THE GRAPHIC NOVEL: SPIDER-MAN TO PERSEPOLIS
Offered as English 255 (O3), Summer 2012, four credits
PROFESSOR: DR. SCOTT PROUDFIT
Office Hours: Mondays and Thursdays, 12-1 p.m., and by appointment
Office: ALAM 303D
E-mail: sproudfit@elon.edu; Skype name: scott.proudfit
Course Description
This class is an experiment, because the graphic novel as a narrative form is still in the
experimental phase. The idea of the graphic novel has been around since the 1960s. However,
as a way of understanding the world and of telling stories, it is a form that is still evolving and
perhaps just finding its feet. Indeed, many comic-book writers and critics would contend that
there is no such thing as a “graphic novel.” They consider the term merely the pretentious
designation for the long-form comic book. Nevertheless, certainly since Art Spiegelman’s Maus
won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992, the graphic novel has been the trendiest—and perhaps most
misunderstood—of contemporary narrative forms. Though it is often marketed as cutting-edge,
the graphic novel oddly enough embraces the traditional materiality of the book in an
increasingly digital publishing industry. In other words, because it is art as well as literature, the
graphic novel is appreciated most often in book form. While these books have created a new
generation of readers, the graphic novel also calls into question what “reading” means in terms
contemporary sequential art. At once mass-produced pulp for today’s action movies as well as
an obscure group of texts with a cult-like following of aesthetes and oddballs, the graphic novel
is paradoxical topic for study, to say the least.
This class traces the roots of the graphic novel in the American comic-book industry of
the mid-20th century, through the alternative comics scene of San Francisco in the 1970s, and
into the present day, when these long-form “comics” are increasingly collected by libraries and
taught in classrooms. In particular, this class will focus on one genre in this form: the comingof-age story, appropriate to a form which is also coming of age. In addition to tracing the roots
of the graphic novel, we will end this term considering where the graphic novel is headed in the
future by looking at a group of recent texts that push boundaries (of comprehension, of topic, and
of taste). The primary questions of this class will be: Is the graphic novel a distinct form of
narrative? Is it worthy of study? How does one read and analyze the graphic novel? What does
the graphic-novel industry look like today, and how has it been shaped by artists, the reading
public, and the comics industry that spawned this new narrative form?
Course Objectives
This course will: introduce the graphic novel form and, more generally, theories of
comics and/or sequential art; establish some continuities across this diverse collection of texts,
based on form and content; model productive approaches to reading and writing about graphic
novels through a combination of visual theory, comics history, and literary criticism; develop
skills in creating and analyzing the graphic novel; help students improve communication skills
through both writing and discussion.
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
1. Read a broad range of graphic novels, from the form’s origins in the 1970s to the present
day.
2. Interpret graphic novels both in discussion and in writing through close reading, intertextual
analysis, and historical contextualization.
3. Consider how the interpretation of the graphic novel differs from the interpretation of other
kinds of writing and/or other media.
4. Apply a handful of theories and ideas about comics and visual storytelling to specific texts.
5. Investigate the concept of “the graphic novel” as a potentially useful critical genre.
6. Try their hands at graphic novel creation and critical research on the topic.
Course Texts
Course texts for this class are expensive because graphic novels (unfortunately) are still very
expensive. All of the required books will be placed on reserve at Elon’s library (which will help
if you are on campus this summer). Otherwise, feel free to purchase these texts in whatever way
is cheapest for you—or get them from a public library, if possible.
Tom DeFalco, et al., Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage, Marvel Comics ($30 at Elon Bookstore)
Frank Miller, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, DC Comics ($15 at Elon)
Scott McCloud, Understanding Comics, William Morrow Paperbacks ($22.99 at Elon)
Art Spiegelman, Maus I, Pantheon Books ($15.95 at Elon)
Art Spiegelman, Maus II, Pantheon Books ($15.95 at Elon)
Bryan Talbot, The Tale of One Bad Rat, Dark Horse ($19.99 at Elon)
Daniel Clowes, Ghost World, Fantagraphics Books ($12 at Elon)
David B., Epileptic, Pantheon Books ($19 at Elon)
Craig Thompson, Blankets, Top Shelf Productions ($30 at Elon)
Alison Bechdel, Fun Home, Mariner Books ($14 at Elon)
Charles Burns, Black Hole, Pantheon Books ($19 at Elon)
David Mazzucchelli, Asterios Polyp, Panthon ($29.95 at Elon)
Chris Ware, Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth, Pantheon Books ($20 at Elon)
Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis, Pantheon Books ($14 at Elon)
In addition to these texts, there will be a free course pack for this class with additional readings.
