Heroes in the Classroom: Comic Books in Art Education

H owwould you like 10 put some "POW!"into your arts instruction?A lesson in comic books-e-history, design, story, and production -can makeyour classes come alive! In the following article, we present some background.guidelines, and a lesson plan to help you use comics and cartoons in developing these artistic skillsof students. So,as they say. "Up,up andaway!" Comics and cartoons provide a wealth of pedagogical opportunities. By placing comics in historical, aesthetic. educational,and empowering contexts.wepresent a new approach to using these materials to build artistic skills and involve students in art appreciation.After a brief history and critical analysis of comicbooks and cartooning,we provide a lesson plan and guidelines for using these materials in teaching children and adults. Why Comics? Many art teachers have met students who stale that they hate drawing or that they can't drawyet often these students get reprimanded by other teachers for drawing inclass instead of paying attention.These students mayeven have a notebook fullof drawings that were produced every place except in an art class. Why? As an art teacher, Berkowitz has noticed how many students interested in comic books and cartoons did not perform well in art class. Students who could not stay kx .. 'Used in a 40-minute art class would spend hours drawing comicbook characters. They also were interested incomic book history.