Resignifying Comics for Multimodal Literary Learning: Lynda Barry’s Pedagogy as Inspiration

This article examines the role of comics within the field of literary education. It pays particular attention to the capacity of comics to build literary competence by cultivating interpretive and storytelling skills. Traditionally marginalized in education due to perceptions of being a minor or inadequate form of reading, comics are now increasingly recognized as complex multimodal literary texts. The article first considers the pedagogical conditions that have facilitated their gradual incorporation into the literature classroom. It then explores the pedagogical potential of comic creation, drawing on the teaching practices of the artist Lynda Barry as a case study to illustrate the intersection between creativity, multimodality and literary analysis. The article argues that comics are not only effective instruments for promoting reading habits but also significant resources for reconfiguring literature pedagogy within a multimodal framework. It concludes that comics can enhance both literary analysis and literary pedagogy, going far beyond their token presence in school libraries.