Time Schedule:
Nancy C. White
C LIT 240
Seattle Campus
Comparative approach to literature and a workshop in writing comparative papers in English. Emphasis on cross-cultural comparison of literary works. Readings in English with an option to read selected texts in the original languages Offered: AWSp.
Class description
This course acts as an introduction to comics studies. Readings for this class include superhero comics, such as Bob Kane's Batman, Mark Millar's Kick-Ass, Frank Miller's Batman: Year One, and Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, but also theoretical works, that help us to question comics as a form of literature, such as Umberto Eco’s "The Myth of Superman," Geoff Klock's How to Read Superhero Comics and Why, and Dylan Horrock's "Inventing Comics." Some questions we will investigate are: How is a comic a text? Who is its author? What decisions (both technical and narrative) must be made in the composition of a page, and who makes them? And why have comics and graphic novels, historically, received little academic attention?
Student learning goals
The goal of C Lit 240 is to hone your individual writing skills while also giving you the opportunity to grow as a critical reader. To this end, we will examine several works of short fiction with an eye to specific themes, including the role of identity, the use of (super)power, and the construction of narratives.
By the end of the quarter, you will be able to recognize and identify the various historical periods of comics (The Golden Age, The Silver Age, The Revisionary Age) and the works that issue from them. Moreover, you will be able to cite specific events, such as the publication of Fredric Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent, as turning points in the history of American comics. From a technical standpoint, you will not only be able to speak comfortably about the construction and layout of comics, but will actually use these terms and concepts in your final project to construct a comic of you own.
General method of instruction
Recommended preparation
Class assignments and grading
You will be asked to complete several written assignments during the quarter, including five short paragraphs, an outline, and one longer essay. Your final assignment for the class is to create a comic of your own, which you will submit in the last week of class, along with an artist’s statement, detailing your authorial intentions.
