About the Book
Distinct from "magazines," children's comics are a discreet and fascinating medium, superficially familiar to us all, yet rarely the subject of study in Media Studies. But comics have been with us in their current form for over a hundred years and they remain hugely popular with their audience and very lucrative for their owners. Beginning with "A Short History of Comics," the "Teacher's Guide" explores every area of the subject likely to be of relevance to the Media teacher: Comic Language--comic "codes," and how to read them; Industries and Institutions--from conglomerates to cults and cross-media synergy; Censorship-- the history of comic book regulation in the USA and the UK; Audiences--who reads children's comics? And are they bad for them? Representation--comics and gender, race and nationality; Superheroes and Naughty Kids--the history, and appeal, of Superman, Batman and ... Dennis the Menace.