Advocating for Comics, Graphic Novels and Manga
Libraries must cater to the diverse readers in their community. The broad umbrella term Graphic Novels encompasses comics, graphic novels and manga. This is another story telling medium and because it has been maligned for so long, it is one one that we must advocate for.
Offering comics for children, young adults and adults is essential.
But that's not all, graphic novels are among the most popular and highly borrowed collections at any given library. They offer an excellent return on investment.
Some of the great reasons for libraries to develop strong graphic novels collections could be summarised as follows:
- a highly popular medium with sales booming
- a distinct story telling medium and we must cater to all readers in the community
- a rich story telling medium that encompasses multiple literacies; in fact, comics have multiple literacy super powers
- high loans and excellent return on investment
Multiple literacies
Comics and graphic novels are multimodal texts that require the reader to use multiple literacies to decode the text. Here are five literacies that readers have to use when reading comics.
A struggling reader will benefit from the image association to help decode the narrative and the lesser amount of written text. The advanced reader will benefit from the complex relationships between composition, layout, panels and the concise writing needed in graphic novels.
Because comics and graphic novels are multimodal texts where the reader has to decode so many different elements using multiple literacies, studies have shown that readers benefit from greater memory retention, which is why graphic novels are increasingly being used in classrooms, including tertiary education. For more on this see the link right at the bottom of the post for a great essay by Dale Jacobs on comics as a way of teaching multiple literacies and an excellent essay by Brigid Alverson on using graphic novels for teaching
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Due to the nature of the medium, comics model some excellent literacy practices for readers:
- Precise concise and rich language (Jaffe, 2014)
- Visuals support and strengthen memory recall with higher neural connections (Jaffe, 2014)
- High incidence of median words and rare words - higher than junior fiction and comparable to adult fiction (Center of Teaching and Learning)
- Excellent medium to learn complex non-verbal communication (Kullberg, 2018 and Jaffe, 2014)
This is a rapid evidence review of research that supports the value of comics and graphic novels for education and reader development. The references to all quotes are provided at the bottom of the page.
Comics and Literacy - Rapid Evidence Review
- The multimodal nature of comics forces the reader to connect visual images and cues with text, it forces the brain to make connections between different forms of literacy - this helps with multiple literacies and also results in higher information retention (MacDonald, Heidi 2013, Jaffe, 2014 and Short, Jeremy, Randolph-Seng, Brandon, McKenny, Aaron 2013)
- Young readers seek visual cues because of their familiarity with picture books, because media today is largely visual and because images help fill the gaps of the text. For example, if a word is unfamiliar to them, the pictures can offer clues that help understand it and as mentioned above it also helps with information retention (Jaffe, 2014 & Kullberg, 2018)
- The need for concision in the written word inherent to comics, exposes readers to precise, concise and rich language. As Jaffe (2014) states: ““Graphic novels’ concise text paired with detailed images help readers decode and comprehend the text. Reading is less daunting (with less text to decode) and concise verbiage highlights effective language usage and vocabulary while the images invite and engage readers.”
- Comic books show a high incidence of median words and rare words per 1000; higher than junior fiction and comparable to adult fiction (Centre of Teaching and Learning, n.d.)
- Comics are an excellent medium to learn complex non-verbal communication. "Primary examples of this are the use of body language, color and shapes to express concepts as simple as movement and action, but as complex as metaphors, symbolism and emotions.” (Kullberg 2018 and Jaffe, 2014)
- “Some of the most interesting, most daring, most heartbreaking art being created right now, of both the verbal and visual varieties, is being published in graphic novels. These books take on memory, alienation, film noir, child abuse, life in post revolutionary Iran and, of course, love.” (Grossman, Lev cited on Schwarz Gretchen 2006)
- “For weak language learners and readers, graphic novels’ concise text paired with detailed images help readers decode and comprehend the text.” “For skilled readers… Because the text has to be succinct, graphic novels model how to efficiently communicate stories, lines, and ideas in short, pithy text.” (Jaffe, 2014)
Students are increasingly being asked to “employ, evaluate and compare multiple literacies (with a strong emphasis on non-fiction) utilizing content found in multiple formats and giving reliably-sourced evidence to support their opinions” (Jaffe, 2014) A few ways graphic novels help students achieve these goals:
- They typically use advanced and concise vocabulary to tell a story while the images help define and reinforce words, with the word-image pairing providing additional memory associations for concepts.
- Reading paired prose and graphic novel texts better reinforces memory of content material, as readers create both verbal and visual memory paths and associations.
- Panel displays and concise text help readers clearly distinguish between main ideas and details.
