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SEB-standard 31: ANCHOR'S AWAY
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May 23, 2010 - 1:06 AM - by SebastianPiccione
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Awright, I haven’t written one of these columns in quite some time. I’ve been too busy with too many other things. In fact, I’m STILL too busy. I have a gazillion other tasks that need my attention right this very minute.
So, what, you may very well be asking, has dragged me back to pages of SEB-standard?
THE ANCHOR #8 was the last issue. Poor sales have forced BOOM! STUDIOS to cancel Phil Hester and Brian Churrilla’s brilliant series.
This is a real shame.
Attachment 9825
Not that BOOM! pulled the plug -- that just makes good business sense—but the fact that sales were low enough for that to happen.
***UPDATE***
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Chip Mosher, BOOM! STUDIOS Marketing Director, and all around great guy, has asked that I point out that it's not too late to hoist THE ANCHOR! If TRADES continue to sell briskly enough, BOOM! could be willing to reconsider and bring back Clem and the gang.
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THE ANCHOR was one of the best books to hit the market in a long time. It quickly found itself at the top of my “read-in-this-order” pile. Heck, as a reviewer for PROJECT FANBOY, I have access to advance reader copies online. I could very simply have just read this book on my computer, posted my little opinion, and been done with it. But this book was too good, and, I bought each and every issue as it came out. Pre-ordered them from my LCS, FAMOUS FACES & FUNNIES, I did. I, and several other readers, would sing its praise at the “ROUND TABLE,” a monthly event held at Famous Faces, where customers and employees (it’s open to anyone) gather to eat pizza and discuss what we’re reading. Heck, I even bought the trade. That’s right, I picked up the trade, collecting the issues I bought, of the comic I could have read for free.
Why?
Well, because it was THAT good. And, I’m glad I did. Even though the sales were low enough to cancel the book, I can sleep well, knowing I did my part.
Where were you?
This book was so great. Hester and Churilla avoided the usual grim, gritty, hyper-realistic approach of 98% of comics today, and went with something fun, positive, and uplifting. Better yet, they did that without seeming preachy or forced, like too many of the attempts to the same. Clem, aka The Anchor, is a truly righteous (in the original context) and noble hero. His motivations are pure and good. Even when he backslides, the closest he comes to selfish is his decision to travel into Hell, to redeem the tainted soul of his only living descendant.
Now, I know, many people’s first instinct is bristle at the idea of noble and godly comic-book premise. And, yes, Clem’s faith in God is a major point within the book. But, again, this isn’t preachy or over-bearing.
Anyone who knows me can tell you, that like most good little Long Island Italian boys, I was raised Catholic. And, like many before me, that strong Catholic upbringing has left me…well, I’m not passionate enough to be Agnostic, and I’m not committed enough to be Atheist. Let’s stick with “A” words, and call me religiously Apathetic. My point is, I was still able to be totally immersed in this book and found myself completely enamored of this hero and his dogma, despite any religious biases of my own.
This was an intelligent and well written book, with interesting and original ideas. The art was nothing short of gorgeous, wonderfully organic, and full of energy.
If you haven’t read this book, read it. I’m sure the issues are on shelves at various shops, and I KNOW you can get the first trade. The second should hit stores pretty soon, as well. Read it and see for yourselves. And if you like it, and I’m fairly certain you will, let BOOM! know.
Attachment 9824
THE ANCHOR VOLUME 1
ISBN13: 978-1-60886-004-3
Diamond Code: DEC090728
THE ANCHOR VOLUME 2
ISBN13: 9781608860043
Diamond Code: APR100814
I refuse to believe there’s no room for the ANCHOR on comic shop shelves, but that we need whole sections to display the 20-something monthly DeadPool appearances.
For more, check out my interview with Phil & Brian from back in October.
http://forums.projectfanboy.com/showthread.php?t=4728
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23 Comments | 737 Views
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SEB-standard 30: My favorite comics from 2009
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Dec 31, 2009 - 2:27 AM - by SebastianPiccione
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Ok, so here we are, the last Wednesday of 2009. Am I here to give a speech about new beginnings and resolutions to be timelier with these things in 2010? No. See, I like you guys and wouldn’t want to lie to you. Truth is, between teaching the felons, writing CAT. 5, and doing the various reviews, interviews, and news here on PFB, there just isn’t enough time in any given week. That and I have to pick and choose when it’s worth fighting for the computer with the wife. She can be quite persuasive…and violent.
