#Comics in the Classroom

[teachmoments]

A very cool weekend at C2E2 talking comics in the classroom.

I’ve been using the medium of comics in my curriculum since I started teaching in Brooklyn, lo so many years ago… and for most of that time I’ve felt like I was on an island with the work. It was great to have the chance to have some in-depth discussions and digressions about the practice… and share work with like-minded individuals!

Here’s a comic I drew during our Q&A session at the end of “Nothing But The Hits: Tried and True Text, Units and Strategies for the Comics Classroom” featuring some of the brave audience members who asked the panel questions about how to make this medium come alive for students.

[theanimeview]

Getting Into Anime & Manga Studies

By: Peggy Sue Wood | @pswediting

School is starting back up again, and I thought it would be fun to share with you all a short post about getting started in anime and manga studies. If you are not sure what you want to do in your academic field of study but have an interest in anime and manga, then you may want to consider integrating it into some of your work. You can talk with your professors about how to make this possible and–hopefully–find a bit of inspiration in this post for getting started.

What are Anime & Manga Studies?

Anime and manga studies refer to the academic field that focuses on the critical analysis of Japanese animation (anime) and comics (manga) as well as related topics such as the Japanese culture, history, and society.It is considered an an emerging field of interest to scholars in many different subjects and disciplines around the world.

Anime and manga studies as an academic field is a growing community that often provides commentary on new trends in publications and cultural interests that relates to the sequential art media form. In these studies, scholars examine various aspects of anime and manga, including their aesthetics, narrative structure, cultural significance, and social impact. They may also analyze how anime and manga reflect Japanese society, its values, and its global influence.

Graphic by Paul Ocone | Source: https://sites.google.com/umbc.edu/animemangastudies/degree-plan/concept-map

If you look at the graphic above, this ties four overlapping fields together for a singular study on otaku subculture within the anime and manga studies realm. This is not uncommon for any field of academia really, as many fields find academic overlap in other areas.

Some of the most typical places you can find anime/manga academics are:

Asian Studies

Media Studies

Fan Studies

Cultural Studies

Literature Studies

Why study manga and anime?

Why people examine this particular media in an academic field varies from person to person. For example, I have a personal passion an interest in the media and in storytelling; one of my colleagues has an interest in the developing anthropology of popular culture; one friend of mine enjoys examining marketing techniques–reasons to enter are really endless, but if you have an interest in cultural notes or the humanities, media and particularly entertainment media like anime and manga are great places to find a starting point.

Rewards (and consequences) are as limited as other academic areas, as with most academic fields. You may gain recognition, or your financial backing if you become a professor or have influencer status with brand deals… but the rewards are more likely to include free attendance to conventions, some publishing opportunities, and better access to fans and public interest/support for your work.

Getting Started (Even Without A Degree)

To enter the academic field of anime and manga studies, you typically need to pursue higher education in relevant fields such as literature, film studies, cultural studies, or media studies. Some universities offer programs and courses in anime and manga studies, but many scholars in the field come from other disciplines by apply their knowledge to the study of anime and manga.

However, you do not necessarily need a degree to get started.

There are conferences and conventions you can attend or present at. Most anime conventions have the option of fan-panel submissions. You can pitch your panel ideas there! Typically, panels run through 30, 60, or 90-minute slots. So, prepare well!

There are also academic journals like Mechademia or The Journal of Anime and Manga Studies that you can submit academic paper to. There are also fan-related places to submit to (blogs, digital magazines, and such), like Anime Feminist and us at The Anime View.

Relating to this, you can also get started by simply building a presence either online or in-person, or both. Building a preseance is one of the easier steps and involves engaging with the community. If you are already submitting to journals and cons, then you’ve begun! Other ways include going to local meet-ups/events, building a social media presence, like blogging.

Again, there may be sometimes when you need a degree. Like, for example, certain publishing or presenting opportunities. This is certainly not the case with all places, but some journals and conferences–especially if they are within a particular field like English or Education, require those that submit work to either have a degree or be working on one. (Some even require a graduate-level degree.) Keep in mind where you plan to submit and what they require when deciding to share your work. Also, keep in mind that without a degree your work may not be prioritized

Teaching in a classroom is also preventative without a degree. Though you can inform a class on a subject via a school project or as a guest speaker, but to teach such materials in a classroom setting requires formal education.

Academia certainly has some ivy-tower parts to it, and this too, exists in anime and manga studies. However, remember that as you get further along in academia, you may need a degree to do some things, but you definitely do not need one to get started!

You should never feel discouraged from entering academia. If one group is not a good fit for you, remember that the anime and manga fans community is huge and that there are lots of academic places to get started. Academic spaces for consideration include, but are not limited to:

Schools (High School, College/University, Graduate School)

Libraries

Clubs

Online Forums

Conventions/Conferences

Also, for consideration is the many different ways you can approach the medium for study in a less formal way. Such as: analyzing the messages and themes, considering the creator’s intent, and how the media may be engaging an audience outside of its intended focus. 

