these aren't your father's funny paper

These Aren’t Your Father’s Funny Papers: The New World of Digital Graphic Novels

FeATuRe

Internetusagehasgrownexponentially,thanks,inpart,

totheincreasingpopularityofhandhelddevices,suchascellphones,tabletcomputers,ande-readers.Today’s21st-centurychildrenandteensaresurroundedbyamediasphereofvisualandtextualresources.AccordingtotheTeensandtheInternetreport(PewResearchCenter’sInternet&AmericanLifeProject2006,2),overelevenmillionteensgoonlinedaily,comparedtoaboutsevenmillionin2000.Increasingly,whetheritisthroughcomputers,televisions,cellphones,orgamingdevices,childrenandteensareaccessingonlineresourcestomeettheirsocial,recreational,andinformationalneeds.

Duetothedevelopmentofnew21st-centurytechnologies,theworldofchildren’sandyoungadultliteratureiscontinuallychanging.Forexample,oneofthefastest-growingmultimodalformatsthattoday’svisuallyliterateyouthembraceisthedigitalgraphicnovel.Forthepurposeofthisarticle,digitalgraphicnovelsaredefinedasgraphicnovelsproduced

onand/oraccessedonsomeformofdigitaldevice,includingcomputers,mobiledevices,ande-readers.Thisengagingliterarymediumisexpandingourdefinitionofchildren’sandyoungadultliterature,aswellasthewaysinwhichweteach.

Oftenreferredtoasonlinegraphicnovels,Webcomics,orlong-playcomics,thedigitalgraphicnovelfirstappearedonthesceneinthe1980s.Initially,theconversionfromprinttoWebpresentednumerouschallenges;however,themediumimprovedgreatlyinthe1990swithadvancesinWeb2.0technologies.Sincedigitalgraphicnovelsarerelativelyinexpensivetoproducecomparedtoprintnovels,graphicnovelistshavemoreincentivetopublishtheirworkonline,especiallyindependentandbeginningillustrators(Rousseau2009,206).Furthermore,publishingonlineenablesgraphicnoveliststomaketheirworkaccessiblemorequicklyandtolargeraudiences.Somedigitalgraphicnovelsandcomicshavesincecomeoutinprinteditions.Forexample,GeneYangoriginallypublished

AmericanBornChinese(2006)asadigitalcomiconthewebsiteModernTalesbeforepublishingtheawardwinninggraphicnoveledition.Also,AmericusbyM.K.ReedandJonathanHill(2011)firstbeganastheserializedWebcomic,“SaveApathea”,partoftheToBeContinuedlineofWebcomicsbyFirstSecondComics.Americusisaboutateenager’squesttokeephisfavoritefantasyseries,TheChroniclesofApatheaRavenchilde,frombeingbannedfromtheAmericuspubliclibrary.

Why use Digital graphic novels in schools?Althoughprintgraphicnovelsareanestablishedliteraryformatinschoollibrariesandclassrooms,digitalgraphicnovelsarearelativelynewmediuminschoolsettings.Thevisualnatureofdigitalgraphicnovelsisthewaymany21st-centurylearnersprefertoread;therefore,itisimportantforschoollibrariansandteacherstorecognizethevalueofdigitalliteraciesforengagingstudentlearners.Unfortunately,findingsfromthe2010SpeakUpNationalResearchProjectreveal

Heather [email protected]

Karen [email protected]&

30 Knowledge Quest | Futurecasting

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These Aren’t Your Father’s Funny Papers: The New World of Digital Graphic Novels

a“persistentdigitaldisconnectbetweenthetech-intensivelivesofstudentsoutsideofschool,andtheunsatisfactoryexperiencesprovidedbymanyschoolstousetechnologymeaningfully”(ProjectTomorrow2011,3).Forthatreason,asE.SuttonFlyntandWilliamBrozonoted,“Wemustdesigninstructionthatreflectsthemediasphereinwhichchildrenandyouthlive”(2010,528).

