Stergios Botzakis sbotzaki@ufk.edu

Finding Truth, Justice and Literacy with Graphic Novels

Working with students at the University of Tennessee, i use comics in two different contexts, with undergraduates in a general education seminar and with graduate students working toward initial licensure and advanced degrees. In both arenas, I teach using comics and graphic novels because I see their usefulness as literature, as texts that help teach students about literacy, and as content-area resources.

M y m o s t - t a u g h t f r e s h m a n s e m i n a r

is T r u t h , J u s t i c e , a n d S u p e r h e r o e s .

I n t h i s c o u r s e we r e a d c o l l e c t i o n s

o f c l a s s i c c o m i c b o o k s s e r i e s s u c h

as F r a n k M i l l e r , K l a u s J a n s o n , a n d

L y n n V a r l e y ' s The Dark Knight Returns,

a n d A l a n M o o r e a n d D a v e G i b b o n s ' s

Watchmen, a l o n g w i t h n e w e r c o m i c s

s u c h as B r i a n K . V a u g h a n a n d

T o n y H a r r i s ' s Ex Machina, a n d B r a d

M e l t z e r , R a g s M o r a l e s , a n d M i c h a e l

B a i r ' s Identity Crisis. A l o n g t h e way,

w e h a v e d i s c u s s i o n s a b o u t p o w e r ,

j u s t i c e , a n d i d e o l o g i e s . T h e s e w o r k s

a l l t o u c h u p o n c o m p l e x s o c i e t a l

t h e m e s o f h o w p o w e r c i r c u l a t e s a n d

w h a t d e f i n e s j u s t i c e . B e g i n n i n g w i t h

t h e s t o r y o f a d i s i l l u s i o n e d B a t m a n

r e t u r n i n g f r o m r e t i r e m e n t t o

b e c o m e a t y p e o f f r i e n d l y f a s c i s t a n d

e n d i n g w i t h t h e t a l e o f a s u p e r h e r o

w h o h u n g u p h i s c o s t u m e t o t a k e

o n t h é a r g u a b l y m o r e d i f f i c u l t j o b

o f m a y o r o f N e w Y o r k C i t y , w e t a l k

a b o u t t h e e t h i c s o f v i g i l a n t i s m ,

t h e e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f g o v e r n m e n t

i n s t i t u t i o n s , a n d h o w t h e c h o i c e s

p e o p l e m a k e d e f i n e t h e i r l i v e s .

I n t h i s c l a s s we l o o k a t c o m i c s as

l i t e r a r y t e x t s t h a t o f f e r c o m p l e x

c h a r a c t e r s a n d i n t e n s e p o l i t i c a l

c o n f i g u r a t i o n s , u s i n g c h a r a c t e r s

t h a t r e a d e r s r e c o g n i z e f r o m

c a r t o o n s , m o v i e s , a n d c o m i c b o o k s .

W e b u i l d f r o m t h e f a m i l i a r b u t v e e r

i n t o n e w t e r r i t o r i e s , e x a m i n i n g w h y

t h e c o n c e p t o f s u p e r h e r o e s w o u l d

a n d w o u l d n o t w o r k i n o u r w o r l d .

O n e e x a m p l e o f a n a c t i v i t y f r o m

t h i s c l a s s d e a l s w i t h Watchmen. T h i s

b o o k a b o u t a s u p e r h e r o t e a m

w i t h v e r y s t r o n g p e r s o n a l i t i e s

a l l o w s t h e c l a s s t o s p e a k a b o u t

t h e c o m p l e x i t i e s o f j u s t i c e . I a s k

t h e s t u d e n t s t o w r i t e a r e s p o n s e

t o t w o q u e s t i o n s , " W h o is y o u r

f a v o r i t e c h a r a c t e r ? " a n d " W h o

is t h e m o s t j u s t c h a r a c t e r ? " T h e

c o r r e s p o n d i n g c o n v e r s a t i o n r a i s e s

m a n y i n t e r e s t i n g p o i n t s as m a n y o f

t h e s t u d e n t s g r a v i t a t e t o w a r d l i k i n g

R o r s c h a c h , a v i o l e n t , p a r a n o i d ,

a n d s t r i d e n t v i g i l a n t e w i t h a v e r y

t r o u b l e d p a s t . W h e n i t c o m e s t o

w h o is r i g h t , t h o u g h , I t y p i c a l l y s e e

m u c h d i v e r g e n c e . S o m e s t u d e n t s

l e a n t o w a r d D r . M a n h a t t a n w i t h

h i s d i s t a n t v i e w o f h u m a n i t y as a

r a n d o m l i f e - f o r m a n d t h e w o r l d

a s a n u n c a r i n g p l a c e . S o m e s e e

O z y m a n d i a s as a p e r s o n w h o d o e s

w h a t is b e s t f o r t h e c o m m o n g o o d ,

e v e n at t h e c o s t o f g r e a t s a c r i f i c e .

