Randy Duncan's Course Syllabus - Comics as Communication
Randy Duncan
Course Objectives: This course is designed to help the student
Appreciate the diversity and potential of the comic book/graphic novel medium; Understand comic books/graphic novels as a unique medium of communication;
Discover the governing principles of comic books/graphic novels as an art form;
Apply knowledge of the medium to the creation of comic books/graphic novels;
Analyze the role of comic books/graphic novels in American society and culture;
Evaluate works of the comic book/graphic novel medium
Grading: Grades are determined on a 1000 point scale. The minimum points for each grade are: A - 920; B - 830; C - 730; D - 620. The points will be distributed as follows:
Tests (300 pts.); Analysis Papers (300 pts.); Exercises (300 pts.); Report (50 pts.); Participation (50 pts.).
Attendance: You must have an excused absence to make-up a test. A test must be made up before the graded test is handed back to the class. Assignments turned in late will not receive full credit. Hopefully, there will be a great deal of discussion in this class. If you are not in class to take part in the discussion, your participation grade will be reduced.
Required Text: The Power of Comics: History, Form and Culture by Duncan & Smith (2009).
Grievance Procedure: If you wish to appeal a grade in this course you should schedule an appointment with the instructor and explain the reasons for your appeal. The instructor will explain the basis for the grade. If you are still not satisfied, you should see the chair of the Communication and Theatre Arts Department
Disclaimer
Some of the readings in this course contain sexually explicit scenes or adult language.
A few of the books might also contain offensive racist stereotypes and representations
of physical and sexual abuse that may be painful for some students to read. Students
who would prefer to substitute other readings for these works are welcome to do so and should consult with the instructor on suitable substitute texts. Students who require other modifications to the reading list, including adjustments because of reading ability
or perceptual issues should see the instructor at the beginning of the course to discuss appropriate modifications.
COURSE OUTLINE
T Jan 12 Introduction to the course / survey
R Jan 14 Chapter 1: Defining Comic Books
T Jan 19 Chapter 2: Developing a Medium / Ex. 1 – evolution (15 pts.)
R Jan 21 Chapter 2 continued
T Jan 26 Chapter 3: Maturation of a Medium / Ex. 2 – historical influences (25 pts.)
R Jan 28 Chapter 3 continued
T Feb 2 Wave One Reports - history makers (50 pts.)
R Feb 4 Chapter 3 continued
T Feb 9 Chapter 4: The Comic Book Industry / Analysis Paper 1 – The Spirit (25 pts.)
R Feb 11 Test 1 [chapters 1 - 4] (100 pts.)
T Feb 16 Chapter 5: The Comic Book Creators / Wave Two Reports - auteurs
R Feb 18 Chapter 6: Creating the Story / Ex. 3 – Our Block (20 pts.)
T Feb 23 Chapter 6 continued / Analysis Paper 2 – mainstream (50 pts.)
R Feb 25 Chapter 7 - Experiencing the Story / Ex. 4 – sequence (20 pts.)
T March 2 Chapter 7 continued / Ex. 5 – decoding (20 pts.)
R March 4 Chapter 8: The Comic Book Readers / Ex. 6 – adaptation (50 pts.)
T March 9 Chapter 9 - Genres
R March 11 Wave Three Reports - genres
T March 16 CMA / Test 2 [Chapters 5 - 8] (100 pts.)
R March 18 Chapter 10: Superhero Genre / Ex. 7 – significant seven (15 pts.)
Last day to drop with a “W”
SPRING BREAK
T March 30 Chapter 10 continued / Ex. 8 – super influence (15 pts.) /
Analysis Paper 3 – superhero (50 pts.)
R April 1 PCA / Chapter 10 continued
T April 6 Chapter 13 – Comics Around the World
R April 8 Wave Four Reports – international comics
T April 13 Analysis Paper 4 – international (50 pts.)
R April 15 Chapter 11 – Ideology
T April 20 Chapter 12 / Ex. 9 – abstract (50 pts.)
R April 22 Ex. 10 – persuasive comic (50 pts.)
Last day to withdraw
T April 27 Analysis Paper 5 – graphic novel (100 pts.)
R April 29 review for final
T May 4 Final Exam (100 pts.) - 10:00 - 12:00
Report (50 pts.)
In teams of two (possibly three) you will research and present information on one of the topics listed below. Your presentation should be 10 to 15 minutes in length. You should use a minimum of four sources in addition to your textbook. You may not use the Internet for all of these sources. Make use of the resources in the Graphic Novel as Literature Special Collection. Your topics are visual in nature, so make sure you have plenty of visual support in your presentation. Make a handout for the class (I can copy it an distribute it next class meeting)
Topics:
Historical Figures
Max Charles Gaines
Martin Goodman
Paul Levitz
Mike Friedrich
Clay Geerdes
Auteurs
Jack Jackson
Dave Sim
Frank Miller
Eddie Campbell
Chris Ware
Seth
Chester Brown
Dan Clowes
Genres
crime comics
educational comics
romance comics
war comics
western comics
International Comics
France / Belgium
Mexico
Great Britain
Chinese
Australia / New Zealand
Indian Comics
Book Responses
Each response paper should be two to three pages (typed, double-spaced).
You can refer to character traits and actions to support the points you are making, but there is no need to describe all the characters or summarize the plot of the book. Your overall aim is to illuminate how content and form combine to create the substance (meaning) of the work. In analyzing how meaning is developed in the work you might consider these questions:
1. What is the meaning/subtext that you derive from this work? Look at hermeneutic images for clues to the subtext.
2. How do layout (arrangement of panels on the page), composition (elements within the panel), encapsulation (breaking down the narrative
into panels) and closure (meaning created by the combination of panels) contribute to the meaning?
