COMICS

effects of COMIC books on people

By:

Camilo Jaramillo

12.B

How can comics be helpful to our society?

in education

In 1933, Comic books were first made by combining different newspaper comics together to form a magazine. Teachers were then curious to see just what kind of teaching technique they could come up with using this.

Disadvantages:

• Most people think that comic-books are a poor imitation of modern literature, and so they advise children to stay away from them.
• They ''rot'' children´s brains by making them question what´s real and what´s not.
• Children try to imitate the characters they read about; performing dangerous stunts that may lead to unwanted casualties.
• Can lead to ''juvenile delinquancy''.

Advantages

Over the years, teachers from the United States have concluded that comic books help students in five ways.

Motivation

Students have a tendency to respond negatively to schoolwork (Primary in particular). However, it has been concluded in some schools that comic-books have actually motivated students to work more than they thought they ever would. This is due to the fact that humans have an attraction to pictures. Since the begining of time, our race started drawing years before it started writing. They also increase ''individual participation''.

Visual

Generally, adults have problems in getting children to read books. Better yet, they have problems in getting them to start apreciating the concept of reading. ''The first step is always the hardest'', and the easiest way to get children to start reading is to get them to read comic-books. They work better when they deal with pictures. Studies have confirmed that visual reading is more effective than non-visual reading as a starting tool for learning how to read.

Permanent

What makes comic-books special is their ''permanent visual component''. Films and movies are perceived vissually by people, but what makes them different from comic-books is their fleeting time frame. Readers are able to create their own reading and visual pace, allowing them to follow the story without having to rewind or backtrack anything.

Intermediary

Comic-books can be applied as learning tools for those who need disiplinary manners. Students, even college-leveled ones, can learn from comics. They might even find novel-long comic-books more interesting than classic novels, enabling them to have a better understanding of critical thinking. This would develop them into better readers, and will also guide them toward their future goals.

Popular

Culture is an aspect students have to learn in order to survive in the real world, and the best way of teaching it is through examples of it. That is where comic-books come in. Even though their stories are fictional, most are based on the rules of society, and therefore they can be turned into popular culture icons.

Several University teachers as well as some people from the Child Study Association of America have conducted the studies shown earlier.

in politics

Since comics have a way to attract people, they are used to make them see the reality of things. In politics, comics can be used to influence people into making decisions on voting. This method has been used for many years by politicians and journalists. It is thanks to this that many stereotypes have spawned.

One of the most famous political cartoons ever made is ''Uncle Sam''; the supposed personification of the United States. This figure was practically created to encourage people to believe that they have something to fight for, and that they shouldn´t let themselves be ruled by tirrany.

Another example of comics being used in politics is this cartoon that took place during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It pictures President John F. Kennedy and Prime Minister Nikita Khrushchev battling for control of the Arms Race.

Here in Colombia we also have political cartoons, where we make fun of leaders such as Hugo Chavez.

Famous publishers

Several companies have created the super heroes we know today.

Marvel

DC

darkhorse

Do you read comics, comic books, or Manga?

Which one of these do you like reading most?

Would you be interested in taking part in the cartooning school extracurricular?

People´s opinions

Do you think comics serve as a good educational tool? Why or Why not?

• ''Yes. Many reasons. The authors often cite classic literature, characters that have historical connections, etc''.
• ''Not useful information''.
• ''Because they exagerate''.
• ''Yes I do; they improve the imagination in people and give them different kinds of lessons that they are bound to learn''.
• ''I think they would be useful but in classes in which concentration levels are very low''.

conclusions

Acording to the results I obtained from the surveys, the students and teachers from the Liceo Ingles do not posses an acurate affinity of comics and comic books. However, some are willing to take an interest in the subject to either learn more or to acquire a new hobby. The ones who are may then want to join the cartooning extracuricular in school. Children shouldn´t take this topic too far into themselves because it would then prove fatal to their behavior.