Graphic
Novels - Sequential Art as Literature
Course
Description
In
the last four decades, comics, a medium that most Americans had long
dismissed as pulp fantasy and cheap entertainment, has matured into
an impressive and promising literary form. The 1980's saw the
emergence of the “graphic novel,” the long-form comic that
aspires not only to narrative coherence and closure, but to formal
complexity and psychological depth. The current generation of comics
artists has built on this foundation, and is now in the process of
creating what may be the major literary medium of the twenty-first
century. These so-called graphic novels are the texts we will be
studying.
In
order to understand the ways in which these comics create and
manipulate meaning, we will be concerning ourselves (especially in
the first weeks of class) with questions about comics' formal
practice. Here, we will take our cue from Scott McCloud's remarkable
Understanding
Comics.
We will then take what we learned about the formal nature of comics
and apply it to previously published work, all with an eye towards
creating your own mini-comic.
The
course will consist of an in-depth look at McCloud's Understanding
Comics,
a study of comics craft (including scripting and layout), written
review/theme studies of books accompanied by an oral presentation,
and culminating in the creation of your own six-page comic.
Full
participation on the part of each student in classroom discussions is
imperative to the success of the class; therefore, I expect each
student to come to class fully prepared to contribute lucidly and
intelligently to each conversation. Let's try to refrain from the
“Would Superman beat the Hulk” types of interactions.
Classroom
Expectations
Atmosphere:
Learning
is best done in a safe atmosphere built on trust and respect. To this
end, there will be a strict adherence to all school policies. I will
tolerate no disruptions of this atmosphere.
Responsibility
and Organization:
Organization
is a major factor leading to success in a College Prep environment.
At all times, students are expected to have direct access to the
materials they need to succeed. Students are also expected to take
responsibility for their successes and failures and are expected to
problem solve before making excuses. This includes dealing with the
ramifications of missed classes, lost materials, and personal issues.
All
assignments have a due date. Due dates are final
except in extraordinary circumstances or when a prior arrangement has
been made.
Grading:
Grading
is done on a point system. Each assignment is part of a larger
category that is weighted accordingly in factoring a student’s
overall grade.
- Understanding Comics 20%
- Daily work – including Review/Theme Studies (plus presentations) 10%
- Final Mini-comic 60%
- Class Participation 10%
Possible
Texts
Understanding
Comics
by Scott McCloud
I
Kill Giants by
Joe Kelly and J.M. Ken Niimura
Wolves
by Becky Cloonan
Ultimate
Spider-Man
by Brian Bendis and Mark Bagley
Other
essays, reviews, comics, and scripts will be used in support of the
overall themes of the class.
