Guten tag!

It's been a while since I posted an update, and the reason is this: I spent my summer reading comic books in Berlin.

Although to say I was simply reading comic books would be a bit of an understatement.

Over the course of three short weeks, I was challenged to re-frame my understanding of comic books, both as an art form and as a storytelling medium. I learned about the interplay of visual and textual elements, and how this enables comics to play with meaning in a way neither category can achieve in isolation. I met some absolutely phenomenal comics artists, participated in an illustration workshop, and experienced the way in which the city of Berlin becomes both character and context within local comics art.

I was also encouraged to think about the ways comic books and graphic novels can be used in the classroom (i.e., to support emergent and/or reluctant readers in their literacy development). This is an area I intend to study further, in both my academic and professional career.

My adventure in Berlin was facilitated through the University of Alberta's e3 program. (A massive thank-you to all the hardworking people who make this program happen!)

Below, I have compiled a short list of some of the incredible comics artists and publishers I had the privilege of learning from. I encourage you to check out their work!