Besides, with SEB-standard being an opinion column, it’s not on the same demanding schedule as TPG, Lee’s CPP, or any of the other columns. This is just for when I have something I feel is worth saying. Ideally, you guys will chime in. You can agree or disagree, but either way I hope you add a little something to the conversation.
So, what’s so important that I felt it was worth talking about? As I said in the beginning of this tirade, it’s the end of 2009. 2010 looms over us like a big looming thing. So, I’ve come to share My Top Picks for 2009. Notice I didn’t say “Best Of”. Kevin Maguire pointed out on FACEBOOK that he hates everybody posting a BEST OF when they aren’t really “THE BEST” they are just that poster's favorites. Kevin is my all time favorite artist, and he has a point, so I defer to his wisdom. These books may or may not be “The Best’, but they definitely met and/or exceeded my SEB-standards.
Ok, so without further ado, I give to you:
THE SEB-standard PERSONAL FAVORITE PICKS FOR 2009!!
BOOM! STUDIOS
Let’s start with BOOM! Studios. These guys have had a great year. They put out so many great books. My personal faves? Michael A. Nelson & Emma Rios’ HEXED was a lot of fun. They made the arcane both gorgeous and messy. Michael is doing it again with his new mini, DINGO. Nelson just has this knack for writing street level wizardry.
BOOM! also wowed me on the Superhero scene with IRREDEEMABLE and December saw the launch of its counterpart, INCORRUPTIBLE. The spiraling fall of the ultimate “Superman” type juxtaposed by the enlightenment and redemption of most nefarious villain, Waid delivers high concept with high entertainment. Not an easy task, but these books really shine.
On yet another note, BOOM’s THE ANCHOR, by Phil Hester and Brian Churilla has been the feel good, supernatural, adventure book of the year. Yeah, I didn’t realize that was a category either, but if you want to be the best in a genre, inventing a new one is a good way to go. I can’t name one character in comics more genuine and noble than Clem, aka The Anchor.
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Two words: BUCK ROGERS. I am loving this series. So much fun, so much nostalgia meets bright shiny newness. Just give it a QUEEN soundtrack, and I’m in heaven.
Dynamite also impressed me this year with PROJECT SUPERPOWERS volume two. Things are really building to a head here, and it really is NOT just another reactivation of the public domain characters. There are some really cool ideas here.
RADICAL COMICS
Really? I love EVERYTHING about RADICAL. If I had to name my faves (and for this column’s theme, I do) for 2009, I’d have to say FVZA, HERCULES: THE KNIVES OF KUSH, and the just released LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME. Radical does books that really don’t seem like anything else out there. There’s an energy to these books that I can’t describe. I like ‘em, yessir, I do.
IMAGE
COWBOYNINJAVIKING. Yeah. The title says it all.
The ATOM EVE & REX SPLODE mini has been really good. I love Rex, I’ll be sorry to see he him die. I know, it’s already happened, but I read INVINCIBLE in trades, so I’m not there yet. I just picked up #11 today.
And yes, I’m still enjoying SAVAGE DRAGON. Erik Larson has been doing this book for over 150 issues now. That alone is worthy of my respect. The fact that it’s still fun is an added bonus. I love that appearance aside, Dragon is basically a down to earth, meat and potatoes kind of guy just happens to live in a rather absurd world. He’s the Universe’s straight-man.
AVATAR PRESS
The various Warren Ellis goodness is ALWAYS worth reading. But my favorite this year has been Christos Gage’s ABSOLUTION, which falls neatly in between BOOM!’s IRREDEEMABLE and INCORRUPTIBLE themes, with a super-hero/cop who crosses the line, murdering the otherwise unstoppable criminals. Heavy stuff done very VERY well.
DEVIL’S DUE.
I love MERCY SPARX. C’mon, a demoness who keeps ending up a pawn in the heaven/hell machinations. What’s not to love?
ABSTRACT STUDIOS.
Terry Moore’s ECHO. Top of my reading pile EVERY time it comes out. This book is brilliant. The latest issue centers around a higher math lesson, and I STILL loved it. That’s an endorsement like no other. Read this, you’ll be doing yourself a favor.
OUTLAW ENTERTAINMENT.
Have you checked these guys out yet? $7.99 graphic novels. Lots of fun to read, and usually very nice to look at. WE THE PEOPLE was my favorite. Heck, it’s up for a PFB Award.
