Comic Books and Social Issues Project

Otis College and the school’s Comic Heroes course taught by Candace Lavin, has partnered with organizations such as The Museum of Tolerance and the It Gets Better Project. The goal of the course is to elevate unheard stories through the medium of comic books and superheros. Studying comic book plot structure and sequential art, each original story is told as an allegory of a socially relevant issue helping students to develop their own social conscientiousness.

Envision

Embracing the concept of “immersion design” – i.e. the creation of content that encourages audiences to be active rather than passive consumers, students develop projects that advocate issues of social equality that are important to them. The creation of character through comics allows imaginations to soar and a diverse range of stories and perspectives to unfold.

Deliver

Once the works are complete, audiences of all ages have the opportunity to identify with characters and stories that are often absent in the mainstream media. The outcomes have been inspiring! Roughly half a dozen student groups have published original comic stories that feature new and exciting characters, where inclusion and diversity are core tenets of the work.