The Credibility of Comics
The credibility of comics as literature has grown over the past two decades. From the syndicated comic strips to the independent webcomics, thousands of people are reading these works online daily. It is imperative that we recognize the role of comics in the modern age and learn how to provide comics in an accessible and knowledgeable fashion.
As budgets dwindle, librarians should look to the internet as a partner instead of a competitor. Many comic-based websites provide either the option of reading comics directly online, which reduces the library's burden of accessibility, or the option of downloading comic-reading software to user-owned digital devices. In either case, the web opens up access to hundreds of thousands of comics with little to no effort on the library's part. The information shared on these pages are designed to guide you towards creating your own comic-driven programs and services while utilizing the free resources the internet has to offer.
As budgets dwindle, librarians should look to the internet as a partner instead of a competitor. Many comic-based websites provide either the option of reading comics directly online, which reduces the library's burden of accessibility, or the option of downloading comic-reading software to user-owned digital devices. In either case, the web opens up access to hundreds of thousands of comics with little to no effort on the library's part. The information shared on these pages are designed to guide you towards creating your own comic-driven programs and services while utilizing the free resources the internet has to offer.
Educational and Social Perspectives
These articles and video address issues with comic book credibility. They range from academic to social relevance.
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A graduate student's explanation of her thesis, "Credibility in Comics: Visualizing History in Graphic Memoir."
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Okay, You're Convinced . . . Now How to Convince the Parent?
Lets be honest - most parents see comics as entertaining rather than educational, so how are we supposed to convince them a comic is just as worthwhile to read as The Catcher in The Rye? The following article provides information and links to additional resources that might help turn that parent around.
Taylor, Melissa. "8 Reasons to Let Your Kids Read Comic Books." Imagination Soup. Imagination Soup, 30 Aug. 2011. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.
This article provides two ways in which a librarian can make comics appealing to a reticent parent. The first way, understanding basic comic terminology, demystifies the varying comic mediums. For example, we consider a simple American-made comic book, like Richie Rich, as entertainment, but to someone unacquainted with Manga, Naruto may be intimidating. It does not matter that they are the same thing; the distinct differences in style and method of reading may be too unfamiliar. By explaining that Manga is the Japanese word for comic, a parent may be more willing to let their child check it out. The second way the article assists librarians is by providing eight simple and sensible reasons why parents should let their child read comics. Reasons like “we’re a visual culture and the visual sequence of comic books makes sense to kids” drives home the point that it is about what makes sense to the kids that matters, not what we as adults think they should read. By emphasizing the value to the child, we negate potential arguments against reading comics. |
(LIS 590) Comics: Advising Child and Adult Readers
Graduate School of Library and Information Science University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
Website created by Jodi Silverman
Last Updated: April 1st, 2015 |