GENERAL JINJUR
CHARLATAN: PRELUDES
Gil and Jen Lawson's tale of a man who is handed awesome power to protect the Earth from total annihilation, but is told that to do so he must sacrifice his young daughter. A great book that appealed to the superhero fan and the father in me. Plus, with art by Zeu Gouveia, it was a no-brainer. I LOVE his art.
DC
Ok, BLACKEST NIGHT, obviously, the best “Event” from either of the big two in several years.
ADVENTURE COMICS. I’ve gotten Conner back AND the REAL Legion of Superheroes.
LEGION OF THREE WORLDS. It fixed Conner, Bart, & the legion. Geoff Johns wrote it, George Perez drew it. Need I say more?
R.E.B.E.L.S. No. Really. This is one of the best books DC is publishing right now. It’s SECRET SIX good. Vril Dox, the leader of the heroes, is a bigger prick than the villains. Talk about fighting fire with fire. One fo the best line-ups in any series, Tony Bedard has outdone himself.
BOOSTER GOLD. ‘Cause I’m me, it’s my list, and Dan Jurgens is writing and drawing his creation. Lately, Booster has had more depth then 95% of comic characters out there. This is just a great book. Just lose the Jaime Reyes back-up, and this is the greatest book ever.
POWER GIRL, because it’s not what everybody thought it would be. It’s better. It’s fun, and I’m actually caring about the character for the first time in…ever! Palmiotti, Gray, and Conner have made P.G. more than just that super-chick with the boob window.
Everything SUPERMAN. Supes is a tough nut to crack. It’s hard to balance that much power and still make you think “uh-oh, will he be OK?” But the NEW KRYPTON and WORLD AGAINST SUPERMAN storylines have kept him on the ropes. Plus, I LOVE Mon-el, and have grown to really like Nightwing & Flamebird. And Sterling Gates’ SUPERGIRL is the best that book/character has been in years.
MARVEL.
AVENGERS: INTITIATIVE. The best book Marvel puts out, hands down. No. There is no room for debate on this. End of story.
NEW MUTANTS. It started with a great two issues of NOVA that brought back Warlock (the black and yellow shape shifter, whose mutant power is the ability to care about others, not Adam Warlock) and then culminated in the return of the original line-up and Cypher. All we need now is to bring in Wolfsbane and get her off that ridiculously bad X-FORCE and life will be perfect.
STRANGE. It’s like HEXED in the Marvel Universe. Lovin’ it.
And, weirdly enough, I really liked the NOMAD: GIRL WITHOUT A WORLD mini-series, and I’m quite happy that she’ll be getting a back-up feature in CAPTAIN AMERICA in 2010. Who wouldda thunk it?
So, what were some of your favorites? I wanna hear from you guys. And not just Tiggerpete…though, yes, Pete, your opinion is always appreciated…but c’mon people. Time to explain why you love the books you love. Every fanboy’s mission life, it is! Lemme hear ya!
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14 Comments | 1,483 Views
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SEB-standard 29: Thinking IN-STORE but OUT-OF-THE-BOX
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Oct 28, 2009 - 4:42 AM - by SebastianPiccione
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Hey, gang. Been awhile. Well, maybe it hasn’t been awhile since we spoke, I’ve been popping reviews, news, comments, and the odd interview up all over the site, but we haven’t had a SEB-standard in awhile. So, I figured, I should get out there. As Forby said, I need to make sure my name is seen.
SEBASTIAN PICCIONE.
There, did you all see that?
Anyway, one of the many topics we revisit here is the idea of comic stores doing more to help bring people in and to help get that kind of “community” feel in their store. You know, as opposed to a comic shop that is filled with people just grabbing their books and running, not talking to each other, and trying to avoid the disdain of the employees.
As you know, my boy Rick owns FAMOUS FACES AND FUNNIES, my local comic shop. Now, Rick is just about the friendliest guy you’ll ever meet, and he does amazing things with his store. Some are for bringing in the newbies, while others are for rewarding the regulars (and newbies) for coming in.
In October, for the second time, FF&F hosted 24 HOUR COMIC DAY. This always attracts new people in, as they like to watch us draw and check in and see what we’ve produced. Sure, after finishing 24 pages in 16 ½ hours last year, I wussed out with a mere 17 pages in 16 hours, this time out. As soon as I get the scans I’ll show my creation, EVENT FATIGUE. Oh yeah, good times.
One of the best parts of the night (aside from the TONS of free pizza) was when this old German guy came in and was fascinated with us and our dorkiness. He began telling stories of comics from Germany, and reciting them from memory…and then translating them into English as we all sat blinking vapidly. Not a lot of us spoke German. But it was this wonderful moment of comics bridging the gaps between generations and cultures. Zat und, evereesing seems so much kooler vis a German accent!
