Requirements

Complete six activities.

• Where can you find comics? Try looking in your local newspaper, magazines, or online to find a comic strip that interests you. Collect five strips in a row and share them with your troop.
• Not all comics are alike. Some are meant to tell a story, some comment on local events, and some have another purpose entirely. They can range from hand-drawn stick figures to computer-generated images. Look at several different comics and try to decide what each author/illustratorʼs purpose was in creating her or his comic.
• Some comics are made into movies or television series ̶ Garfield, Superman, and Over the Hedge, to name just a few. Pick one, read a few comics, and watch the movie or an episode of the television show. How do comics change when they are made into movies or television shows?
• Where do people buy comic books and graphic novels? Visit a store that sells comic books or find out how to buy comic books online. How is buying a comic book similar to or different from buying other types of books?
• Some people collect comics, and certain issues of comic books are worth a lot of money if they are in good condition. Learn about collecting, storing, inventorying, and insuring comic books. If you collect comics, how much are your comics worth and are you taking good care of them?
• What goes into the creation of a comic? Talk to someone who creates comics for a living and find out how she or he became involved in making comics. What kind of education or other experience do you need for a career in the comics business?
• Create your own comic strip character. What is she or he like? Where is she or he from? What does she or he do for a living? Draw your character so that you know exactly what she or he looks like. Some characters are based on real life. If youʼre having trouble getting started, draw yourself or someone in your troop. Remember, a comic strip character can look as realistic or unrealistic as you like.
• Many comics tell stories through a series of images. Try to come up with a story that you can tell in a set of images. What needs to go into each image? Can you show everything you want to show or will you have to change your story?
• Use the character you created in activity 7 or the story you developed in activity 8 to create a comic strip. Share the comic strip with other members of your troop.
• Many comics have a specific purpose ̶ often to make the viewer laugh or think about something serious. Think of a purpose (for example, cheering up a sick child, reminding people to recycle, or convincing your peers not to smoke) and create a comic that fulfills that purpose. Share it with others.

Developed by: Junior Girl Scout Troop 3010 Western Albemarle Service Unit Leader: Jessica Otis (Approved by board of directors: December 2007)