Using Comics to Teach Tough Topics
Many educators and librarians feel raising social awareness is an important educational objective, but helping young audiences come to terms with the difficult topics and complex concepts associated with social awareness can be challenging. Comics and graphic novels are great tools for addressing tough social issues like bullying, abuse, suicide, and racism; however, graphic novels and other books that depict tough topics may encounter resistance from parents, administrators, and even fellow teachers. Join CBLDF and a panel of comics creators, publishers, retailers, and educators to learn how comics are a powerful tool for helping young people understand the more difficult parts of growing up. In this program, we will present fresh ideas for using comics to teach social justice, identity, and freedom of expression; suggest titles that address the tough topics affecting young people, including discrimination, bullying, racism, and disability; and provide strategies for addressing the challenges that may arise when incorporating these comics into course curriculum.
To access a recording of this webinar, please register here.
Retailing to Schools and Libraries with Jennifer Haines
Learn the secrets of selling comics to schools and libraries in this information packed webinar by Jennifer Haines! More than ever, schools and libraries are eager to include comics, and no one is better positioned to help them navigate the landscape than comic book retailers! In this training-focused webinar, we’ll show you:
- How to develop relationships with local schools & libraries
- How to identify and promote the services your store can offer
- Incentives your store can provide to boost student visits
- Activities you can offer to engage students
- How to use the academic language to communicate the pedagogical value of comics
Every retailer completing this training will receive a certificate of completion, plus we’ll list your store as CBLDF Certified to work with schools and libraries in future publications for that audience.
To access a recording of this webinar, please register here.
Managing Media
Comic book stores are the industry’s front line, which often makes their employees the first people local media turns to when a comic book story comes up – the good ones as well as the bad and the ugly. This CBLDF webinar provides practical best practices for how to manage media situations, including how to take control of hostile situations, proactive steps to establish good community outreach, and procedures every store should have in place for media communications and outreach.
To access a recording of this webinar, please register here.
Teaching Tolerance & Understanding with Gene Luen Yang We kicked off our webinar series for educators and librarians with a discussion between Gene Luen Yang, the National Book Award-nominated author of American Born Chinese, and Betsy Gomez, the Banned Books Week Coalition coordinator and editor of CBLDF’s book about the women who changed free expression in comics, CBLDF Presents: She Changed Comics. In this webinar, Yang draws from his career as a celebrated author, ambassador, and teacher to address how comics can help students attain a broader view of the world and spark a lifelong love of reading and how teachers and librarians can respond to challenges to comics and overcome barriers to using them. To access a recording of this webinar, please register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ort6z7_bRFiOkInG_lVAnw
Take PRIDE in Comics: The Challenges Facing LGBTQ+ Content In celebration of PRIDE month, we asked a panel of creators, educators, librarians, and retailers to discuss the challenges facing LGBTQ+ comics. During this informative session, cartoonist Paige Braddock, the Eisner-nominated creator of Jane’s World; historian, educator, and creator Justin Hall, the editor of award-winning anthology No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics; librarian and activist Valerie Acklin, a member of the American Library Association’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT); and retailer Katie Proctor, the owner of Portland, Oregon’s inclusive comic book store, Books With Pictures, discuss the history of censorship of LGBTQ+ comics, why LGBTQ+ comics are an important part of any library or classroom collection, and what we can do to defend LGBTQ+ content from censors. To access a recording of this webinar, please register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lAFLI_1qS9GpZDjmHUCvuQ
Developing a Classroom Collection 101: Addressing Barriers to Comics Do you want to develop a comics and graphic novel collection for your classroom or library, but don’t know where to start? Do you need help expanding an existing collection? Even though comics are an increasingly popular format, their benefits are still misunderstood by many administrators and decision-makers, and often these misunderstandings create hurdles for teachers and librarians wanting to develop a graphic novel collection for their classroom or library. Join CBLDF and a panel of comics creators and educators to learn how you can navigate the challenges associated with developing and curating a comics collection, including ways to address enduring stigmas about the pedagogical validity of the medium and challenges to the visual components of the medium. This webinar will offer practical advice, strategies, and resources to help you advocate the value of comics in educational settings and overcome barriers to using this incredible medium! To access a recording of this webinar, please register here.
Using Comics in the Classroom: Practical Tools for Developing Curriculum Although comics are an incredible tool for engaging students in the classroom, the educational benefits of this medium are still unknown to many teachers, administrators, and parents. Join CBLDF and a panel of creators and teachers to learn how comics can be used to enhance learning and encourage student participation. Get real-world suggestions for integrating comics into your curriculum, from expanding lesson plans to include comic-based activities to developing units devoted to the study of the medium. To access a recording of this webinar, please register here.
Retailing to Schools & Libraries For this CBLDF retailer training webinar, we asked Jennifer Haines, owner of The Dragon, an award-winning comics and games store headquartered in Guelph, Ontario to discuss the best practices for developing relationships with local schools and libraries. Ms. Haines is ComicsPRO Vice-President and a member of the Ontario College of Teachers; with over ten years experience as an educator and extensive knowledge of comics, she is in a unique position to help comic retailers see comics from a pedagogical perspective. In her presentation, Ms.Haines discusses the services best suited for school and library settings, the best incentives to offer for boosting student reading, and the best activities for promoting student engagement.
The following retailers participated in this webinar and are CBLDF Certified to Work with Schools and Libraries: 1First Comics in Northbrook, IL; Big B Comics in Hamilton, ON; Cape and Cowl Comics in Oakland, CA; Chimera’s Comics in LaGrange, IL; Collector’s Paradise in Winnetka, CA; Comic Book University in Indianapolis, IN; Comic Kingdom in Reno, NV; Comic Quest in Lake Forest, CA; Comic Realms in Bismarck, ND; Comic Relief in Flint, MI; Crescent City Comics in New Orleans, LA; Crossover Comics in Montreal, QC; D3 Comic Book Spot in Richmond, CA; Downtown Comics in Indianapolis, IN; DreamDaze Comics Fun & Games, Inc. in Wilson, NC; Empire Collectibles, Comic Books & Games in San Diego, CA; Everscape in Manchester, TN; Fanfare in Kalamazoo, MI; Fantom Comics in Washington, DC; Fight or Flight Comics in Raleigh, NC; Firefly Bookstore in Kutztown, PA; Four Color Fantasies in Winchester, VA; Heroes Wanted in Gallatin, TN; Illusive Comics & Games in Santa Clara, CA; Impulse Creations Comics & Collectibles in Tulsa, OK; Isle of Comics in South Williamsport, PA; Midtown Comics in New Hyde Park, NY; NewCastle Comics and Games in Maryland Heights, MO; Pastimes Comics & Games in Niles, IL; Pensacola Pop Comics in Pensacola, FL; Phase 1 Comics and Games in Tomball, TX; Pulp Fiction in Long Beach, CA; Richmond Comix in Midlothian, VA; SoCal Games and Comics in Temecula, CA; and Star Clipper in St. Louis, MO
