Comics for Learning Experience Design

What are comics?

Comics are a medium, not a genre

At its core, a comic is a sequence of illustrations combined with text, designed to tell a story or convey a message.

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This broad category includes various forms that differ in structure, style, and content.

• Some of the most popular types are:
  • Cartoons: Short, often humorous illustrations, typically found in newspapers or magazines. They use simple imagery and minimal text to make a quick point or deliver satire. Cartoons are often effective in conveying complex ideas with brevity.
  • Comics: Typically serialized stories told through a combination of illustrations and dialogue. Comics are episodic and can be short or extended. They rely heavily on the relationship between the narrative and visual elements to convey meaning, pacing, and tone.
  • Graphic Novels: Longer, more elaborate narratives told in a comic format. These are essentially full-length books that use comic-style art, but they offer deeper, more intricate storylines. Graphic novels cover a range of genres, from memoirs to fiction, making them a versatile tool for storytelling in learning.
  • Zines: DIY, self-published booklets or pamphlets that often focus on niche topics, social issues, or personal experiences. They tend to have a raw, authentic feel, encouraging creativity and expression. Zines are often highly personalized, making them perfect for fostering engagement in niche learning topics.

The history of comics

A 1-minute overview

Comics as we know them today emerged in the late 19th century, though visual storytelling has been around for centuries in forms like hieroglyphics and medieval manuscripts. The modern comic strip began with The Yellow Kid in 1895, considered one of the first newspaper comic strips. As the medium grew, superheroes such as Superman and Batman dominated the comic world in the 1930s and 40s, ushering in the Golden Age of Comics.

In the 1970s and 80s, graphic novels redefined the genre, moving toward a more literary form. Titles like Maus by Art Spiegelman and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi showed how comics could tackle complex, adult themes in a highly accessible visual format. Indie creators such as Robert Crumb and Alison Bechdel also contributed significantly, using comics to explore personal, social, and political issues outside the superhero genre. Other influential figures include Harvey Pekar, whose American Splendor portrayed the gritty reality of everyday life; Joe Sacco, who pioneered comics journalism; and Charles Burns, whose Black Hole delved into surreal aspects of adolescence. Lynda Barry (One! Hundred! Demons!) reflected on childhood and personal growth, while Chester Brown brought history to life in Louis Riel and Adrian Tomine addressed modern relationships and cultural identity in Shortcomings and Optic Nerve.

Meanwhile, zines thrived in the punk and counterculture movements of the 1970s and 80s as raw, self-published works that reflected subcultural voices. Their low-cost production and authentic storytelling make zines a valuable inspiration for crafting impactful, personalized learning content tailored to niche audiences. These creators collectively expanded the boundaries of what comics could achieve, using the medium to tell stories that resonate on deeply personal, social, and historical levels.

Strategies for integrating Comics into Learning Experience Design

Comics are a masterclass in visual communication, pacing, and storytelling, all of which can be leveraged to create highly engaging learning experiences. The principles that make comics so effective—clear visual hierarchy, concise text, engaging narratives, and interactive elements—are directly applicable to the design of learning experiences. By taking inspiration from the way comics simplify complex ideas, maintain engagement, and use visuals to guide understanding, learning designers can create environments that cater to how people learn best.

The strategies we explore in the next section focus on practical methods for incorporating the structure and design wisdom of comics into LXD. Whether you’re looking to enhance engagement, break down challenging concepts, or increase learner retention, these strategies offer adaptable approaches to fit a variety of learning contexts.

Each strategy draws on different aspects of comics—such as framing, visual metaphors, and character-driven stories—to create immersive learning experiences. By thoughtfully applying these techniques, as learning designers we can offer our learners not only information but also an experience that feels interactive, personalized, and deeply engaging. For each of these techniques, I’ve selected a diverse range of examples, including comics about teaching, comics about teachers and students, classroom comics, and comics about learning design and education. My goal is to bring each point to life through relevant examples that align closely with our field. If you know of any additional cool examples—especially comics about learning experience design, or classroom experiences—please do share.

Let’s explore how these strategies can transform traditional learning into something dynamic and learner-centered.

🔍 Click a comic to view in detail

 

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Framing with panels

• Breaking content into sections, or panels, is fundamental in comics for controlling pacing and focus. Similarly, in learning design, panels allow for clear segmentation of information, helping learners digest one piece of content at a time.
  • Use traditional panels to divide step-by-step instructions or sequential learning tasks.
  • Asymmetrical or large panels can highlight essential ideas or emphasize key learning moments.
  • Full-page or large panels are effective for summarizing complex information or introducing a new module.
  • Helps reduce cognitive load by breaking information into smaller, manageable parts.
  • Incorporate interactive panels in e-learning modules, where learners reveal new information as they progress.