Rick is friends with Aaron Haaland, who, aside from having ENTIRELY too many “A”s in his name, is the owner of A COMIC SHOP. Yes, the one from A SHOP OF IDEAS on Newsarama.
One of Aaron’s babies has always been FREE COMIC BOOK DAY. But, not just the big one, first, Aaron started something called “MY Free Comic Book Day”. He’d made these cards, good for one free comic up to $3.99. The cards boldly offered the challenge “WE DARE YOU TO READ…A COMIC.” He’d give them to people, getting them into the store and able to try a comic without risking the cover price if they didn’t like it. Rick loved that idea, and soon FF&F had their own cards.
This year, after much planning, Rick and Aaron are hosting synchronized MINI FREE COMIC BOOK DAYs. On Saturday, Nov. 7th, both stores will be hosting their own FREE COMIC BOOK DAY events. There will be plenty of free comic giveaways (obviously) as well as other perks, including some of the pros on hand to do sketches and sign things. I know I’ll be getting my L.E.G.I.O.N. series signed by Tony Bedard at FF&F, when I’m not hassling frequent guest artist Karl Moline. And Karl drew one of the stories in the L.E.G.I.O.N. ANNUAL #1, so double signage there! Woo-hoo!
Now, sometimes I offer up ideas to Rick, because..well, because my store has been closed since 2001, and I live vicariously through Rick (which is probably the saddest thing a person could ever admit). But, if you flip through old SEB-standards, you’ll find the Flash Race, which I dreamt up and participated in (took a nasty hit, too). That idea was good enough that Aaron used it as well, and Rick did a spin-off FLASH VS. Superman race when FLASH REBIRTH #3 came out. Oh, and Aaron had Ethan Van Sciver, himself, guest judge his Flash Race. Coolness, no? Either way, customers got to “bet” on the winner in exchange for prizes and discounts.
But, last week I FINALLY got to partake of my latest promotional idea. THE BLACKEST NIGHT GRAVEYARD GIVEAWAY. I had come up with the plan to build a cemetery and give customers the chance to pick a dead hero, and rob their grave to “resurrect some savings”. The qualifications are subject to change, but for the moment, if you buy a GREEN LANTERN trade or any GEOFF JOHNS trade, you get to pick from the graveyard. I picked up Geoff Johns and George Perez’s FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS Hardcover and chose TED KORD, naturally, and will enjoy 15% off my next purchase.
It’s NICE when an idea pays off like that!
Anyway, just so you can see them, here are the rules and prizes for the BLACKEST NIGHT GRAVEYARD, as well as some photos of the whole thing. And for fun, I'm tacking on two pics of custom Black Lantern figures (yes, the Ted kord is MINE).
Genius, weirdo, and all around cool guy, Kevin Little designed the graveyard and built the graveyard and did all the art.
Es muy bueno.
Quote:
Blackest Night Graveyard Promotion
Throughout the rest of the incredible Blackest Night saga, you can win prizes out of our Blackest Night graveyard for every eligible TPB you purchase. Everyone's a WINNER!
This month, if you buy any Green Lantern or Geoff Johns TPB or HC, you can pick a coffin and win a prize. Green Lantern TPBs will always be the constant but the second title will change each month. Starting November 4, any Green Lantern TPB or Superman TPB will win you a chance to win a prize. In December, it will be Green Lantern TPB or Titans TPB that earn you a chance to win a prize.
Going on NOW: Each Green Lantern or Geoff Johns TPB = Pick a Coffin & Win a Prize!
Current PRIZE LIST - Every Coffin is a WINNER!
Save 15% On Your Next Purchase!
Save 25% On Your Next Purchase!
Save 30% Off Any ONE ITEM!
Save 40% Off Any ONE ITEM!
You Win a $10 FFF Gift Card!
You Win a $20 FFF Gift Card!
You Win a TPB up to $15.00 Value!
You Win a TPB up to the Same Value as the one you just bought!
You Win a FREE comic up to $3.99
You Win 2 FREE comics up to $3.99 each!
You Win $15 Worth of Back Issues in the Bins!
Roll 1 Six-Sided Die & Get 5 times that amount off your next purchase! Minimum = 10% Off!
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For HOMEWORK…think of something cool you've seen that a comic store HAS done and/or come up with something cool you’d like see done as an effort to bring people in and keep them coming back, and share it with us. Let's see what cool ideas we can come up with!