3. Are there other reasons why the work is significant?
As the semester progresses and you learn more about these concepts your book responses should become more sophisticated.
Analysis Paper 1 A Spirit story by Will Eisner (distributed in class)
Analysis Paper 2 One of the graphic novels or trade paperbacks below:
Ronin Sandman: A Game of You
Sin City Silver Surfer: Parable
The Books of Magic Somerset Holmes
Death: The High Cost of Living Swamp Thing: Love and Death
Enemy Ace: War Idyll a Blueberry graphic novel
Kingdom Come Tintin in Tibet
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Usagi Yojimbo
Lone Wolf and Cub V For Vendetta
Marvels Whiteout
Orbiter Zenozoic Tales: Cadillacs and Dinosaurs
300 Baker Street: Honor Among Punks
The Walking Dead: Days Gone Bye
Analysis Paper 3 A mainstream superhero comic book story arc or graphic novel
(a few suggestions below)
Batman: Year One Batman: The Killing Joke
Batman: The Long Halloween Batman: Arkham Asylum
Batman: Strange Apparitions Batman: Gothic
Batman: Hush Batman: Absolution
Batman: Child of Dreams
Superman: Man of Steel Superman: For All Seasons
“For the Man Who Has Everything” reprinted in:
The Greatest Superman Stories Ever Told
Across the Universe: The DC Universe Stories of Alan Moore
Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
Death of Superman Kingdom Come
Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia Wonder Woman: Down to Earth
Wonder Woman: Amazonia The Starman Omnibus: Volume One
Daredevil: Gangwar Daredevil: Born Again
Analysis Paper 4 One of the following graphic novels or trade paperbacks
Persepolis Tintin in Tibet
Alec: How to be an Artist Adolf
Bleach Joe’s Bar
Nausica of the Valley of Wind Asterix the Gladiator
Ghost in the Shell Strike
Neon Genesis Evangelion Cowboy Bebop
Martin Mystery Blueberry
Deep City Blood Ties
Valerian
Analysis paper 5 One of the following graphic novels or trade paperbacks
Concrete: Think Like a Mountain Our Cancer Year
A Contract With God Blankets
A Life Force To the Heart of the Storm Fax From Sarajevo Tale of One Bad Rat
Jar of Fools Fallout
Stuck Rubber Baby Ghost World
Kings in Disguise A Small Killing
Palestine: A Nation Occupied Ethel and Ernest
Love and Rockets: Blood of Palomar Flood!
Love and Rockets: The Death of Speedy Cerebus: Jaka's Story
Commanche Moon The Golem's Mighty Swing
Paul Auster's City of Glass From Hell
Watchmen Fun Home It's a Bird Jimmy Corrigan
Maus I: My Father Bleeds History & Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began
The Age of Bronze: A Thousand Ships U.S.: Uncle Sam
Exercises
Ex. 1 – evolution (15 pts.) – due: Tues, Jan. 19
[Chapter 2, activity 2, pg. 49]
Links to online comics you can use will be posted on the Angel course page.
Ex. 2 – historical influences (25 pts.) – due: Tues, Jan. 26
[Chapter 2, activity 1, pg. 49]
This assignment will be done in teams to be assigned in class.
Ex. 3 – Our Block (20 pts.) – due: Thurs, Feb. 18
[Chapter 6, activity 1, pg. 149]
Ex. 4 – sequence (20 pts.) – due: Thurs, Feb. 25
To be handed out in class
Ex. 5 – decoding (20 pts.) – due: Tues, March 2
To be handed out in class
Ex. 6 – adaptation (50 pts.) – due: Thurs, March 4
The prose story to be adapted will be handed out in class. Follow the guidelines in [Chapter 6, activity 2, pg. 149]
Ex. 7 – significant seven (15 pts.) – due: Thurs, March 18
[Chapter 10. Discussion question 3, pg. 244]
Ex. 8 – super influence (15 pts.) – due: Tues, March 30
[Chapter 10, activity 2]
Ex. 9 – abstract (50 pts.) – due: Tues, April 20
A list of journal articles will be handed out in class. Write a 500 word summary
of the article you are assigned.
Ex. 10 – persuasive comic (50 pts.) – Due: Thurs, April 22
[Chapter 11, activity 2, pg. 267]
Grade Audit Checklist
Assignment possible points Points you made
Ex. 1 – evolution (15 pts.) _____
Ex. 2 – historical influences (25 pts.) _____
Wave One Reports - history makers (50 pts.) _____
Analysis Paper 1 – The Spirit (25 pts.) _____
Test 1 [chapters 1 - 4] (100 pts.) _____
Ex. 3 – Our Block (20 pts.) _____
Analysis Paper 2 – mainstream (50 pts.) _____
Ex. 4 – sequence (20 pts.) _____
Ex. 5 – decoding (20 pts.) _____
Ex. 6 – adaptation (50 pts.) _____
Test 2 [Chapters 5 - 8] (100 pts.) _____
Ex. 7 – significant seven (15 pts.) _____
Ex. 8 – super influence (15 pts.) _____
Analysis Paper 3 – superhero (50 pts.) _____
Analysis Paper 4 – international (50 pts.) _____
ex. 9 – abstract (50 pts.) _____
Ex. 10 – persuasive comic (50 pts.) _____
Analysis Paper 5 – graphic novel (100 pts.) _____
Final Exam (100 pts.) _____
