What? Why? How? What in the World??

Same format as comic books Text & illustrations present information Medium, not genre Book-length, usually contain one story

Pages consist of a variety of elements A Graphic Novel Page Pages consist of a variety of elements Panels-squares or rectangles that contain a single scene Gutters-space between panels Dialog Balloons-contain communication between/among characters Thought Balloons-contain a character’s thoughts Captions-contain information about a scene or character Sound Effects-visual sound clues i.e.. Wonk! Pow!

How to Read a Graphic Novel Page Graphic novels are read left to right, just like traditional texts

Dialog Balloons dialog balloons are read left to right or top to bottom as is appropriate. 1 4 2 3 5

Sometimes it can get a little more complicated…

But the basic left to right rule still applies to panels 2 1 3 But the basic left to right rule still applies to panels 4

and dialog balloons as well 2 and dialog balloons as well 1 3 4 5 6 7

Major Types Superhero

Humor

Non-Fiction Jay Hosler: PhD in Biology (teaches at Juniata College in Huntington, PA)

Fantasies

Adaptations Spin-offs or Also: Give it Up! And other short stories by Kafka, The Jungle, Spy vs. Spy

Realistic Fiction

Personal Stories

From The Photographer: into war-torn Afghanistan with Doctors Without Borders by Emmanuel Guibert published by First Second

First comic “strip” Appeared in New York World: 1895 R. F. Outcault Increased sales NYWorld=Pulitzer Outcault also created BUSTER BROWN

Katzenjammer Kids 1897 Used word balloons Used multiple panels to tell story

The Katzenjammers combined internal dialogue and panelized continuity, and designed and solidified the form of the modern visual narrative strip.

Early 20th Century Windsor McCay Chalk-talk artist Broadway musical Animated movie Ran 1905-1911 in NY Herlad + 1911-1914 in Hearst’s Journal American paper

Popularity Grows By early 1900’s, over 150 strips in syndication 1929: Tarzan 1931: Dick Tracy over 150 strips in syndication *(this doesn’t include the ones running only in local papers) Dick Tracy’s villains were direct predecessors of super villains.

The Comic Book 1933-reprints of comic strips Initially free 1935-original stories & characters 10 cents each

Popular comics Superman First superhero On newsstands: 1938 Characters spun-off into radio & movies Superheroes big during World War II Superman teenagers: Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster (Title: Superman of Metropolis)-Jewish teens influenced by superhero figures of Jewish folklore? Comic book sales soared during WWII. *SUPERHEROES had young male sidekicks so that they would be seen as FATHER FIGURES by boys who had fathers off fighting the war.*

After WWII: crime, science fiction and horror comics Recent DEATH OF CAPTAIN AMERICA and new REBIRTH OF CAPTAIN AMERICA

Shades of things to come… The Spirit published as book-type supplement National newspapers Educated readers Began as supplement in 1940 Also: CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED educational gns w/support material included

1950’s: comics in crisis! Frederic Wertham Comics examined by US Senate Comics banned and burned investigation into Juvenile Delinquency

A New Beginning Late 1950’s: Justice League of America born 1961: Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, & Spiderman 1960’s: Self-published underground comics SATURATION of market w/Superhero comics to the detriment of all other types.

Milestones in the Graphic Novel World 1978-Will Eisner coins term 1986- Batman: the Dark Knight Returns 1987- The Watchmen Watchmen (Allen Moore / DC comics)=one of 1st superhero GNs to present itself as serious literature Only GN to: Win Hugo Award Appear on Time Magazine’s “100 Best English Language Novels 1923-Present (2005)”

1992- Maus: A Survivor’s Tale wins Pulitzer 2005-”Graphix” imprint launched 2006- American Born Chinese named NBA finalist for Young People’s Literature 2007- American Born Chinese wins Printz Award for excellence in YA literature Graphix=BONE (originally self-published in black and white, Scholastic began publishing color version in 2004)

2007 The Invention of Hugo Cabret finalist for NBA 2008 Invention wins Caldecott Brian Selznick blends text and visual (text-less) narrative to produce more than an illustrated novel. Jeff Kinney Diary of a Wimpy Kid also uses pictures (with word balloons) to advance the story.

2007-YALSA creates new annual booklist: “Great Graphic Novels for Teens” 2009-NYT Graphic Books Bestseller List 2009- David Small’s Stitches NBA finalist

New Graphic Classics Marvel Illustrated IDW Manga Shakespeare Classical Comics Marvel Illustrated DOWNLOADABLE teacher guides IDW=Idea and Design Works Classical Comics=UK publisher

Why Graphic Novels & Manga? 6.3 million secondary school students reading below grade level. Average American age 15-24 spends only 7 minutes of daily leisure time reading. >57%of high schoolers devote 3 or more hours of an average school day to electronic viewing. Students with access to variety of reading materials=higher average reading scores. About 93 percent of U.S. teens use the Internet and 97 percent play video or computer gaming systems, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

Graphic Novels & Manga: Present complex material in readable text Serve as a bridge to more difficult reading Challenge readers of more traditional literature Embrace nature of multimedia world Fulfill NCTE’s “21st Century literacies” (multiple streams, simultaneous information) Help ESL students Help students learning non-English language Help stuents learn about different cultures

Checking Out Graphic Novels & Manga Public Library Local comic stores Book stores

Purchasing Many traditional library suppliers offer graphic novel titles. Local comic stores Book stores