ABSTRACT
This chapter will elaborate on the possibilities of integrating and creating comic books and graphic novels within qualitative research projects (Blanch & Mulvihill, 2013; Mulvihill & Blanch, 2015; Sousanis, 2015). The chapter will draw upon the growing pedagogical innovations using comic books and graphic novels in general (Barry, 2002, 2014) and demonstrate how these forms of art can be used as tools for qualitative researchers. This chapter will provide cross-cultural, cross-generational, and gender analyses of these mediums in an effort to show the social justice-related connections qualitative researchers can make by incorporating comic books and graphic novels into their research. Pedagogical exercises that examine the pros and cons of different tools for qualitative researchers combined with some self-directed activities to improve skills and stimulate critical thinking will form part of this chapter. In addition, we incorporate self-reflexive tools to promote and stimulate thinking qualitatively and artfully.