Digitalgraphicnovelsprovidenewwaysforstudentstoexperiencereading,and/orlearnnewcontent,usingthecomicformat.Intermsofcurriculum,theCommonCoreStateStandardsInitiativesincludethefollowingstatement,“Tobereadyforcollege,workforcetraining,andlifeinatechnologicalsociety,studentsneedtheabilitytogather,comprehend,evaluate,synthesize,andreportoninformationandideas,toconductoriginalresearchinordertoanswerquestionsorsolveproblems,andtoanalyzeandcreateahighvolumeandextensiverangeofprintandnon-printtextsinmediaformsoldandnew”(2010).

This engaging literary medium is expanding our

definition of children’s and young adult literature,

as well as the ways in which we teach.

31Volume 40, No. 3 | January/February 2012


Throughtheuseofmultipleresources,suchasdigitalgraphicnovels,schoollibrariansandteacherscanstrengthentheirlessonsbyteachingliteracyskills,suchascomparingandcontrasting.Usingdigitalgraphicnovelsalsoenableseducatorstoallowfordifferentiatedinstruction.InthewordsofJohnShableski,presidentofFourColorPerspectiveandboardmemberofReadingwithPictures,“Weareinthemidstofaculturalshift.Educators,librarians,publishers,andparentsarebeginningtorealizethatliteracyhasmultipleaccesspointsandthecomicsmedium,akagraphicnovelsanddigitalgraphicnovels,areopeningdoorsforsomanyreaderswhotraditionallyhavebeenoverlooked”(2011).

apps and Digital graphic novelsDigitalgraphicnovelsarestillarelativelyyoungmedium,comparedtodigitalcomicbooks;however,subscriptionservicesandapplications(apps)fordigitalgraphicnovelsareontherise.In2010,IDWPublishing(adivisionofIdea+DesignWorks,LLC)introducedadigitalgraphicnovelseriesavailableforuseoniPadsand

othermobiledevices.IDW’sdigitalgraphicnovelsincludetheever-popularStarTrekseries,aswellasJamesPatterson’sseriesWitchandWizard:TheBattleforShadowland.

Furthermore,comiXologyrecentlyintroducedJeffSmith’sBoneandRASLgraphicnovelseriesasappsfortheiPad,iPhone,iPod,andtheAndroid.AdditionalcomiXologydigitalgraphicnoveltitlesforchildrenandteensincludetheMouseGuardseries(DavidPetersen),theScottPilgrimseries(BryanLeeO’Malley),TheWalkingDeadseries(RobertKirkman),andReturnoftheDapperMan( JimMcCannandJanetLee).ThroughpartnershipswithMarvelComics,DCComics,ArchaiaEntertainment,BOOM!Studios,DynamiteEntertainment,andImageComics,comiXologyhostsover10,000digitalgraphicnovelsandcomics(somefree)onitswebsite<https://comics.comixology.com>.

OthercompaniesthatdistributecomicappsanddigitalgraphicnovelsincludeCognitoComics,Comics,Comics+,ComicZeal,Graphicly,iVerseMedia,Panelfly,Viz,andYenPress.Pleaseseethecompanies’websitesforacompletelistoftheirappsanddigitalgraphic

novels,availableplatforms,andcostspervolume.Severalofthesecompaniesofferthefirstchapterortwooftheirproductsforfree,inthehopesthatconsumerswillreturntopurchasefuturechapters.

e-Book readers and Digital graphic novelsE-bookreadersarejoiningthedigitalgraphicnovelbandwagon,addingtitlesforchildrenandteenssuchastheGraphicUniverseseries(LernerPublishing)onAmazon'sKindleFire,aswellastheArchieComicsseriesandSonictheHedgehogseries,bothbyArchieComics,ontheBarnes&NobleNOOK.FreeSpiritPublishingandElectricEggplantrecentlypartneredtoproducetheappBeConfidentinWhoYouAre:AGraphicNovelbasedonBook1oftheaward-winningMiddleSchoolConfidentialseriesbyAnnieFoxandMattKindt.Theseriesformiddleschoolstudentsaddressesbullyingandothersocialissues.OriginallyanappfortheiPad,thedigitalgraphicnovelisnowavailableontheNOOKColorReader’sTablet.Dependingontheapplication,thepricetodownloaddigitalgraphicnovelscurrentlyrangesanywherefrom$1.99to$10.99pertitle.Asisthecasewith



comicanddigitalgraphicnovelapps,someofthesetitlesareavailableforfreetowhetconsumer’sappetites.

