St. Jerome’s University in the University of Waterloo
Department of English
The Superhero ENGL 108A, LEC 001, Fall 2013
MW 2:00-3:20, STJ 2017
instructor: Dr. Tristanne Connolly / teaching assistant: Tommy Mayberry
office: STJ 3002
office hours: MW 3:30-4:30 & by appointment
office phone: 519-884-8111 x 28244
e-mail: tristanne.connolly@uwaterloo.ca
web: http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/~tjconnol
course-related links: http://waterloosuperhero.wordpress.com/
Texts
Textbooks:
Siegel, Jerry and Joe Shuster, et al. Superman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told. New York: DC Comics, 2004.
The Epic of Gilgamesh. Trans. N. K. Sandars. London: Penguin, 1972.
Kane, Bob, et al. The Batman Chronicles. Volume 1. New York: DC Comics, 2005.
Kane, Bob, et al. Batman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told. New York: DC Comics, 2005.
Lee, Stan, et. al. The Amazing Spider-Man Through the Decades. New York: Marvel. 2011.
Hesiod. Theogony and Works and Days. Trans. Stanley Lombardo. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1993.
Claremont, Chris and Dave Cockrum, with Len Wein. Marvel Masterworks: Uncanny X-Men. Volume 1. New
York: Marvel, 2009.
Haggard, H. Rider. She. Ed. Daniel Karlin. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
Beowulf. Trans. R. M. Liuzza. Peterborough: Broadview, 2000.
Burroughs, Edgar Rice. Tarzan of the Apes. Ed. Jason Haslam. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
Online texts:
Links to all of the following are provided at http://waterloosuperhero.wordpress.com/
Siegel, Jerry and Joe Shuster. Superman.
Please purchase the following issue from http://www.comixology.com (instructions for searching and
purchasing are provided at the end of the syllabus):
Action Comics #1
Charles Atlas advertisements:
http://www.charlesatlas.com/classicads.html
http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Atlas/Adverts/adverts.htm
http://tomheroes.com/Comic%20Ads/classic%20ads/charles_atlas_2.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67423421@N03/6137037079/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67423421@N03/6137037187/
William Moulton Marston, Wonder Woman.
Please purchase the following issues from http://www.comixology.com (instructions for searching and
purchasing are provided at the end of the syllabus):
All Star Comics #8, Sensation Comics #1, Sensation Comics #2-3, Sensation Comics #4-5, Sensation
Comics #6-7, Wonder Woman #1, Sensation Comics #8-9
William Blake, America a Prophecy
Illuminated versions (Blake Archive):
http://www.blakearchive.org/exist/blake/archive/work.xq?workid=america&java=yes
Text only version (Blake Digital Text Project):
http://www.english.uga.edu/~nhilton/Blake/blaketxt1/america_a_prophecy.html
Recommended: An academic writing handbook, e.g. The Little Brown Handbook
Also, all textbooks for the course are available on reserve at the St Jerome’s library. Follow the Course
Reserves link on the UW Library home page for a full list.
Course description and objectives
This course will explore the figure of the superhero in examples drawn from the earliest known writing to the
twenty-first century. We will concentrate on mythology, comic books, novels and poems, to focus our
examination of how stories are structured, how stories told out loud or written down circulate and change in
history and culture, and how the visual and verbal interact in narrative. Issues for discussion will include the
characteristics of heroes, what makes them human and what makes them “super”; the invitations, and
limitations, to readers’ identification with superheroes; the idea of a “moral message” that may be improving or
corrupting; the dynamics of power and weakness, and the struggle between good and evil; the genders, bodies,
and sexualities of superheroes.
The course will exercise skills particular to English studies in essay writing and active reading, and thus also
strengthen transferable skills such as critical thinking, formulation of arguments, use of evidence, and logical,
unified organization of complex ideas.
Course requirements and grade distribution
Short essay (minimum 3 pages)
15%
Interpretive essay (on one text, min. 4 pages) 25%
Comparative essay (on two texts, min. 5 pages) 30%
Final exam
30%
Topics and instructions for assignments will be distributed in class.
For grading criteria and essay writing advice, please see my website.
Policy on late assignments
Deadlines are indicated in the schedule below. Assignments are due in class. A 3% penalty will be applied for
each day an essay is late, including weekends.
Schedule
The following schedule is flexible; any changes will be announced in class. Please try to complete the readings
for the day on which they will be discussed.
Mon 9 Sept
Wed 11 Sept
Introduction; Superman Action Comics #1 and Charles Atlas advertisements (online)
Charles Atlas and Superman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told
Mon 16 Sept
Wed 18 Sept
Superman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told
The Epic of Gilgamesh
Mon 23 Sept The Epic of Gilgamesh
Wed 25 Sept Short essay due. Batman: in Batman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told, you may SKIP pages 95121 and pages 168-189. In Batman Chronicles Volume 1 please read “Introducing Robin, the Boy
Wonder”, pages 124-136, "The Joker", pages 140-152, "The Cat", pages 165-177, "The Joker Returns",
pages 178-190.
Mon 30 Sept
Wed 2 Oct
Batman
The Amazing Spiderman Through the Decades
Mon 7 Oct
Wed 9 Oct
The Amazing Spiderman Through the Decades
Hesiod, Theogony
Mon 14 Oct
Wed 16 Oct
Thanksgiving
Hesiod, Theogony
Mon 21 Oct
Wed 23 Oct
Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men Volume 1
Interpretive essay due. Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men Volume 1
Mon 28 Oct
Wed 30 Oct
Haggard, She
Haggard, She
Mon 4 Nov
Wed 6 Nov
Wonder Woman (See instructions below for purchasing and reading online)
Wonder Woman
Mon 11 Nov
Wed 13 Nov
Beowulf
Beowulf
Mon 18 Nov
Wed 20 Nov
Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes
Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes
Mon 25 Nov Comparative essay due. Blake, America: A Prophecy (online; read the text version, as you will
probably find it easier, but make sure also to look at the illuminated versions)
Wed 27 Nov Blake, America: A Prophecy
Mon 2 Dec
Conclusion
UW policy regarding illness and missed tests
The University of Waterloo Examination Regulations state that:

A medical certificate presented in support of an official petition for relief from normal academic requirements must provide all
of the information requested on the “University of Waterloo Verification of Illness” form or it will not be accepted. This form
can be obtained from Health Services or on the link provided above. If a student has a test/examination deferred due to
acceptable medical evidence, he/she normally will write the test/examination at a mutually convenient time, to be determined
by the course instructor.

The University acknowledges that, due to the pluralistic nature of the University community, some students may on religious
grounds require alternative times to write tests and examinations.

Elective arrangements (such as travel plans) are not considered acceptable grounds for granting an alternative examination time.
Other information
Academic Integrity: In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo and its Federated
University and Affiliated Colleges are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility.
Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offences, and to take
responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how
to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course
professor, academic advisor, or the Associate Dean. When misconduct has been found to have occurred, disciplinary penalties will be
imposed under St. Jerome’s University Academic Discipline Policy and UW Policy 71 – Student Discipline. For information on categories
of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 - Student Discipline.
Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may
have grounds for initiating a grievance. For students who decide to file a grievance, students should refer to Policy 70 – Student
Petitions and Grievances. In such a case, contact Dr. Scott Kline (scott.kline@uwaterloo.ca), Associate Dean of St. Jerome’s University.
Appeals: A student may appeal the finding and/or penalty in a decision made under Policy 71 – Student Discipline or Policy 70 –
Student Petitions and Grievances if a ground for an appeal can be established. In such a case, contact Dr. John Rempel
(jrempel@uwaterloo.ca), Appeals Officer of St. Jerome’s University.
Academic Integrity website (Arts): http://arts.uwaterloo.ca/arts/ugrad/academic_responsibility.html
Academic Integrity website (Math): https://math.uwaterloo.ca/math/current-undergraduates/regulations-and-procedures/cheatingand-student-academic-discipline
Academic Integrity Office (UW): http://uwaterloo.ca/academic-integrity/
Note for students with disabilities: The AccessAbility Services (AS) Office, located in Needles Hall, Room 1132, collaborates with
all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic
integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with the AS
Office at the beginning of each academic term.
Superman: Action Comics #1 and Wonder Woman readings: how to purchase from
comixology.com
These instructions are also available at http://waterloosuperhero.wordpress.com/
For some reason, the first ever Superman story is not included in The Greatest Stories Ever Told. And,
sadly, Wonder Woman Chronicles Volume 1 is currently out of print (though it is available in book form on
reserve in the St Jerome’s library). Here’s how to find and buy online the stories we’ll be discussing:
1) Go to the Comixology website, http://www.comixology.com
2) Register for an account (username, email address and a password for now). Click on Register on the right
hand side, under the Log In button.
3) Search for Action Comics #1.
To find the Wonder Woman issues we’ll be reading, you can type in the issues listed below, or in the search box
provided, you can type in Wonder Woman Archives.
4) What should come up is Matching Story Arcs: Wonder Woman Archives Vol. 1. This will give you a list of
all the issues we will be discussing, plus a few more. The ones you should buy for the course are:
All Star Comics #8
Sensation Comics #1
Sensation Comics #2-3
Sensation Comics #4-5
Sensation Comics #6-7
Wonder Woman #1
Sensation Comics #8-9
5) Click on the Free or Buy boxes to add these issues to your cart.
6) When ready to check out, go to the Cart icon on the top right and follow the instructions.
**Important – credit card is required – do not separate the numbers.
**Important – students must have updated Flash Player on their computers.
To read the comics:
Go to comixology.com and log in. Click on My Comics on the top bar, and you should find the issues you
purchased there, available to be read online. (Unfortunately, they can only be read online, not downloaded.)