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Juxtaposing text and imagery

• Comics are known for effectively combining visuals and text to convey meaning. This strategy aligns with Dual Coding Theory, where presenting information through both words and images enhances understanding and retention.
  • Use simple images or diagrams alongside short text to explain complex concepts.
  • Metaphorical visuals can make abstract ideas more relatable (e.g., a maze to represent problem-solving).
  • Pair minimal text with powerful visuals to avoid overwhelming learners.
  • Ideal for data-heavy or abstract concepts where visuals can simplify understanding.
  • Ensure images complement text rather than compete with it to maintain focus.

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Flow with gutters

• The space between comic panels, known as gutters, is used to signal transitions or to let the reader fill in narrative gaps. In learning, you can use visual or temporal “gutter space” to allow learners time to reflect and process information.
  • Add white space between learning sections to give learners time to think.
  • Incorporate reflective prompts in these gaps, encouraging deeper cognitive processing.
  • Different types of transitions (e.g., moment-to-moment or scene-to-scene) can be used to pace content differently.
  • Use empty space between slides or major sections to slow pacing, encouraging retention and reflection.

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Use of a limited color palette

• Using a limited color palette focuses attention and reduces distractions, allowing learners to concentrate on key content. Comics often use specific colors to draw attention to certain elements, which can be adapted to learning environments.
  • Highlight essential concepts or actions using a single, dominant color.
  • Monochromatic schemes can create a calming environment and reduce cognitive load.
  • Use color to evoke emotions—red for urgency, blue for calm, green for success.
  • Helps guide learners’ attention without overwhelming them with too much visual stimulation.
  • Ensure accessibility by considering colorblind learners and using contrasting tones.

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Character-based learning guides

• Comics use characters to drive the narrative and create emotional connections. In learning, characters can act as guides or mentors, making content more relatable and engaging for learners.
  • Create an expert guide or relatable peer character to explain concepts or ask reflective questions.
  • Use a mascot or animated character to lighten the mood, especially in informal learning contexts.
  • Avatars can be used to represent different perspectives in scenario-based learning.
  • Relatable characters help learners engage more deeply with the content, encouraging connection and understanding.
  • Maintain consistency in character design to build familiarity and trust.

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Symbolism through repetition

• Comics often repeat symbols or visual motifs to reinforce key themes or messages. This repetition helps learners recognize and retain important information by creating patterns in the material.
  • Use the same icon throughout the course to mark key takeaways or important points.
  • Repeat visual motifs to represent progress or signal transitions.
  • Use consistent symbols, colors, or fonts to build familiarity and help learners recognize recurring ideas.
  • Repetition reinforces key concepts and helps with long-term retention.
  • Be mindful not to overuse repetition, as it can lead to cognitive fatigue.

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Varying panel sizes for focus

• In comics, larger panels emphasize important moments, while smaller panels accelerate pacing. Similarly, in learning design, varying the size and emphasis of content sections can help guide learners’ attention to what’s most critical.
  • Use large text boxes or bold design elements for key ideas that need extra focus.
  • Smaller boxes or sidebars can hold supplementary information, helping learners move through the content more efficiently.
  • Varying the size of sections helps learners prioritize information without overwhelming them.
  • Larger panels can be used for summarizing key lessons or highlighting critical points.
  • This strategy helps learners manage cognitive load by drawing attention to what matters most.

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Graphic elements for feedback

• Comics use visual cues—like stars, exclamation points, or sweat drops—to represent character emotions or actions. In learning, visual feedback, such as icons, animations, or color shifts, can be a powerful tool to signal progress, correctness, or areas for improvement.
  • Use icons like checkmarks, stars, or badges to provide immediate visual feedback on quizzes or activities.
  • Color-coded feedback (green for correct, red for incorrect) helps learners quickly understand their performance.
  • Simple animations, such as stars appearing after a correct answer, make feedback more engaging and memorable.
  • Visual feedback supports behaviorist principles by immediately reinforcing correct actions.

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Comic-styled visualizations for conceptual clarity

• Illustrative visuals, such as graphic charts or conceptual maps, serve as a bridge between text-heavy explanations and visual representation. By incorporating comic-style design elements, learning content can become more engaging and easier to understand.
  • Create “drawn” visualizations that integrate both shapes (e.g., circles, arrows) and text, visually mapping out concepts like pathways, hierarchies, or relationships.
  • Text within shapes guides learners through information step-by-step, mimicking how comic panels guide readers through a story, which supports gradual comprehension and retention.
  • Connective graphics help learners see relationships between ideas, reducing cognitive load by presenting complex ideas in a simplified, structured form.
  • This approach allows learners to “read” visuals as they would comic panels, promoting an intuitive grasp of concepts that can be built upon, making it especially useful for complex or multi-layered content.

