comic book assignment

• My Storyboards

Graphic Novels in the Classroom

Types Of Graphic Novels

The term graphic novel indicates is a rich tapestry of storytelling, encompassing a wide array of genres and themes. Understanding the different types is key to appreciating the diversity of this medium. Broadly, the medium can be classified into two primary categories: nonfiction and fiction.

Why Teach with Graphic Novels?

More and more teachers are encouraging their students to read graphic novels as part of their standard ELA curriculum. However, they are still sometimes given a bad rap because they make people think of poorly written comics - rather than great literary works with visual representation. "Graphic novel" really just means "long picture story" or "a novel in comic-strip format" and are often of the highest literary quality!

Comic books or graphic novels are a type of format for literature, not a genre. They can be in the form of fiction, non-fiction, history, fantasy; the sky's the limit! They use both illustrations and words in sequence to tell a story. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, graphic novels are generally more complex, stand-alone stories while comic books evoke the superhero genre. Both include detailed character descriptions and narrative arcs that are depicted in visuals as well as words.

In the earliest grades, when young readers are still learning letters and building vocabulary, they are encouraged to draw during "Writer's Workshop". As students get older, they are given fewer and fewer opportunities to create illustrated stories, despite the fact that we live in a very visual world. Most students (and teachers for that matter) are visual learners. Written skills are vital for college and the workplace, but images are as well. Social media, advertising, marketing, television, film, construction, engineering, and many more industries use imagery as a crucial part of their business.

Graphic Novel Project Ideas

New Kid by Jerry Craft and White Bird by R.J. Palacio , are examples of moving and thought provoking graphic novels taught at all levels. New Kid is popular for grades 3-6 while White Bird is often used in grades 4-7. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Key Fitzgerald is a classic novel that has been taught in high school classrooms for decades. This graphic novel version adapted by Fred Fordham and Aya Mortonmakes allows this complex work to become accessible to all students. The storyboard graphic novels below are just a few examples of what students can create!

This project is the perfect way for younger readers and older kids to use their imaginations and write their own stories, summarize the plot of a graphic novel that they have read or to have students transfer their knowledge of another piece of literature into a different form. Many popular novels have been turned into graphic novels to meet a broader audience and introduce students of all abilities to classic works of literature.

How to storyboard a graphic novel can be daunting. But, never fear! We have many organizers to choose from in our templates collection. Check out our versatile Graphic Novel Templates ! Remember, when giving your students an assignment in Storyboard That, you can add as many templates as you like to differentiate and provide student choice!

My point: Both images and words tell stories. Both images and words can tell great stories, on their own or together. Don't know how to make a comic book for a school project? These templates can help! Click on any of the storyboards below to be brought into the Creator to customize as you wish!

Exploring Graphic Fiction and Novel Examples

Creating a graphic novel requires a unique blend of narrative storytelling and visual artistry, making it a challenging yet rewarding creative process. How to create graphic novels that captivate readers and convey powerful narratives is a craft that many artists and writers strive to master through a combination of storytelling finesse and artistic expression. Examples of well-crafted graphic novels can serve as valuable guides, helping aspiring creators cultivate the skills and techniques needed to design their narratives effectively and engage readers visually.

• "Watchmen" by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons is a quintessential example of graphic fiction, known for its intricate storytelling and thought-provoking exploration of complex characters and societal themes.
• "Fun Home" by Alison Bechdel and "Blankets" by Craig Thompson are both notable graphic memoir examples that artfully blend personal storytelling with the visual language of graphic novels, offering readers a unique and introspective experience.
• "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi is a compelling example of graphic novels that beautifully combines storytelling and illustration to tell a personal and historical narrative.
• Another example that has had a profound impact on the medium is "Maus" by Art Spiegelman, known for its powerful storytelling and unique visual style.

Popular Graphic Novel Examples for High School

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds deals with mature themes and is a powerful book to introduce to middle and high schoolers in grades 8-12. While New Kid and White Bird were originally written as graphic novels, Long Way Down was a novel written in verse that was later converted into this format by Jason Reynolds and Danica Novogorodoff. Many high school English teachers have been incorporating graphic novel project ideas into their curriculum. They have included these versions of literature as both a way to reach all readers and to enhance the original literary work with visual art! Teachers and students have been overjoyed to find many of the classics that are often taught in school are now available in such an engaging format.

The comic book storyboard example below showcases how students can use Storyboard That to demonstrate their understanding and analysis as well as their creativity for a book like Long Way Down . Using the creator, students can retell a story or create a storyboard of their own!

Literary works of all genres are being adapted into graphic novel form. Some other graphic fiction examples of classic novels that are perfect for high schoolers are:

• The Handmaid’s Tale : The Graphic Novel by Margaret Atwood and Renee Nault
• The Odyssey by Homer and Gareth Hinds
• To Kill a Mockingbird : A Graphic Novel by Harper Lee and Fred Fordham
• Jane by Charlotte Brontë, Aline Brosh McKenna, and Ramón K. Pérez
• Animal Farm by George Orwell and Odyr
• Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Damian Duffy and Octavia Butler
• Speak: The Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson and Emily Carrol
• Dune: The Graphic Novel by Brian Herbert, Kevin Anderson, Frank Herbert, and Raul Allen

Powerful graphic story examples written for high school students and adults are:

• The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman
• The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
• Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol
• I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir by Malaka Gharib
• Displacement by Kiku Hughes
• Hey Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
• March Trilogy by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, L. Fury, and Nate Powell
• I Am Alfonso Jones by Tony Medina, John Jennings, and Stacey Robinson

Popular Graphic Novel Examples for Middle School

Some examples of popular literature turned into graphic novels that are perfect for middle schoolers are:

• The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell
• The Giver : The Graphic Novel by Lois Lowry and P. Craig Russell
• Anne Frank's Diary : The Graphic Adaptation by Anne Frank, David Polonsky and Ari Folman

In addition, some examples for middle school include:

• They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Elsinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker;
• Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova
• All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson
• Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm
• Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham
• Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales by Nathan Hale
• The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag
• Smile, Drama, and Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

These storyboards depicting the narrative arc of the story for The Giver and The Diary of Anne Frank are an engaging way for students to summarize the important parts of a story in graphic novel form.

Popular Graphic Novel Examples for Elementary School

An example of a classic book that was turned into a graphic novel that is compelling for upper elementary school is:

• A Wrinkle in Time : The Graphic Novel by Madeleine L'Engle and Hope Larson

More examples of award-winning graphic novel stories that elementary students love are:

• Smile by Raina Telgemeier
• El Deafo by Cece Bell
• Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi
• Bone by Jeff Smith
• New Kid by Jerry Craft
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney is "hybrid" or cross between a typical novel and a graphic novel as it integrates drawings within the text.

