DC

Book vs. Comic vs. Film: How Do Superheroes Translate Across Media?

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

“Novelizations of films are generally not thought of in artistic terms whatsoever…. If you’re lucky, you get some extra background, a window into the character’s heads. If you’re not lucky, you end up with a movie script punctuated by blocky narrative.” – Emily Asher-Perrin on the Revenge of the Sith novelization

Recently, Marvel released a traditional novel about Miles Morales, a.k.a. Spider-Man. While writing a pictureless book about a comic book character might seem odd, cross-media storytelling isn’t new. Many comic book films have novelizations of their own.

Translating a traditional book to the screen is difficult. What happens when a comic book’s story is retold on film and in a traditional book? What details are lost? In this group presentation, your students will study how certain stories are retold in comics, books, and film.

civil war collage

{Image is a top and bottom comparison of the Civil War comic and the Civil War film. The top half of the image is from the comic, featuring most of the characters involved in the fight. The bottom half of the image is from the film, featuring most of the characters involved in the fight. In both images, the characters are in profile, facing off.}

Students will engage in cooperative learning, visuals, a project, and a presentation.

Materials Needed:

  • Books based on comics or on films (the Marvel Civil War novelization; any of the recent novelizations of Marvel films; the Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith novel)
  • Comics (Marvel Civil War; Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith; The Dark Knight)
  • Films (any of the recent Marvel films; Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith; Batman)
  • Computers with DVD drives so students can watch the films
  • Headphones so students can watch the films
  • Trifold posters (try the Dollar Tree)
  • Markers
  • Printers
  • Glue sticks

Standards Met:

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.7 Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment (e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
  1. Ask the students to name some books that have been turned into films. Have them describe the differences between the book and the film adaption. Have them wonder what caused those differences. This should only take a few minutes.
  2. Explain to the students that over the course of the next several class days, they divide into groups and study the differences between comic books and their film and book adaptations. They may also study the differences between films and their comic books/novelizations. At the end of the unit, the groups will present their analyses to the class with the help of a trifold poster visual aid.
  3. Divide the students into groups of three. Have these groups pick one story from a series of options. Some good examples of book/film/comic trios include Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Marvel Civil War, and The Dark Knight. Have the groups decide which student in the group will read the book, which student in the group will read the comic, and which student in the group will watch the film. “I Can” Statement: I can work productively with a group to plan a project.
  4. Give the groups time in and out of class to read and watch their books/comics/films. If possible, it may be helpful to your students if you provide movie nights when they can come to school and watch the assigned films. Remind students to watch and read carefully and to take notes. “I Can” Statements: I can read a text carefully and analytically. I can watch a film carefully and analytically.
  5. In class, have the students create a Venn Diagram of what they noticed in the book, the film, and the comics? What similarities were there? What differences? Using this information, the students should come up with a paragraph outlining their plan for their presentation. “I Can” Statement: I can synthesize information using a Venn diagram.

    Books, films, and comics- a study

    {Image is of a multicolored, computer-generated Venn diagram. The entire diagram is entitled: “Books, Films, and Comics: A Study” and subtitled “How do the literary elements of comics translate to other media?” One circle in the diagram is labeled “only the book,” one is labeled “only the film,” one is labeled “only the comic,” and the center is labeled “all three.” The other overlapping parts would correspond to similarities between book and comics, book and film, and film and comics.}

  6. Have each group show you their Venn Diagram and presentation proposal. Discuss their ideas and suggest any necessary improvements. “I Can” Statement: I can use a teacher’s suggestions to revise or redirect my work.
  7. Once you have met with the groups, provide them with a trifold poster and craft supplies. Remind them that this poster should be a good visual aide for their presentation. The poster is a trifold poster because they are discussing three forms of media. If the groups are struggling, describe the process as translating their Venn diagram onto the poster. “I Can” Statement: I can create a neat, informative poster.
  8. Have each group give a 5-to-10-minute presentation about their findings. Their presentation should cover the literary elements of each form of media as well as their personal conclusions: did the story translate well from its original medium to the others? Why or why not? Each person in the group should have equal responsibility for communicating information. “I Can” Statement: I can work collaboratively to present coherent literary analysis to an audience.

What differences did your students notice in their literary analysis? If you and your class are doing something super, please let me know in the comments!

 

 

This Summer In Review: A Comics Retrospective Presented By Your Students

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

 

“I retire for what, like, five minutes, and it all goes to shit.” -Clint Barton/Hawkeye, Captain America: Civil War

Summer break is long and short at the same time: long enough for the kids to miss their friends and drive their parents/grandparents/babysitters/siblings nuts, short enough for it to feel, one week into school, as if they’d never left in the first place.