Course Requirements and Evaluation Methods
Participation/Discussion Forums (20% of grade)
You must contribute to 8 out of the 9 discussion forums on moodle: Our goal is to learn
from each other and share insights about these texts. The one discussion forum you choose to
skip is up to you. Just make sure you don’t skip more than one. In preparation for each forum,
you are expected to read my comments/questions about the given reading or watch a PowerPoint
I have prepared on the material. Each discussion forum becomes active at 10 a.m. (E.S.T.) and
end at 10 p.m. (E.S.T.). For each fourm, you post a comment (no fewer than three sentences, no
more than two paragraphs), pose a question for the class, and respond to one other comment (no
less than a sentence, no more than a paragraph). Your question/comments cannot be redundant
with any other question/comment on the same material. Whoever submits his or her post first
has an ‘open slate’; all others must first read all prior posts to avoid redundancy. The person first
to post, however, does have to comment on at least one other post later in the session.
Your participation grade will be earned based on the rigor, thoughtfulness, and creativity
of the questions/comments you pose for group discussion. Excellent questions/comments reflect
careful reading of the assigned material, and attempt to relate the assigned material to other
concepts from this course. I will monitor the posts and clarify any grey areas. The purpose of
your participation is to demonstrate your understanding of the material and your ability to reflect
deeply and critically and share those reflections with the class. In addition to discussion forums,
you may e-mail me questions, and I will bring them into discussion. Each forum is worth 2.5%
of your grade.
Quizzes (15% of grade)
There will be fifteen quizzes this summer. Each is worth one percent of your total grade.
Quizzes will be available the day that the reading is due, from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. E.S.T. Quizzes
are timed to give you enough time to complete them, but not enough time to look up the answers.
There are no make-up quizzes. All of the content on quizzes will be from the reading.
Film Adaptation Presentation (10% of grade)
For this PowerPoint presentation, you will choose a graphic novel that has been adapted
into a film. You will read the novel and watch the film. You will then analyze the adaptation of
one particular scene from the novel. You will create a PowerPoint explaining your analysis and
post it to a special moodle forum. The entire class will watch the presentations once they are
posted on June 21.
Annotated Bibliography (10% of grade)
For this assignment you will choose one particular category of graphic novels and do
some research in order to prepare a bibliography of the top 10 most important texts in this
category. Imagine that you are preparing to teach a class or planning purchases for a library.
What are the 10 essential graphic novels in this area? You do not have to read all of these
novels, but the more familiar you are with your selections, the better.
Create Your Own Graphic Novel (10% of grade)
For this assignment you must create your own graphic story. Your story (of at least eight
pages) must be told through a combination of images and writing in the comics style. You may
tell a personal story or retell a fairy tale. You are not expected to be an artist. You may use
collage, drawing, painting, any medium you can think of, to create your story. You may design
on a computer or freehand.
2 Essays (35% of grade)
1) a 2-page “close reading” essay, worth 15% of grade; 2) a 5-page comparative essay,
worth 20% of grade. Essays must be turned in on the specified due date. No extensions will be
granted. Detailed essay assignments will follow.
Office Hours
I will be available in person, online, and via Skype on Mondays and Thursdays, 12-1 p.m.
Homework
This is a reading intensive course. You will be required to read for every class which
means, of course, that you must make time to read what can often times be lengthy and difficult
material. You cannot pass a reading intensive course if you do not do the readings.
Disabilities
If you are a student with a documented disability who will require accommodations in
this course, please register with Disabilities Services in the Duke Building, Room 108 (2786500), for assistance in developing a plan to address your academic needs.
The Honor Code
You are expected to abide by the university’s honor code, which you can find online at
http://www.elon.edu/e-web/students/handbook/honorcpp.xhtml.
In particular, you should familiarize yourself with Elon’s policies regarding plagiarism.
Elon University’s Definition of Plagiarism
Definition: Presenting the work or ideas of another as one’s own (i.e. without proper
acknowledgement of the source). The sole exception to the requirement of acknowledging
sources is when the ideas or information are common knowledge. Any student must be
thoroughly familiar with methods for documenting the use of another person’s sentences,
arguments, or ideas.
Scope - all encompassing.
