Comic+Books+and+Graphic+Novels

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**What are “Comic Books” and “Graphic Novels?”**

 * __Comics__** – juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or to produce an aesthetic response in the viewer




 * __Comic Book__** – a magazine containing sequences of comic strips; either as a single issue or a longer story in series


 * __Graphic Novel__** – a single story with a beginning, middle and end that is contained in one long volume

**Overview**
//The primary difference between a comic book and a graphic novel is the original format the story appeared in. Comics are serial; a graphic novel is self-contained. Example: Three episodes of a TV show do not constitute a movie just because you can watch them back-to-back on the same DVD.//

**Why use graphic novels in the classroom?﻿**


Graphic novels offer a forum for essential discussions by 21st century readers
 * To analyze what they read:
 * Complex material in readable text
 * Otherwise, watered down text that doesn’t meet standards or text beyond reading level
 * Graphic novels reduce cognitive demands of reading dense text while portraying sophisticated concepts
 * To understand the motive of the author
 * To see themselves as active users
 * Struggling readers have few of these experiences
 * Graphic novels are incredibly varied in genre
 * History
 * Historical fiction
 * Biography
 * Science
 * Science fiction
 * Realistic fiction
 * [[image:splonk.jpg width="413" height="294" align="right"]]
 * Graphic novels motivate reluctant readers
 * Humor
 * Heroes
 * Novelty
 * Many students are avid readers, but in this less traditional manner
 * FUN!!!
 * Graphic novels engage urban youth
 * Pop-culture themes
 * Real-world language
 * Artwork
 * Graphic novels develop comprehension skills in ELLs
 * Inference
 * Replace visual images with words
 * Graphic novels teach visual literacy
 * We live in a visual culture
 * Effective medium for brain-based teaching
 * Use to teach dialogue writing
 * Graphic novels provide authentic language learning opportunities
 * Graphic novels have dramatically reduced text, making them manageable for all reading levels
 * Graphic novels are an up-and-coming medium
 * Many students have //not// been exposed to them
 * Graphic novels are growing in cultural and aesthetic importance almost weekly



Why is it okay to use graphic novels in the classroom?

 * Graphic novels contain many of the same literary themes used in classical literature
 * Epic
 * Archetypes
 * Reluctant hero
 * Unknown destiny
 * Mentor figure
 * Time travel
 * Courage
 * Search for belonging
 * Graphic novels combine elements of storytelling
 * Linear written narrative of novels
 * Text accompanied by illustrations of picture books
 * Moving images and dialogue of movies
 * Communication on multiple levels of poetry
 * Graphic novels may be used as a springboard to creative writing projects
 * Alternative endings
 * Fill in intervals
 * Rewrite prose from traditional novel as a dialogue in a graphic novel

**__ The Pre-Golden Age: __**
Feb. 1896 – **The Yellow Kid** by Richard Felton considered the 1st comic strip, debuts in newspapers.

1900 to 1930 – Many publishers produced cartoon books for the public, including many promotion comics. Their characters remain to this day and are among the most well-known, including **Little Orphan Annie, Dick Tracy, Popeye, Mutt & Jeff, Little Nemo, and Buster Brown**.

1910 – George Herriman began featuring **Krazy Kat** in his daily newspaper in "The Family Upstairs" strip. By 1916, Krazy Kat was starring in his own color Sunday strip.

Jan. 1929 – George Delacorte, working for pulp publisher New Fiction Company, published The Funnies No. 1, the first four-color comic newsstand publication, featuring original comic pages and a cover price of 10 cents.

Jan 1929 – The pulp favorite, **Tarzan of the Apes**, drawn by the master Hal Foster, began his daily strip and soon became one of the most popular early strips.

Jan. 1930 – Two years after appearing in his first sound cartoon, **Mickey Mouse** made his strip debut.

1933 – The first Sunday comics debut, created by Harry L. Wildenberg and Max. C. Gaines. The 32 page Famous Funnies: A Carnival of Comics included **Mutt and Jeff, Joe Palooka, and Reg'lar Fellas**.

Jan. 1934 – The 1st **Flash Gordon** strips is published. Flash Gordon's popularity grew and later Flash Gordon related merchandise flooded into stores and a weekly radio show was even aired.

Oct. 1934 – Milton Canniff's **Terry and the Pirates** made their debut in the Tribune-News Syndicate. Terry, and the infamous The Dragon Lady, continues to endure to this day.

Feb. 1935 – Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, published the tabloid-sized anthology title New Fun Comics No. 1 through National Allied Publications, later the company would be named DC Comics. The comic contained the first work **Jerry Seigel** and **Joe Shuster**, who would go on to create **Superman**.

