Themepark

imagination
Cartoons/Comics

Beetle Bailey, Prince Valiant, Bugs Bunny, Dagwood, Superman, Micky Mouse---the characters and a lot of comic books, comic strips, and animated cartoon shows are works of imagination and whimsy. Some characters may come and go like Pokemon and Power Rangers, but others, like Charlie Brown, have endured and have become part of the fabric of our popular culture.

Sample some of the following activities to learn more about cartoons, cartoonists, and comics.

 

Places To Go    People To See    Things To Do    Teacher Resources    Bibliography

Places To Go

The following are places to go (some real and some virtual) to find out about cartoons.

Dilbert Zone
Hang out with Dilbert in his office and read the Dilbert newsletter, see early drawing of Dilbert, and receive technical support from Dilbert and his co-workers
Library of Congress - Origins of American Animation 
Visit the Library of Congress and learn about the development of animation.
L'il Abner
Visit Dogpatch and read a biography of Al Capp and the histories of the characters in his famous comic strip
Looney Tunesville
Visit Looney Tunesville and spend some time with Daffy Duck, Wiley Coyote, and Porky Pig. Get some cartooning tips in the "Animation 101"section and find the Looney Tunes Songbook and even Looney Tunes Kareoke in the section called "Hot Spots"

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People To See

Garfield
Hang out with Garfield. Eat some lasagne, send an electronic postcard, play Garfield games, find wordsearches and puzzles, and much more
GumbyWorld
Talk to Gumby, the pliable, green, plastic clayboy and his buddy, Pokey. They were created by Art Clokey
Official Peanuts Homepage
Visit with Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Linus, and Lucy. There is a section for kids with games, coloring pages, a Snoopy sighting area, and more. You'll also find a biography of Charles Schulz
Simpson's Archive
Spend time with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. This site is a collection of information about this long running television program.
Walt Disney
Has anyone been more influential than Walt Disney in the development of animation as an art form? Meet him in cyberspace and find out about his life

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Things To Do

BLS Career Information
Find out how cartoonists make a living
Caricature Zone
Have students browse through caricatures of famous people and try their hand at making their own
Comics.Com
Enjoy comics without getting newspaper ink on your fingers. From this page, you can go to the Ziggy, Garfield, BC, Doonesbury, Wizard of Id, Cathy, and dozens of other daily or weekly cartoon sites
The Crater Kid
Read this new, daily online cartoon. It's about the adventures of Joe Gant, Jr. who is whisked away from his midwest home to a universe many light years away
Learn How To Draw With Gary Harbo
Follow these step-by-step directions to learn how to draw simple figures.
Stu's Comic Strip Connection
Find links to dozens of different comic strips

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Teacher Resources

Lesson Plans

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Bibliography

  • The Art of Cartooning. Laguna Hills, CA: Walter Foster Pub., 1998.
  • Bohl, Al. Guide to Cartooning. Gretna [LA]: Pelican Pub., 1997.
  • Corbett, Grahame. Fabulous Cartoons. New York: DK Pub., 1998.
  • Grant, John. Encyclopedia of Walt Disney's Animated Characters. New York: Hyperion Books, c1998.
  • Lightfoot, Marge. Cartooning for Kids. Toronto: Greey de Pencier Books, 1993.
  • Pellowski, Michael. The Art of Making Comic Books. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Co., c1995.
  • Rovin, Jeff. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cartoon Animals. New York: Prentice Hall Press, c1991.
  • Schroeder, Russell K. Micky Mouse: My Life in Pictures. New York, N.Y.: Disney Press, c1997.