Stergios Botzakis Finding Truth, Justice and [email protected] Literacy with Graphic Novels
Working with students at the ending with the tale of a superhero lean toward Dr. Manhattan with University of Tennessee, i use who hung up his costume to take his distant view of humanity as a comics in two different contexts, on thé arguably more difficult job random life-form and the world with undergraduates in a general of mayor of New York City, we talk as an uncaring place. Some see education seminar and with about the ethics of vigilantism, Ozymandias as a person who does the effectiveness of government what is best for the common good, graduate students working toward institutions, and how the choices even at the cost of great sacrifice. initial licensure and advanced people make define their lives. Some see the Comedian as a realist, degrees. In both arenas, I teach In this class we look at comics as forced to make tough decisions in a using comics and graphic novels literary texts that offer complex harsh world, while many others side characters and intense political with Night Owl, who seems the most because I see their usefulness configurations, using characters centrist and reasonable character. as literature, as texts that help that readers recognize from Despite whom they side with, teach students about literacy, cartoons, movies, and comicbooks. members of the class have a rich and as content-area resources. We build from the familiar but veer discussion that always could extend into new territories, examining why well past class time as participants the concept of superheroes would defend their views. This book, with My most-taught freshman seminar and would not work in our world. its stark contrasting characters, is Truth, Justice, and Superheroes. offers an excellent opportunity In this course we read collections One example of an activity from to discuss, in the context of a of classic comic books series such this class deals with Watchmen. This fictional work, government and as Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and book about a superhero team political stances that also apply Lynn Varley's The Dark Knight Returns, with very strong personalities to people's everyday lives. Not and Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons's allows the class to speak about everyone agrees with the solutions Watchmen, along with newer comics the complexities of justice. I ask the characters offer via their such as Brian K. Vaughan and the students to write a response actions, but students do have lots of Tony Harris's Ex Machina, and Brad to two questions, "Who is your fodder for thinking and speaking. Meltzer, Rags Morales, and Michael favorite character?" and "Who Bair's Identity Crisis. Along the way, is the most just character?" The DC Comics' we have discussions about power, corresponding conversation raises Watchmen by justice, and ideologies. These works many interesting points as many of Alan Moore and all touch upon complex societal the students gravitate toward liking Da,v& Gibbons is themes of how power circulates and Rorschach, a violent, paranoid, considered one of what defines justice. Beginning with and strident vigilante with a very the greatest graphic the story of a disillusioned Batman troubled past. When it comes to novels ever created. returning from retirement to who is right, though, I typically see become a type of friendly fascist and much divergence. Some students
68 Knovsfe : 'j.ie-1 I • ftj : to Know GfjSphic N^jteis READING COMICS UNSETTLES SOME UNIVERSITY
STUDENTS, WHO MIGHT BE OTHERWISE VERY CAPABLE
AND KNOWLEDGEABLE, AND OFFERS A CHANCE FOR
LOOKING AT STRUGGLING READERS IN A DIFFERENT, texts, but being in the position of MORE DISTINCT AND PERSONAL LIGHT. novice often draws more attention to the need for them to work to make their texts and content more accessible to students who may not Looking at Literacy from about how we break down and be so comfortable navigating them. understand texts, how we work a Different Perspective with struggling readers, and how Second, the discomfort with Although I do not always use comics we deal with readers' attitudes. reading comics also puts some of to examine ethical and political my students into the position of situations in my education classes, First, reading comics is not being a struggling reader. Not only I do use them with students to something that many of my students do the educators get to think about examine their views about literacy who are, or soon will be, teachers how they might scaffold reading in in general. Each year I choose a are familiar with. I have seen that their own classes, they also get to sequence from a graphic novel, the years of children reading and talk about the effects of attitude on such as Gene Luen Yang's American swapping comic books might be their reading abilities and stamina. Born Chinese or Gareth Hinds's well gone at this point, as most Oftentimes, this means I get a vocal The Odyssey, and ask students the confess they have never read a contingent who tells me that they seemingly simple question, "What comic book, though many still will hate comics and would never use happened?" Usually they start by say they read or have read comic them; members of this group do not explaining what they see going on, strips in the newspaper. I try to understand comics. I do not take and I ask them how they know they capitalize on their discomfort with this personally, but I try to turn this are correct. This quickly turns into the format conventions to show how talk into how they might work with a discussion of the sequential art they might similarly break down students who say the very same things medium. We talk about the panels, texts to be more easily understood about the texts they have to read for the gutters, the word balloons, by their students, according their classes. The reality is that many the use of negative space, and to text structures and content students might not have the patience shorthand symbols such as color expectations. Often these in-service or willingness to keep up with changes, sweat beads, orlightning or pre-service teachers are very schoolwork when they struggle or find bolts. We also end up talking about comfortable with their content areas themselves confused, so they require the authors' intentions with the and do not consciously recognize particular types of attention. Reading art, and the reasons why they chose the assumptions they make about comics unsettles some university to include various words, images, reading their subject matter students, who might be otherwise and visual information. This ad or doing work in their specific very capable and knowledgeable, hoc visual-grammar lesson usually content areas. It is one thing to and offers a chance for looking at takes turns that allow us to talk say that they need to scaffold their struggling readers in a different, more distinct and personal light.
Volume 41 No 3 j Jonuaiy/Febraciy 2013 DC Comics Identity Crisis by Novelist Brad Mcltier and artist Rags Morales depicts the breakdown of relationships within the Justice League when a family member is mysteriousl\ murdcrcd.
Focusing on Resources complex adult works like Asterios for Students of All Ages Polyp by David Mazzucchelli. Books Mentioned: Aside from classroom readings Hinds, Gareth. 2010. The Odyssey. and activities, I have another From my work in classrooms Somerville, MA: Candlewick. way to engage my students in and on my blog, I endeavor Jablonski, Carla, and Leland Purvis. all the classes I teach: my blog, to demonstrate that comics 20I0. Resistance: Book 1. NewYork: Graphic Novel Resources
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