‘To Boldly Go’ - Making Meaning by Making Comics
​Sunday, 6/17/18 from 12:00PM - 12:50PM Room 304 - Education
 
Reading and creating comics encourages students to delve into concepts and perspectives beyond their immediate experience. A panel of elementary through high school teachers will present curricula and teaching using comics as a way for students to understand both straightforward content and abstract concepts.
 
Panelists: Rebecca Sheinbaum, Mark Parmet
 
Rebecca Sheinbaum and Mark Parmet, teachers at the Denver Jewish Day School, shared with us a lesson plan that incorporates comic book creation into their classroom. The first step in a project like this is to decide what concept you want to explore. The topic that they chose was, ‘What does bravery mean and look like in different contexts?’ They wanted their students to explore some of the ways that you can be brave when you aren’t a ‘hero,’ like standing up for someone for example. Each grade did a 6-week-long project based around bravery. In addition to allowing the students to explore their own stories of bravery and share with their class, it also provided a ‘How to be Brave’ manual for the younger grades. The students picked anyone throughout history to be their hero, and then told the story through their eyes, in comic book form. This type of engaging project helps avoid the all-too-common ‘grade and chuck’ problem (when students just throw away their homework immediately after getting it back), because they are creating something of value that they are proud of and want to share with others. In preparation for this project, the presenters went to Mile High Comics and looked for comics that were about bravery. They also brought guest speakers on bravery into the classroom, such as veterans and Holocaust survivors. They used the Storytelling Through Comics curriculum from Pop Culture Classroom, which provided them with resources for building the elements of a comic book like a character map, story arc, storyboard, etc. The students were able to choose if they wanted to create their comic by hand or using the online comic creating program Pixton. When they were finished, the students even created a trailer to advertise their books. Through this project, the students came to their own understanding of what bravery means to them.
 
To demonstrate how this type of project would begin, Rebecca and Mark separated the audience members into groups and tried a sample of the lesson plan. Everyone thought of their own ideas, then met with their groups to present them. The audience members were given handouts to fill out with important questions like: ‘What do you want students to think about? What ideas to you want students to explore? What do you want students to know? What do you want students to be able to do? How do you imagine a student sharing their understanding of the above VISUALLY? (For example, a comics nonfiction narrative, expository guide, fable, short story, etc.).’ There was also a project design overview (adapted from BIE.org) to fill out, including the ‘Project Summary’ (focusing on the student role, what the issue/problem/challenge is, what creation/action needs to be taken, and the purpose/beneficiary), what the ‘Entry Event’ is (going to a comic book store with the students for example), the ‘Products’ (what specific content and success skills to be assessed will be the responsibility of an individual as opposed to the entire team), ‘Making Products Public’ (how will they be made public and who will the students engage with during and at the end of the project), ‘Resources Needed’ (on-site people and facilities, materials, equipment, community resources), ‘Reflection Methods’ (when and how individual, team, and/or whole class will reflect during and at the end of the project: journal, learning log, focus group, whole-class discussion, fishbowl discussion, survey, etc.).

​Under strict time limits, each person in the group would take turns going through the four-step process:
 
Presentation (1 minute): Present your idea and your goals, being as specific as possible so that the other group members can address any issues they may have.
Questions (30 seconds): Share question(s) and concerns you want feedback about (‘How do I create entry points for struggling learners?’ ‘What’s a good launch event?’ ‘How can I include student voice and choice?’ etc.).
Feedback (2 minutes): The group answers the presenter’s questions and offers suggestions. The group shares what they like about the project, then answers questions posed by the presenter (‘I wonder if it would help to try…’ ‘I wonder if they have thought of…’).
Follow-up questions (2 minutes): Presenter reflects on feedback (elaborate more, address questions and suggestions, and then ask more questions to elaborate) then asks follow-up questions to the group (‘What’s a good entry point for my age level of students?’ ‘How can my concepts/content translate into visual representations?’ ‘How can I ensure that all students can use their strengths and remediate their weaknesses?’ ‘How could I incorporate standards across subjects/disciplines?’ ‘How effective is my plan?’). Finally, taking into account all of the feedback, consider your next steps.

