Friday, October 20, 2017

That anti-bullying moment from comic book Superb



This semester, I'm coordinating a small study group with students from the SIUE/East St. Louis Charter High School. The project focuses on comic books--Noble and Superb. Working with younger readers helps me see what we're covering in new, useful ways.

When I first read Superb #1, I moved past a moment that I now return to with more focus. Early in the story, there's a moment when Kayla, one of the protagonists, stands up for her friend Jonah who's being bullied. Initially, the scene did not register in a strong way.

However, responses from high school students shifted my interests. When asked what stood out to them about issue #1  of Superb, nearly all of the students mentioned the scene with Kayla preventing Jonah from being bullied. The moment apparently struck a chord with the high school students.

In retrospect, it makes sense. All across the country, large numbers of students report being bullied or witnessing some form of bullying at their schools. Thus, students coming across that scene in Superb would no doubt take special notice. Receiving feedback from the students on that scene gave me a renewed appreciation for what it would mean to them.

Related:
East St. Louis study group focusing on comic books
A notebook on comic books

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