USING VINTAGE and CONTEMPORARY SYNDICATED CARTOONS AND COMIC STRIPS

                                                                    (Above:  Gasoline Alley, September 11th 2011)

If you've used an English textbook or taken a philosophy class then you may remember seeing classic Peanuts comics strips, with Charlie Brown and Snoopy, to illustrate a contextual point being made by the author.  The art of the comic, cartoon or caricature dates back several centuries, but even without knowing the full history it becomes clear that cartoonists are artists who are keenly aware of the issues, customs and ideals that were important to them and their audiences and thus their illustrated panels can be a window into understanding history.  Plus there is the fun of using recognizable characters. 

On the world wide web there are literally dozens of comics strips and political cartoons online that can be viewed daily for free.  Many sites gives viewers the option of emailing comics and posting them on websites.    Also teachers can ask for copies of comic strips from the daily newspaper in their media center.  If you pay close enough attention you easily spot a comic strip related to an import social issue, cultural event or curriculum objective.

The following are just few examples.  

HOLIDAYS (or cultural events)

Christmas, New Year's, Easter, Fourth of July, and many other special occasions are celebrated each and every year by cartoonists around the world.  Printed versions can make great gifts.  A single panel cartoon can even be used as a backdrop for a presentation.  For a staff party (or a culinary educational experience, for the kids) a colorful Sunday panel can be projected onto a screen to set the mood. 

Gasoline Alley is one of several comic strips to feature an annual Christmas Sunday Page.  This beautiful panel is by Jim Scancarelli.  Every Christmas panel he has illustrated since 2001 can be viewed at gocomics.com.
Copyright 2011 Tribune Media Syndicate.

For teachers of foreign languages, search for cartoons from other countries related to national holidays and festivals.


SOCIAL ISSUES

Curtis by Ray Billingsley, October 23rd 2010.

Curtis is one of the most critically praised comic strips in recent decades.  Many of Curtis's story lines and Sunday panels have touched on important issues: i.e, smoking, Facebook, bullying, unemployment, technology in the classroom and in this example from 2010, sagging. Many different artists have used relevant social issues of their time periods and culture as subjects for their panels. Doonesbury is famous for it's political commentary.  Rex Morgan M.D. recently had a storyline concerning a young woman who was suicidal because she felt responsible for the deaths of co-workers in a natural disaster overseas.  Comic strips featuring families (especially teenagers) like Blondie, Curtis and Zits will frequently make comical and intelligent observations about youth and technology.

SECRET SOURCE:  Free Newspapers from Peers.  Teachers can ask for copies of comic strips from the daily newspaper in their media center.  Some public libraries and museums receive free copies of Sunday papers during the week.   If you still subscribe to a newspaper, take glance at the funnies, even if you do not read them.  You may easily spot a comic strip related to an import social issue.  If you see a theme that is not relevant to your field then share the funny paper with someone you know.  Teachers can even set up an e-network to share articles, upcoming programs and events related to their students curriculum.    

POLITICS

Your students may not recognize Laurel and Hardy, but they may still laugh at this clipping with it's still relevant topic.
Exact date and artist unknown.

Just like in the example above, a downloaded or clipped cartoon can be scanned as part of a Web 2.0 tool. In a blog a political cartoon can begin an interesting discussion.


HISTORY

This 1942 panel illustrated by the popular cartoonist H(arold) T.(ucker) Webster is a good example of the American Homefront from a child's perspective.
This scan comes from Cartoon Cavalcade 1943 Ed. by Thomas Craven, Simon & Schuster Inc. 

From the above cartoon, imagine being that little boy and saying something about your mother (she makes planes!) that perhaps no child could have ever said before.  Older cartoon panels and strips invite learners to see the past a little differently.

SECRET SOURCE:  Many public and college libraries have a habit of holding on to older cartoon book collections for decades.  Brisk through them to find some good visual aids.  This blogger bought this discarded book at a public library bookstore for $2 dollars and it was filled with art from the Great Depression and World War II.  



LINKS

http://www.gocomics.com/ -  Free online home to over 200 syndicated comic strips with archives, some dating back to 2001.  For elementary school educators Peanuts and Nancy are recommended.  Peanuts is also recommended to English and Social Studies teachers.

yahoo.com/comics - Yahoo!'s Comics page featuring many of the same strips as Go Comics

Your Local Library - (do all links have to be e-links ?)

LEARN NC - Comics in the Classroom - A UNC-Chapel Hill based curriculum guide for using comic art in the classroom.  http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/631