Comics, Graphic Novels and Literacy

Comics are a beloved pastime for the young and young at heart since the 1940s. Just the mention of the word brings to mind caped crusaders and secret identities. So it seems only natural that when we hear discussions about comics or their more condense counterparts, graphics novels, as a useful investment of our time that we dismiss the notion entirely or simply reduce it to “just for kids”. However, much like their readers, comics have grown. You would be amazed at how comics have the ability to tug at your heart strings and convey deep and meaningful stories filled with rich characters. Graphic novels  have become more than just for kids, more than just adventurous stories about superheroes; they have become a medium that is worthy of recognition.

Giving Comics their Due

Virtually any award that you can think of for literary materials, a comic has won. The Hugo award, which is awarded to the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, has been won by a graphic novel on 3 separate occasions, most notably by Watchmen by Alan Moore which was also selected to Time magazine’s list of the 100 greatest novels of the past century. Another highly acclaimed graphical novel is Maus by Art Spiegelman, which retells the story of the author’s father, a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor, during the second World War and is notable for being the only comic to ever win the Pulitzer. Even within Canada we’ve begun to observe the movement towards highlighting notable graphic novels as seen by the nomination of Essex County by Jeff Lemire for this year’s Canada Reads debate which is the first time a comic has received that distinction.

Skill Development

As most avid comic fans would tell you, graphic novels are the best of both worlds. They offer visuals like a movie but can pace a story like a novel. However, with visuals comes the idea of simplification, but this is actually how graphic novels help in developing literacy skills altogether. Because of the combination of visuals and text, most readers can read at a higher level (a decade ago, would you have ever come across a 5 year old that knew the word ‘nemesis’?) while strengthening their ability to draw inferences. Throw in the engagement level that comics possess and you have a medium that can easily supplement any educational process. Ask any comic reader and they’ll tell you that reading graphic novels is a skill and if that skill in turn helps develop literacy and deductive skills, then isn’t it worth the time invested?

Educational Integration Has Already Begun

Comic studies is becoming a popular subject offering by day. Several universities already offer graphic novel related courses with even a few secondary schools integrating graphic novels into their curriculum. I recently learned that 2 Generals by Scott Chantler, a non-fictitious tale of his grandfather’s service during the invasion of Normandy, has become a part of the curriculum for a few high-schools in Southwestern Ontario under art, history and English for its portrayal of life as a World War II lieutenant.

A page from 2 Generals depicting soldiers waiting to land on the beaches of Normandy

Final Thoughts

At a recent Comic Literacy event I attended, I had the chance to speak to several Canadian comic writers about their works and their relevance in today’s world of entertainment. Most of the authors were unanimous in their feeling of bewilderment regarding non-comic readers’ opinions on the maturity of comics. One author summed up the predicament of comics with this simple question – “Words can be sophisticated and mature, visuals can be sophisticated and mature, so why do people have a hard time believing that the combination of the two could also be sophisticated and mature?”.

Keep in mind that comics are a medium, not a topic genre. You wouldn’t think of only comedies when you hear about T.V. and comics are no different. With the rise of any new medium, there will be resentment and misunderstandings, but if you accept them for what they are, comics can become a widely entertaining and engaging medium. Sure, comics aren’t going to replace textbooks anytime soon, but if you could offer your students, learners or kids an opportunity to develop their literacy skills and really engross themselves in a subject, shouldn’t you take that chance?

What are your thoughts on using comics to build literacy skills? Let me know in the comments below.

Rita

xoxox

Bonus: Are you a Graphic Novel fan Already?

Chances are, you’ve already been exposed to a graphic novel story without even knowing it. Hollywood has adapted several graphic novels over the past decade but here are a few movies that you may not have known were based on graphics novels:

Tags: 2 Generals, Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman, Canada Reads, comics, Essex County, graphic novels, Hugo award, Jeff Lemire, literacy, Maus, Pulitzer, Scott Chantler, watchmen