Our little world can ALWAYS use expanding!
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14 Comments | 997 Views
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SEB-standard 28: Walt Disney Presents: Marvel Comics
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Sep 03, 2009 - 2:27 AM - by SebastianPiccione
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M-i-c…k-e-y…W-o-l-v-e-r-i-n-e…
So, like any change, Disney’s purchase of marvel comes with potential for good and potential for bad. This installment of SEB-standard is really all about raising questions, and not posing any real answers. This isn’t ISSUES, I’m not about to do all the crazy research, so we’re gonna have to wait for Jeff to find the answers.
So Disney buys Marvel and the comic world spins like the teacup ride. What does this mean for us and our beloved Marvel icons? Well, since marvel has already made most of their Icons unrecognizable…Red Hulks, Retconned Spideys, Non-Supreme Doctor Stranges, Multi-avengers, Mayor Jameson, FrankenCastle Punisher, Bucky-Cap, Norman Osborne running the show, and what the F--- is up with X-Force…it’s not like things can get TOO much weirder. In fact, Disney may lean towards a more recognizable (and therefore more marketable) MU. Hey-yo!
Ok. I was kidding…partially…a little…
But, what DOES this mean?
Well, on the one hand, WARNER BROTHERS and Bugs Bunny have owned DC for years now, and that has only seemed to help the company and it’s standing in the financial world. So, technically, this should just be the same kind of thing as the DC-Warner merger, and everyone should rest easy.
So, why is everyone freaked out?
Well, Disney AINT Warner Bros.
Seb, why you hatin’ on the Mouse?
Look, I live in Florida, right under the Mouse’s thumb. I know that despite that cute smile and eunuch’s voice, Mickey can be a bigger tyrant than Victor Von Doom and Osborne combined.
Disney doesn’t share well, and they don’t play well with others. I keep picturing an ideal new Alex Ross painting. Worm’s eye view, with all the heroes in the MU rushing up to fight Galactus, who is looming over the world, hands out and Kirby-dotted to devour the MU. Galactus has Mickey’s head, big ears on the helmet, the whole 9 yards.
I worry about things like, what does this mean for neighboring amusement park, UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, and their Marvel themed ISLAND OF ADVENTURE?
On the comics end, what about the various companies that have aquired the rights to do Disney Comics? Slave Labor was doing (albeit few and far between) Gargoyles and a sort of Alice In Wonderland. Gargoyles has a cult following, and Alice is sure to be a hot property once the new Burton/Depp live action comes out. BOOM! Studios has been doing some great things with Disney properties like CARS, TOY STORY, THE MUPPET SHOW, and THE INCREDIBLES. They've even started soliciting for WALT DISNEY COMICS AND STORIES as well as a new WALL*E series. What becomes of them?
Will Disney start putting Marvel comics into larger chains, like Walmart, Target, and Barnes & Noble? If so, what will that do for the Comic Book Specialty Shops? While I know that selling more books in bigger places is good for the company, and possibly the industry, Comic Book stores are part of our culture. They don’t just sell us our books, they are where we go to be with like minded dorques and talk comics. They’re like our Elks Lodge we can talk our almost coded comic-speak. To lose them would be a serious blow to the comic culture no matter how much money Marvel made.
Now, enough Doom and Gloom, I’m starting to sound like Forby discussing our chances of making it in the comic industry! Let’s look at some of the positives.
$$$ KA-CHING!
Disney has got MAD money, son! And they are one of the most powerful marketing machines in the world. They can support anything Marvel wants to do and not worry about losses as much. I mean, obviously they want to make money, but a loss on a single project that would be devastating to marvel won’t even phase the corporate beast that is Disney.
I DO look forward to being able to buy those (ridiculously over-priced) lamenated pins they sell at the theme parks once they start featuring some Marvel Heroes.
Job Security. With Disney’s pockets, Marvel could be in a placee to offer some serious benefits and pay potential to its employees.
Movies. Disney, and more to the point, Pixar, could really do some amazing things with the MU. Imagine Pixar/Marvel. They could even make a sub-division, specifically geared towards adapting Marvel properties into films, thus separating themselves a skootch from the kid-oriented feel, all CGI marvel movies for all ages, including the comic fans. Casting would be based on voice and persona, rather than Do they/don’t they look like the character.
Granted, I’ll be pissed when I hear some commercial say “THOR on DVD and BLU-RAY, get it now, before it returns to the DISNEY VAULT January 31st!”