S o m e s e e t h e C o m e d i a n as a r e a l i s t ,

f o r c e d t o m a k e t o u g h d e c i s i o n s i n a

h a r s h w o r l d , w h i l e m a n y o t h e r s s i d e

w i t h N i g h t O w l , w h o s e e m s t h e m o s t

c e n t r i s t a n d r e a s o n a b l e c h a r a c t e r .

D e s p i t e w h o m t h e y s i d e w i t h ,

m e m b e r s o f t h e c l a s s h a v e a r i c h

d i s c u s s i o n t h a t a lways c o u l d e x t e n d

w e l l p a s t c l a s s t i m e as p a r t i c i p a n t s

d e f e n d t h e i r v i e w s . T h i s b o o k , w i t h

i t s s t a r k c o n t r a s t i n g c h a r a c t e r s ,

o f f e r s a n e x c e l l e n t o p p o r t u n i t y

t o d i s c u s s , i n t h e c o n t e x t o f a

fictional w o r k , g o v e r n m e n t a n d

p o l i t i c a l s t a n c e s t h a t a l s o a p p l y

t o p e o p l e ' s e v e r y d a y l i v e s . N o t

e v e r y o n e a g r e e s w i t h t h e s o l u t i o n s

t h e c h a r a c t e r s o f f e r v i a t h e i r

a c t i o n s , b u t s t u d e n t s d o h a v e l o t s o f

f o d d e r f o r t h i n k i n g a n d s p e a k i n g .

DC Comics' Watchmen by Alan Moore and Da,v& Gibbons is considered one of the greatest graphic novels ever created.

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,

MORE DISTINCT AND PERSONAL LIGHT.

L o o k i n g at L i t e r a c y f r o m a D i f f e r e n t Perspec t ive

A l t h o u g h I d o n o t a l w a y s u s e c o m i c s

t o e x a m i n e e t h i c a l a n d p o l i t i c a l

s i t u a t i o n s i n m y e d u c a t i o n c l a s s e s ,

I d o u s e t h e m w i t h s t u d e n t s t o

e x a m i n e t h e i r v i e w s a b o u t l i t e r a c y

i n g e n e r a l . E a c h y e a r I c h o o s e a

s e q u e n c e f r o m a g r a p h i c n o v e l ,

s u c h as G e n e L u e n Y a n g ' s American

Born Chinese o r G a r e t h H i n d s ' s

The Odyssey, a n d a s k s t u d e n t s t h e

s e e m i n g l y s i m p l e q u e s t i o n , " W h a t

h a p p e n e d ? " U s u a l l y t h e y s t a r t by

e x p l a i n i n g w h a t t h e y s e e g o i n g o n ,

a n d I a sk t h e m h o w t h e y k n o w t h e y

a r e c o r r e c t . T h i s q u i c k l y t u r n s i n t o

a d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e s e q u e n t i a l a r t

m e d i u m . W e t a l k a b o u t t h e p a n e l s ,

t h e g u t t e r s , t h e w o r d b a l l o o n s ,

t h e u s e o f n e g a t i v e s p a c e , a n d

s h o r t h a n d s y m b o l s s u c h as c o l o r

c h a n g e s , s w e a t b e a d s , o r l i g h t n i n g

b o l t s . W e a l s o e n d u p t a l k i n g a b o u t

t h e a u t h o r s ' i n t e n t i o n s w i t h t h e

a r t , a n d t h e r e a s o n s w h y t h e y c h o s e

t o i n c l u d e v a r i o u s w o r d s , i m a g e s ,

a n d v i s u a l i n f o r m a t i o n . T h i s a d

h o c v i s u a l - g r a m m a r l e s s o n u s u a l l y

t a k e s t u r n s t h a t a l l o w u s t o t a l k

a b o u t h o w we b r e a k d o w n a n d

u n d e r s t a n d t e x t s , h o w we w o r k

w i t h s t r u g g l i n g r e a d e r s , a n d h o w

w e d e a l w i t h r e a d e r s ' a t t i t u d e s .

