Politics, Comics, and the Classroom

Imagine that. McCain is looking to the right,
Obama to the left.

It is the responsibility of classroom teachers to instruct students on democracy and patriotism, yet that typically manifests itself in the form of daily recitations of the Pledge of Allegiance and a civics examination. Not that either are bad, but there are other ways, more engaging ways, to facilitate learning. Mock elections, historical studies of the founding fathers, creating a classroom constitution, all of these are ways great teachers help kids understand democracy.
After all, our country was founded on democratic principles and it is this democracy that unites us, not culture, race or religion.

Come October 8, IDW Publishing is putting out two full-color, 28-page comic book biographies, one on John McCain and the other on Barack Obama. Each will sell for $3.99 or a flip-book version will also be available, where both are published in one book, for $7.99. Scoop has the … well scoop:

Depicting the presidential nominees’ life, Presidential Material: John McCain, focuses on Senator McCain’s Navy tour, including his time spent as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, and his memorable tenure as an Arizona senator. This flag waving graphic novel is written by Andy Helfer, who also authored other graphic novel biographies including Ronald Reagan and Malcolm X, and is illustrated by Stephen Thompson.

Writer Jeff Mariotte, who wrote River Runs Red, portrays Barack Obama’s rise through the Democratic Party in Presidential Material: Barack Obama. Winning the surprising upset victory over Senator Hilary Clinton in the primaries, this event is illustrated by Ted Morgan.

The comics will also be available for download to mobile phones from GoComics. You can order your copies from your local comic book store or from Presidential Comics.