The following is a guest post by Joel Mota, a Reference Librarian in the Serial and Government Publications Division.
The end of August is near and you know what that means…back to school time! Let’s close out summer break with comic book stories, beginning with some stories for the younger readers.
Ease into the new year by practicing the art of how to “roll over” and training to become a watchdog with Spike and Tyke in Tom and Jerry Comics. It might just save you from getting nabbed by the dog catcher!
First day jitters are a normal feeling to overcome, even for the Power Pack. This superhero team comprised of pre-teen siblings have a bit more to worry about than school, though. They also have the responsibility of protecting the planet from alien invaders and other adversarial supervillains. Alex, Julie, Jack, and Katie Power frequently cross paths with other Marvel characters in their original 62-issue series, such as members of the Fantastic Four and X-Men.
When packing your school supplies, make sure to leave the homemade humor magazines behind or they might get confiscated like Bart Simpson’s creations. In all fairness, he did portray the Springfield Elementary School staff in a strikingly realistic way. Poor Principal Skinner.
If you’re determined to set the high school record for chin-ups in gym class, Archie set the bar with 50. Some argue an illegitimate record, but points for creativity.
Or you can plan a new routine to compete for first place in the Riverdale High School Dance Contest. You will have to outperform Betty, and she’s good at everything!
We all know about the “college try” for students, but what about when the instructor has a rough go at it? Gabby Hayes did not run his Cowboy College in the successful way he had imagined. His revolver misfired, he got tangled in his own rope, and was thrown off his own horse while leading lecture.
Not even superheroes have it easy in college, Clark Kent’s studies at Metropolis University were off to a rocky start and it wasn’t until his sophomore year where got the best of Professor Maxwell. This genius was determined to expose the true identity of Superboy, but Clark’s quick wits narrowly avoided detection.
The only character that seems to have passed through university with flying colors was Huckleberry Hound. His undertaking of unveiling the underlying cause of a planned student strike was honored with the distinguished degree, Master of Sleuthing.
Adventure awaits in the new school year!
If you want a few more laughs before the end of summer, check out last year’s post “Back to School: Comic Book Stories.” And for inspiration on how to use comic books in the classroom, check out “Back to School: Comic Books and Literacy.”
To learn more about the comic book collection at the Library of Congress, take a look at our guide to Comic Books and Pulp Magazines. Come visit us in the Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room to see these comic books and more!
Source: https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2024/08/back-to-school-comic-book-stories-part-2/