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Breaking the fourth wall

• Comics sometimes break the “fourth wall” by having characters directly address the reader, creating a more personal, engaging experience. In learning design, breaking the fourth wall can involve speaking directly to the learner through humor, challenges, or prompts to engage more deeply with the content.
  • Use conversational language and direct prompts to create a more engaging, personal experience for learners.
  • Incorporate humor or challenges that directly address learners to increase attention and motivation.
  • This technique works well in onboarding or introductory lessons, where a personal touch can help build rapport.
  • Breaking the fourth wall fosters interaction and keeps learners from feeling like passive recipients of information.

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Dynamic transitions

• In comics, dynamic transitions between panels can create a sense of movement or guide the reader’s eye through the story. In learning design, transitions between modules, topics, or concepts can be made more engaging with thoughtful visual or interactive transitions.
  • Use smooth transitions (e.g., fades or zoom-ins) between learning segments to guide learners through the content.
  • Dynamic transitions can signal a shift in tone, moving from theory to practice, or from abstract to concrete concepts.
  • Interactive transitions, such as clicking through a decision tree or moving between branching scenarios, enhance engagement.
  • Visual transitions also help maintain learner attention, avoiding abrupt breaks that might disrupt the learning flow.

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Onomatopoeia for emphasis

• Onomatopoeia in comics visually represents sounds like “Boom!” or “Zap!” to add energy or emphasize action. In learning design, this can be adapted to emphasize key actions, outcomes, or moments in the learner’s journey.
  • Use animated sound effects like “Ding!” for correct answers, or “Buzz!” for errors in interactive exercises.
  • Incorporate pop-up text or sound effects that align with learners’ actions, reinforcing success or prompting corrections.
  • Sound effects add a multisensory layer, increasing engagement and reinforcing important points.
  • Can be used sparingly in more serious contexts to provide a light-hearted or motivating touch.

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Emotional resonance through storytelling

• Comics often evoke strong emotions through their stories, which can deepen engagement. In learning design, embedding emotional elements within the narrative can make the learning experience more memorable and impactful.
  • Use storytelling to evoke empathy, excitement, or curiosity in learners (e.g., through real-world scenarios or personal stories).
  • Emotional storytelling helps learners connect on a deeper level with the content, improving retention and engagement.
  • Emotional resonance can be created through characters, scenarios, or relatable examples that evoke a personal response.

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Visual metaphors for complex concepts

• Comics use visual metaphors—such as a character facing a crossroads to represent a decision—to simplify abstract ideas. Learning design can use visual metaphors to make complex or abstract topics easier to understand.
  • Visual metaphors function as cognitive tools, tapping into learners’ prior knowledge to clarify complex or abstract topics.
  • Presenting abstract concepts through familiar visuals, such as ladders for growth or mazes for decision-making, helps learners mentally map new ideas.
  • Visual metaphors enable learners to form mental models, enhancing their understanding and retention of challenging concepts.
  • By bridging the gap between theoretical ideas and practical comprehension, visual metaphors make complex processes more memorable and accessible.

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Scene-setting backgrounds

• Comics often use detailed backgrounds to establish the mood, tone, or context of a scene. In learning design, the background can subtly influence the emotional tone of the content, helping learners connect with the material on a deeper level.
  • Use calming background visuals (e.g., nature scenes) for content focused on mindfulness or reflection.
  • Choose dynamic, energetic backgrounds for fast-paced, action-oriented learning modules.
  • Backgrounds can provide context for scenarios (e.g., a virtual hospital for medical training) and make the learning experience feel more immersive.
  • Avoid overly distracting or busy backgrounds that can pull attention away from the primary content.

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Non-verbal cues through visuals

• Comics rely on facial expressions, body language, and other non-verbal cues to convey emotions and reactions. In learning, visuals can be used to communicate mood, reactions, or emphasis without relying solely on text.
  • Use animated characters or avatars that display emotions to help learners connect with scenarios (e.g., a confused face when a learner chooses the wrong answer).
  • Visual cues like arrows, highlights, or changing facial expressions can guide learners toward the correct responses.
  • Non-verbal communication is especially useful in scenario-based learning, where emotions play a key role in decision-making.
  • Learners respond well to visual signals of success or failure, making the learning experience feel more intuitive.