- Graphic novels provide an outstanding means of studying metaphor, as images are often used to develop and reinforce them.
Graphic novels foster and strengthen multiple learning skills essential for success in and out of the classroom.
- Attention and attention to detail: The mix of images and words forces the readers to slow down, pay attention to the details of both and combine them to make sense of the text.
- “Memory: Graphic novels pair visual and verbal storylines, creating additional memory pathways and associations. Research shows that our brain processes and stores visual information faster and more efficiently than it does verbal information.” (Jaffe, 2014)
- Sequencing Skills
- Language and language usage: “The concise text highlights word usage and vocabulary. The illustrations help define and reinforce vocabulary.” (Jaffe, 2014)
- “Second language learners have commented on how reading graphic novels helped expand their vocabulary and grammar skills.”
- “Abstract concepts such as inference, metaphor, and social context are often difficult concepts for kids to comprehend. Graphic novels can help by:
- verbal and visual cues in graphic novels aid comprehension and inference.
- Visual details help explain and reinforce content and abstract messages.
- Visual and verbal cues empwer readers to compare and contrast how vital information is presentenced.
- Metaphors permeate graphic novels, and the visual pairing and verbal pairing makes them more obvious, more concrete, easier to understand, and more relatable.
- Sequential presentation of text and images provides natural opportunities for scaffolding and comprehension.
- Graphic novels’ gutters offer natural breaks in which readers can pause to evaluate what they just read, making sure they comprehend events and character motives.
- Information (and story) gaps between the panels require active problem solving as readers extrapolate what is missing.
- Short bits of text make it easier for readers to recognize main ideas.”
(Jaffe, 2014)
References and additional resources
Alverson, Brigid (2014), Teaching With Graphic Novels, School Library Journal. https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=the-graphic-advantage-teaching-with-graphic-novels
Brenner, Robin (2015), A Guide to Using Graphic Novels With Children and Teens, Scholastic. https://www.scholastic.com/content/dam/teachers/lesson-plans/migrated-featured-files/guide_to_using_graphic_novels_new_2015_0.pdf
Centre of Teaching and Learning, University of Oregon. http://reading.uoregon.edu/big_ideas/voc/voc_what.php
Darbyshire, Shauna (2019), The time for comics is NOW: Why comics are a powerful format in our age of distraction, Perspectives on Reading, https://perspectivesonreading.com/the-time-for-comics-is-now-why-comics-are-a-powerful-format-in-our-age-of-distraction/
Gavigan, Karen (2011), More Powerful Than a Locomotive: Using Graphic Novels to Motivate Struggling Male Adolescent Readers, The Journal of Research on Libraries on Libraries and Young Adults, YALSA. http://www.yalsa.ala.org/jrlya/2011/06/more-powerful-than-a-locomotive-using-graphic-novels-to-motivate-struggling-male-adolescent-readers/
Hammond, Heidi Kay (2009), Graphic novels and multimodal literacy: a reader response study. University of Minnesota. Retrieved from: https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/48560
Jacobs, Dale (2007), More Than Words: Comics as a Means of Teaching Multiple Literacies, English Journal Vol. 96, No. 3, National Council of Teachers of English. https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1008&context=englishpub
Jaffe, Meryl PhD. (2014), Raising a Reader: How Comics and Graphic Novels Can Help Your Kids Love to Read! Comic Book Legal Defence Fund. Retrieved from: http://cbldf.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/CBLDF-Raising-a-Reader-REV-070313-WEB.pdf
Kullberg, Adam (2018), How using comics can improve your child’s reading skills. Pop Culture Classroom. https://popcultureclassroom.org/blog/how-using-comics-can-improve-your-childs-reading-skills/
Literacy Today (n.d.), Reading comics and teaching reading strategies. https://www.literacytoday.ca/old-sections/reading/reading-strategies/reading-visual-texts/article/reading-comics
Mac Donald, Heidi (2013), How comics help students retain knowledge is a growing field of study. Publishers Weekly. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/comics/article/55946-how-comics-help-students-retain-knowledge-is-a-growing-field-of-study.html
Melbourne University (2019), English and Literacy - Graphic Novels, Melbourne University. http://unimelb.libguides.com/c.php?g=402838&p=2741216
Short, Jeremy & Randolph-Seng, Brandon & Mckenny, Aaron. (2013). Graphic Presentation An Empirical Examination of the Graphic Novel Approach to Communicate Business Concepts. Business Communication Quarterly. 76. 273-303. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258126590_Graphic_Presentation_An_Empirical_Examination_of_the_Graphic_Novel_Approach_to_Communicate_Business_Concepts
written by @iurgiurrutia (2019), last updated 25/05/2019