F i r s t , r e a d i n g c o m i c s is n o t

s o m e t h i n g t h a t m a n y o f m y s t u d e n t s

w h o a r e , o r s o o n w i l l b e , t e a c h e r s

a r e f a m i l i a r w i t h . I h a v e s e e n t h a t

t h e y e a r s o f c h i l d r e n r e a d i n g a n d

s w a p p i n g c o m i c b o o k s m i g h t b e

w e l l g o n e a t t h i s p o i n t , a s m o s t

c o n f e s s t h e y h a v e n e v e r r e a d a

c o m i c b o o k , t h o u g h m a n y s t i l l w i l l

say t h e y r e a d o r h a v e r e a d c o m i c

s t r i p s i n t h e n e w s p a p e r . I t r y t o

c a p i t a l i z e o n t h e i r d i s c o m f o r t w i t h

t h e f o r m a t c o n v e n t i o n s t o s h o w h o w

t h e y m i g h t s i m i l a r l y b r e a k d o w n

t e x t s t o b e m o r e e a s i l y u n d e r s t o o d

b y t h e i r s t u d e n t s , a c c o r d i n g

t o t e x t s t r u c t u r e s a n d c o n t e n t

e x p e c t a t i o n s . O f t e n t h e s e i n - s e r v i c e

o r p r e - s e r v i c e t e a c h e r s a r e v e r y

c o m f o r t a b l e w i t h t h e i r c o n t e n t a r e a s

a n d d o n o t c o n s c i o u s l y r e c o g n i z e

t h e a s s u m p t i o n s t h e y m a k e a b o u t

r e a d i n g t h e i r s u b j e c t m a t t e r

o r d o i n g w o r k i n t h e i r s p e c i f i c

c o n t e n t a r e a s . I t i s o n e t h i n g t o

say t h a t t h e y n e e d t o s c a f f o l d t h e i r

t e x t s , b u t b e i n g i n t h e p o s i t i o n o f

n o v i c e o f t e n d r a w s m o r e a t t e n t i o n

t o t h e n e e d f o r t h e m t o w o r k t o

m a k e t h e i r t e x t s a n d c o n t e n t m o r e

a c c e s s i b l e t o s t u d e n t s w h o m a y n o t

b e s o c o m f o r t a b l e n a v i g a t i n g t h e m .

S e c o n d , t h e d i s c o m f o r t w i t h

r e a d i n g c o m i c s a l s o p u t s s o m e o f

m y s t u d e n t s i n t o t h e p o s i t i o n o f

b e i n g a s t r u g g l i n g r e a d e r . N o t o n l y

d o t h e e d u c a t o r s g e t t o t h i n k a b o u t

h o w t h e y m i g h t s c a f f o l d r e a d i n g i n

t h e i r o w n c l a s s e s , t h e y a l s o g e t t o

t a l k a b o u t t h e e f f e c t s o f a t t i t u d e o n

t h e i r r e a d i n g a b i l i t i e s a n d s t a m i n a .

O f t e n t i m e s , t h i s m e a n s I g e t a v o c a l

c o n t i n g e n t w h o t e l l s m e t h a t t h e y

h a t e c o m i c s a n d w o u l d n e v e r u s e

t h e m ; m e m b e r s o f t h i s g r o u p d o n o t

u n d e r s t a n d c o m i c s . I d o n o t t a k e

t h i s p e r s o n a l l y , b u t I t r y t o t u r n t h i s

t a l k i n t o h o w t h e y m i g h t w o r k w i t h

s t u d e n t s w h o say t h e v e r y s a m e t h i n g s

a b o u t t h e t e x t s t h e y h a v e t o r e a d f o r

t h e i r c l a s s e s . T h e r e a l i t y is t h a t m a n y

s t u d e n t s m i g h t n o t h a v e t h e p a t i e n c e

o r w i l l i n g n e s s t o k e e p u p w i t h

s c h o o l w o r k w h e n t h e y s t r u g g l e o r find

t h e m s e l v e s c o n f u s e d , s o t h e y r e q u i r e

p a r t i c u l a r t y p e s o f a t t e n t i o n . R e a d i n g

c o m i c s u n s e t t l e s s o m e u n i v e r s i t y

s t u d e n t s , w h o m i g h t b e o t h e r w i s e

v e r y c a p a b l e a n d k n o w l e d g e a b l e ,

a n d o f f e r s a c h a n c e f o r l o o k i n g a t

s t r u g g l i n g r e a d e r s i n a d i f f e r e n t ,

m o r e d i s t i n c t a n d p e r s o n a l l i g h t .