Online and interactive

Alongwithdigitalgraphicnovels,whichcanbereadonlineorthroughdevicessuchasiPads,NOOKs,andKindles,thereisalsoagrowingbodyofinteractiveWeb2.0sitesandappsthatencompassthedigitalgraphicnovelstyle.Thesesitesandapplicationstakereadersintoatwo-wayinteractionwiththegraphicnovel,wherethebookmaybereadaloudtothem;theycanchooseoutcomesoroptionsforthecharacters,helpcreatestoriesaswellasreadthem,orcompleteactivitiesafterreadingWebcomics.Oneoptionforsharingthesesitesisthroughtheuseofinteractivewhiteboards.JohnShableskidescribeshowtheycanbeusedwithdigitalandinteractivegraphicnovelsforagreatcollaboration:

“ThebestpartnershippossibilityisviaSMARTBoardapplications…Whentheentireclasscanviewthesameimagesdisplayedonascreen,theinteractionopportunitiesmultiplyten-fold”(2011).

The following digital graphic novels are free, and can be used in your libraries and classrooms.

inanimate Alice<www.inanimatealice.

com>isamulti-chapter,interactivedigital

graphicnovelsetintheearlyyearsofthe

twenty-firstcentury.Readerscaninteract

withAlice’sadventuresasshetravelsin

searchofherfatherthroughoutremote

areasofnorthernChina.Fullofbeautiful

imagesandfunactivities,Inanimate

Alicenotonlywillhookreaders,but

teachersandschoollibrarianswillbeabletousetheeducationpacksand

standardalignmentpagesonthesite.(Grades4–6,andpossiblyhigher)

Toon Books<http://toon-books.com/

rdr_one.php>willhelpemergingyoung

readersinmultiplelanguagesthrough

theseinteractive,fun-to-readcomic

books.Thebookscomeinthreelevels

forgradesK–3,andareavailablein

fivedifferentlanguages.Studentscan

readthegraphicnovelsthemselves,

orhaveaToonBooksnarrator

readthecomicstothembymoving

themousecursoroverthewords.Bookscanbereadineach

student’schosenlanguage.AvailablelanguagesareEnglish,

Spanish,French,Chinese,andRussian.(GradesK–3)

Myths and Legends<http://myths.

e2bn.org>isaninteractivesiteforthose

wholikeagoodstory,andforthosewho

enjoytellingafinestory.Thisresource

notonlyletsstudentsreadstoriesbased

onfolktalesandfablesfromtheBritish

Isles,butitalsohasaseparatesection

whereuserscancreatetheirown

talesandsharethem.Teachersand

schoollibrarianscanincorporatethe

resourcespage,aswell.(Grades3–6)

Image courtesy of Intimate Alice.

All images (c) RAW Junior, LLC/

TOON Books®. All rights reserved.

Image coutesy of myths.e2bn.org.



Digital graphic novels and Your Library

AsstatedinAASL’sStandardsforthe21st-CenturyLearner,“Multipleliteracies,includingdigital,visual,textual,andtechnological,havenowjoinedinformationliteracyascrucialskillsforthiscentury”(AASL2007,3).However,teaching21st-centuryliteracyskillsthroughdigitalresourcescanbechallengingforschoollibrariansandteachers.MarkSiegel,editorialdirectorofFirstSecondBooks,pointsout,“TheInternetoftenchangesthenatureofconnectionbetweenauthorandreaders”(Brothers2011).Therefore,itisimportantforschoollibrarianstolearnhowdigitalgraphicnovelsuseimageandtextinmultiplewaystoproducemeaningforchildrenandteens.Schoollibrariansmustalsobecomeknowledgeableaboutequipmentandlicensingissuespertainingtodigitalgraphicnovels.Then,bysharingtheirknowledgeregardingdigitalgraphicnovelswithfelloweducators,schoollibrarianscanfurtherestablishthemselvesastechnologyleadersintheirschools.Last,butnotleast,addingfreedigitalgraphicnovelstotheirrepertoireofdigitalresourcescanhelpschoollibrariansexpandtheirlibrarycollectionsduringtougheconomictimes.

