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Although the idea of comics can date back as far as the Middle Ages (Sabin, 1996), it's only been within the last 20 years that comics and graphic novels have been more widely suggested as legitimate literature (Connors, 2007; McTaggart, 2008; Versaci, 2008). Following what is referred to as the "Golden Age" of the 1940s, comics were viewed negatively, especially after the publication of Wertham's Seduction of the Innocent in 1954 (Sabin, 1996; Krashen, 2004; Versaci, 2008). Wertham's study stated that comics were harmful to readers and led to delinquency.
While some negative perceptions still exist, comics have come a long way since the 1940s (Connors, 2007; Versaci, 2008). In 1978, Will Eisner wrote A Contract with God (2006), popularizing the term graphic novel. In 1992, the graphic novel Maus (Spiegelman, 1991) won the Pulitzer Prize. Since then, the medium has grown and developed into its own entity (McTaggart, 2008). Carter (2007) defines a graphic novel as a "book-length sequential art narrative featuring an anthology-style collection of the comic art, a collection of reprinted comic book issues comprising a single story line (or arc), or an original, stand-alone graphic narrative" (p. 1). Essentially, graphic novels use images and print text to engage readers and tell a story. Readers walk with characters and see from their points of view. Print text and images are equally important, both providing essential information to the story.
Using graphic novels in classrooms promotes multimodality-the combination of two or more modes of communication-by using images and printed text to transfer information. Multimodality is valued by many researchers in the field, including Kress (2003), who writes:
We can no longer treat literacy (or "language") as the sole, the main, let alone the major means for representation and communication. Other modes are there as well, and in many environments where writing occurs, these other modes may be more prominent and more significant. (p. 35)
Kress (2003) highlights the importance of multimodality, especially when it comes to visual literacy. Similarly, Schwarz (2007) notes the value of graphic novels and their images when she quotes Burmark, writing: "Welcome to the age of images. The signs are everywhere-for those who can read them" (¶ 2). The overall consensus on defining visual literacy focuses around the ability...