Reading graphic novels with students and using these lesson plans in the classroom engages even the most reluctant readers. Once they are captivated, they will forget that they are reading a complex work of literature that encourages them to utliize their critical thinking skills! The copiable storyboards below depict examples of what a student could make if they were to turn A Wrinkle in Time or New Kid into their own graphic novel.

How to Make a Graphic Novel on Storyboard That

Learning how to create graphic novels requires a combination of narrative skill and visual artistry, making it an exciting and multifaceted creative endeavor. Exploring how to make a comic book for school projects can be a fun and educational endeavor, allowing students to combine their creativity and storytelling skills in a visually engaging format. The parts, such as panels, speech bubbles, and page layout, all play crucial roles in conveying the story and engaging the reader visually and narratively.

A graphic novel is not just a quick comic that can be told in a few cells, it's a longer narrative. So, that means lots and lots of pictures. However, pictures are not the only part of a graphic novel. Again: novel . While you may not be interested in having your students create hundreds of pages, short stories and modern adaptations of classic literature make an excellent graphic novel project. In addition to forming a plot, students still need to consider literary conflict, character development, themes, and a whole host of other literary elements.

True professional novel writing usually takes months, and more likely years, to complete. A professionally published graphic novel is no different. Graphic novels require the same writing process as any storytelling project. My example below is not a finished product, but it is a great start. Take a look at this quick guide to the writing process, so you and your students can get crackin'!

How to Plan a Graphic Novel Project

Graphic story writing engages all of the same critical thinking skills of classic pen to paper writing. It is important to help students brainstorm their graphic story ideas by providing structured steps or scaffolding the assignment. Students can ask themselves: What is the story going to be about? What is the setting? Who are the main characters? Who are the supporting characters? What is the main conflict? What happens in the end? These are all important big ideas to think about when planning. Details come later, focus on the big picture.

Need some help? Check out the article on spider maps , our storyboard templates , the " Story Starters " activity, or create your own graphic organizer to plan!

You can make your own handy visual for the steps in the writing process like the one on the left using our How-To Infographic Templates !

Make a Draft

Drafting with a storyboard is a lot of fun! Any graphic novel format can begin with a draft storyboard which is when your story really comes together. Take all those ideas and arrange them into a basic story structure. This could look very different for a graphic novel than a piece of straight writing. It might involve putting characters and/or scenes in the cells, but not customizing them. A handy trick with the Storyboard Creator is copying and moving cells. That way, you can add more cells in between other cells, copy cells and make slight changes, rearrange cell order, and more.

Drafts are supposed to be sketches of the final project, not the final story. The first draft and the published work could be miles apart - and that's fine. Don't try to get everything right the first time - it will only be frustrating. The draft is there just to get the ideas in a coherent (or not) order - to move into the shape of a story. It is not until all of the ideas are laid out before you that you can make sense of them and make them good!

You've got the basics. Now it is time for you to work in some magic: details, descriptions, new ideas, new angles, color, poses, speech bubbles, cropping, layering, customization... This is when you get to SEE your story unfolding.

Pro Tip: Copy the work you've already done. Save time by copying characters, scenes, and items that are already in your storyboard instead of looking for them again. That way, you will have the same color and/or filter choices selected. Copy entire cells if some things stay the same from frame to frame, especially if the action occurs in the same scene. You can still adjust everything to suit the needs of the new cell.

In the example storyboard below, the top row represents a very basic idea of what I want to happen in the story, or my draft. The bottom row shows what it might look like after I have solidified my story and started to make revisions and add details.

Revise Again

Yep. The revision stage can last a long time. Revising is my favorite part, but it is also the hardest part. Changing the hard work you have already put in might be difficult to take. That being said, I suggest having someone else look at your work during an optional peer-revision step . It is important that someone that doesn't have the story mapped out in their head can follow!

Check to make sure you have the colors you want, the cropping right, the transitions just how you want them. Are all the words spelled correctly? Do you have the right punctuation? Is the progression of cells clear to the reader?

Yes, you spent some time editing. Now is the time that you get that magnifying glass out. You might even want to have someone else proofread your work, since you have already gone over it many times.

Share your work in class or online. Storyboard That has several options to print your amazing graphic novel, too. There is nothing like holding a published piece of your work in your hand.

Add in video and audio for some amazing digital storytelling! Be sure to check out Storyboard That with PPT and More for more ideas on what to do with your masterpiece.

My First Chapter of Juniprix

Related Activities

How To Integrate Graphic Novels With Other Subjects In The Classroom Using Effective Cross-Curricular Connections

Choose the appropriate graphic novel.

Select a graphic novel that is appropriate for your subject area and grade level. Consider the themes and concepts that you want to teach and choose a graphic novel that aligns with your goals.

Plan The Cross-Curricular Connections

Identify specific connections between the graphic novel and other subjects. For example, a graphic novel about a historical event can be used to teach history, while a graphic novel about climate change can be used to teach science.

Introduce The Graphic Novel

Introduce the graphic novel to students and provide context for the subject area and themes that it explores. Preview the graphic novel and discuss any unfamiliar terminology or historical events.

Read And Analyze The Graphic Novel

Read the graphic novel with students and analyze it using specific critical thinking skills. For example, in a social studies class, students can analyze the author's use of imagery to convey historical events or the use of dialogue to develop characters.

Make Cross-Curricular Connections

Incorporate the cross-curricular connections that you planned into the lesson. For example, in a science class, students can analyze a graphic novel about climate change and use it as a springboard for a research project on the topic.

Assess Student Learning

Assess student learning using a variety of methods, such as a quiz, a written response, or a project. Provide feedback on student work and assess whether they have met the learning goals for the lesson.

Reflect On The Lesson

Reflect on the lesson and evaluate its effectiveness. Consider what worked well and what could be improved for next time. Make adjustments as needed to improve the integration of graphic novels with other subjects in the classroom.

Frequently Asked Questions about Graphic Novels

What is manga.

Manga is a style of comic books and graphic novels originating from Japan but embraced by readers worldwide. It is characterized by its black-and-white art style and iconic character design, featuring expressive, often large eyes. Manga encompasses a wide spectrum of genres, appealing to various age groups, and is typically serialized in magazines before being compiled into volumes. The reading direction is right-to-left, with different demographics like shonen for boys, shojo for girls, seinen for men, and josei for women. Manga artists often have unique styles, and popular series like "Naruto," "One Piece," and "Attack on Titan" have made manga a global phenomenon with a diverse and devoted fan base.

How do comic books differ from graphic novels?

