Table of Contents

Announcing FIRE’s first-ever comic, just in time for Free Comic Book Day!

Free Comic Book Day is tomorrow, and FIRE is celebrating with our first-ever free speech comic, specially designed to make complex free speech issues understandable to high school audiences.

Finding Your Voice: A Free Speech Comic” follows two high school students who encounter speech restrictions and learn about First Amendment rights against the backdrop of a school assembly. Through conversations with teachers, a counselor, and a college student, they discover the value and limits of expression while exploring ways to make their own individual statements. The comic touches on urgent and trending free speech topics in a relevant, approachable, and entertaining way.

We’ve placed thousands of free copies in comic book stores across the country. Here are a few locations where you can stop by and pick up a copy:

If your local store doesn’t have one this Saturday, you can order one on FIRE’s website. (FIRE has a variety of other First Amendment resources for teachers available on our website, too.)

“It’s so important for students to learn about their First Amendment rights early, and especially before they head to college, where free speech rights are sometimes challenged or infringed and may need to be defended — accurately, knowledgeably, firmly, and calmly,” said Bonnie Snyder, FIRE’s Director of High School Outreach. “We’re thrilled to be able to make this comic available, free of charge, to teachers, parents, students, school counselors, administrators, and interested individuals who request it across the country.”

This comic release is just one part of our expanding high school outreach efforts, which include a growing catalog of free speech curricular content for teachers, our new FIRE Starter video series, and, of course, our annual Free Speech Essay Scholarship Contest. Stay tuned for more exciting high school developments in the coming months, or sign up for our high school updates!

The comic is illustrated by New Jersey-based illustrator Gwen Price, a recent University of the Arts graduate who studied comic art under well-known cartoonist Scott McCloud.

“Storytelling, in my opinion, is a vital device that can be used to engage someone in a lesson and give them new ideas to think about,” Price said. “For me, I had only gotten to use it for gags and funny expressions, which I get to do a sweet amount of in ‘Finding Your Voice.’ But in this book, I also get to rack my brain around how to visually depict the value of free speech rights in creative, inventive ways. As a result, I’ve come out of this project with even more funny jokes to draw and more relevant topics that I want to share.”

Production and publication of “Finding Your Voice” were made possible by a donation from the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation. FIRE is able to make multiple copies available upon request at no charge. (Even shipping is free!) To request copies for libraries, classes, or schools, email highschooloutreach@thefire.org.

Happy Free Comic Book Day!

To request a free copy of our new comic book, fill out the form below!


For more of FIRE's First Amendment resources for teachers, click here.

Recent Articles

FIRE’s award-winning Newsdesk covers the free speech news you need to stay informed.

Share