The Color of Earth Makes ALA's "Frequently Challenged" Books List for 2012

Kim Dong Hwa's graphic novel trilogy is the only comics work on the list this year, which is not as strange to me as the fact that I never read any stories about this book being challenged, and I'm sort of on the lookout for those things.

To read the rest of the list, click here. It may have been posted in 2012, but it is based in information from 2011, of course.

White, Mixed-Race Spider-Men to Meet this Summer!

Some of you may recall the uproar that stemmed from Marvel's decision to make the new Ultimate version of Spider-Man a teen of mixed ethnic heritage. Miles Morales is half African American and half Latino, but he's all-fan when it comes to Peter Parker, the white teen who was the original Ultimate Spider-Man and who remains the eponymous web slinger in Marvel's 656 universe (albeit no longer a teen). Morales only knows the Ultimate version, though, who was killed last year.

Despite the fact that Morales is a great character and respectful of the Spidey legacy, some will never be happy with him simply because he's "of color."

So, it makes me very happy to see that Marvel is going to let the "original original" Spider-Man meet the latest. It's going to be a little subversive slap in the face to the haters when these two hit it off. :)

Wildcat Comic Con Brings Together Comics Lovers and Educators, April 13-14

The two-day "celebration of comics in the classroom to be held this weekend, April 13-14, at the Pennsylvania College of Technology." Our buddy John Shableski seems to be a key organizer. Bet it will be a fun event!

Teacher Says No Comics; Student Replies With Research

When Sam, a third-grader in Alaska, was told by his teacher that comics weren't allowed in the classroom, he decided to do something about it. He researched the benefits of reading comics and presented his findings at the Science Fair. His project ended up winning a prize at the state finals!

Action research, folks. What's not good about this story? By the way, you can get more details by clicking the link embedded in this post's title.

YA Graphic Novel Goodness w/ Dr. Carter Come Summer Session 2012

I've already mentioned all the graphic novel's we're going to be covering in ENG 5340, but my YA Lit class is also going to feature several comics. Raina Telgemeier's Smile will be the book with which we open the course. Jeremy Love's Bayou is also on the reading list, as is Faith Erin Hicks' recent Friends with Boys.

That's 3 of 13 texts in the comics format, 4 if we count the cartoon hybrid text in Sherman Alexie's Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

Several other books will make us of imagetext dynamics as well, such as Jay Asher's 13 Reasons Why and Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

The course will be offered throughout the month of June as one of UTEP's "Summer Session I" classes.

Nich Sousanis' Comics Dissertation Gets Love from The Chronicle of Higher Education

Great to see this high-profile resource spotlighting what is apparently going to be a major work on learning and comics, crafted in the comics form. Go, Nick!

High School GN Reader Speaks Out

Typically the comics-and-literacy line has been held by teachers, librarians, and professors, but this Op-Ed from Graphic Novel Reporter takes a decidedly different and refreshing spin: It's written by a high schooler!

Elizabeth Heyman, a senior at Watching Hills Regional HS in Warren, New Jersey, talks about how satisfying she finds reading comics for pleasure and for study.

You go, girl!

GNR Publishes Study Guides for Teen-Centric GN's

California Librarians Jack Baur and Jessica Lee have guides up at Graphic Novel Reporter for the following titles:

All Star Superman,American Born Chinese, One Hundred Demons, Persepolis, Ultimate Spider-Man, Vol. 1: Power and Responsibility, Runaways, Vol. 1: Pride and Joy, Scott Pilgrim, and Smile.

Click here to access them.

TONIGHT!: Harvard Hosts Discussion on Zahra's Paradise

Harvard University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies is hosting a web discussion on how to consider and use Zahra's Paradise in educational settings. The event starts at 7:00 this afternoon. If you think you might want to register for the event, contact the center via this email: cmesoc@fas.harvard.edu and log in around 6:45.