A lot happened in the superhero world in just a few short months. Captain America: Civil War, the comic event Civil War II, Batman: The Killing Joke, Suicide Squad, and of course San Diego Comic-Con. There have been Doctor Strange trailers and Punisher teasers, and both Tom Hiddleston and Mark Ruffalo posted great photos from the set of Ragnarok.

mark_ruffalo_twitter_h_2016

{Image is a photograph of Mark Ruffalo on the set of Thor: Ragnarok. He is wearing massive Hulk fists and punching towards the camera.}

What was your class’s favorite comic event of the summer? This week’s lesson plan is an essay that answers this question.

Students will engage in whole group instruction, discussion, peer tutoring, and a project.

Materials Needed:

  • Notebooks and black pens/pencils for first drafts
  • Red pens for revisions
  • Computers for student use with access to the Internet for research + with Microsoft Word for final drafts

Standards Met:

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2.D Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic.
  1. Ask the students what important comic-related events happened over the summer. This can include films, comic books, graphic novels, Comic Con panels, and etc. Discuss. This should take five to ten minutes.
  2. Tell the students that they will be researching and writing a one-and-a-half to two-page essay about what they think was the most important comic event of the summer. Tell them again that this can include live action films (such as Civil War, Suicide Squad), animated films (such as the Batman: The Killing Joke adaption), comic books (such as Civil War II), graphic novels, Comic Con panels, and etc.
  3. Have the students raise their hands and remind you of the steps of the writing process (planning/outline, the draft and revision cycle, peer editing, and the requirements of a final copy). This should take five minutes.
  4. Have the students make a plan or outline of their essay on notebook paper. If they need ideas, they may look up comic book news articles on the computer.
  5. For the rest of the class period, have students write their rough draft on notebook paper. Have them double-space so that they will have room for edits.
  6. During the next class period, pair up the students and have them peer edit each other’s papers. Students may use the rest of that class period to work on a final draft of their paper.
  7. A final typed and double-spaced draft of the essay will be due at the beginning of the third class period. Have students volunteer to present their papers to the class, either by summarizing their ideas or reading the essay in its entirety.

What was the most important comic event of your summer? What issues did your class discuss during the essay-writing process? As always, let me know what you thought about this lesson plan in the comments!

Superhero Mock Elections

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

shield your vote

Cruz. Rubio. Trump. Fiorina. Carson. O’Malley. Clinton. Sanders–tonight’s a whirlwind of presidential candidates at the Iowa Caucus. But what exactly is a caucus? How does it work? What does it have to do with the real presidential election, anyway?

Today’s lesson plan is a multi-day unit: a mock election with superheroes as candidates. Links to more detailed explanations of terms will be provided as necessary.

Students will engage in lecture, whole group instruction, cooperative learning, hands-on activities, and discussion.

Materials Needed:

  • Poster board
  • Markers, glitter glue, Elmer’s glue, pens, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, and other art materials that can be used on poster board
  • Printer paper
  • Computers for student use with access to Power Point, Google Image Search, and a printer
  • Computer/Projector
  • Laser pointer (optional; don’t perform Lasik surgery on each other, kids)

Standards Met:

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.3 Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.

