Comments on: The Twelve Best Comic Books for the Classroom http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/ Free Education for All Fri, 13 May 2011 00:38:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: ruchir shah http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-8638 ruchir shah Tue, 29 Jun 2010 06:49:55 +0000 http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-8638 hi what would you suggest about these 4 comics books from ezcomics.com - on benjamin franklin, american civil war, james baker and martin luther king jr. ? these are highly educational focused. Thanks Ezcomics hi what would you suggest about these 4 comics books from ezcomics.com – on benjamin franklin, american civil war, james baker and martin luther king jr. ? these are highly educational focused.
Thanks
Ezcomics

]]> By: DV http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-8443 DV Fri, 02 Apr 2010 17:11:56 +0000 http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-8443 It continually amazes me that our society finds violence and brutality more appropriate for children than nudity and sexuality. It continually amazes me that our society finds violence and brutality more appropriate for children than nudity and sexuality.

]]> By: Betsy http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-6839 Betsy Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:22:54 +0000 http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-6839 Thanks so much! I really appreciate the information you have here. I am a lover of graphic novels and began to loan some of them out to a student last year who shared my interest. He has since asked me to head up a comic club at school. I would be interested to hear a bit more of your opinion regarding appropriateness-level of certain comics. I made the mistake of giving this student some books I had not read in years, and I had forgotten some of the explicit content. I do not think high schoolers should have a problem with the blood, it was the sexuality...I remember some of the books were from Y: The Last Man, the Walking Dead and Sandman. I am mostly concerned with getting in trouble with the school system, or parents. Does a permission slip cover me if a parent complains? Where do you think the line should be set for 16 year olds? I would personally allow my own children to read them, but I am more open minded than others. I appreciate any advice you might share! Thanks so much! I really appreciate the information you have here. I am a lover of graphic novels and began to loan some of them out to a student last year who shared my interest. He has since asked me to head up a comic club at school. I would be interested to hear a bit more of your opinion regarding appropriateness-level of certain comics. I made the mistake of giving this student some books I had not read in years, and I had forgotten some of the explicit content. I do not think high schoolers should have a problem with the blood, it was the sexuality…I remember some of the books were from Y: The Last Man, the Walking Dead and Sandman. I am mostly concerned with getting in trouble with the school system, or parents. Does a permission slip cover me if a parent complains? Where do you think the line should be set for 16 year olds? I would personally allow my own children to read them, but I am more open minded than others. I appreciate any advice you might share!

]]> By: nancy http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-6508 nancy Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:46:37 +0000 http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-6508 I would like to know if you have the graphic novel Frankenstein online for my 12th grade students. I would like to know if you have the graphic novel Frankenstein online for my 12th grade students.

]]> By: Corbin Supak http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-6443 Corbin Supak Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:45:20 +0000 http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-6443 I taught comic arts to middle and high school students this Fall. I did a unit that specifically focused on using comics works to depict cultural situations, as there are so many examples of this lately. We looked at "Maus" and "In The Shadow of No Towers"(9-11 story) by Art Spiegelmann, "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi which is amazing for its portrayal of regular Iranian citizens and the whole backstory there, "Louis Riel" by Chester Brown which tells a great story depicting the 1800's western territory/influence battles in N. America (Canada and N. USA specifically), and "Palestine" by Joe Sacco which is a journalistic account of that situation. I taught comic arts to middle and high school students this Fall. I did a unit that specifically focused on using comics works to depict cultural situations, as there are so many examples of this lately. We looked at “Maus” and “In The Shadow of No Towers”(9-11 story) by Art Spiegelmann, “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi which is amazing for its portrayal of regular Iranian citizens and the whole backstory there, “Louis Riel” by Chester Brown which tells a great story depicting the 1800′s western territory/influence battles in N. America (Canada and N. USA specifically), and “Palestine” by Joe Sacco which is a journalistic account of that situation.

]]> By: Thomas http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-3839 Thomas Sat, 20 Sep 2008 13:18:11 +0000 http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-3839 K, Thanks for adding to the list - it is clear that the comic genre, like all of literature, has many superb works to choose from. Thanks for adding to the discussion. Tom Hanson Editor K,

Thanks for adding to the list – it is clear that the comic genre, like all of literature, has many superb works to choose from. Thanks for adding to the discussion.

Tom Hanson
Editor

]]> By: K http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-2925 K Wed, 17 Sep 2008 03:22:50 +0000 http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-2925 I graduated high school two years ago, and I think there are some really important or just plain excellent comics that were sadly missed on this list. True, 'educational' comics are important and appropriate for a middle/high school library, however for students to get a broader scope of comics, I think quick judgement about which comics to keep off the shelves would be a mistake. A quick list of comics that I found in my own high school library (grades 8-12- no middle school in my city!) as well as a couple additional titles: Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi Epileptic by David B The Arrival by Shaun Tan Buddha (series) by Osamu Tezuka Flight (series) by Various (compiled stories) Sshhhh!/Meow, baby/Hey, Wait!.../The Iron Wagon by Jason Demo by Brian Wood (and Becky Cloonan) Tin tin (series) by Herge The Last Call by Vasilis Lolos Scott Pilgrim (series) by Brian Lee O'Malley Street Angel by Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca East Coast Rising by Becky Cloonan Also recommended would be more 'textbook' comics, specifically, Scot McCloud's work such as: Understanding Comics: the Invisible Art and Making Comics: Story Telling Secrets.... These are comics that all either autobiographical, historical, diverse, or simply campy adventurous. If you can have youth who read Shakespeare (and don't argue about it, there is some messed up stuff that happens in those stories of his) then these graphic novels/manga/cartoons, aka comics are more than appropriate. In addition, other comics such as Sandman or Watchmen or A Conversation with God (by Will Eisner) are also recommended, because in the comic book world, they are ground breaking. Hope it helps! I graduated high school two years ago, and I think there are some really important or just plain excellent comics that were sadly missed on this list. True, ‘educational’ comics are important and appropriate for a middle/high school library, however for students to get a broader scope of comics, I think quick judgement about which comics to keep off the shelves would be a mistake. A quick list of comics that I found in my own high school library (grades 8-12- no middle school in my city!) as well as a couple additional titles:

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Epileptic by David B

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Buddha (series) by Osamu Tezuka

Flight (series) by Various (compiled stories)

Sshhhh!/Meow, baby/Hey, Wait!…/The Iron Wagon by Jason

Demo by Brian Wood (and Becky Cloonan)

Tin tin (series) by Herge

The Last Call by Vasilis Lolos

Scott Pilgrim (series) by Brian Lee O’Malley

Street Angel by Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca

East Coast Rising by Becky Cloonan

Also recommended would be more ‘textbook’ comics, specifically, Scot McCloud’s work such as:

Understanding Comics: the Invisible Art and

Making Comics: Story Telling Secrets….

These are comics that all either autobiographical, historical, diverse, or simply campy adventurous. If you can have youth who read Shakespeare (and don’t argue about it, there is some messed up stuff that happens in those stories of his) then these graphic novels/manga/cartoons, aka comics are more than appropriate. In addition, other comics such as Sandman or Watchmen or A Conversation with God (by Will Eisner) are also recommended, because in the comic book world, they are ground breaking.

Hope it helps!

]]> By: Armen http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-1300 Armen Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:56:29 +0000 http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-1300 This may be a tangential point to the discussion but I would say that any graphic novel content short of obscenity should be considered for a high school audience. When I was in high school I was assigned (and loved) such books as 1984, Death of a Salesman, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Slaughterhouse Five, and Of Mice and Men among others, all of which dealt with mature themes such as depression, child abuse, racism, rape, and suicide. Novels and plays including these topics are part of high school curricula nationwide. It is important that lovers of comics and graphic novels who are using them to reach out to children and foster a love of reading not use the same double standard that comic book critics use by treating exploration of mature themes as sensationalistic pandering when done in comics while calling the same exploration insightful in novels. I hesitate to even bring this up because I think there is an important place for comics in our schools and I wouldn't want to discourage teachers from using them by taking my criticism personally. On the other hand, it would be a shame for a student to miss out on literary classics such as The Watchmen or the Lone Wolf and Cub series because they contain drawings of people bleeding and having sex. This may be a tangential point to the discussion but I would say that any graphic novel content short of obscenity should be considered for a high school audience. When I was in high school I was assigned (and loved) such books as 1984, Death of a Salesman, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Slaughterhouse Five, and Of Mice and Men among others, all of which dealt with mature themes such as depression, child abuse, racism, rape, and suicide. Novels and plays including these topics are part of high school curricula nationwide. It is important that lovers of comics and graphic novels who are using them to reach out to children and foster a love of reading not use the same double standard that comic book critics use by treating exploration of mature themes as sensationalistic pandering when done in comics while calling the same exploration insightful in novels. I hesitate to even bring this up because I think there is an important place for comics in our schools and I wouldn’t want to discourage teachers from using them by taking my criticism personally. On the other hand, it would be a shame for a student to miss out on literary classics such as The Watchmen or the Lone Wolf and Cub series because they contain drawings of people bleeding and having sex.

]]> By: Eric King http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-945 Eric King Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:36:46 +0000 http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-945 This is a great building list, but I think you must include some foreign language books (translated to English) here to show teens and younger that people in other countries are just like them. Something akin to Yoshihiro Tatsumi would be good, but he is a little too explicit. This is a great building list, but I think you must include some foreign language books (translated to English) here to show teens and younger that people in other countries are just like them. Something akin to Yoshihiro Tatsumi would be good, but he is a little too explicit.

]]> By: Tracy Edmunds http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-755 Tracy Edmunds Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:24:03 +0000 http://www.openeducation.net/2008/01/27/the-twelve-best-comic-books-for-the-classroom/#comment-755 My daughters (ages 9 and 12) and I review comics and graphic novels for Newsarama. All our reviews are archived at allagesreads.blogspot.com. You'll find lots of great titles there for younger kids. I just finished reading the first Age of Bronze book. It is really fabulous, but does contain some fairly explicit sex scenes. I wouldn't feel comfortable giving that book to students in middle school or even high school. My daughters (ages 9 and 12) and I review comics and graphic novels for Newsarama. All our reviews are archived at allagesreads.blogspot.com. You’ll find lots of great titles there for younger kids.

I just finished reading the first Age of Bronze book. It is really fabulous, but does contain some fairly explicit sex scenes. I wouldn’t feel comfortable giving that book to students in middle school or even high school.

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