Comic books and graphic novels are both sequential art forms, but they differ primarily in their format and content. Comic books are shorter, serialized publications, often with a stapled or saddle-stitched binding. They are typically part of an ongoing series and are generally shorter in length. Graphic novels, on the other hand, are longer, self-contained works with a more complex and extended narrative. They are often published as standalone books and cover a wider range of genres and subject matter, making them suitable for diverse readerships. While both mediums use illustrations and text to tell a story, graphic novels tend to offer more depth and sophistication in their storytelling, character development, and artistic quality, making them a distinct and respected form of literature within the realm of comics.

What are the key elements of a graphic novel?

Graphic novels, as a medium for storytelling, combine both visual and literary elements to convey a narrative. Some of the key elements that contribute to the structure and effectiveness of graphic novels are visual art, narrative structure, characters, text, layout, themes, design, and other genre-specific elements.

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The Center for Cartoon Studies

Teaching comics.

This page both archives teaching content from National Association of Comics Art Educators, along with dozens of additional teaching comics resources for all ages developed by The Center for Cartoon Studies community.  In recent years the comics medium has flourished, generating much interest from the literary, art, and educational communities. This site will continue to expand with more content as it is developed. Recommended grades, along with Common Core subjects are noted on several resources.

For more information or suggestions, contact [email protected]

Teaching Resources

• Individual Exercises • Complete Lesson Plans • Study Guides and Handouts • Complete Syllabi • Books and Magazines

• Individual Exercises

This section contains a list of short exercises. This material has been contributed by various cartoonists and educators. All items are available in printer-friendly adobe .PDF format.

• The Wrong Planet: Timing, Closure and Editing contributed by Paul Hluchan • Design Vs. Drawing contributed by James Sturm • It’s Easy as Changing the Film contributed by Patrick Welch • Editing contributed by James Sturm • Show Time Passing contributed anonymously • Basic Storytelling… Lights, Camera, Action! contributed by Patrick Welch • Intro to Lettering contributed anonymously • Intro to Inking contributed anonymously • Describing the Complex World contributed by Patrick Welch • Silent Gag Cartoon Exercise contributed anonymously • Poetry and Comics contributed by James Sturm • Comic Strip: Character/Place/Situation contributed anonymously • The Irony of Humor contributed anonymously • Autobiography Do’s and Don’ts contributed anonymously • Think Before You Ink contributed by James Sturm • Scenes as Building Blocks contributed by Tom Hart • 20 Questions for Characters contributed anonymously • Intro to Caricature contributed anonymously • Character Exploration Initial Writing Exercises contributed by Tom Hart • Form and Chaos contributed anonymously • A Definition of Comics contributed by James Sturm • Closure Exercise contributed anonymously [ closure_handout ] • Expressive Lettering and Balloons contributed anonymously [ lettering_template ] • Iconographic Language in Comics contributed anonymously • Cartoon Characters Doodled from Memory contributed by Ivan Brunetti • Practicing Text-Image Relationships contributed by Christian Hill

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Complete Lesson Plans

This section contains a list of lesson plans. This material has been contributed by various cartoonists and educators. All items are available in printer-friendly adobe .PDF format.  Each lesson plan has, listed after its title, a grade range for which the exercise is most appropriate. Many lesson plans, though, can be modified to suit older or younger classes as needed.

• Little Orphane Annie: Leapin’ Through the Depression contributed by Joanna Boyd Richards [ sample Annie strips .pdf 2.4MB]
• Teaching Literary Devices with Comics contributed by Nancy Frey and Doug Fisher [ sample narrative .pdf 2MB]
• The Serious Business of Graphic Novels contributed by A. David Lewis [ slideshow .ppt 8.5MB]
• Creating and Self-Publishing Your Minicomics contributed by Mac McCool
• Study Guides and Handouts

This section contains study guides which are geared toward English/literature classes as well as a studio environment. Also available here are handouts useful for class discussion. Several of the study guides contain reading questions designed to facilitate the teaching of prominent comics works.  All items are available in printer-friendly adobe .PDF format.

Study Guides: • The Complete Peanuts Volume I by Charles M. Schulz contributed by Art Baxter • Buddy in Seattle by Peter Bagge contributed by Ben Towle • Above and Below by James Sturm contributed anonymously • Locas: The Maggie and Hopey Stories by Jaime Hernandez contributed by Art Baxter • Jimbo in Purgatory by Gary Panter contributed by Joel Priddy • You Can’t Get There From Here by Jason contributed by Christian Hill • Flies on the Ceiling by Los Bros Hernandez contributed by Rocco Versaci • My Troubles with Women by Robert Crumb contributed by Rocco Versaci • Ghost World by Dan Clowes contributed by Rocco Versaci • Daddy’s Girl by Debbie Drechsler contributed by Rocco Versaci • Sandman: Fables and Reflections by Neil Gaiman contributed by Rocco Versaci • Palestine by Joe Sacco contributed by Rocco Versaci • Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon contributed by Rocco Versaci • Maus by Art Spiegleman contributed anonymously

Handouts: • The Creation of a Page contributed by Tom Hart • Three-Act Story Structure contributed anonymously • Women in Comics: An Introductory Guide contributed by Trina Robbins • Critique Talking Points contributed anonymously • Usagi Yojimbo: Step by Step contributed by Stan Sakai • Mix and Match Rows: Comics Handouts for Younger Students contributed by Ben Towle • Comics Terminology contributed anonymously • How To Read Nancy contributed by Mark Newgarden and Paul Karasik

• Complete Syllabi

In this section you will find a number of complete course syllabi, most if which are intended for teaching at the undergraduate level. The syllabi are divided into sections for studio classes and non-studio classes and have been contributed by instructors from institutions such as Yale, The Savannah College of Art and Design, The University of Florida, and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as others.

• Comics As Literature contributed by Rocco Versaci
• Comics and Animation contributed anonymously
• Comics in American Culture contributed by Professor Touponce
• Media in Cultural Context: Comics, Cartoons and Graphic Storytelling contributed anonymously
• Survey of Sequential Art contributed anonymously
• Writing About Comics contributed anonymously
• Writing Scripts for Comics contributed by Mark Kneece
• Introduction to Comics Art: Gateway to Visual Storytelling contributed anonymously
• Reading Comics as Literature contributed by Isaac Cates
• Studies in Literature and Culture: The Graphic Novel contributed anonymously
• Comics Studio Class contributed anonymously
• Explore Chicago: The Art of Chris Ware contributed anonymously
• An Aesthetic History of Comics contributed by Dan Nadel
• History of Comic-Book Art contributed by Andrei Molotiu
• Image, Text, and Story: An Exploration of Graphic Novels contributed by Rachel Williams
• Books and Magazines

The reference material here consists of books and magazines which may be useful to educators teaching classes in comics or cartooning. Most of the items listed are instructional in nature, but a few are critical or analytical texts relating to the cartooing artform; Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics is probably the most well known of these. Several items listed are currently out of print, but reasonably priced copies can usually be located via bookfinder.com .