Summer 1935 – **Mickey Mouse Magazine** debuted. In 1940, the title was changed to Walt Disney's Comic and Stories.

1937 – Wheeler-Nicholson added Harry Donenfield, as a partner and created a new company. The new company was called Detective Comics, or **DC Comics**, and made its first publication in March 1937. Originally, the title concentrated solely on crime and suspense stories, and later launched the **Batman** series.

1938 – The appearance of Lee Falk's **The Phantom** in Ace Comics No. 11 gave comic books their first costumed hero and brought an end to the Pre-Golden age Era, setting the stage for Superman and the birth of the Golden Age.

**__ The Golden Age: __**
June 1938 – **Superman**, the most famous and first, superhero made his debut in the pages of Action Comics #1 and launched the Golden Age.

In 1934 – **Batman** first appears in Detective Comics #27.

Spring 1934 - Batman No. 1 featured the first appearances of **The Joker** and **Cat Woman**. The **Penguin** didn't appear until December 1941 in Detective Comics No. 58.

In 1939 – With the success of **Superman** newsstands filled with superhero comics. **Amazing Man**, **The Blue Beetle**, **The Human Dynamo**, and **Wonder Man** were among the titles.

In 1939 – **Timely Comics**, which would later become **Marvel Comics**, began with Marvel Comics No. 1 featuring the first appearances of **Prince Namor the Submariner** and **The Human Torch**, created by Bill Everett and Carl Burgos respectively

In 1940 – **Captain Marvel** debuted in Fawcett Comics and quickly became the most popular superhero of the 1940’s.

Nov. 1939 – DC Comics, published Flash Comics No. 1, featuring first appearances of **The Flash**, "the fastest man alive," and **Hawkman**.

Feb. 1940 – **The Spectre** first appeared in More Fun Comics No. 52

March 1940 – In Adventure Comics No. 48, **The Sandman** first appeared

Spring 1940 – **Batman and Superman** appeared together on a cover for the first time. It featured all of their main characters, was 100 pages with cardstock covers, and retailed for fifteen cents.

April 1940 – Featured the release of Detective Comics No. 38 and the first appearance of **Robin**, the Boy Wonder.

July 1940 - All American Comics No. 16 was published featuring the first appearance of **The Green Lantern.**

Oct. 1940 – American Comics No. 19 brought **The Atom**, Al Pratt.

Dec. 1940 – Green Hornet Comics No. 1 appeared from Helnit Publications. **The Green Hornet** originally appeared as a radio show, created by Fran Striker, who also created **The Lone Ranger**.

1939 to 1945 – With World War II raging in Europe, and with America’s soon emergence into the conflict, the Nazi theme ran wild through comic books.

May 1940 – The publication of the first war comic began, including Timely's Captain America Comics #1, the first appearance of **Captain America**, Lev Gleason's **Daredevil** #1 titled Daredevil vs. Hitler!

Sep. 1941 - **Calling All Girls**, published by Parents Magazine institute was the first comic aimed at girls.

Dec. 1941 – Charles Moulton created **Wonder Woman**, the most famous heroine of all. She first appeared in All Star Comics No. 8, drawn by Harry Peter.

By the end of 1941, more than 50 million people a month were reading comics with the majority being male.

1943 paper shortages, caused by World War II, were limiting expansion of comics and fewer new titles were produced.

The end of **the Golden Age** of Comic Books is disputed. However, it is generally agreed that with World War II ending in 1945, so ended the Golden Age and began the **Post-Golden Era** in 1946.

**__ Post-Golden Age __**
With the invention of the atomic bomb and the world entranced with its discovery, the time was ripe for radioactive superheroes and publishers were quick to respond. Science Comics No. 1 from Humor Publications in January 1946 and Atom man No. 1 from Spark Publications in February provided the comic public with their first glances at the amazing mushroom cloud. With the paper shortage over, more comics were now seeing print than ever before. One of the few new superheroes to emerge was Black Cat Comics No. 1 in summer 1946 from Harvey. Trying to appease growing parent grow unrest against comics, DC Comics published educational comics like Real fact No. 1 and Treasure Chest Comics, both in March 1946.
 * 1945- Atomic Bomb invented**

** 1947-First Romance Comic ** In July 1947 Jack Kirby and Joe Simon created the first romance comic, My Date Comics, published by Hillman Periodicals. It was a failure and lasted only four issues. In September they tried again with Young Romance No. 1 from Prize Comics Group. This time the idea was a great success with the title running for 29 years and 208 issues. As soon as word got out, other publishers followed and the stands were full of romance comics. Marvel brought out many lead by My Romance No. 1 in September 1948 with Stan Lee writing many of them.