For access to a Google Drive folder with these materials and more, go to bit.ly/makingmeaningbymakingcomics.

I’ll never forget the first convention that I ever attended, because quite frankly, it felt like home. When I walked through those hotel doors it suddenly felt as though I was at some kind of massive family reunion and I met so many incredible people who shared the same interests that I had over the course of that weekend that it goes without saying that I was hooked. This was a whole new world of nerdy possibilities and replicating that sense of belonging is what compels me to attend convention after convention.
 
Granted, time is of course the great equalizer, and while I still get a thrill when I walk through those doors, it’s rarely as strong as I felt that first time around, in fact, only a handful of conventions have managed to replicate that experience. So, imagine my surprise when last year, Fort Collins Comic Con, pulled off that all important feat and gave me that same rush that I felt all those years ago, to the point where I immediately made plans to attend the convention this year and amazingly enough, the allure of this particular con had me counting down the days and the minutes to it.
 
But, as a writer is wont to do, I had to know why this con had caught my eye. Was it because attending it serves as a mini road trip with my friends, harkening back to the days when you used to just hop in the car and ride to some place cool? Is it because I was making major effort to attend a con that’s an hour and a half away from home? Or was it something more? Well as it turns out, the answer is yes to those first two questions because it is a fun experience to jump in the car with snacks and find a good station to rock out to on the radio with your buds while the open road awaits, but there really is more that this con has to offer.
 
Because Fort Collins Comic Con has truly figured out how to make a convention simply feel like you’re hanging out with old friends, and much of that comes courtesy of its laid-back style. Everything here moves at a relaxed pace, something rare for a Comic Con in any capacity and that chill feel allows for attendees to just hang out, and this weekend was no exception to that particular rule. Because everyone was just kicking back, with a smile plastered on their faces as they roamed about, checking out the booths and every other wonder that the con had to offer. And there is a wonderful vibe that comes about from seeing old friends and that’s what really sticks out in my mind when it comes to this weekend.
 
There were in fact, people that I hadn’t seen for some time at this con, and it was great to blast out a joyful hello in seeing them and share a handshake or a hug and catch up with them and I suppose that’s the ‘more’ in question that I was trying to put my finger upon, the fact that the best cons out there, find a way to bring people together, the kind of people that become our surrogate family and that’s precisely what Fort Collins Comic Con achieves, and it was just great to feel welcomed and feel like I belong and that’s the kind of magic you hold on to when it comes to a con and that’s precisely why I’ll be back to attend FCCC next year, to enjoy good times, with good friends in a place that I can call home.   

​Does the end of summer have you down in the dumps? Need one last nerdy hurrah before fall hits? The 3rd annual Colorado Springs Comic Con (CSCC) takes place this weekend, putting forward a great way to wrap up August! This year’s edition of CSCC promises more space, more celebrities, and a wide variety of exciting activities.
 
After spending its first two years at the Colorado Springs Event Center, CSCC is moving to the Chapel Hills Mall Event Center to offer a much larger and more centralized location. The Chapel Hills space will feature a showroom floor for artists, vendors, merch, food, and the overall con experience, as well as a lower level to showcase celebrities, photo ops, kids con, panels, and gaming.
 
In contrast to the previous cons I have attended, I’ll be approaching CSCC with a couple new focal points: celebrity guests and cosplay. The former is all thanks to the stacked lineup CSCC is bringing to town this year. Personally, I’m excited about the idea of meeting Lou Ferrigno (someone I’ve been wanting to meet for years now), Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed and Chubbs himself!), and Trish Stratus, Lita, and Rey Mysterio (my inner child, a massive wrestling fan, is freaking out). The guest list also includes celebs from a host of popular franchises, including a hefty contingent from The Walking Dead. Autograph and photo-op information can be found on the guest pricing page.
 
The latter portion of my quest, the cosplay, should be a blast at CSCC too. At any convention I’ve gone to, people-watching is always a major draw. The elaborate costumes and characters bring the passion for fandoms to life! CSCC is doing this by bringing in over 20 formal cosplay guests and displays, including AZ Powergirl, Rosanna Rocha, and a couple famous movie/TV cars. Then, of course, you’ll have the many fans who will show up in costume. They can show off their creations and battle for supremacy at costume contests Sunday afternoon. I have yet to cosplay myself, so I’m excited to use CSCC to get a deeper dive into that world, even if only vicariously through my friend. Steven hasn’t quite decided on which costume to break out but be on the lookout for either Predator or Red Robin.
 