The Arbor House Book of Cartooning by Mort Greenberg ISBN 0-87795-399-6 New Yorker cartoonist Greenberg shares his knowledge in this comprehensive volume. There seem to be thousands of these “how-to cartoon” books. This (along with Polly Keener’s book) is one of the better ones.

The Art of Comic Book Inkin g by Gary Martin ASIN: 1569712581 Pretty good introduction to inking tools and concepts. Especially good at identifying methods of implying shade and weight on a human figure. A number of variations on the same pencils by differing comic book inking pros offer a good look at many ways a page can be successfully inked.

The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri ISBN: 0-671-21332-6 A seminal 20th century book on playwriting, and the introduction to the “dramatic statement” inherent in any play. The book is very instructive in looking at the elements of your story and examining which are contributing to the greater theme, and which are not. Like David Mamet’s book, it has little room for other opinions of how drama is constructed but certainly presents its own thesis clearly and completely.

Cartooning by Polly Keener ISBN: 0131179128 Although geared towards gag cartooning and comic strips, this book offers a great deal of information from generating ideas to tools and techniques. Covers a lot of the same ground as The Arbor House Book .

Comics and Sequential Art by Will Eisner ISBN: 0961472812 Taken from Amazon.com reader reviews: “Written years before Scott McCloud’s “Understanding Comics,” Will Eisner expounds upon how comics are a visual, reading experience using both words and pictures. He instructs the reader in how words and pictures can be used together to tell a story. The author must lead the reader with visual clues to each sequential image. Mood, emotion, even time can be expressed visually in a comic. Camera angles, panel borders, typefaces, all play a part in the effectiveness of a story.”

Comix 2000 by L’ Association Editors Essential cross section (2000 pages) of silent comics from across the globe. Countless examples of innovative silent storytelling.

The DC Comics Guide to Pencilling Comics by Klaus Janson ISBN: 0-8230-1028-7 Klaus Janson’s book is a distillation of all his techniques and theories. A great book divided into 3 parts: drawing, storytelling and pencilling. Drawing focuses mostly on human anatomy. In Storytelling, he discusses the art of panel juxtaposition, including a nuanced look at juxtaposing unrelated images. He also offers an extensive and detailed look at panel arrangement, including composition both on the page and within the panel. The pencilling section offers a look at Janson’s process on an entire short story, from script to finishes. Overall intelligent, humble, and masterful.

Drawing Comics Lab: 52 Exercises on Characters, Panels, Storytelling, Publishing & Professional Practices (Lab Series) ISBN: 9781592538126 This easy-to-follow book is designed for the beginning or aspiring cartoonist; both children and adults will find the techniques to be engaging and highly accessible.Featured artists include:- James Stu

DRAW! Magazine Quarterly , published by: TwoMorrows Publishing PO Box 2129 Upper Darby, PA 19082 This weighty magazine features numerous useful columns each issue. Past columns have included an extensive look at inking by Klaus Janson, a look at character design by Genndy Tartakovsky (creator of Cartoon Network’s Samauri Jack ), an article on observation and set design by Batman set designer Paul Rivoche, and figure drawing by Brett Blevins.

Graphic Storytelling by Will Eisner ISBN: 0961472820 From the publisher: “A companion to Comics & Sequential Art , this book takes the principles examined in that title and applies them to the process of graphic storytelling. Eisner shows comic artists, filmmakers and graphic designers how to craft stories in a visual medium. They’ll also learn why mastering the basics of storytelling is far more important than the hollow flash and dazzle seen in lesser work. Readers will learn everything from the fine points of graphic storytelling to the big picture of the comics medium, including how to: * Use art that enhances your story, rather than obscuring it * Wield images like narrative tools * Write and illustrate effective dialogue * Develop ideas that can be turned into dynamic stories. These lessons and more are illustrated with storytelling samples from Eisner himself along with other comic book favorites, including Art Spiegelman, Robert Crumb, Milton Caniff and Al Capp. “

The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell ISBN: 0691017840 Seminal and definitive look at world mythology and the “shared stories” therein. From African mythology, to Norse, to American Indian, the elements of myths are often similar. Campbell outlines these and as such, furthers Jung’s mapping of humanity’s unconscious hopes, desires and fears.

On Directing Film by David Mamet ISBN: 0140127224 There is no better description (told in essay form and also transcribed dialogues with his students) of how to proceed from an idea to a no-nonsense visual, dramatic rendition of that idea. The book is a perfect expression of its goal to outline the thinking steps involved in planning out a scene or series of scenes. For Mamet, all the expression lies in the script and in the SHOT LIST. Even his use of actors (as people who just get up, hit their marks and say their lines and shut up) is extreme. Nonetheless, he is completely self-assured of his points of view, and in learning his method of outlining a scene before beginning the filming or drawing, I can’t imagine a better explanation.

Perspective for Comic Book Artists by David Chelsea ISBN 0-8230-0567-4 Both an introduction and comprehensive course in perspective tailored specifically for Comic Book artists (and told in comics form.) People who don’t know perspective will finally learn what they’ve been doing right. Even those that think they know perspective will probably walk away with their heads spinning and full of new insights. Exhaustive and somewhat confusing if you don’t want to do the math.

Smithsonian Collection of Newspaper Comics by Bill Blackbeard ISBN 0-87474-172-6 Essential introduction to the comic strips of the early 20th century.

Story by Robert McKee ISBN 0-06-039168-5 One of the world’s premiere screenwriting teachers dissects and defines the elements of a story. Sort of the Understanding Comics for screenwriters.

Syllabus by Lynda Barry ISBN 1-77046-161-2 Barry teaches a method of writing that focuses on the relationship between the hand, the brain, and spontaneous images, both written and visual. It has been embraced by people across North America—prison inmates, postal workers, university students, high-school teachers, and hairdressers—for opening pathways to creativity.

Wishes, Lies, and Dreams: Teaching Children to Write Poetry by Kenneth Koch ISBN 0-05-080530-7 A classic in its field, this book is a vivid account of a poet’s experience teaching Manhattan schoolchildren to write verse. The book provides great ideas for creating assignments that excite students and get the creative juices flowing.

The Writer’s Journey: Dramatic Structure for Storytellers by Christopher Volger ISBN: 0941188701 Overview of Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” ideas and their use in Hollywood storytelling. Though simplistic, it is surprisingly useful if used correctly, meaning not as formulae, but as dramatic tools. Outlines a series of 12 steps in many stories — exemplified by Wizard of Oz but also evident in Titanic and surprisingly, even Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. All in all a good job of cracking open the traditional story structure and peeking inside.