**1948 – Western Comics** By 1948, Fawcett's Western title Hop-a-long Cassidy was selling an incredible eight million copies. Again publishers scrambled to produce this new genre. DC released Western Comics No. 1 in January 1948, published Dale Evans No. 1 in September, based on the hit series and in November turned the superhero title All American Comics into All American Western. Marvel jumped in with The Two-Gun Kid No. 1 in March 1948, followed by Annie Oakley No. 1 later that Spring Tex Morgan No. 1 and Kid Colt Outlaw No. 1 in August, Tex Taylor No. 1 in September, and Blaze Carson No.1 in September. Stan Lee, once again, was writing many of these.

Crime comics continued to grow more and more popular. After the death of his father in 1947, William Gaines changed the name of EC Comics ' International Comics to International Crime Patrol with No. 6 and added War Against Crime in Spring 1948. Marvel changed its funny animal comic, Wacky Duck, to Justice Comics with No. 7 in Autumn 1947, Cindy Smith to Crime Can't Win with No. 41 in September 1950, and Willie Comics to Crime Cases Comics with No. 24 in August 1950. Crime fighters No. 1 premiered in April 1948. Fox Features Syndicate began publishing Crimes by Women in June 1948 and Murder Incorporated, featuring "For Adults Only" on the cover, in winter 1948. St. John Publishing started Crime Reporter and Ribbage premiered Crime Smasher in October 1950. With the arrival of all these new types of comics, public opinion was turning against comics. Dr. Frederick Wertham, who what later nearly destroy the industry, was beginning his anti-comic campaign, blaming them for the delinquently of the nation's youth.
 * Crime Comics continued to grow…**

The campaign against comics continued to gain support. A 1950 Senate Committee report on the influence of comics on delinquency, though inconclusive, added fuel to the flames. A Cincinnati Committee on publicly condemned most of the industry. Parents and teachers banned them from school and home, though it didn't stop children from reading them. Legislatures passed laws limiting and banning the sale of comics. Through this all, comics moved ahead, though becoming increasing more dark and violent. All these events set the stage for The Silver Age.
 * 1950 – Decline in Comic Books**

**__ Pre-Silver Era: __**

 * 1950 – Horror Comics **

In April 1950 William Gaines and EC Comics, no longer Educational Comics but now Entertaining Comics, began their New Trend line with Vault of Horror No. 12 and Crypt of Terror No. 17 followed by Haunt of Fear No. 15 the following month. These stories, even by today's standards, were incredibly shocking and violent with gruesome panels and disgusting story lines. Evil regularly won over the forces of good. Children loved them but they only served further strengthen and increase the anti-comic movement. Complaints from parents and teachers poured in; however, EC Comics didn't change at all. In May 1953 they added two science-fiction titles, Weird Fantasy and Weird Science. Interestingly, a number of these featured adaptations of Ray Bradbury tales, done without his permission.


 * 1952 – Reflection of History **

With the "police action" in Korea, war comics once again soared in popularity. EC began Frontline Combat No. 1 in summer 1952. Marvel added Battle No. 1 in March 1951. Star Spangled Comics became Star Spangled War Stories with No. 131 in August 1952 and DC also added Our Army at War No. 1 the same month.


 * 1953 – Superhero Returns**

By 1953 superheroes were being outsold by nearly every other genre. DC now only published Superman , Batman  and Wonder Woman   titles. The last Fawcett Captain Marvel comic was The Marvel Family No. 89 in January 1954. DC's lawsuit against Fawcett had finally ended the year before, but by that time it no longer mattered, Captain Marvel's popularity was gone. Later, in the 1970's DC would purchase the rights to Captain Marvel and company.

Spring 1954 was the start of one of the darkest periods in comic history. Dr. Frederick Wertham's book, The Seduction of the Innocent was released. His book was very critical of and damaging to the comic industry. Dr. Wertham was the psychiatric consultant to the Chief Censor of the United States Treasury Department, a lecturer at Yale Law School, a consultant to the Juvenile Aid Bureau and had been the senior psychiatrist for the New York Department of Hospitals.
 * 1954 – Rough Times Once Again for Comic Books**

Dr. Wertham claimed that comic books were a major cause for the delinquency of the nation's youth, reinforced and possibly produced reading disorders, reason for unusual sexual acts in children, and he claimed that Batman and Robin were homosexual which aided in the rise of open homosexuality.


 * 1954 – The Comic Code**

The Code created massive restrictions. Horror and crime comics became nearly extinct. Westerns had to have fewer gunfights. Romance comics couldn't have much romance. Even funny animal comic violence was limited. In addition to genres going under, a number of publishers went out of business as well. Among them were Fiction House, Eastern Color, United Feature, Star Publications, Toby Press, and Sterling Comics. Many artists were also forced to leave for economic reasons, among them Sub-Mariner creator Bill Everett, John Buscema, and Gene Colan.

