English 330: Studies in Fiction ENG 330 01 WINTER 2014 TR 1:00-­‐2:15 MAK B1114 Dr. Robert Rozema (rozemar@gvsu.edu) 231 LHH (331-­‐8573) Office hours: TR 2:30-­‐3:30 or by appt. http://graphicfiction330.wordpress.com/ Required Texts • Anya’s Ghost by Vela Brosgol • American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang • Black Orchid by Neil Gaiman • Blankets by Craig Thompson • Robot Dreams by Sarah Varon • With the Light by Kieko Tobe Additional Readings (disk) • A Contract with God by Will Eisner • Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller • Comics and Sequential Art by Will Eisner • Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud • Watchmen by Alan Moore • Archived comics: Spirit, Black Orchid (original) • Additional critical articles Course Overview This course examines the emerging comics medium, focusing specifically on the genre of graphic fiction. In its relatively short lifespan, graphic fiction has earned both critical and popular acclaim, addressed a range of serious subjects, and developed its own visual grammar and narrative conventions. This course will focus on both iconic and lesser-­‐known works of graphic fiction, situating them within a comic studies approach that challenges the distinction between high and low culture. Students will learn to recognize the formal elements of graphic fiction, consider the possibilities and limitations of this new narrative medium, critique the representation of race, class, and gender within graphic fiction, and write critical responses to graphic fiction in both print and visual media. Some key questions we’ll try to answer: • What are comics? • What are the constitutive elements of comics? • Why and how have comics emerged as a medium over the past 100 years? • What works constitute the graphic canon, and how have these works gained their status? • As a new means of narrative, what are the limits and possibilities of graphic fiction? • What are the possibilities and problems of representing race, class, and gender in graphic fiction? • What is comics studies? How do comics studies scholars write about graphic fiction? • What does the popularity of graphic fiction indicate about American culture and other cultures? Course Policies Missing more than two absences may result in a lowered grade. Late work will not receive full credit. If there is any student in this class who has special needs because of a learning, physical or other disability, please contact Disability Support Services (200 Student Services Building) at 331-­‐2490. 1/7 Tuesday Introductions Course introduction Project descriptions 1/9 Thursday Origins Eisner, Spirit, Issues 1-­‐2 (d) Eisner, Comics and Sequential Art, pp. 1-­‐99 (d) 1/14 Tuesday Origins Eisner, Comics and Sequential Art, 99-­‐164 (d) Blog Response (BR) 1 due 1/16 Thursday Origins Wertham, from Seduction of the Innocents, Ch.1-­‐2 (e-­‐reserve) One crime comic Iisue from Digital Comic Museum or Comic Book Plus (online) 1/21 Tuesday Origins Eisner, A Contract with God (d) Royal, “Sequential Sketches,” (e-­‐
reserve) BR2 due 1/23 Thursday Superheroes Black Orchid (original) (d) Wertham, pp.173-­‐219 (e-­‐reserve) 1/28 Tuesday Superheroes Gaiman, Black Orchid Cantrell, “Feminist Subjectivity,” (e-­‐reserve) BR3 due 1/30 Thursday Superheroes Moore, Watchmen, Ch. 1-­‐4 (d) McCloud, Understanding Comics, Ch. 1-­‐3 (d) 2/4 Tuesday Superheroes Moore, Watchmen, Ch. 5-­‐8 (d) McCloud, Understanding Comics, Ch. 4-­‐6 (d) BR4 due 2/6 Thursday Superheroes Moore, Watchmen, Ch. 9-­‐12 (d) McCloud, Understanding Comics, 7-­‐8 (d) 2/11 Tuesday Superheroes Coogan, “The Definition of a Superhero” (e-­‐reserve) Midterm Introduction BR5 due 2/13 Thursday Miller, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (d) Midterm exam workshop 2/18 Tuesday Email midterm exam to rozemar@gvsu.edu 2/20 Thursday Graphic Memoir Thompson, Blankets, Ch. 1-­‐3 2/25 Tuesday Graphic Memoir Thompson, Blankets, Ch. 4-­‐6 BR6 due 2/27 Thursday Graphic Memoir Thompson, Blankets, Ch.7-­‐9 SPRING BREAK 3/11 Tuesday Graphic Novel Varon, Robot Dreams BR7 Due 3/13 Thursday Graphic Novel Brosgol, Vera Anya’s Ghost 3/18 Tuesday Manga MacWilliams, Introduction to Japanese Visual Culture (e-­‐reserve) Tobe, With the Light, “Birth/Infancy” BR8 due 3/20 Thursday Manga Tobe, With the Light, “Preschool Year” 3/25 Tuesday Manga Tobe, With the Light, “Elementary” BR9 due 3/27 Thursday Graphic Novel Yang, Yang, American Born Chinese, pp. 1-­‐107 4/1 Tuesday Graphic Novel Yang, American Born Chinese, pp 108-­‐233. Hathaway, “More than Meets the Eye,” (e-­‐reserve) BR10 due 4/3 Thursday Graphic Novel Gene Yang, TBA Introduce final exam 4/8 Tuesday Class cancelled 4/10 Thursday Class cancelled 4/11 Friday Gene Yang Visit, GVSU Required attendance of public lecture or class session 4/15 Tuesday Final exam workshop All BRs completed 4/17 Thursday Final exam workshop Course evaluations Return disks 4/21 Monday, 12:00 Email final exam to rozemar@gvsu.edu Blog Responses (25%) Ten times this semester, you must post a 500-­‐word response to course readings on our blog at graphicfiction330.wordpress.com. Se course calendar for due dates. You have three options for responding: you may write a new post (500 words), comment on an existing post (500 words—at least two comments per semester), or create a graphic response (multi-­‐paneled—at least one per semester). To receive full credit, a blog response must be completed before class time on the day it is due. Use your post to analyze (not summarize) the reading due that day, drawing on terms from Understanding Comics and Comics and Sequential Arts. Your response might focus on formal elements, for example, as you suggest how the author/illustrator is using visual components (frames, gutters, line, color, perspective) to contribute to—or in some cases, undermine—his or her meaning. Or, you might consider broader issues of representation, examining how race, class, or gender is depicted in the work. You might begin by asking, “What can this work of graphic fiction do that a traditional print work cannot?” Please title your blog posts as follows: Johnson, Blog Response One. Use the existing categories to keep things straight. You can add your own tags to each post and use an avatar to add a personal touch. Project Descriptions Midterm Exam (25%) For your take-­‐home midterm exam, you will write an original analysis of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller (on disk) or another superhero comic of similar length. This thesis-­‐driven essay of 4-­‐5 pages should be emailed to me (rozemar@gvsu.edu) before class time on the due date. You may also choose to write a comic of 30-­‐40 panels. More details to follow. Final Exam (40%) For your take-­‐home final exam, you will write an original analysis of one of the graphic novels we covered in class or another comic of your choice. This thesis-­‐driven essay of 7-­‐8 pages should be emailed to me (rozemar@gvsu.edu) before class time on the due date. As with the mid-­‐term, you may also choose to write a comic, but this one should be 75-­‐100 panels. More details to follow. Participation (10%) This class depends on your participation input. Being active in large and small group discussions will boost your overall performance in the class. It is particularly important to attend the Gene Yang sessions on Friday, April 11, so clear your calendar now.