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg ISBN 0-87773-375-9 Lots of exercises to get writers going. Exercises, like the Kenneth Koch book, can be easily translated for a comic artist.

The Writing Life by Annie Dillard ISBN 0-06-016156-6 A great writer writing about the creative process. Dillard offers bits of technical information but more importantly she lays out a realistic perspective on the trials and challenges of making art and the dedication needed to persevere.

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud ISBN: 006097625X Comprehensive examination of the mechanics of the art form; from mapping of iconographic imagery to an new nomenclature for transitions between comic panels (and a mapping of those as well.) Great overview and introduction to the intellectual tools involved in creating comics.

Your Career in Comics by Lee Nordling ISBN 0-8362-0748-3 If you want to make it as a comic strip artist, then this is the book for you. Nording looks at cartooning from three perspectives: the cartoonist’s, the newspaper editor’s, and the syndicate editor’s. He interviews dozens of professionals providing both a broad-based view of the art form and the nitty gritty of fashioning a solid comic strip.

• Promoting a Comics Curriculum

One of the primary the goals of NACAE was to assist educational institutions and individual educators interested in establishing a comics art curriculum.  The materials below are collected from various sources and outline some of the advantages of implementing sequential art/comics art classes and curricula.

• A Case For Comics contributed by James Sturm
• Seika University’s Department of Comic Art contributed by Matt Thorn
• How Comic Books Can Change the Way Our Students See Literature: One Teacher’s Perspective contributed by Rocco Versaci
• Comics in the Classroom contributed by James Sturm
• Interview with Michael Bitz of The Comic Book Project contributed by Christian Hill

Using These Materials

Q: How am I allowed to use the material on this page?

A: Unless otherwise noted, materials on this page are free to use, reproduce, and distribute as long as they are being used for non-commercial educational purposes. Please follow these guidelines when using these materials:

• You may not use any materials contained on this site for commercial purposes
• You must attribute the work as described below
• If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under a license identical to this one.
• To properly attribute content copied, distributed or displayed from this site, include the following information: Copyright © [name of originating author] via NACAE

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Cartooning In An Anxious Age (pdf) is a free comic by Cara Bean on the act of drawing, which focuses your attention and intimately connects you with the generative act of creation. It’s an inspiring read.

Let's Talk About It: A Graphic Guide to Mental Health

Created for middle and high school students, Let’s Talk About It: A Graphic Guide To Mental Health is a lively and educational comic book that destigmatizes the conversation around mental health.

A 32-page comic on how our government works

Using the power of comics to teach teens about the way our government works This Is What Democracy Looks Like, A Graphic Guide To Governance is a 32-page comic book created by The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS). This short comic guide helps to bring democracy back to the hands of the people by explaining what democracy actually means and how the whole thing works. This guide will be a great jumping-off point to learn about our government.

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Students will write a fictional story creating a conflict and resolution, applying sequential writing, using action verbs, descriptive language, and onomatopoeia, in a comic book format with original artwork and/or technology.

• Students choose the dimensions of the size of their pictures. Each page must have at least four to six panels with related captions.
• Explain that each panel size for the comic book picture must be the same for each page.
• Require that onomatopoetic words such as bang, boom, crash, clang, buzz, whoosh, swish, creak, eek, etc., be used occasionally.
• Read the student check-off list aloud to clarify all requirements. Writing the comic strips for each page must precede the artwork and graphics. Excessive violence, weapons, and blood are unacceptable. This project is rated for a general audience.
• Brief student conferences on each student's rough draft should be held to facilitate complete sentence structure, descriptive adjectives, and action verb usage. Peer editing during this project combines reading enjoyment and student affirmation with skill development.
• The final due date provides the students with a day to read each other's creations. This day fills the classroom with recreational reading and a positive climate for further emphasis on writing for entertainment.
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How Can I Start Teaching Comics to Kids?

March 5, 2018

Growing up, I envied the kids who were allowed to read comics and graphic novels. “ How cool is that super-secret reading skill?” , I thought to myself. Since neither my teachers nor my parents valued comics, I was out of luck as a kid. But today’s students aren’t out of luck. Comics are more popular than ever, and the phenomenally talented writers and artists who are currently creating them have arguably never been better.

When I became interested in comics again as an adult, I had many, many questions about this elusive format that my teachers didn’t see as “real” literature. Some of my questions were exactly those asked in a recent, thoughtful email sent to Pop Culture Classroom (PCC). A teacher wrote in and asked PCC about some of the best ways to teach school age children comics. She wanted to know how to teach comics to kids especially . . .

• In large groups?
• In small groups?
• And, last but not least, with narrative story structure in mind?

After over twenty years of studying and teaching comics to K-12 students, college students, and adult learners in educational settings, I am often asked these same important questions from many teachers who want to explore the literary value of teaching comics in 21 st century schools.

To help teachers who have these same questions, I will share a classroom-friendly strategy that builds school-age children’s understanding of the comic book format in each of the above areas. Instead of focusing the students’ reading on what is more familiar to them when they read traditional print-text stories with just words, a Visual Reader’s Theatre will teach students how to successfully read and comprehend a comic book’s formatting, focus on telling stories with both visuals and print-text, balancing the reader’s attention equally between both the words and the images while reading a comic.

Reading Comics in Large and Small Groups, Aloud, & With an Emphasis on Story Structure:  A Visual Reader’s Theatre

Since World War II, teachers have had success teaching both large and small groups of school-age children to practice reading aloud and enacting stories with a strategy called “Reader’s Theatre.” While the traditional use of a Reader’s Theatre strategy is focused on reading with print-text alone, a comic reading experience with Reader’s Theatre must place equal emphasis on both the print-text and the visual-text. I call this strategy a “Visual Reader’s Theatre.” A Visual Reader’s Theatre asks students and educators to follow these steps:

• First, teachers assign a comic book reading and students organize (into either large or small groups) to read and familiarize themselves with the text and images. Note: Teachers should take time to inform students about two key terms before reading comics and completing a Visual Reader’s Theatre. This can be accomplished by explaining the two key comic book terms below and pointing them out in a brief picture walk introduction to the comic. A picture walk involves simply leafing through a text and pointing out key images and terms just briefly to acquaint students with the upcoming story. For a Visual Reader’s Theatre picture walk, teachers need to both define and point out the key “panels” and “gutters” students will find in the comic book story.
• Panels – the visual boundary in which an element of story takes place (these elements of story are often focused on setting(s), character(s), plot(s), theme(s), and so on).
• Gutters – the space between the panels where the comic book reader’s imagination takes over and merges one panel idea into the next panel idea in order to move the story forward.