A resurgence in superheroes emerged from the comic code. Detective comics developed out of the strict comic codes and science fiction held on and was able to continue unscathed by strict regulations.

**__ Silver Age and Post-Silver: __**
10/1956 The Flash – new character with same name and same powers

11/56 All non-DC comics publishers go under except Timely (Marvel)

4/1958 The Legion of Super-Heroes debuts

8/1958 Space Ranger introduced

11/1958 Bizarro appears

1/1959 The Green Arrow revamped

1959 Aquaman reappears

9/1959 The Suicide Squad

1959 Supergirl introduced

8/1959 Archie premieres The Fly

1/1960 Kid Flash introduced

3/1960 Captain Atom

3/1960 Justice League of America (Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Barry Allen Flash, Green Lantern)

5/1960 The Elongated Man

3/1961 Rip Hunter Time Master

9/1961 Sea Devils premieres

11/1961 Fantastic Four debuts (Mr. Fantastic, The Human Torch, Invisible Girl and The Thing)

1/1962 Ant-Man

4/1962 Metal Men

1962 The Incredible Hulk

8/1962 Thor

8/1962 Spider-man

8/1962 Superboy

10/1962 Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom

2/1963 Iron Man

2/1963 Magnus Robot Fighter

5/1963 Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos

5/1963 The Doom Patrol

7/1963 Dr. Strange

9/1963 Avengers (Ant-Man, the Wasp, Iron Man, Thor and The Hulk)

9/1963 The X-Men (Cyclops, the Angel, Iceman, Marvel Girl and The Beast)

3/1964 Captain America found by the Avengers

4/1964 Daredevil debuts

4/1965 Dr. Fate and Hourman return

7/1965 Black Canary appears

11/1965 T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents

1/1966 Teen Titans (Aqualad, Kid Flash, Robin and Wonder Girl)

8/1968 Silver Surfer gets own title

2/1969 Speedy joins Teen Titans

4/1971 Mister Miracle

6/1972 Hero for Hire, Luke Cage (first black superhero)

8/1972 The Demon

8/1972 The Defenders

9/1972 Werewolf by Night

10/1972 Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth

11/1972 Swamp Thing

2/1973 The Vault of Evil

2/1973 DC brings back Captain Marvel as Shazam

2/1974 Luke Cage becomes Luke Man, Power Man

2/1974 The Punisher

10/1974 Wolverine

Summer 1975 Giant Size X-Men (Storm, Nightcrawler, Banshee and Colossus)

8/1975 Invaders

10/1975 The Champions

1/1976 Warlord

7/1976 Eternals

5/1977 Star Wars (before the movie)

late 1977 The Incredible Hulk TV show

12/1977 Cerebrus the Aardvark

6/1978 DC merges with Warner Communications, many titles cancelled

1978 Will Eisner wrote the first "graphic novel" named __A Contract With God__.

1/1979 Micronauts (based on toys)

2/1979 Shogun Warriors (also based on toys)

1982 Harvey folds

1984 Gold Key ceases publication, leaving Marvel and DC alone

Late 1980's Art Spiegelman published the graphic novel Maus (1986)

1991 Spiegelman published Maus II

2001 - 2006 Graphic novel sales have increased from $75 million (2001) to $330 million (2006)

**Books:**

 * Cornog, Martha and Perper, Timothy, Ed. __Graphic Novels Beyond the Basics__. ISBN 978-1591584780.
 * Crawford, Philip. __Graphic Novels 101: Selecting and Using Graphic Novels to Promote Literacy for Children and Young Adults__.
 * Gorman, Michele. __Getting Graphic! Using Graphic Novels to Promote Literacy with Preteens and Teens__. ISBN 978-1586830892.
 * McCloud, Scott. __Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art.__ ISBN 978-0-06-097625-5.
 * Monnin, Katie. __Teaching Graphic Novels: Practical Strategies for the Secondary ELA Classroom__. ISBN 978-1934338407.
 * Weiner, Stephen. __The 101 Best Graphic Novels__. ISBN 978-1561632831.

**Websites:**

 * www.dereksantos.com/comicpage/comicpage.html
 * www.education-world.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev105/shtml
 * www.ehow.com/how_4606034_between-comic-book-graphic-novel.html
 * www.maupinhouse.com/index.php/featured-products/rationales-for-teaching-graphic-novels.html
 * www.scholastic.com/graphix
 * www.suite101.com/content/how-to-teach-graphic-novels-a37453