I’ll end here by writing that I hope this brief introduction to getting started in the field of anime and manga studies was informative and thank you all for your interest.

—

This post is very close to the script I have prepared for a short presentation on the subject. If you are interested, you can view the presentation slides here.

[batsyheere]

"So, handling your archnemesis," Danny starts. The room falls quiet, heads slowly turning to look at the man as he writes the words on the chalkboard. When finished, the characters somehow both messy and neat at once, Danny places the chalk back down and claps his hands.

"I typically call them fruitloops. Often they're in a better position than you are- older, richer, more powerful. They may have some sort of status that protects them when facing the public."

Tim wondered where Dick was right now, and if he was laughing. His brain was lagging like a computer as he tried to process what Danny was saying, and how seriously a few of his fellow teen vigilantes were taking this.

"Some of their more common tactics are-" the chalk was picked back up, and Danny writes as he speaks.

"Manipulation, isolation, conditioning, and empathy."

MICE.

Tim stares at the board, and quietly slips put his phone.

-What have I done to deserve this.

Enjoy your lessons Tim-

His head thumps against the desk. Conner leans over, gives him a pat on the shoulder but returns to taking notes as Danny goes on to explain the conditioning tactic.

[downthetubes]

Lakes International Comic Art Festival launches “Comic Potential - Comics in the Classroom” Videos for Teachers

The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has launched a series of “Comics in the Classroom” videos on its YouTube channel as part of its ongoing Comic Potential project

The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has launched a series of “Comics in the Classroom” videos on its YouTube channel as part of its ongoing Comic Potential project. The videos offer teachers some really straightforward tips and techniques on how comics can be used in the classroom across all age ranges – not just for teaching English, but across the curriculum. As part of the ongoing…

[the-meme-monarch]

prompt failed he thought it was pretty sick actually

(👍if you ship scc go away)

[drazhaq]

Currently on a nostalgia trip so I decided to redraw this really old assassination classroom comic.

A fight for the spot as Nagisa's best friend!

[ffverr]

The ONLY thing the X-Men movies did right was the Xavier mansion. This shit was beautiful, I want to go there. That's exactly how the audience should feel about it too. It should be an iconic pop culture place.

The Huge green grounds! All that's missing is the lake with the boat house and the stable

The very fancy marble columns, the paintings, the ceiling of this corridor!!!!

The wood everywhere!!! The aesthetic!

The small effective classes that are just normal rooms!

And finally.... this kitchen is to die for!!! The greenery, the stained glass!

I may not totally agree with the fort-like exterior but this issss a beautiful place. Xavier has taste (and mostly money)

[callisto-corner]

[person25]

you’ll have to pry my asexual headcanons from my cold dead hands before you can take them away from me!

[transmasccofee]

au where Saiki has to fight a much worse version of him but a different kind of worse than light novel Saiki

[piyesis-art]

Assassination Classroom x ATSV au

After a long while, I finally drew some stuff for it!

[mischief-and-tea-by-the-sea]

She was a badass professor. She's retired now but keeps up with us former students on FB, so whenever I run across interesting war movies or whatever, I fling the suggestions her way. We read Maus II for that class with her, so we were already doing a comic in that class, and that's what made me think that she'd like the Magneto comic. She LOVED that Marvel put the money toward buying back the Holocaust survivor's paintings, and she loved that the comic had actual teaching tools for using it in the classroom for different ages.

Magneto is such an interesting character. I've never considered him a villain, and I think it's wrong to villainize a Holocaust survivor who's just trying to keep another Holocaust (but toward mutants) from happening. Whereas Charles has used his powers to erase his own students' memories, to change their memories (I believe), and otherwise is just a manipulative dickbag (who was in love with his favorite student from the time she was 16), but he's always hailed as a hero and the perfect example of how mutants are supposed to be.

ive been on a Magneto reading spree lately and every time i am more on his side someone free me

[areyoufeelingwhelmedyet]

I say I’m tired of small or dead fandoms but then I interact with my fandoms that are very active and it’s awful and brain dead and argumentative

[greekmythcomix]

Ancient Greek (and Roman) Sacrifice (Jan 2022)

NB: This is a guide for secondary school study.

[dolly-is-cool]

this is gold

[fumiko-matsubara]

Isogai Yuuma from the Korotan B novel, but in Chiba's POV

Isogai quietly walked up to a table where one of the customers was absorbed in gambling, took their jacket, and quickly put it on. Then, without hesitation, Isogai approached a beautiful woman at another table and struck up a conversation with her.

“You’re such a cool guy, Isogai.”

Chiba couldn’t help but admire Isogai after seeing everything from afar.

Mind you, Karma was next to him the whole time he was not-so-subtly gay panicking for Isogai in the middle of a mission. Bet he looked at him and was like "and what are you gonna do about it huh" 😭

Bc of this, I'm so convinced that Chiba has some sort of dirt on him cuz there's no way the tomato head wouldn't tease him about this 💀