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.