Head over to the World Comics India site to look at some superb Wallposter Comics — informational comics created by communities that deal with local issues, including corporal punishment in schools;
The school teachers of Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh are a worried lot. Gone are the days when they could punish students at will, for the most ridiculous reasons, slap them, beat them with sticks, or make them sit or stand for hours in uncomfortable, painful and awkward positions. The age-old notions of a good teacher – a strict disciplinarian who would use the rod liberally on his students – is being questioned and challenged, by the students themselves.
Well worth checking out is their Comics Manual, that runs through the entire Wallpaper Comics production process, from conception to deployment. Not just a comics manual, this is a primer for social activism and social engagement. Drop everything immediately and devour the entire site right now.
Once you have finished reading the site, head over to Zeenews to read a fascinating interview with World Comics founder, Sharad Sharma;
It is simple, easy, non-threatening and can convey a powerful message. But it is not just World Comics India, which is using comics/ cartoons to deliver social messages, but across the world several organisation are doing the same. The difference is they have done the same job by hiring artists, and we have done it by teaching common people. Since the common people are the ones who produce them, so the 100% ownership of the content is theirs. They know the artists living next door. It is not for mass distribution, but for local use – so they produce say 20 copies.