I decided to create another quick “The Best…” list today rating sites that allow you to create online comic strips.

These can be excellent opportunities for English Language Learners to be able to focus more time on developing language, writing, and storytelling skills instead of having to focus on creating drawings. Of course, I’m not denigrating the role of art in the classroom. It’s just that there are a number of online sites that make that part easier, and might make both writing and reading a little more engaging and attractive.

I’m differentiating “comic strips” from cartoons. There are many sites that let you add speech balloons to single images off the Web. You can find links to several of them at The Best Sites For Online Photo-Editing & Photo Effects.

The sites here let you tell a story in several frames.

I’d say my favorites  is Make Beliefs Comix

Make Beliefs is a fairly well-known site that has a variety of characters that can be used in pre-made templates. It’s already popular in schools — both in mainstream and ESL/EFL classes.

Pixton, a newer site that, if you make a series of comic strips, lets you put them into a virtual “book.” It also seems to have a very overt and pro-active (at least it says it does) policy on ensuring that only appropriate content remains on the site.

20+ Tips and Resources to Engage Learners with Comics is from Shelly Terrell.

Using cartoons and comic strips is from The British Council.

After quickly registering, Marvel Comics lets you create your own comic that you can print, send, or embed.

Witty Comics

Richard Byrne just posted about a new free and easy tool for creating a free comic – without having to even register. Read Richard’s post and check out ToonyTool.

Culture Street lets you make and save comic strips online.

Storyboard That

Strip Creator

You can create comics with Canva.

I like this idea for ELLs:

Create Your Own Digital Comics Whether You Can Draw or Not is from The NY Times.

Google Drawings also lets you collaborate on comics.

Canva now has comic strip templates.

lywi looks like a pretty easy comic strip creator.

Easy Online Comics for ELT is from TESOL.

Useful resource: Comics Uniting Nations is from ELT Planning.

Comical is an AI tool that will create comic strips.  You have to request an invitation before using it now.  I did, and liked it a lot.  Depending on its cost and availability, I think it would have a lot of potential for classroom use.

Merse uses AI to create comics to accompany your writing.

As always, feedback is welcome.

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