By: Peggy Sue Wood | @pswediting​

Panel: “Comics Arts Conference Session #1: The Power and Responsibility of Comics Pedagogy”

Panel Description: The field of Comics Studies is an ever-growing scholarly space involving a wide range of participants. Susan Kirtley (Portland State University), Antero Garcia (Stanford University), and Peter Carlson (Green Dot Public Schools) examine this space while reflecting on their recently published work, With Great Power Comes Great Pedagogy: Teaching, Learning, and Comics. As the panelists discuss their approach to gathering comic creators, scholars, and educators from various fields and settings to set out the stakes, definitions, and exemplars of contemporary comics pedagogy into one edited volume, they analyze how sources of personal identity, nostalgia, and history affect our evolving relationships to comics. As they share the discoveries uncovered in their editing process, the panelists will reveal the purposes for cultivating the three key areas of this volume: Foundations of Comics Pedagogy, Comics Pedagogy in Practice, and New Directions for Comics Pedagogy.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QKcReKmwrA&ab_channel=Comic-ConInternational 

Why Watch? 

This panel is great for teachers hoping to integrate comics into the classroom as a medium for teaching. The panelists discuss the book they published recently, With Great Power Comes Great Pedagogy: Teaching, Learning, and Comics, which shares scholarship, resources, and more for teaching comics in subjects as different as English is to Science. (LINK TO BOOK) I did not find Session 2, Comics Arts Conference Session #2: The Comic Art of Seduction, to be as insightful. 

Panel: “Comics and the Art of Visual Storytelling | Education Series”

Panel Description: With the growing global awareness of visual literacy, there are elements of storytelling that have always been a natural part of our reading and learning experience. These panelists will talk about what these elements are, how they have developed, and why the comics world has always been an important part of our reading and learning.  

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46nsaiUwH2Y&ab_channel=Comic-ConInternational 

Why Watch? 

This panel is great for understanding the importance of visual storytelling and its place in both education and our culture. I really enjoyed this panel–though I can’t say that’s not an unbiased opinion as this is a topic I’m deeply interested from a research perspective. 

—-

Outside of Wondercon, the Comic-Con Youtube channel has released several more videos in an education series for those interested in teaching comics and teaching via comics. A link to the education playlist can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWgMNalmtRU&list=PLCOMdNvcQPlWLcYfYbL65sHMs7ebt8VNP&ab_channel=Comic-ConInternational