“It’s how I learned to read, it’s how my wife Françoise Mouly learned to read,” Spiegelman said, adding that comics should be re-emphasized as an educational tool “now that everyone’s looking down the tube.”
Spiegelman and Mouly co-wrote a book, titled “Strange Stories for Strange Kids,” aimed at providing educational comics for children.
Students said were they surprised to see that comics could be so expressive.
“I didn’t think there was any substance to comic strips,” said Adebola S. Owolewa ’05, but now she said she has “gained a lot more respect for comic strips.”
Sarah K. Burke ’05 said she became convinced of the artistic importance of cartoons.
“It’s terrific that someone who has such interesting things to say can be recognized at Harvard even though he’s just a comic strip writer,” Burke said. “Harvard should bring in more cartoonists because it is a legitimate form of art.”