranges and bananas take him to tropical paradises in his mind, whereas eating a burger can produce rather unsettling impressions to say the least.  The book is odd, quirky and unique. This book is also part of ALA's 2010/2011 great graphic novels for teens.http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23711

9) Maus- Spiegelman, Art. This compelling graphic novel retells the tortuous journey of Art's father's journey through WWII and torture of enduring the Nazi death camps. This book doesn't pull any punches in it's intensity or detail of the horrors of the human cost of WWII.  The unique aspect of this novel though is the wrinkle where Jews are portrayed as mice and Nazi soldiers as cats. The predator/prey relationship is just one element of this incredible work of art. It is no coincidence that this book won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992.

8)  Batman: The Long Halloween, Loeb, Jeph, and Sale, Tim. Probably one of the most interesting and compelling Batman stories ever told, The Long Halloween follows the journey of Batman as he tries to solve the mystery of a serial killer that only strikes on the holidays of the year from one Halloween to the next.  This story takes so many twists and turns that it is impossible to know which direction the narrative will move until the final pages close.  The homages to The Godfather trilogy of novels doesn't hurt the credentials of this remarkable work.  I've read this book cover to cover in one siting, marveling at the intricate plot and criminal mystery that just happens to be a "Batman Story."

7) American Vampire, Snyder, and Scott, Albuquerque. If you like your stories with a little horror and historical fiction, this is the one for you.  This incredible series was benefited by the legendary Stephen King in the first 5 issues to establish the tone of the work and evolve the cast of characters that Snyder crafted. Snyder had the characters in his head developing for a novel that never developed, until he happened upon the comic book form.  The author won acclaim for his short story collection Voodoo Heart in 2006 and has quickly become one of the most successful recent comic book writers. This story chronicles the first "American Vampire" Skinner Sweet as the American West develops out of the gold rush, into the early Las Vegas years in Nevada, until America is thrust into WWII with our protagonists at the forefront.  This book shows the dark underbelly of American development, and just happens to be an incredible work of horror fiction. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=33674

6) Mouse Guard, Peterson, David. This fun, though dark story, is great for both children and adults.  The younger readers will appreciate the world that may exist out there in the real world where mice fight snakes and birds to survive out in the harsh world climate, though adults can also appreciate the gritty and dark undertones that this series provides. Each character follows character troupes of brash and brawn, reserved and calculating and the natural leader. The enjoyment comes in observing these traits and appreciating the banter and bickering between the characters on their journey.  The ability to for a variety of readers to appreciate this work of art is compelling to say the least.  Mouse Guard is a very unique book that manages to maintain a high standard of quality month-in and month-out.  This series has also been optioned as a movie to be developed and produced by the author.

5) Spider-man Blue, Loeb, Jeph, and Sale, Tim. This tragic tale recounts one of the most noteworthy storylines in all of comic book history, but also functions as a tale of loves lost and the complexity of life when things spiral out of control.  This story is recounted on Valentine's Day and is a heartbreaking retelling of Peter Parker's first love Gwen Stacy's horrific and untimely demise.  This novel is also interesting/noteworthy for the fact that the color palate used is primarily based upon muted and dark colors, blue being the main element in nearly all the colors throughout the book. This novel is also the brainchild of the creative team behind The Long Halloween. It is a somber read at times, but also an uplifting tale of loves remembered.

4) Fables,  Willingham, Bill, and Buckingham, Mark. What if Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood and The Seven Dwarves were released into the real world and they happened to find themselves in New York City? That's what this interesting book does and it takes the children's fables that many of us have come to know and spins it in a unique and interesting way.  Another great element to this series is that the characters all feel accurate to their portrayals in the countless children's fables many have grown up with.  The how's and why's of this happening unravel slowly leading to an incredible reveal of the villain pulling the strings behind the journey into the real world.  This series is great for those that look for a retelling and reinterpretation of stories many of us have grown up with in our formative years.  http://io9.com/5812346/making-fairy-tales-realistic-with-fables-creator-bill-willingham

3)  Blankets, Thompson, Craig. This groundbreaking nonfiction autobiography explores the author's journey from childhood into his early adulthood in painstakingly real detail. The author doesn't sugarcoat the difficulties and complexities of growing up, but uses the comic book medium to it's full potential.  The art depicting the childhood years of Craig's life are very abstract and strange, much like a little boy's imagination, but with elements of the real world sprinkled in.  The difficulties of growing up in a community and family that doesn't understand or support you is a key element to the complexity and realism of this novel. Craig cannot "fit-in" to his fundamentalist Christian family that doesn't understand why he questions his lot in life when he finds his first love.  Like many first loves, things end rather painfully, but the journey of this man's life in unflinching detail is very compelling. You feel as if you're on the journey with Craig over the course of his early life.

2) Y: The Last Man, Vaughn, Brian K. What if a plague killed every living creature on earth that possessed a Y chromosome? What if society were to crumble when the male species failed to exist aside from one man and his ape companion that somehow survive? This story manages to take something as vast and complex as society crumbling, and themes of survivor's guilt and self-destruction as the world falls apart, but always makes it feel horribly real and compelling.  Vaughn manages to create a story that is heavily grounded in reality, but still manages to inspire thought into what one would do if they were a survivor. The protagonist initially thinks this is a wonderful thing to happen to him as he can have any woman he wants (!) and can do anything he wants(!) until the reality of the complete eradication of a gender becomes apparent.  This story remains engrossing until the very last page is turned and all is revealed: The Plague, the reasons for our protagonist's journey, and the sliver of hope that remains of things getting better as society rebuilds and comes to terms with the incredible worldwide loss.  This story is firmly grounded in reality, and makes for a stronger read than many novels fail to capture.

1) All Star Superman, Morrison, Grant, Quitely, Frank. What do you get when you have some of the biggest names in the comic book world combined to tell one of the greatest stories of the 21st century? All Star Superman.  The series is told over 12 individual issues that add up to a greater narrative that gets to the cores of Superman, but also the character troupes of idealism, strength, love and compassion.  This story gets to the heart of what makes great heroes great in any form of written media, but this story utilizes the best elements of the comic book medium which makes for a timeless and classic read.  Grant Morrison has been called both the most influential and destructive forces in comic books as he manages to shake characters to their very core, to then take those central elements and spin them in a unique and engaging way. This story manages to tell a story of a man that thinks he is indestructible, but quickly finds out how wonderful life is when it is winding down to it's final days.  You will never read a Supeman story quite like this one, and you will never read a novel quite like this one either.

That would be all 10 of my picks! Stay tuned for more information on my thesis' development, and the diigo page's growth as well. This is the start of something incredible and I hope you're along for the ride.

J.