Video Lecture on Race and Comics + Resources for Paper!

For this week, be sure to work on your Final Paper (see post below)! Here are some resources to help you, any or all of which you can use as sources for the paper itself. To start with, here's one final video over Race and Stereotypes in Comics (about 16 min.) which you don't have to respond to, but you can use in your paper--or just to give you food for thought. 

Secondly, here are some sources you might want to track down to give you more to respond to in your paper. Each one goes toward one of the paper options.

Article: "It's Time to Get Real about Racial Diversity in Comics": https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81B3dXeGrzL.jpg

Article: "There's Nothing Like It In Comics...How Love and Rockets Broke the Rules: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/may/10/theres-nothing-like-it-in-comics-how-love-and-rockets-broke-the-rules

Article: "Who Gets to Be a Superhero?: Race and Identity in Comics": https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/01/11/261449394/who-gets-to-be-a-superhero-race-and-identity-in-comics

From the CBLDF: "The Comics Code, Race, and the Debut of the Black Panther": http://cbldf.org/2018/05/the-comics-code-race-and-the-debut-of-the-black-panther/

From the CBLDF: Adding Graphic Novels to Your Library or Classroom: http://cbldf.org/adding-graphic-novels/

From the CBLDF: "Using Graphic Novels in Education": http://cbldf.org/using-graphic-novels/

From the CBLDF: History of Comics Censorship: http://cbldf.org/resources/history-of-comics-censorship/

Article: "The Morality of Superheroes": https://playingwithresearch.com/2013/11/30/the-morality-of-superheroes/

Article: "Cracking the Superhero's Moral Code": https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284229535_Cracking_the_superhero's_moral_code

Blog Post (from The Comics Professor): "Why We Relate to Batman": https://www.comicsprofessor.com/ethics/

REMEMBER: You can find many more articles through EBSCO or JSTOR from the Linscheid Library's Electronic Resources. Click on "Articles" and do a search there...or check Google Scholar! E-mail me if you have trouble finding articles or need more secondary sources to help you write the paper! 

Comic Art Presentation, Teresa White

Hi friends!

Here's 18 minutes of me nerding out. Hope you guys are enjoying these comics as much as I am!

Superheroes in Literature Presentation by Jonathan Latimer

Comic Book Art Presentation by Yolanda Turner

If you're curious about how to start your Comic Book Art Exhibition paper, check out Yolanda Turner's Zoom presentation above! I think she does a great job of using the comics to tell a story in her exhibition, as well as 'zooming' into the major features of each work. I would love to post more of these, too, if you're willing! Remember, everyone has access to post to the blog (you just have to accept my invitation to be an author). Share your wisdom with the other students in class! 

Remember, the Presentations (either in video, powerpoint, or simply word document form) are due no later than Sunday by 5pm! Scroll down for the assignment guidelines before you start--or ask me if you have any questions! 

Final Paper and Announcements!

First, a few quick announcements:

1. PRESENTATION DUE DATE: I'll knock it back to SUNDAY by 5pm, but no later! I want to get them graded and out of the way (for you and for me) before the Final Paper rolls around. But you can still turn them in by Friday, too. Let me know if you need help or have questions. 

2. I've been sitting on most of your Template responses, since I only got a small trickle of them until a few days ago. I'll start grading them and responding with comments today. If you don't get a response on one of your templates, feel free to let me know. Remember that you need to turn in SIX, one for each comic, by next Friday. However, doing them before you write your final paper will help you write the paper...that is, it will give you ideas (and maybe even passages) to use in the paper. That's why I made you write them! (hint, hint)

3. I'll post some more resources for your Final Paper in the days to come, as well as a final video to think about (or to use in your paper as a resource). Please let me know if you have any questions! 

THE FINAL PAPER ASSIGNMENT

I want you to write a kind of 'exit interview' paper that demonstrates what you learned in the class, and how you can take these ideas and apply them to the larger conversations going on in the comics world. So I want you to choose ONE of the following topics to write about, all of them based on ideas that came out of our discussions (mostly on the blog):

1. CENSORSHIP AND THE CLASSROOM: This one is especially aimed at future teachers...how would you respond to the argument that comics are illiterate and degenerate literature that has no place in the classroom, and can detract from the more serious and skill-building works of literature that are currently part of the curriculum? Use examples from some of the comics we read to explain how they could be beneficial to students and why removing them from the classroom (and the school libraries) might be counterproductive. What can students learn from "graphic" novels, even if they make them--and the teachers--uncomfortable?

2. THE ETHICS OF SUPERHEROES: How do these comics represent the ethics of being a superhero in a world of "normals"? What transformation needs to occur for a person to see themselves as heroic? Where is the line drawn between hero and vigilante? And what kinds of heroes do we want and not want? Why is having a superpower not enough to be a superhero? Why are supervillains potentially superheroes in their own minds...and when are our heroes tempted to cross the line into murky moral territory? Use some of the books to support your reading of this question.

3. GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION: Comics started out being pretty stereotypical, showing manly men protecting vulnerable (yet sexual) women. And it only got worse before it got better! And even though comics were instrumental in representing diverse races and cultures, they still made some major missteps along the way (I'll show you some more examples of this on the blog!). So where do you feel comics are on the road to representation? How are they trying to address issues of gender and racial inequality? Which comics that you read seem to best represent women, ethnic groups, and those we often label "others" in our society? Are comics uniquely qualified to offer this representation...or do they have some serious limitations in doing so? 

NOTE: If you have another theme you would like to write about that either blends some of these topics, or offers an entirely new one, TALK TO ME about it first. I want to make sure you're not being too general or trying to tackle too much in a short paper. 