CSCC truly does have something for everyone. In addition to everything discussed above, you can also find a gaming lounge, geek speed dating, and some very fun panels. Saturday’s 11 a.m. panel, ‘Batman and Bender in the Panel of Doom’, brings together legendary voice actors Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) and John DiMaggio (Futurama and Adventure Time). Conroy is a fan favorite and has been a hit at other conventions I’ve seen him at. Pairing him up with the great DiMaggio for a Q&A session is sure to be hilarious. Other panels on deck include a Revenge of the Nerds reunion, a sit down with the Green Power Ranger (Jason David Frank), and a visit from Deadpool’s Colossus. Check out the full schedule for more great panels.

Colorado Springs Comic Con will run all of this weekend, from Friday August 24th through Sunday August 26th. Tickets range from $25-$35 for a one-day pass to $75 for a three-day pass. VIP tickets are also available. All tickets options are still available for purchase now. I’m looking forward to my first ever CSCC experience. If you’d like to join in, head to the website and grab your tickets now. I’ll see you down in the Springs!

​While we all enjoy conventions to their fullest and are happy to attend them as often as possible, I think we can all agree on one particular thing; there is a definite level of hustle that comes with every single con we attend. If we are staying at a hotel, we have to hurry and pack everything we need for the weekend at hand. We need to be up early to get our place in line to get into the con and we’ve got to hustle to get in line to meet our favorite celebrity and of course, we need to move like a ninja through the vendor room to get our hands on that perfect collectible.
 
Granted, none of these things are bad in the slightest, simply because it’s part of the con going experience and many of us have made all of these things an art form in their own right. But, it’s been a long time since we’ve been able to casually stroll through a convention at a leisurely pace and simply enjoy the nerdy vibes flowing through the air. Because cons are bigger than ever, and there’s no sign of their popularity slowing down anytime soon. But, believe it or not, there are conventions out there that have figured out how to replicate the down home and relaxed feel that used to accompany this experience and one such con that has managed to pull this off, is Fort Collins Comic Con.
 
Now in its third year, this particular convention understands that sometimes, all nerds want to do is hang out and have a good time and really, that’s the first vibe that one gets when they come to this con, because it truly does feature a relaxed environment where you can of course find all the awesome geeky goodies you’re looking for in a wonderfully designed vendor/artist area that allows for you to sit back and chat with everyone at their respective tables and learn more about their works and their wares. In fact, I remember having an awesome discussion about art and film and screenwriting with artist Zach Howard last year and I really appreciated the fact that Fort Collins Comic Con allows for this kind of relaxed environment to exist.
 
But the wonder of this con doesn’t end with its relaxed feel. It’s all about the fun as well, since there’s activities and panels for just about every one of every age to enjoy and it would seem that if there is a theme to go along with this year’s convention, it would have to be inspiring the imagination since there is a heavy focus on art and science, something that’s reflected by the guest list. Because comic artists Val Hochberg, Gordon Purcell, Rob Davis, Greg Guler, Mike Baron, Jolyon Yates, Ron Fortier and Matt Brundage will be in attendance alongside some brilliant scientific minds in Carolyn Collins Peterson, Erin Macdonald, PhD, Sarah Lipscy, PhD and Andrew Metcalf and I know that as a kid, science and comics were my thing and I think it’s great that the con has assembled a guest roster that will get everyone excited about those particular topics.
 
As an added bonus, the con is also highlighting film and gaming by hosting the people behind Tales of a Broken Reality and the creators of Friday the 13th: The Game, Illfonic and well, this is a convention that I flat out cannot wait to attend again. Because last year was my first year here and this is one that I’ve been counting down the days to because of its down home feel and relaxed environment and if you’d like the opportunity to attend this amazing convention as well, then head over to the Fort Collins Comic Con website and pick up your tickets today and I’ll see you at the Aztlan Center up north come next weekend.