Disney can open up whole new possibilities that Marvel could never even have conceived of. Let’s just hope they don’t close too many doors while they open all those windows.
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SEB-standard 27: Comic Book 101
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Aug 19, 2009 - 9:03 PM - by SebastianPiccione
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It’s Wednesday and you know what that means?
Ok, yeah, it means new comics come out…
Yes, yes, it is “hump day” and we’re midway through the work week…
What’s that? Yes, you’re right, it is named for the Norse God, Odin, also known as Woden or Wotan.
(Can you guess which Norse God THURSDAY was named for?)
Huh? Wednesday’s child is full of woe? I suppose…
OK, FINE! I admit it, Wednesday doesn’t automatically mean the new SEB-STANDARD column the way Tuesday means a new BOLTS & NUTS, ok! I haven’t exactly been very punctual with these things.
So sue me.
I’ve been busy. Busy with the start of a new school year, which also finds me in a new school, so there’s been some adjustment, OK? Give a guy a break, I’ve been teaching.
But that got me thinking about this column and comics in the classroom.
See, I’m a FIRM believer in the use of comics in the classroom. And, since I happen to teach, I get to make it happen.
This year I’ll be using ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1 as a class project, since my boy, Evil Rick Shea (he’s not really all that evil), owner of Famous Faces and Funnies, hooked me up with a class set of the AFTER THE WATCHMEN edition. In the past I’ve used the FCBD edition of SUPERMAN/BATMAN # 1 (also a Rick donation) but they’ve fallen apart over the years. Kids can be so cruel.
Anyway, with the SUPERMAN/BATMAN I was able to cover the elements of literature, such as PLOT, EXPOSITION, RISING ACTION, CLIMAX, FALLING ACTION, RESOLUTION, THEME, TONE, MOOD, SETTING, CHARACTERS, and CHARACTER VOICE. We’d read the comic together, so as to avoid first time panel order confusion. We take it for granted how to read a comic, but be honest, some of those page arrangements can confuse even the oldest comic veteran, so imagine it’s your first time and it’s a graded assignment! Then, they would read it to themselves, and chart out the plot, list and describe the characters and settings, find a theme, and describe the tone & Mood of the book.
That was the fun part. The tone and the mood. Tone is the emotion or feeling the author tries to convey within the work, MOOD is the emotion or feeling the reader takes away from the work. How was this fun? Well, we would combine this with CHARACTER VOICE, the distinct personality of a speaker or character. We would do a whole compare and contrast essay (complete with preliminary Venn Diagram, that MasterCard logo shaped visual aid, with two overlapping circle for charting differences and similarities) between Batman and Superman. This worked wonderfully, because in the early SUPERMAN/BATMAN issues, Jeph Loeb would show the story through both Batman and Superman’s P.O.V., complete with bright yellow captions for Supes, and dark blue boxes for Bats. Often they would have the same thought, only the tone would be different, or they would express the exact opposite feeling about certain thing, Batman complaining that the city was too bright and Pristine, whereas Superman found it to be a beautiful morning. It was great because it worked on all levels. The “gifted” students would find whole nuances to lose themselves in, the “regular” students were more than up to the task, and the “special needs” students weren’t threatened by the comic as they were by a textbook, and everybody was able to get into it.
I would also use comic strips, both actual ones from the paper, and student created ones, to teach sequential order of events. It’s amazing how difficult some students can find the concepts until they draw out a three panel comic strip showing an a series of events in order.
Later in the year, we do a project that involves the students working in groups to convert chapters of public domain stories that we read in class, The Odyssey for the 9th graders, etc… from prose to comic. They go through their assigned chapter and break down the plot, settings, and characters, and then they come up with a script. I bring in BLUE LINE pages and they draw and ink their section of the story. You know what kids of every age, 6th grade through 12th grade find fascinating? NON-PHOTO BLUE pencils. Really! When it’s all said and done, we can even have them printed up.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Don’t get me started on the vocabulary that students learn from comics. Not only are they exposed to new and intelligent words and concepts, but it comes complete with panels full of visual context clues. More and more graphic novels are being used by reading teachers and reading coaches. SCHOLASTIC’s full color BONE trades, by Jeff Smith, are higher level reading that kids choose themselves. Various reading institutions are producing CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED style trades as reading texts.
So, the next time you hear a parent or teacher telling some kid, “Now, over the break I want you to read something…but a REAL book, not a comic,” you tell them, “Hey! Comics ARE Real books!”
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