I hate that I'm going to miss it, especially since I'll be using this new graphic novel in a graduate-level class I'm teaching next semester. Hopefully the recording will be archived, but if you've got the hour available, you might want to listen in -- and participate too!

"Comic New York" Symposium Scheduled at Columbia University THIS WEEKEND!

Karen Green is kicking ass and taking names up there in the big NYC. I loves me some Chris Claremont too. So glad to know his papers are now safely archived.

Comics Goodness at Northern Illinois University, March 22-May 25, 2012

It pleases me to see this, as I've gotten mixed reactions about comics scholarship from folks at various Illinois universities. Today, NIU starts a show entitled "Graphic Novel Realism: Backstage at the Comics." Artists such as Joyce Farmer, Jaime Hernandez, Jason Lutes, Mark Newgarden, Megan Montague Cash, Seth, and James Sturm will have work on display. Comics scholar Paul Karasik will be giving a talk tonight. So, if you're in Dekalb, head on over to the NIU Museum of Art.

RIP Moebius

Glyph Award Nominations Out for 2012

View Scholastic's Recent Webcast to Schools Across America

Kazu Kibuiski, Jeff Smith, and Raina Telgemeier were guests on the broadcast that was aired across the nation to school children. Click this post's title to view it! I'm watching it now! :)

Big News from Reading With Pictures!

Paul Hornschemeier becomes inaugural graphic novelist in residence at Ohio’s Columbus Museum Of Art/Thurber House

Nick Sousanis, Teachers College Doc Student, Interviewed on his Comics Dissertation

Sousanis's dissertation is in the comics form!

Coming Fall 2012: ENGL 5340: Literature for Youth

ENGLISH 5340: Literature for Youth is described as "the study of literature written for young people." When I teach it in fall 2012, the focus of the course will be the intersections of adolescence, secondary education, literary analysis and graphic novels.

Students in UTEP's English MAT program will be the bulk of enrollment. We'll be reading comics featuring young people in schooling and social situations. In addition to a core textbook on adolescence and education and articles on comics and literacy, students will be asked to read from among the following graphic novels:

American Born Chinese
Any Empire
Anya's Ghost
The Arrival
Black Hole
Blankets
Blue Beetle: Boundaries
Epileptic
Fun Home
Girl from H.O.P.P.E.R.S.
Habibi
Hereville
Incognegro
La Perdida
Level Up
Refresh Refresh
Persepolis
Skim
Stitches
Stuck Rubber Baby
White Tiger: A Hero's Compulsion
Wonderstruck
Young Allies
Yummy
Zahra's Paradise

I've just put in my book order and am gathering secondary reading resources now. I'm also working out assignments. But, I'm excited about this course!

Comics News from "Bedford Bits": Big Things Coming!

Elizabeth Losh and Jonathan Alexander have posted a blog entry about using comics as historical primary sources, detailing Losh's work in a first-year college course, Media Seductions: Influence Theory from Plato to Battlefield 2. Read more about it here.

What is more exciting to me, though, is that Losh and Alexander are now going public with the news that their upcoming freshman composition textbook, Understanding Rhetoric, will soon be published by Bedford/St. Martin's. I was asked to provide feedback on this project waaaaay back when it was in script form, and did so with much interest.

It's been one of those "it's coming!" points of excitement that I've had to keep on the downlow for a couple of years now, but I'm happy to see that soon the world will know about this text, which should be a major contribution to the comics-and-education movement and to the lives and learning of many students.

Archie's Keven Keller Makes Media Waves with Gay Marriage

Life With Archie #16, the issue in which gay character Kevin Keller gets married, has sold out. Not in the bad way, but in the very good way of having all the first printing exchanged for cash. :)

If you missed it at the newsstand, you can download it here.

Also, see the publisher's reaction to that Million Moms effort to boycott Toys R Us stores selling the book.

Daaaaaamn! Archie Comics got some balls! And a big "Hell yeah!" for it, too.