Before moving to step 2, it is imperative that educators assess student understanding of these two key terms: panels and gutters. This can be done informally, by creating a handout with a few panels and gutters on it, at an age appropriate level for your students and asking them to label the panels and the gutters.

• Second, students work (in either their large or small groups) to design multiple square-shaped backdrops with cardboard or poster board. These backdrops need to represent the main visual ideas found in the key panels and gutters from their assigned comic reading. Note: Between each panel, students need to consider the development of the story and create panel-like backdrops that flow in the order of their assigned comic reading, paying attention to how gutters connect panels together in order to make the story flow.

For example, to emphasize story flow in a comic book that has a parent driving a student to school, the first cardboard/poster board panel could show the parent and student coming out of the home and headed to the car. The second panel backdrop can then show the family riding inside the car on the drive to school, perhaps also with some key quotations / text from the story as well for further support. From that second panel in the car – through another gutter that blends the second and now third panels together –a third panel could show the student arriving and getting out of the car at school.

In sum, with three panels (and two gutters connecting them) readers can see a short piece of the original comic book story occurring piece-by-piece. In this regard, I like to sometimes explain that panels and gutters are often like puzzles; they fit together, but you can see how they connect in a small space that exists between them. Each piece (panel) connects to all the others through various lines (gutters) we can visually see in order to get a complete picture.

• Next, students practice reading their comic book assignment with their visual, panel-like boards behind them. Practicing multiple times is key for any Reader’s Theatre strategy with school-aged children. Students need to practice reading their assigned comics with their visual panel-like backdrops behind them in order to emphasize the comic book’s focus on both readable print-text and readable visual-text to tell the story. Practicing also allows students to work on pronunciation, enunciation, dialect, sound effects, vocal expressions, and many more auditory skills needed while reading comics aloud to peers.
• Narrative story structure is created in a Visual Reader’s Theatre when the read-aloud and the visual backdrops simultaneously support each other. In short, while students read the comic book aloud, their panel and gutter backdrops should simultaneously map the story behind them. Note: Educators can assess whether or not the story structure in both words and images was well followed by asking the students who are listening to map the comic book story as their peers’ conduct their Visual Reader’s Theatre. A timeline of visuals on the top and key words that pair with those visuals about the story on the bottom will work very well in this case.
• Finally, and in order to assess each group’s ability to read with words and self-created panel-like backdrops, it’s time for students to enjoy each other’s Visual Readers’ Theatres by performing them aloud for each other either in small and/or large groups. The timelines the listeners fill out can not only be an informal assessment for the educator, but also an opportunity for revision, if given back to each group for continuous improvement.

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The Tell Tale Heart Activities | Comic Book Project | Edgar Allan Poe

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Description.

Your students will transform Edgar Allan Poe's "Tell Tale Heart" into a comic book! Two comic book templates are included with this product: a comic book template with the "Tell Tale Heart" narrative included or a blank comic book template for students to write their own narrative. Both serve as an excellent assignment for reviewing the plot of Edgar Allan Poe's "Tell Tale Heart".

INCLUDED WITH YOUR PURCHASE:

• "Tell Tale Heart" Comic Book Cover Page: A comic book cover page is included for students to color and write their name.
• "Tell Tale Heart" Comic Book Template- Narrative Included: The first template is four pages long and includes the narrative for "Tell Tale Heart". In order to complete the assignment, students add illustrations and dialogue to a total of ten comic book scenes. The scenes cover the entire plot of a "Tell Tale Heart" in a summarized version with contemporary language.
• Blank Comic Book Template: The blank comic book template works well for advanced students that want to create their own version of a "Tell Tale Heart" comic book. The blank comic book template includes ten comic book scenes that span across four pages.
• Examples: A completed comic book is provided to give you an idea of what the final product might look like.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN:

"Tell Tale Heart" Differentiated Close Read- Explore Poe's Use of Tone and Mood!

"The Cask of Amontillado" Activities - Focus on Literary Devices

All About Pumpkins - Reading and Writing Unit

Character Resume and Cover Letter- Works With Any Literary Character!

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Exploring Writing Through Comics

Pairing Images with Words

Jason DeHart

In my experience as a middle school teacher, I often found that some students were hesitant to engage with the written page, either as readers or writers. On the other hand, colorful characters and even segments from popular superhero movies were almost always uniquely engaging for students. Comic books and heroic characters made regular appearances in my classroom, and my students even made their own comics.

Comic books work by pairing images with words in a way that can be visually intriguing, while inviting students into a reading experience. Moreover, comic books often feature characters from popular films and television shows, creating an additional media connection for students. Sometimes in my classes, making comics was an introduction to a concept; other times moving ideas into the physical space of comic book panels was a creative way of reviewing material. Grammar concepts, as well as concepts of composition—including mood, tone, and dialogue— could be worked into a comic strip. What follows is a brief lesson plan outline for a three-day unit using student-created comic strips to review concepts of character and plot.

Day One: The Planning Phase

Begin working with students so that everyone has a meaningful role in developing the comic strip. Each student should be involved in the planning, the writing, and the design phases.  This activity took a variety of shapes in my classroom, from individual to collaborative work—I usually organized the activity as a small group assignment where students worked together to produce one comic book/comic strip product. This allowed for team work, creative engagement, and dialogue about the process. I typically introduced the activity with a brief model for the entire class before splitting the students into groups.

On the first day of this teaching segment, briefly review character development and plot structure with students. This can be done very efficiently with graphic organizers, including character webs and plot diagrams. These simple visuals are freely available in a wide variety of places on the Internet, including Read Write Think .

Have students choose elements to include in their comic strips, including characters, attributes of these characters, special powers, and a central conflict that can drive the narrative. This step can be quite creative and allows students to begin to feel like writers as they make choices about their work.

Day Two: The Writing Phase

Once students have made decisions about the elements to include in their comic strips, day two begins the writing phase. Remind students about the structure of plots and how characters work. Consider posting visual reminders around the room so students can reference them as they work.

Each student should be involved in the process of writing the narrative. In fact, I always like seeing multiple examples of handwriting on the page so I know the students are working collaboratively. Writing can focus on developing a script that includes where the story takes place and how the plot develops over time, including conflicts. Students can also include a sense of the dialogue in the story, outlining what the characters will say to one another in the final product.

Day Three: The Design Phase

The final part of the process is actually translating the script and narrative into a comic strip. This can be done by providing a large poster board or individual pages that have been folded and marked to form panels. Students will be making decisions about how to adapt their scripts and narrative writing documents visually. Sometimes this involves decisions about what to cut, what to keep for the final product, and the best way to show details in panels. The process should be collaborative throughout, and all students should have a voice in deciding how to adapt their ideas into images.