Examples: Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, failure to do the following:
a. Direct quotation. Any direct quotation of any portion of any source must be placed in
quotation marks and properly attributed to its author using documentation in accordance
to the with the requirements of the appropriate current style manuals. The following
example, which uses MLA style (other styles may be used in different classes), shows
how a direct quotation is properly acknowledged:
In her book titled The Subject of Semiotics, Kaja Silverman notes that “Madame
Bovary places … an insistent emphasis on the cultural sources from which ideal
images derive- churches, schools, the marketplace, literature – [which] may help
to clarify for us what ideal representations are always socially mediated”
(Silverman 161).
Works Cited
Silverman, Kaja. The Subject of Semiotics. New York: Oxford UP, 1983.
b. Paraphrase. Prompt acknowledgement is required when material from any source is
paraphrased or summarized in a whole or in part in one’s own words and writing style.
To acknowledge or paraphrase properly, one might state: “To paraphrase Locke’s
comment…” or “According to Rousseau…”, and conclude with a citation
identifying the exact reference.
c. Attributing any ideas, research results, procedures or concepts not one’s own to the
original source.
When referring to another’s work, proper credit must be given to the source, even
if one neither paraphrases nor quotes directly from that work. A footnote or an
endnote should fully identify the source. The way in which a student and/or
researcher chooses to handle documentation of other’s ideas and words has a
direct bearing on the integrity of the community in which s/he operates. Students
should therefore give careful consideration when preparing any paper or doing
any type of research.
To test your knowledge on citation, see:
http://education.indiana.edu/~frick/plagiarism/item1.html
Grade Conversion Chart
Excellent College-Level Work:
Good College-Level Work:
Adequate College-Level Work:
Poor College-Level Work:
A = 93-100
A- = 90-92
B+ = 87-89
B = 83-86
B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79
C = 73-76
C- = 70-72
D+ = 67-69
D = 63-66
D- = 60-62
F = 0-59
Course Schedule
BEGINNINGS
THURS MAY 31
A Brief History of the Comics Industry and How a Comic Is Built
FRI JUNE 1
Mainstream Comics
Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage (1994) and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
(1986)
DISCUSSION FORUM; QUIZ
MON JUNE 4
Comics Theory
Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics (1994)
TUES JUNE 5
The Birth of the “Graphic” Novel, 1960s-1980s
Selections from A Contract With God and Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin
Mary
DISCUSSION FORUM; QUIZ
WED JUNE 6
Robert Crumb, 1960s-present
Selections from The Complete Crumb and The Book of Genesis
Watch Crumb
QUIZ
THURS JUNE 7
Alternative Comics, 1970s-1990s
Selections from American Splendor and Love and Rockets
QUIZ
FRI JUNE 8
Alternative Comics, 1970s-1990s
Selections from A Child’s Life and One! Hundred! Demons!
DISCUSSION FORUM; QUIZ
TOO BIG FOR WORDS?
MON JUNE 11
“Silent” Comics
Selections from The Portable Frank (2008); plus, Space Dog or Robot Dreams
TUES JUNE 12
Art Spiegelman’s Maus I (1986)
QUIZ
WED JUNE 13
Art Spiegelman’s Maus II (1991)
DUE: FIRST ESSAY
DISCUSSION FORUM
COMING OF AGE
THURS JUNE 14
Bryan Talbot’s The Tale of One Bad Rat (1994)
QUIZ
FRI JUNE 15
Daniel Clowes’ Ghost World (1997)
QUIZ
MON JUNE 18
David B’s Epileptic (2003)
DUE: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
DISCUSSION FORUM; QUIZ
TUES JUNE 19
Craig Thompson’s Blankets (2003)
QUIZ
WED JUNE 20
Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home (2006)
DISCUSSION FORUM; QUIZ
EXCURSIONS
THURS JUNE 21
Film adaptation presentations: Watchmen, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, 300, etc.
FRI JUNE 22
Report on Visit to Comics Store
DISCUSSION FORUM
PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES
MON JUNE 25
Charles Burns’ Black Hole (2005)
DUE: YOUR GRAPHIC NOVEL
QUIZ
TUES JUNE 26
David Mazzucchelli’s Asterios Polyp (2009)
DISCUSSION FORUM; QUIZ
WED JUNE 27
Chris Ware’s Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth (2000)
QUIZ
THURS JUNE 28
Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis (2000)
DUE: FINAL ESSAY
DISCUSSION FORUM; QUIZ