The Access Guide to the Black Comic Book Community is Available to Libraries and Schools Through Comics Plus

Created by Dimitrios Fragiskatos, Joseph Illidge, and George Carmona 3rd, The Access Guide to the Black Comic Book Community showcases Black creators with comics or graphic novels that were published in 2020, their publishers, and stores and conventions that are Black-owned or run. The book is an invaluable resource for readers who want to find Black voices in comics, and for librarians and educators who want to diversify their collections.

Using Comics to Spark Creativity and Imaginative Learning

Whether you have an elaborate makerspace or a single Chromebook, collaboration and artistic expression are amazing ways to explore key concepts beyond traditional educational media. When combined with a visual medium that readers already love, like comics, there is no limit to how much enrichment can come from a craft activity, art project, or science experiment. Our Get Inspired, Get Creative! list of recommended titles will help spark creativity and imaginative learning, whether you are working in-person or in virtual environments.

Celebrating Black History & Black Voices with Comics Plus

February is Black History Month and Comics Plus offers a variety of titles spotlighting key figures and moments in Black History for educational use, as well as entertaining stories from Black creators in our curated Black History, Black Voices list. From award-winning nonfiction like Rep. John Lewis’ March trilogy, to award-winning fiction like Nnedi Okorafor’s Laguardia and J.N. Monk’s Topside—we have recommendations for every age level that are great for reading any time of the year.

Creator Spotlight: Classic Backlist & New-to-You Comics

Mining backlist titles for popular creators is like digging for hidden treasure, and surfacing lesser-known creators alongside them is the heart of Readers’ Advisory. Our Creator Spotlight: Classic Backlist & New-to-You Comics list does both, offering a curated combination of popular creators and up-and-comers—all available for unlimited simultaneous access via schools and libraries through Comics Plus.

Graphic Medicine for Schools and Libraries

Graphic Medicine encompasses a broad range of titles and health issues and has become a common way to help young people understand and share how they’re feeling, both mentally and physically. It can also help offset the stigma around concepts like anxiety, depression, and the physical issues created by mental stress. Comics Plus’ collection of Graphic Medicine titles can help students of all ages better articulate their own physical and mental health, and foster empathy for others facing difficult circumstances.