Conclusions and Accommodations

The middle schoolers who found their way into my English/Language Arts class were almost always very well engaged by the comic strip activity. Over time, I learned the best way to implement this plan was by exploring large-format comic strips on chart paper, and then ultimately settling on smaller page formats. I also found that the activity was much more successful as a group process, with the exception of a small number of students who were already interested in comics and comic book creation. The groups often had two to three students, although this grouping could increase or decrease depending on the needs of students and the teacher’s observations about how well all members are included in the process. Sometimes I provided character names, but often students enjoyed coming up with their own. In most cases, they designed a protagonist, a sidekick as a support figure, and an antagonist.

When space allowed, students enjoyed spreading out and designing their work on larger pages. This allowed more access for all group members. Small pages were useful as well, but involved additional planning. Group members would then assemble the individual sections into side-stapled, student-created books.

Additional time may be allowed for any part of the process: for expanding the unit should students require more time, or for accommodating the class time allowed for the activity. I would also recommend a variety of mentor texts that demonstrate the nature of the comic book/graphic novel format. The work of Doug TenNapel (especially Ghostopolis ) comes to mind, as well as the graphic novel adaptations of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle and Coraline by Neil Gaiman . Also , Black Panther: World of Wakanda by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Roxane Gay is a high-quality choice from two writers who are exploring new genres and media. As part of exploring the world of comic books and graphic novels, this provides the added benefit of expanding the classroom library.

Jason DeHart is a PhD candidate in literacy studies at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. DeHart has worked in the education profession for over a decade, and taught 8th-grade language arts at Ocoee Middle School in Cleveland, Tennessee.

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Written by Walter Hill and Matz. Art and Cover by Jef. Hitman Frank Kitchen's assignment to kill a fashion designer, who's fallen behind on his debts, takes a turn when his victim's sister, a sociopathic surgeon, decides to punish him in the unique way only she can. Abducted and operated on against his will, Frank comes to in an unexpected place - but with a hitman's hunger for revenge… 60 pages, full color. Mature Readers Cover price $5.99.

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Written by Walter Hill and Matz. Art by Jef. Cover by Pasquale Qualano. Hitman Frank Kitchen's assignment to kill a fashion designer, who's fallen behind on his debts, takes a turn when his victim's sister, a sociopathic surgeon, decides to punish him in the unique way only she can. Abducted and operated on against his will, Frank comes to in an unexpected place - but with a hitman's hunger for revenge… 60 pages, full color. Mature Readers Cover price $5.99.

Written by Walter Hill and Matz. Art by Jef. Cover by Fay Dalton. Hitman Frank Kitchen's assignment to kill a fashion designer, who's fallen behind on his debts, takes a turn when his victim's sister, a sociopathic surgeon, decides to punish him in the unique way only she can. Abducted and operated on against his will, Frank comes to in an unexpected place - but with a hitman's hunger for revenge… 60 pages, full color. Mature Readers Cover price $5.99.

Written by Walter Hill and Matz. Art by Jef. Cover by Steve Scott. Hitman Frank Kitchen's assignment to kill a fashion designer, who's fallen behind on his debts, takes a turn when his victim's sister, a sociopathic surgeon, decides to punish him in the unique way only she can. Abducted and operated on against his will, Frank comes to in an unexpected place - but with a hitman's hunger for revenge… 60 pages, full color. Mature Readers Cover price $5.99.

Written by Walter Hill and Matz. Art by Jef. Cover by Francisco Paronzini. Hitman Frank Kitchen's assignment to kill a fashion designer, who's fallen behind on his debts, takes a turn when his victim's sister, a sociopathic surgeon, decides to punish him in the unique way only she can. Abducted and operated on against his will, Frank comes to in an unexpected place - but with a hitman's hunger for revenge… 60 pages, full color. Mature Readers Cover price $5.99.

Written by Walter Hill and Matz. Art by Jef. Cover by Alex Shiboa. Former hitman, Frank Kitchen battles liqour, lecherous glances and his own inner demons, while coming to terms with his new identity. But after finding solace in the arms of a former lover, it isn't long before his violent past comes back to haunt him... 60 pages, full color. Mature Readers Cover price $5.99.

Written by Walter Hill and Matz. Art by Jef. Cover by Simone Di Meo. Former hitman, Frank Kitchen battles liqour, lecherous glances and his own inner demons, while coming to terms with his new identity. But after finding solace in the arms of a former lover, it isn't long before his violent past comes back to haunt him... 60 pages, full color. Mature Readers Cover price $5.99.

Written by Walter Hill and Matz. Art and Cover by Jef. Former hitman, Frank Kitchen battles liqour, lecherous glances and his own inner demons, while coming to terms with his new identity. But after finding solace in the arms of a former lover, it isn't long before his violent past comes back to haunt him... 60 pages, full color. Mature Readers Cover price $5.99.

Written by Walter Hill and Matz. Art by Jef. Cover by Alex Shibao. Comic book behind the upcoming file The Assignment starring Sigourney Weaver and Michelle Rodriguez and directed by Walter Hill. A crime noir thriller from the team of critically-acclaimed Hard Case Crime series Triggerman - Walter Hill, Matz, and Jef! 52 pages, full color. Mature Readers Cover price $5.99.

Written by Walter Hill and Matz. Art by Jef. Cover by Wagner Reis. Comic book behind the upcoming file The Assignment starring Sigourney Weaver and Michelle Rodriguez and directed by Walter Hill. A crime noir thriller from the team of critically-acclaimed Hard Case Crime series Triggerman - Walter Hill, Matz, and Jef! 52 pages, full color. Mature Readers Cover price $6.00.

Written by Walter Hill and Matz. Art by Jef. Cover by Steve Scott. Comic book behind the upcoming file The Assignment starring Sigourney Weaver and Michelle Rodriguez and directed by Walter Hill. A crime noir thriller from the team of critically-acclaimed Hard Case Crime series Triggerman - Walter Hill, Matz, and Jef! 52 pages, full color. Mature Readers Cover price $5.99.

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This ‘Sympathizer’ Star Wasn’t Sure He Was Right for the Job

Hoa Xuande had only one Hollywood credit when he was chosen to lead this starry HBO adaptation of a prize-winning novel. He needed all the encouragement he could get.

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By Brandon Yu

Reporting from Los Angeles

Some three months into shooting “The Sympathizer,” Robert Downey Jr. sat Hoa Xuande down. He had something to show him.

