This year for the spring exhibition it was on World War One, showing my knowledge through a comic book. The graphic novel had to accurately share the information within a story. Making sure the sources were accurate and I fully understand what I was making my comic about. Here’s my process of creating the comic book and the steps to it. 

Driving Question: How can I create a graphic novel that accurately depicts an event from WWI?

   To create a graphic novel that accurately depicts an event from WWI, start by researching primary sources and reliable information about the event. Find sources that look trust worthy. Understand the history of it and important details like locations, people, and the timeline of major events. You should then use this research to create an intriguing story that shows the realities of the war. After all of that start to storyboard to get an understating of what you comic is going to look like. Your comic should be historically accurate, but compelling to the audience.

   The beginning of the project started off with practicing sketching with the launch comic. It help get the idea across and got me ready for the final product. I found a lot of the time I spent too much work on the drawings and being a perfectionist. That carried on to the end, but over time I realized it wasn’t worth it and I didn’t have the time. 

   When we watched the 1917 movie it helped me get a better understanding of what WW1 was like and sparked a couple ideas for my comic. Having questions to answer during the video really made me realize all the different parts and people. The importance of having many soldiers to stretcher bearers and what they did exactly. Having those questions made me think of the whole picture, but also the little key parts within.

   To know what you wanted to learn more in depth about for your comic, we learned all about Canada during WWl. I practiced note taking and learned how important it is to have well structured notes. In one part in my research I realized I needed more information, and later had to add it in. Although in some parts it was the complete oposite, I didn’t need all of what I wrote. Even taking mental notes of the graphic novel, The War to End all Wars World War One 1914-1918, helped me understand World War One better. Having the drawings and short but descriptive text helped me wrap my brain around it all. 

   The story pitch was the first big step to create the graphic novel. I decided I wanted my focus to be about field hospitals and surgeons. I wondered what was outside of the battles since I learned mostly about them. I did my research all about field hospitals and then started to make my story. That leads to the storyboard. Using the information from watching documentaries, the 1917 movie, the graphic novel and slides shown, we had to create the story. I learned it was useful to do rough drawings, but the text to be exactly what it should be on the graphic novel. 

   During the exhibition I talked to many people explaining what my comic was about. I learned how to quickly summarize in an interesting way talking about my comic. Looking back I wish I managed my time better. In the end I enjoyed this project and learning about The Great War.