Ever since their rise to popularity in the early 20th century, comic books have been considered for educational purposes. At the same time, critics of comic books have panned them for the possible negative effects that they could have on children. Perhaps as a result of this debate, while comic books have long been explored for use in the classroom, it is only recently that these efforts have found widespread acceptance and currency.

This article will begin with a historical overview of the use of comics in education, and then explore current attempts at using comics as textbooks in a variety of disciplines. It will also take a brief look at current practices in designing comic books for educational purposes, and hence should be of interest to those interested in education as well as instructional design using comic books.

One of the covers of Instructor magazine by Scholastic, showcasing the rising presence of comic books in the classroom.