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Minimal text for impact

• In comics, short dialogue and minimal text are often used to ensure that the visuals remain the primary focus. In learning design, using minimal text with strong visuals ensures that learners aren’t overwhelmed with information, and it keeps the content focused.
  • Use concise language to explain key ideas, supported by visuals to convey additional meaning.
  • When possible, replace long text descriptions with images, diagrams, or infographics.
  • Keep instructions short and actionable to maintain learner engagement and avoid information overload.
  • Minimal text is especially effective for learners with limited attention spans or those who prefer visual learning.

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Connecting decisions to outcomes

• In learning experience design, illustrating the connection between decisions and outcomes can help learners understand how their actions lead to specific results. This approach aligns with principles from behaviorism and constructivism. From a behaviorist perspective, emphasizing the relationship between action and consequence reinforces core principles, helping learners understand and anticipate results through repeated actions and feedback. Meanwhile, from a constructivist viewpoint, learners actively construct knowledge as they interact with content, observing patterns and drawing conclusions from each decision’s outcome, building a foundation for future choices.
  • Present decision points where learners choose actions, leading to varied outcomes that demonstrate cause-effect relationships.
  • Use scenario-based examples to show different outcomes based on learner choices, creating a more immersive and reflective learning experience.
  • Encourage learners to explore different pathways within a topic and reflect on the outcomes to build awareness of the consequences of decisions.
  • For interactive e-learning, provide feedback after each choice to reinforce the decision-outcome link, helping learners internalize connections between actions and results.

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Consistency in art style

• Comics typically maintain a consistent art style throughout the story, helping create a cohesive and immersive experience. In learning design, consistency in visual elements—like colors, fonts, and graphic styles—can reduce distractions and create a unified learning experience.
  • Use the same color palette, typography, and illustration style across all modules to build familiarity.
  • Consistent visual design allows learners to focus on the content rather than adjusting to changing aesthetics.
  • Consistency also helps in building a recognizable learning brand or theme, making it easier for learners to navigate.
  • Choose a visual style that fits the tone of your content (e.g., professional for corporate training, playful for informal learning).

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Character-driven narratives

• Just as comics often focus on character-driven stories, learning design can use character-driven narratives to create a sense of continuity and engagement. Characters can narrate the learning journey or represent different perspectives in scenario-based learning.
  • Use a character to act as a guide, mentor, or narrator throughout the learning module.
  • Characters can represent different perspectives in branching scenarios, helping learners explore alternative outcomes.
  • A consistent character throughout a course creates a more personal, engaging experience.
  • Use avatars or animated guides to explain complex concepts in a relatable, conversational manner.

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Simplified characters for accessibility

• Comics can use simple characters, like stick figures or cartoon avatars to make concepts more approachable and digestible. Simple illustrations reduce intimidation and make learning feel informal and friendly.
  • Use stick figures or basic characters to explain complex topics in a way that’s approachable and non-threatening.
  • Simple characters allow for greater focus on the content rather than detailed visuals, which is beneficial for abstract or data-heavy topics.
  • Reduces cognitive load by avoiding overly detailed images, letting learners concentrate on key ideas.
  • Encourages engagement by making learning feel light-hearted and relatable.

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Embracing the unexpected

• Comics often incorporate surprising twists—through dialogue, plot changes, or visual elements—that engage readers by breaking predictable patterns. In learning, an unexpected element can re-engage attention and increase the memorability of content.
  • Add a hidden interactive element, like a clickable icon that reveals bonus content or a fun twist related to the topic.
  • Insert a humorous visual or surprise prompt midway through a lesson to provide a lighthearted moment.
  • Present a scenario that seems predictable, then introduce a twist that challenges learners to rethink their approach.
  • Encourages curiosity by making the learning experience feel fresh and unpredictable.

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Empathy-driven scenarios

 

• Comics frequently use relatable characters to foster empathy, allowing readers to connect emotionally with the content. In learning, empathy-driven scenarios help learners put themselves in someone else’s shoes, deepening understanding.
  • Create scenarios where learners experience different perspectives (e.g., in DEI or conflict resolution training).
  • Use characters that learners can relate to or identify with, making lessons more meaningful and memorable.
  • Encourages reflective learning, as learners empathize and consider the implications of their decisions.
  • Enhances engagement in social-emotional learning by connecting learners with real-world perspectives.

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Symbolic use of visual narratives

• Comics often use visual symbolism to represent complex ideas simply. In learning, using symbolic visuals allows learners to quickly grasp abstract concepts, making the content easier to remember.
  • Incorporate symbols (e.g., a bridge for connection or a mountain for challenges) to represent broader themes visually.
  • Symbolic images help learners intuitively understand abstract ideas, enhancing comprehension without lengthy explanations.
  • Encourages learners to make personal connections with content through familiar, accessible imagery.
  • Symbolism adds depth, giving learners an intuitive grasp of complex concepts, which can improve retention.