PART ONE: THE PRIMARY

  1. Ask your students if they have been paying attention to the presidential election. If they say yes, ask them if they paid attention to the Iowa Caucus (did they watch it on Snapchat?). Then ask them if they know what a caucus is.
  2. Define caucus for the students. A caucus is a meeting of members of a political party. In the Iowa Caucus, Iowans meet up at local voting precincts and choose which delegates from their political party will represent them in county conventions. These county conventions vote for delegates for Iowa’s state political party conventions, who choose delegates for presidential nominating conventions.
    1. Tell your students that a primary election is one in which members of each political party choose which candidate they want to run for President. Right now, there are many Republican candidates and more than one Democratic candidate. Once people have voted in primaries across the country, the candidate with the most votes will continue running for President. So, while right now the race is Trump vs. Rubio vs. Cruz VERSUS Clinton vs. Sanders, etc., after the primaries, it’ll be narrowed down to ONE Republican vs. ONE Democrat.
  3. Explain to your students that people put so much importance on the Iowa Caucus because it’s a fairly successful (47%) predictor of who will be in the presidential election. Whichever Republican wins the Caucus has a pretty good chance of going on to run against whichever Democrat wins the Caucus.
  4. Tell the students that as a class, you are going to run a mock primary election using superhero candidates. Tell them that they will be separated into two equivalent groups. (Don’t name these groups Democrats and Republicans. I can see the bloodshed already. Name them the Marvels and the DCs.) Then, within those two groups, three people will run for president in-character as superheroes. They will advertise; they will debate; they will give speeches. They will do everything they can to gain supporters within their own party. Then, in a primary election, people within their party will vote for a candidate to go on to the main election.
    1. It’s important to note to the students that political parties in real life aren’t restricted to only having three candidates for the primary. Point out how many Republican candidates there are. The students are limited to three candidates because otherwise the vote could easily be split. You have a class of 30ish people, not thousands.
  5. Divide the students into Marvels and DCs. Within these groups, YOU pick the three who want to run for office.
  6. Give the candidates time outside of class to think of their superhero personas. Have them come up with a vague outline of their political platforms. These can be real–healthcare, immigration, etc.–or imagined–superhero registration! Batman v. Superman! They should have a small speech (it can be as simple as “Vote Cap. FOR JUSTICE!” Or it can be more involved) and some debate points prepared. They should present their persona and platforms to you at the beginning of the next class.
  7. The next class period should be campaign time. Set up six stations for the students, half for the Marvels and half for the DCs:
    1. Speech area #1 in front of the projector–for candidates with (pre-approved) PowerPoints or images to be displayed behind them
    2. Poster station #1–with poster boards, art supplies, etc. to make banners
    3. Handshake station #1–for candidates to speak with their voters
    4. Speech area #2
    5. Poster station #2
    6. Handshake station #2
  8. Optional step: debates. Debates work well if you have a mature class and moderators. They work even better if you have covered speech and debate in your class before. No matter how immature the current US Presidential candidates act, we need to raise a generation that knows how to behave in a debate.
  9. Remind the students that the next class day will be primary election day!
  10. Primary Election Day. Before class begins, set up two closed-off, private areas where students from each party can fill out their ballots.
  11. When students come into the classroom, have them line up in front of their respective ballot boxes. Display the image at the beginning of this post prominently. Remind them frequently that their ballots are secret. In real life, they cannot take a picture of their ballot! They can, however, post about their favorite candidate just as much as they want.
  12. Once the voting is over, tell the students that their ballots, like many ballots in Iowa, will be hand-counted. This may be done by you or by some volunteers from another class.

PART TWO: THE ELECTION

  1. In the next class, reveal the winners of the primary. Have them both come up and make a quick speech.
  2. Tell the class that for the general election, they may cross party lines. You may vote for the DC candidate even if you’re a registered Marvel voter. In fact, this is encouraged. Listen carefully to each candidate.
  3. Campaign time, part two! Set up your stations again. Allow the students to move freely around the classroom. The candidates can make speeches and shake hands; the voters can make posters, listen, and ask questions.
  4. Optional step: debates.
  5. Remind the students that the next class day will be Election Day.
  6. Election Day: same procedure as Primary Election Day.
  7. Count ballots. Find appropriately-designed celebratory material. Decorate your classroom in those colors/designs before the students come in. Allow for celebration and consolation.
  8. Once the students have recovered from the shock/rage/glee, bring them back together. Tell them that the election process does not always go smoothly. For example:

There are many painful, convoluted aspects of the election process. Your classroom’s version was a streamlined procedure.

 

What did your students think of the mock election? Who won? Who will win the real election? As always, leave your thoughts in the comments.

Would the Real Lex Luthor Please Stand Up? Changing Actors in Comic Book Films

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

One of the few cool facts about my hometown–other than that the Roseanne house is here–is that Lex Luthor comes from here. Not the villain himself, though that would also be neat, but Michael Rosenbaum, who played him in Smallville. I watched that show on the tiny wood-paneled box of a television on my grandparents’ screened-in porch. I though, I want to be as lucky as him.

lex luthor

{Image is a still of Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor in Smallville. He is looking to the left. He is wearing a grey t-shirt under an unbuttoned black shirt. He is bald.}

My talents lie in writing, not acting, and it’s too difficult to maintain a perfectly shaved head, so I don’t think I have a future as Lex Luthor. But many people have played him, each with a different flair. Rosenbaum played young Lex, who starts out as Clark’s friend. Gene Hackman’s Lex wore a hairpiece in the Superman films. And now there’s Jesse Eisenberg, who, to the alarm of some fans, has a full head of hair.

Have you seen the Batman V. Superman trailer? Here:

Before I watched the trailer, I was worried about Eisenberg’s Lex. Now? He and Wonder Woman are tied for the reason I go to see this film. His character’s not the same as other iterations of Lex Luthor, but he’s still terrifying.

In today’s lesson plan, your students will explore different incarnations of the same character.

Students will engage in visuals, lecture, discussion, and whole group instruction.