Karen gavigan

isanassistant

professorinthe

SchoolofLibraryand

InformationScience

attheUniversityofSouthCarolina.A

primaryfocusofherresearchisusinggraphic

novelsinschools.Sheistheauthorofthe

article“MorePowerfulthanaLocomotive:

UsingGraphicNovelstoMotivateStruggling

MaleAdolescentReaders”intheJournal

ofResearchonLibrariesandYoungAdults.

SheandMindyTomasevicharecoauthorsof

ConnectingComicstoCurriculum:Strategies

forGrades6–12(LibrariesUnlimited2011).

Heather

Moorefield-Lang

istheeducationand

appliedsocialsciences

librarianatVirginia

Tech.SheiscurrentlythechairoftheAASL

BestWebsitesforTeachingandLearning

Committee.Thefocusofherworkison

technolog yinlibrariesandartsinlibraries.

Toreadmoreofherwork,seeherwebsiteat

<www.actinginthelibrary.com>.Howtoons<www.howtoons.com>calls

itselftheworld’sgreatestDo-It-Yourself

ComicWebsite.OnHowtoons,students

canreadabouttheadventuresofTucker

andCeline,andlearnhowtocreate

useful(orsillybutfun)projectsfromlistsof

everydaymaterials.Schoollibrarianscan

useHowtoonstogetideasforactivities

andscienceprojects.CurrentlyHowtoons

isaread-onlyonlinecomicstrip;however,

itwillsoonbeavailableasaninteractive

e-readerapp,aswell.(Grades3–6)The

BB Brothers<www.blunderbrothers.

com>(whichisshortforBlundernagging

Brothers).ThisstoryissolelyaniPad,iPod

Touch,andiPhoneapplication.Thestory,

withgorgeousillustrations,isreadtousers

byanexpressivenarrator.Aswithmany

comicbookandgraphicnovelapps,the

companygivesreadersthefirstthree

chapters(60minutes)freeandthenrequests

paymenttofinishthestory($2.99forthefull

story).Studentswillenjoythenarrationand

interactionwiththestory.(Grades3–6)

Image courtesy of Howtoons.

Image courtesy of Whirlwhim.



2010.“VisualLiteracyandtheContentClassroom:AQuestionofNow,NotWhen.”ReadingTeacher63,no.6(March)526–28.

PewResearchCenter’sInternet&AmericanLifeProject.2006.“TeensandtheInternet.”Washington,DC:PewResearchCenter.

ProjectTomorrow.2011.TheNewThreeE’sofEducation:Enabled,Engaged,Empowered:HowToday’sStudentsAreLeveragingEmergingTechnologiesforLearning.Irvine,CA:ProjectTomorrow.

Rousseau,Taylor,2009.“ComicsGoDigital:TheRiseofWebcomics.”TeachingGenerationM:AHandbookforLibrariansandEducators.VibianaBowmanCvetkovicandRobertJ.Lackie,eds.NewYork:Neal-Schuman.

Shableski,John.2011.Personalcommunication.July26.

Works cited:

AmericanAssociationofSchoolLibrarians.2007.“Standardsforthe21st-CenturyLearner.”<www.ala.org/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/standards>(accessedOctober14,2011).

Brothers,David.2011.“FirstSecondEvolvesfortheInternetwithWebcomicsImprint.”Publisher’sWeeklyBookNews.<www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/comics/article/47007-first-second-evolves-for-the-internet-with-webcomics-imprint.html>(accessedSeptember22,2011).

CommonCoreStateStandardsInitiative.2010.“EnglishLanguageArtsStandards.”<www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards>(accessedSeptember22,2011).

Flynt,E.Sutton,andWilliamBrozo.

"Adding free digital

graphic novels to

their repertoire of

digital resources

can help school

librarians expand

their library

collections during

tough economic times."



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