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Syllabi
Comics as Literature, Comics as Art
From the wild promises made in Unbreakable to the abrupt appearance of Adrian Tomine and Art Spiegelman all over The New Yorker, interesting claims are now being made about the value of comics and comic books. Are they the visible percolations of some unconscious knowledge or desire? Probably not. Are they the new literature of the twenty-first century? Possibly, possibly. This course will examine, first, some of the conventions of comics as a medium of narrative, and the ins and outs of the super-hero genre in particular. Understanding Comics will provide us with a vocabulary for talking about the formal […] Read More
Comics, Cartoons and the Graphic Novel
Professor Kenton W. Worcester Marymount Manhattan College January 2010 We must seek out such artists as have the talent to pursue the beautiful and the graceful in their work, in order that our young men shall be benefited from all sides like those who live in a healthy place, whence something from these beautiful works will strike their eyes and ears like a breeze that brings health from salubrious places, and lead them unawares from childhood to love of, resemblance to, and harmony with, the beauty of reason. Plato, The Republic Perhaps it might have seemed to him […] Read More
Comic Books as Literature
Written by Rocco Versaci COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE: ENG 290 — Comic Books As Literature UNIT VALUE: 3 MINIMUM NUMBER OF SEMESTER HOURS: 48 BASIC SKILLS REQUIREMENTS: Appropriate Language Skills ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS PREREQUISITE: Eligibility for ENG 100 COREQUISITE: NONE RECOMMENDED PREPARATION: NONE SCOPE OF COURSE: An analysis of the comic book in terms of its unique poetics (the complicated interplay of word and image); the themes that are suggested in various works; the history and development of the form and its subgenres; and the expectations of comic book readers. Examines the influence of history, culture, and economics on comic book artists and writers. Explores definitions of “literature,” […] Read More
An Aesthetic History of Comics
This is a class about comics as a medium for expression. It focuses on the aesthetics of comics on and beyond the page. Comics are usually taught in terms of its dominant genres (superhero) and characters (Superman, etc.). This class will cover that history minimally, in favor of a strong focus on comics as a mode of expression (discussing drawing/mark making, storytelling mechanics) and as a graphic/commercial culture that defined many pop cultural icons/idioms and in turn influenced fine artists. This course will attempt to place comics firmly within the context of visual culture in general while continually arguing for […] Read More