Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menghasilkan media komik IPA berbasis karakter, mengetahui kelayakan media komik berbasis karakter, mengetahui keefektifan media komik berbasis karakter terhadap pengembangan nilai karakter dan pemahaman konsep IPA. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah Research and Development dengan mengacu pada 10 langkah utama yang dikembangkan oleh Borg Gall. Subjek coba pada penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas VIII SMP Wiyata Mandala Balikpapan dengan rincian: 10 peserta untuk uji coba kelompok kecil dan 30 peserta didik untuk uji coba lapangan. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara, angket, observasi, dan tes. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah analisis deskriptif, teknik gain dan uji Wilcoxon. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa: 1) telah dihasilkan media komik IPA berbasis karakter, 2) media komik yang dikembangkan ditinjau dari variabel kualitas aspek media dan aspek materi menurut ahli, menurut guru dan respon siswa berkategori sangat baik, 3) pembelajaran dengan media komik yang dikembangkan efektif meningkatkan nilai karakter siswa, dan pemahaman konsep sains.Kata Kunci: pengembangan, media komik, nilai karakter, pemahaman konsep DEVELOPING CHARACTER-BASED SCIENCE COMIC IN IMPROVING STUDENTS’ CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING OF STUDENTS SMP WIYATA MANDALA BALIKPAPAN The objectives of this research were to resulting of character-based science comics, to find out the appropriatness and the effecitiveness of character-based science comic in improving character values and science concept understanding. This research is Research and Development (RD). The steps of development were adapted from 10 steps of Borg Gall model. The sample consists of 40 students of SMP Wiyata Mandala, Balikpapan, Indonesia from which 10 students participated in preliminary field testing, and the 30 other students participated in main field testing. The data were collected by using questionnaires, tests, observation and interview checklist. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon test and gain techniques. The results showed that have produce character-based science comics, the media was very good in quality based on the reviews from the science education experts, teachers and students. The character-based science comic significantly improved students’ character and students’ science concept understanding.Keywords: research and development, comic, character values, concept understanding.