Reading Comics and Graphic Novels

Course description: Too many people miss out on wonderful literature and art because they don’t know how to read comic books or don’t realize the rich variety of high-quality stories and art produced in this medium. Students in this course will first study sequential art and how to read comic books (with Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics). Students will then read comic books and graphic novels across genres, including crime/suspense, superhero, autobiography, fantasy, post-apocalyptic, and historical. Students will choose their own books to read throughout the course, but each student will read a selection from multiple eras and genres. Each student will participate in small discussion groups, keep a reading journal, and complete a final project reflecting on the month of reading. The goal of this course is to help students develop reading skills and lifelong love of literature, especially comic books.

Fee: $150 (optional additional cost for books)

Texts may include:

Alison Bechdel, Fun Home

Charles Burns, Black Hole

Kelly Sue Deconnick, Emma Rios, and Jordie Bellaire, Pretty Deadly

Neil Gaiman, et al., Sandman

Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez,  Love and Rockets

Mike Mignola, Hellboy

Frank Miller, The Dark Knight Returns

Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Watchmen

Andy Runton, Owly

Joe Sacco, Palestine

Gail Simone, Secret Six

Art Spiegelman, Maus

Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Stables, Saga

Bill Willingham, et al., Fables

Pass: To pass you must meet all of the following objectives: An average of 70 or better on quizzes and reading questions; an average of 70 or better on daily participation and in-class writing; an average of 75 or better on journals and small group reports; satisfactory completion of the final project; miss no more than one class except where excused by the Dean of Students.

Fail: Fail to accomplish one or more of the above objectives.

Honors: An average of A on all assignments and participation; exemplary completion of the final project.