“I remember Rob walking in — he had this cheeky grin,” Xuande recalled on a recent afternoon in Los Angeles. A teaser trailer for the HBO series, an adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel , had just been cut. Downey, who is the show’s executive producer and plays multiple roles in it, saw definitive proof of a star-making turn in “The Sympathizer.” He wanted Xuande, the star in question, to see it too.

“There’s only one time that I’ve had this experience before, and it’s when I saw the teaser that we brought to Comic-Con for ‘Iron Man,’” Downey said. Seeing himself onscreen in the Iron Man suit was what finally convinced Downey that he had done justice to a daunting role.

“And because I’d had that experience,” he said, “I knew that he needed it.”

In many ways, Xuande (pronounced Shawn-day) did. A 36-year old Vietnamese Australian actor who had one Hollywood credit to his name, he still wasn’t sure he was the right choice to lead a series with such an impressive pedigree: an HBO adaptation of an acclaimed novel, produced by the Oscar-winning art-house studio A24, directed by the revered Korean auteur Park Chan-wook and co-starring a screen legend in Downey. He needed all the encouragement he could get.

“I made him watch it six times,” Downey said.

Seeing himself in the trailer had finally quieted his doubts, Xuande said, over lunch at a Venice restaurant. He had flown in from his home base in Sydney hours earlier and had barely settled into Downey’s spare live-work space, where Xuande sometimes stays.

He first met his co-star on the fourth day of shooting — Downey was wearing a bulging prosthetic nose and had a skittering Yorkshire terrier in tow. Is that really him? Xuande remembers wondering from afar.

Downey had arrived on set in costume for one of the multiple characters he plays in “The Sympathizer,” including a cartoonish professor, an empty-suited congressman and a gonzo filmmaker — different people who together embody the face of the American establishment. On this day, Downey was Claude, the C.I.A. handler for Xuande’s character, who is known as the Captain, a nameless Communist spy whose undercover assignment leads him to Los Angeles after the fall of Saigon in 1975. His role as a double agent in the United States becomes increasingly dicey, bloodying his hands and landing him, for reasons we don’t quite know, in the Vietnamese re-education camp where the show opens.

“He made me feel really at home, as much as I could feel,” Xuande said of that first encounter. “And then he just put his hand on my shoulder. He was like, ‘Buddy, you and me, we’re going to screw this up together.’”

It put Xuande at ease — slightly. Before he got the role that could change his life, he had already let it go many times over. He was chosen through a worldwide casting call and a monthslong audition process that included long stretches of radio silence. During those times, he would take nighttime strolls from his home to the Sydney Harbor, where he would sit for hours, making peace with the fact that he probably hadn’t gotten the part.

Finally landing it was a profound professional leap: Beyond a side role on Netflix’s live-action anime adaptation “Cowboy Bebop,” he had spent a decade taking minor parts in Australia. Hollywood had been a faraway notion.

Xuande grew up in Melbourne, the son of bakers who had fled postwar Vietnam.

“They had to escape on a boat,” he said. “They were months at sea, and they made it to Indonesia, where they made it to a refugee camp.”

Naturally, something as fanciful as acting wasn’t on Xuande’s radar, and for years he dreamed instead of playing Australian rules football professionally. “I did a random school play once,” he said of his early acting experience. “I came on for the last scene of this two-hour play and said two lines.”

He added, “I did it because they needed an Asian guy for that moment.”

After moving to Sydney for college and juggling odd jobs in his early 20s, he fell in with a group of creative friends and began doing amateur theater. A director saw his potential and pushed him to get training, leading Xuande to the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts in Perth. After several years of hustling in mostly bit parts, he had a breakthrough with “Bebop,” his introduction to the machine of a major Hollywood production. “The Sympathizer,” though, was a trial by fire.

Because of visa issues he was unable to join the production until just a week before the intense six-month shoot began. It took place mostly in Los Angeles and Thailand. After a crash course to upgrade his Vietnamese, he found himself on set acting opposite Sandra Oh, another award-winning co-star, and the many versions of Downey, under the direction of Park, who communicated via a translator.

Don McKellar, who was co-showrunner with Park, said Xuande appears in nearly every scene. In describing the demands of the role, McKellar said, “He had to have that kind of charm, he had to have that kind of masculinity, but he still had to have the sensitivity,” adding that the director “really wanted him to have an edge, too — something mysterious about him, that we can look at him and think he’s withholding something.”

The show’s tone strikes a tricky balance between political satire and outright tragedy, and the Captain is the character most responsible for pulling it off. It is a role that is, in essence, about playing roles: In most scenes, Xuande seems to be wearing a mask — a perpetual knowing smirk, as if he is reacting to a joke he’s telling only to himself.

“Everything has to have that flavor of, if I didn’t laugh at this, I’d cry about it,” Xuande said of his approach.

It was a great deal of pressure for an actor new to Hollywood. But Oh, who plays Ms. Mori, the Captain’s love interest, said, “if he was terrified, I never felt it.”

“I would always say, ‘Are you sleeping?’” she recalled. “And he was just kind of like, ‘Nope.’”

On set, Oh often stepped up for Xuande, demanding time or boundaries for a newcomer who was suddenly at the top of the call sheet. “Sandra mothered me — she would speak up on my behalf when I didn’t feel comfortable to,” Xuande said. “And Robert would father me. He would just look after me on the other side of things.”

Xuande shares more screen time with Downey than anyone else, but with Downey’s multiple roles, most days required rediscovering their dynamic.

“It was kind of like we were blind dating,” Downey said. Their partnership made the recent Oscar winner (for “Oppenheimer”) nostalgic for his days as a younger star making films with seasoned actors like Anthony Hopkins and James Woods.

“I was trying to bring the best of what I got and pass it on to him,” Downey said.

Xuande is trying to stay levelheaded about his own exposure to the spotlight and what it means for his career. He hopes “The Sympathizer” gets another season — Nguyen wrote a sequel, “ The Committed ,” published in 2021 — but Xuande knows the industry can be fickle.

“I hope that it leads to other opportunities,” he said. “But I’ve been saying to my friends that this could be it.”

He’s joking — sort of. Even with such a big-ticket series under his belt, he still has the mentality of a gigging actor, climbing his way up.

“You never know: It could be months, years, in between work,” he said with a hint of the Captain’s smirk. “But I’m happy I got to do this.”

An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of the author of “The Sympathizer.” It is Viet Thanh Nguyen, not Viet Than Nguyen.

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“Sasquatch Sunset” follows the creatures as they go about their lives. We had so many questions. The film’s cast and crew had answers .

If you are overwhelmed by the endless options, don’t despair — we put together the best offerings   on Netflix , Max , Disney+ , Amazon Prime  and Hulu  to make choosing your next binge a little easier.

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