INTRODUCTION TO THE ACTIVITY

In order for students to become aware of the effectiveness of graphic art when portraying some aspects of society, it is important that a process of reflection is opened on some examples; so that they can link the conflicts present in their societies with the works of the different authors proposed. This link is the most important component when it comes to ensuring that learning takes root and makes sense.

WHAT DO WE PROPOSE?

The activity will consist of opening a space for reflection around graphic humor as a form of social criticism, to then encourage the creation of graphic humor by the students themselves. Analyze and reflect on the works of some graphic humorists. Here you have a choice but you can also encourage students to bring authors or graphic humor magazines that interest them. We offer you some questions to start the debate and encourage reflection.

HOW CAN YOU DO THAT?

Face the enemy with pencil and humor. Start by identifying any of the monsters, enemies, fears or concerns you have. They can be personal or more general, affecting a group of people, or the neighborhood, or the country, or all of humanity. For example, the monster of patriarchy, bullying, the future, or that teacher who makes us nervous, or chocolate because it is irresistible to us... You can organize in small groups or work individually, it depends on the group and the chosen topics, decide once you have defined the topics.

Once the fear of the enemy has been identified, it is about letting creativity go and putting into practice the resource of humor so that it allows us to laugh at it, relativize it and give new visions of the situation. Here are some considerations and ideas that you can take into account:

• You can turn your enemy/fear into a caricature, whether it’s a person or a concept, think of what the most characteristic features are and exaggerate them. Make the effort to think about how that person or that idea is identified, how you can portray the essential.
• Think in terms of opposites, if for example the fear of what we want to laugh is "loneliness" exaggerate what it means to be in the company of others. This strategy can serve to distance us from it and find a comical way to talk about the subject.
• Graphic humorists often use the vignette resource, that is, to make a small narration, the division into several scenes will allow you to have a dialogue between characters or a certain continuity.
• Be critical but respectful, humour, satire, provocation are always a means, not the goal. They should serve to draw attention to a topic, and once captured, they should transmit a message to us.