Volume 41 N o 3 j Jonuaiy/Febraciy 2 0 1 3

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.

F o c u s i n g o n R e s o u r c e s f o r S t u d e n t s of A l l Ages

A s i d e f r o m c l a s s r o o m r e a d i n g s

a n d a c t i v i t i e s , I h a v e a n o t h e r

way t o e n g a g e m y s t u d e n t s i n

a l l t h e c l a s s e s I t e a c h : m y b l o g ,

G r a p h i c N o v e l R e s o u r c e s < h t t p :

g r a p h i c n o v e l r e s o u r c e s . b l o g s p o t .

c o m > . T h e b l o g is f o r a n y o n e

i n t e r e s t e d i n r e a d i n g o r u s i n g

g r a p h i c n o v e l s . I n i t , I o f f e r

r e v i e w s , s u m m a r i e s , a n d a d d i t i o n a l

r e s o u r c e s a b o u t a v a r i e t y o f g r a p h i c

n o v e l s a n d c o m i c s . I s ee t h i s b l o g

as a n e x u s o f m y t e a c h i n g , a p l a c e

w h e r e I c a n s i m u l t a n e o u s l y d i s p l a y

t e x t s o f i n t e r e s t w h i l e a l s o p r o v i d i n g

p o t e n t i a l t e a c h i n g c o n n e c t i o n s .

I t a g p o s t s b y s u b j e c t a r e a , i n t e r e s t s ,

a n d r e a d e r l e v e l , a n d I t r y t o p o s t

a b o u t a w i d e v a r i e t y o f b o o k s . I

h i g h l i g h t w o r k s b y a u t h o r s w h o w r i t e

a b o u t c o n t e n t - a r e a s u b j e c t m a t t e r ,

s u c h a s j a y H o s i e r a n d J i m O t t a v i a n i

i n s c i e n c e o r R i c k G e a r y a n d N i c k

B e r t o z z i i n h i s t o r y . I a l s o t o u c h o n

w o r k s t h a t m i g h t p a i r e a s i l y a n d

w e l l w i t h r e q u i r e d r e a d i n g s s u c h as

The Resistance s e r i e s a b o u t F r a n c e i n

W o r l d W a r I I b y C a r l a J a b l o n k s i a n d

L e l a n d P u r v i s . I i n c l u d e w o r k s f o r

y o u n g e r r e a d e r s , s u c h as M i c h a e l

R e x ' s Fangbone s e r i e s as w e l l as m o r e

c o m p l e x a d u l t w o r k s l i k e Asterios

Polyp by D a v i d M a z z u c c h e l l i .

F r o m m y w o r k i n c l a s s r o o m s

a n d o n m y b l o g , I e n d e a v o r

t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t c o m i c s

o f f e r m u c h i n t e r m s o f l i t e r a r y ,

e n t e r t a i n m e n t , a n d c o n t e n t -

a r e a l e a r n i n g f o r a l l t y p e s o f

r e a d e r s , e l e m e n t a r y t o h i g h e r

e d u c a t i o n . R e a d i n g c o m i c s c a n

h e l p u s a n a l y z e h o w we i n t e r a c t ,

l e a r n , a n d c o n d u c t o u r s e l v e s a s

c i t i z e n s . T h e y a r e a p o t e n t i a l l y

p o w e r f u l e d u c a t i o n a l r e s o u r c e .

Books M e n t i o n e d :

Hinds , Gareth. 2010 . The Odyssey. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Jablonski, Carla, and Leland Purvis. 2 0 I 0 . Resistance: Book 1. NewYork: First Second.

Mazzucchelli, David. 2 0 0 g . Asterios Polyp. NewYork: Pantheon .

Meltzer, Brad, Rags Morales, and Michael Bair. 2 0 0 6 . Identity Crisis. NewYork: D C Comics.

Miller, Frank, Klaus Janson , and Lynn Varley. 1986. The Dark Knight Returns. NewYork: DC Comics.

Moore, Alan, and Dave Gibbons . 1986. Watchmen. NewYork: DC Comics.

Rex, Michael. 20I2 . Fangbone! Third Grade Barbarian. NewYork: Putnam.

Vaughan, Brian K. , and Tony Harr is . 2 0 0 5 . ExMachina, Volume 1: The First Hundred Days. La jo l l a , CA:

Yang, Gene Luen. 2 0 0 8 . American Born Chinese. NewYork: Square Fish.

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