Kids Comic Book Creative Writing Workshop

This workshop was about teaching kids character development and story structure using comic books. After all with the highly visual and condensed format of comics it’s easy for kids to see step by step what goes into creating a story. The panels make it easier to see what they’ve done without flipping back through previous pages like a regular story book.

So how did we accomplish this task? It was fairly easy actually. There were 3 worksheets the kids used; a superhero creator worksheet and 2 that were blank panel pages.


They started with the superhero outline as characters were explained as the building blocks of a story. On the front the kids created their superhero. Once they had finished they were asked to flip the page over to design their villain.

After they had designed their characters the kids were taught setting. They wrote down the name of where their characters lived on the same worksheet. These creations needed some place to live after all.

Once they had their setting conflict was introduced. The kids were told to figure out why their hero and villain didn’t like each other. Why it was they were fighting.

When they had their reasons and all of the ground work was set up they were given the 2 panel sheets. We explained that all that was left for them to figure out to make their story was how to resolve the conflict between the characters and how their story would end.

The kids set to work and the end result was fantastic! In both cases the hero and villain ended up being friends again resulting in a happy ending. Each individual story took its own path, but both girls decided that their characters needed to be friends at the end.

After they read me their stories the kids said they had fun and would tell their teacher what they had learned over break. We’re glad they had fun because we had fun putting it on. Looking forward to doing more of these workshops.

Hannibal Lecter Is My Valentine

 Valentine’s Day is a holiday that, generally, people loathe but the greeting card, candy companies, florists, restaurants, and retail stores enjoy. We shell out money, while they make it. Valentine’s Day is a holiday filled with guilt and depression. If you’re part of a couple there’s pressure to do something and if you’re single it’s a horrible reminder that you are single.

    Myself I’m really not a fan of the holiday for the afore mentioned reasons, despite being in a relationship. That’s why a few years ago, when I was still single, I came up with my own way to celebrate that makes the day more enjoyable. A way that makes me forget about the commercialized lovey dovey. I marathon Hannibal Lecter movies.

That’s right, I spend my Valentine’s Day with Hannibal Lecter. Sure he’s psychotic, but he’s smart, cultured, well read, enjoys the finer things, and let us not forget, an amazing cook. I know he eats people, but he’s such a gourmet chef that he’s able to hide the taste of human flesh so that his guests have no idea what they’re eating.

I have all of the movies; well all but one. I don’t have ‘Manhunter’ with William Petersen, but beyond that I have them all including season one of the Hannibal TV series. I alternate each year what order I watch them in. Sometimes I watch them in chronological order of the storyline which means I start with ‘Hannibal Rising’ and end with ‘Hannibal’. Other times I watch them in the order they were made so I start with ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ and end with ‘Hannibal Rising’.

    To top the day off I also order Chinese food delivery. Yep, Hannibal Lecter and Chinese food is the best way to spend Valentine’s Day that I have discovered. I binge on Hannibal the 14th and then discounted Valentine’s candy on the 15th.

Hannibal Lecter is my Valentine. How do you spend Valentine’s Day?