THE COMICS RESPONSE TEMPLATE

Answer all four questions for each work we read in class. This is due in class and cannot be turned in afterward for a grade. Each response is worth 7 points for a total of 35 points (out of 100, so be careful, these really add up). The goal of these responses is to (a) get you thinking actively about the works, (b) get you writing about comics, which isn’t something many of you have done before, and (c) give you raw material to use on your presentation and final paper. For each question, give me at least 3-4 sentences and sufficient detail to show me you’ve read the material. No vague responses such as “the style is cool. I like it” will be accepted. Help me appreciate how you read and interpret the work.

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Q1: How is the novel illustrated?  Be specific: would you characterize it as sketchy, realistic, cartoony, artistic, ornate, spare, expressionistic, tight, loose, etc.?  What is the overall feel of the artwork, and what kind of tone does it create for the reader?  Do you feel it is the uniquely suited to the story being told?  Or is supposed to go against the grain of the story? In the case of a work with more than one artist (i.e. Superman: American Alien), focus on the artwork of one of the stories, or discuss just a few of them.

Q2: Why do you think this story was written as a graphic novel/comic book?  What might this story lose if translated to a novel, short story, or even a film?  What elements of the story almost require the juxtaposition of words and images? In other words, what does the comic format allow us to see and experience that a traditional novel wouldn’t?  Again, be as specific as possible. 

Q3: How does this comic discuss the ethics of being a superhero—someone who has powers and abilities beyond that of normal men/women, and is thus able to influence the world based on a hero’s specific notions of good and evil? According to this comic, what does it mean to be a “hero” and a “villain”? Do the heroes ever cross ethical boundaries in his/her quest to save humanity? Also, does a superhero always play by the same rules, or does one’s age, sex, race, or religion also play a role?

Q4: Examine a single passage in the novel, either a frame or a series of frames (but no more than 1-2 pages) that you feel is particularly significant to understanding the book.  Help us appreciate what this passage helps you (and others) see and why. Choose the passage more for the theme/characters than the technique (though you can mention how the technique helps underline the larger thematic concerns).  Make sure we can not only see what’s going on here, but we see how it relates to the story at large.