Materials Needed:

  • Computer
  • Projector
  • DVD player
  • DVD copy of Smallville
  • Notebooks/writing utensils
  • Computers for student use with monitored access to YouTube

Standards Met:

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.6 Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
  1. Ask the students to give you an example of a TV or film character they like who has been portrayed by multiple actors. This character does not have to be a superhero. This discussion should take less than five minutes.
  2. Show the class a bit of Smallville with Lex Luthor in it. Your choice if you show them a clip or a whole episode.
  3. Have the students raise their hands and tell the class some of Lex’s character traits as well as physical traits in Smallville.
  4. Show the class the Batman V. Superman trailer.
  5. Have the students raise their hands and tell the class some of Lex’s character traits as well as physical traits in the trailer. How does this Lex differ from Smallville‘s Lex?
  6. Ask the students if any of them noted the differences between the two Superman characterizations.
  7. Tell the students that they will each choose a TV/film character (not necessarily a superhero–think Dumbledore or soap opera characters) who has been portrayed by different actors. They will analyze these different performances and write an essay about their character traits, physical traits, and the overall differences between their films. If the film is based on a novel, they may include the novelization in their analysis. They may also add one paragraph of their own opinion of which actor played the role best, but the paper should mostly be objective analysis.
  8. Allow the students to do some research in class. Make sure to monitor their use of computers, particularly YouTube, as they research. They may finish their papers at home.

 

 

Trailer Techniques

Posted on by Kirt Ethridge

Unless you’ve been shot into space, possessed by Loki, or frozen by Hydra in the past week, you’ve probably already seen the Captain America: Civil War trailer. If you’re me, you’ve seen it so many times that you have it memorized. (“He’s my friend.” “So was I.” Cue continuous pained sobbing.) Bucky remembers Steve stuffing his shoes with newspapers. Tony wants to punch Steve in his perfect teeth. Sam Wilson is worried that he’ll be caught in the crossfire, and STEVE ROGERS CAN HOLD DOWN AN ENTIRE HELICOPTER WITH THE FORCE OF HIS RAGE. Oh, yeah, and Steve and Bucky apparently find the time to practice throwing the shield back and forth like a Frisbee just so they can beat the holy hell out of Iron Man. Fun times all around.

If you’re me, you like watching trailers repetitively for a variety of reasons: spoiler-hunting, character analyzing, or something in between. Trailers are addicting–that’s why they’re such good marketing tools. If a trailer makes you stare at your computer screen while emitting high-pitched shrieks of glee, it’s doing its job.

How do trailers convince us to buy movie tickets half a year in advance? How much of the film’s plot do they reveal anyway? With this week’s lesson plan, your students will analyze trailers for plot, character, and theme, and then compare their analysis to the plot, character, and theme of the film itself. They will also discuss which marketing techniques work on them and which don’t.

Students will engage in visuals, lecture, whole group instruction, discussion, and a project.

Materials Needed:

  • Computer
  • Projector
  • Computers available for student use, with (monitored) access to YouTube

Standards Met:

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.
  1. Tell the students that they will primarily be watching trailers today. Give them a moment to process this and then calm down. Remind them of the rules for watching films in class (be quiet, pay attention, etc.).
  2. Play the Civil War trailer for the students. Once the trailer is finished, ask them what film techniques they noticed in the trailer. What colors did they notice? Was the trailer dark or light visually? What was the mood of the trailer? What does the film’s plot seem to be from the trailer? Did they notice any spoilers or easter eggs? This discussion should last five to ten minutes.
  3. Tell the students that this trailer analysis is the basis for their large project. In class, they will watch two trailers of their choice, one for a film they have not seen and one for a film they are familiar with. These trailers do not have to be superhero-themed, but they may be, as this is a superhero-themed unit.* They will analyze both trailers as stand-alone pieces of work; they will write a short description of both discussing the visual and plot elements of the trailers. Their short description will conclude with a few sentences describing what they expect the plot arc of the film to be, based on the trailer. Then, for the trailer of the film they have seen, the students will write an additional paragraph discussing what actually occurs in the film. How is it different from the trailer? Is the mood different? Is the plot substantially different from what they see represented in the film? With all of these issues considered, do your students think that this trailer accurately represents the film?
    1. The students will have time to type up this short analysis as homework.
  4. When the students turn in their analyses, have them discuss what they found. Overall, did they find that trailers were true to the films, or did they seem to be false advertising? With what they have discovered in mind, do they think that the Civil War trailer accurately portrays what will occur in the film? What sort of important parts of the film do you think the trailers’ makers purposely left out?
  5. Conclude class by watching another trailer. Or rewatch Civil War. Rewatching Civil War is always an option.

*Here are a bunch of links to superhero film trailers!

What did your students think of the Civil War trailer? What do you think? As always, if you use this lesson plan or any of the others in your classroom, let me know in the comments!