I’m a big fan of comics – I go to my local shop every week, I’m on a first name basis with the shop owners, and I spend large chunks of my weekend catching up on comics both new and old. I’m into all kinds of comics, including stuff from the Big 2 (Marvel and DC), as well as smaller publishers. In my non-Fission time I am also a volunteer organizer for the Small Press Expo, one of the country’s largest independent comics and art festivals.

So, what does this have to do with nonprofits?

Two of the most important things we want our nonprofit clients at Fission to focus on when conducting outreach are stories and visuals. Personal stories from an individual’s experience are an integral part of any campaign because they humanize the issue by putting a name and/or face to the issue. Stories should connect each person to the broader movement and create a community narrative for people that have similar experiences or values. A story can also convey urgency and capture why action is required from supporters and others.

The web is increasingly a visual place, and the use of photos, infographics, and videos by nonprofits has immensely helped grow support for many causes and campaigns. Back in March, I noted how Facebook even changed their design to cater to a more visual web.

Comics, at their core, are visual stories, and nonprofits could probably learn a lot from reading some back issues!

First, I want to pose some questions. Even if you’ve never read a single comic book in your life...

• What color is Spider-Man’s outfit?
• Who is Batman’s sidekick? His arch enemy?
• What is the Hulk famous for saying?

No matter your familiarity with comics, you can probably answer these questions, because their stories have been told visually for the past few decades, making them easily identifiable, and, more importantly, easy to remember. Your nonprofit should strive for that top-of-mind recognizability to help grow your supporter base by making it easier for people to tell others about your work and inspiring them to take action.

As the main data analyst at Fission, I look at a lot of analytics. I see the numbers daily showing how visual content performs better on social media and websites. Explanatory text may be vital to an organization’s mission, but most people are going to be initially attracted to the visual story. If a potential supporter likes what they see, then they will read all about you and decide if they want to contribute their time and resources to your cause.

Daredevil is one of my favorite characters. Even without reading the narrative text from this classic storyline “Born Again,” we are able to determine the story presented below: A man is alone in his office, deep in contemplation. He makes up his mind that action must be taken, and he gets up to pull out his uniform. It’s safe to assume some butt kicking is next up on his agenda.

Daredevil 227, page 14 by Frank Miller

Even to someone who knows nothing about this story or Daredevil, you’ve shared a similar experience where there was something wrong, you made a decision to change it, and made a move to action. This empathy is something your organization should use to drive people to act on your behalf, whether it’s signing a petition, sharing an informative video, or signing up to volunteer.

On a different end of the comics spectrum we have a page from one of my favorite creators, Daniel Clowes. Wilson follows the story of a man named... Wilson. On this page, not much of anything happens (which he is wise enough to point out). But through the visual medium, we still are able to get a sense of this story, no matter how uneventful. The rest of the book is great, I promise.
 

Daniel Clowes' Wilson

If this were a prose story that began, “A man was sitting on the ground staring at an icicle drip,” there’s a decent chance you would stop reading. But since the story is presented in a visual format, it’s easy to keep reading. My guess is that you consumed the page in two seconds.

Ease of consumption is another reason why visual storytelling is so important for nonprofits. When a could-be supporter is scrolling through their Facebook Newsfeed or looking at an organization’s website for the first time, they will be drawn to the images because they are easier to consume. A visual story can quickly convey the overarching message, tone, and mission for an organization, and once the person experiences this, they’re much more likely to read the About Us page and check out any current campaigns. They’re also much more likely to share a cool image with their friends, creating more opportunities for people to join the cause.

Many comics readers are first hooked by the art, and the cooler the art, the more likely they are to read something they don’t know about. Your organization can be like this too – bring them in with something they can easily digest and relate to, then wow them with your great work!

Just like comics “bad boy” Dave Sheidt says, “there is a comic book out there for everyone,” there’s a nonprofit organization out there for everyone to support. Each organization is working to improve the world we live in, and the issues that are important to you are important to many others. It’s just a matter of getting them to know about it!

So, the next time your organization is thinking about promoting a campaign like this:

... you might want to think how you can make it more like this:

Want to chat comics or nonprofits? Find me at @smarx_ on Twitter!