REQUIREMENTS
* At least 4-5 pages double spaced, though you can do more! 
* Should use at least 3 comics in your discussion: quote/discuss them instead of just summarizing them (I'll discuss this on the blog this weekend)
* Should also use 2-3 outside sources on comics, either from the blog or elsewhere in the world (I'll give you some sources--and already have throughout the blog and on the syllabus) 
* DUE NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, MAY 29th BY 5pm 

For Wednesday: They're Not Like Us or Sara and Blog Response #8

Finish the last graphic novel as soon as you can, and don't forget to turn in all SIX template responses by next week--no later than the 29th! But doing them first will help you write the Final Paper (I'll post that tomorrow as well). 

ALSO: The Presentation is getting closer! Here's the link to the post that explains the assignment (a few posts below this one): https://grassocomics.blogspot.com/2020/05/presentation-assignment-due-no-later.html

If you want to do the paper option, try to imagine that you're writing a script to the audio tour that viewers can listen to if they tour the pictures (museums often allow you to rent headphones to do just this). You should introduce them to each 'painting,' and explain why it's beautiful, important, artistic, and how they all relate to each other. Try to group the images you choose around a common theme that you can explain to the audience. Don't just choose a bunch of pictures at random and say, "here's one...and here's another...and here's a third." Try to think about it first, and once you have a theme, you'll be surprised how easy this is.

For example--today's video is the exhibit I put together for my own amusement. Watch the video (13 min.) and then respond to the question below. This is your last blog response for the class! 

RESPONSE QUESTION: Watch the video carefully and explain what 'theme' or general connection you think links each of the images I chose. Why did I choose these images? What common themes or 'echoes' between each image jumps out at you? How are they related? (Hint: I give you a few clues throughout the video, so be sure to watch it!) 

For Tuesday: Firebug or Umbral (see below)

I know there's been some difficulty getting the next two books in, so check back tomorrow if you can. However, remember that you can buy the books digitally and read them on your laptop, tablet, or phone (with the free Kindle app), or on a Kindle. Here are the link to the books--so choose which ones you want to read:

Firebug:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0785G1QDT?pf_rd_r=9ACFKE77GBGCH3JWFPTB&pf_rd_p=edaba0ee-c2fe-4124-9f5d-b31d6b1bfbee

Umbral, Vol.1: https://www.amazon.com/Umbral-Issues-12-Book-Series/dp/B018848KGK/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=umbral+johnston&qid=1589876278&sr=8-3

Read as much as you can of these--or, if you're really pressed for time and money, read another comic if you have one! The video below deals with Firebug and Umbral only slightly, so you can still follow it if you haven't read them (or read much of them):

Response Question: Which, if any, of the comics we've read do you feel is too graphic for younger readers? Why is this? Do you feel any of them are "pornographic" in any sense of the word? Would you support libraries or schools censoring this work like some have for Blankets, Fun Home, The Killing Joke, and others? If so, do you feel comics should have a rating system or a warning label? Or should comics just be comics? 

For Monday: Cain's Man-eaters and Blog Response #6

For this week, please read Cain's short comic, Man-eaters, Vol1.; the video below (21 min.) will give you a little context about women in comics, especially superhero comics (where are they???). ALSO: Be sure to view the resources for your Presentation in the post below this one, and watch the video for some important background on the rise of Marvel comics--and why this is so significant. Remember your Presentations are due no later than this Friday by 5pm, so make sure to read over the assignment and let me know if you have any questions. It's supposed to be fun, so don't stress over it! 

NOTE: Read either Firebug or Umbral for Tuesday's class (a slight change in the syllabus). 

RESPONSE QUESTION: In the comic, a mother holds her teen daughter at gunpoint, saying "we knew this day was coming. You're a danger to the community. If you lose control, we're all dead." How does this scene (and the comic in general) play into the video above? Why is the idea of girls who turn into killer cats satirizing the role of women in our society, as well as the lack of female superheroes (or simply, women with any powers)? Try to cite a specific passage to illustrate your response. 

For the Weekend: No Work, But Resources for the Presentation, etc.

A few resources for your Presentation and for Comics in General!

#1: A Video about the Importance of Marvel Comics and the Re-Birth of the Superhero (16 min.--and you don't have to respond to this video; it's purely for historical interest and research)

#2: Digital Exhibits from the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum at Ohio State University: https://cartoons.osu.edu/digital-exhibits/ (this is what gave me the idea for the presentation assignment; this amazing museum showcases comic book art, and you can view some of their exhibitions and get some ideas as to how you might stage your own)

#3: If you want to make a video presentation, here's some easy tutorials for using Zoom to record a presentation: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206618765-Zoom-Video-Tutorials (I can help you too, but it really is pretty easy, and Zoom is free to download; but you don't have to do this)

#4: An article about the scandal behind Chelsea Cain's comics--how the male comic world took vengeance on her: https://boundingintocomics.com/2019/06/10/chelsea-cain-deletes-twitter-account-following-accusations-of-transphobia-regarding-latest-issue-of-man-eaters/ (as you read Maneaters, keep this in mind: the comics world really turned on Cain and she had to delete her Twitter account in response

#5: A fascinating article, "Analyzing the Gender Representation of 34,476 Comic Book Characters," which tells you a lot about gender inequality in comics--something to consider as you read the rest of the comics in this class, all of which offer female protagonists from different background trying to find their own definition of heroism: https://pudding.cool/2017/07/comics/

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions! 

Presentation Assignment: due no later than Friday, May 22nd by 5pm

[Note: The Blog Assignment for Friday is in the post below this one] 

In this class, we'll do one 'presentation' that asks you to focus on comic books as works of art. In your final paper, you'll focus on them more as works of literature. However, I think it's important to see them from both perspectives so you can combine them as a unique whole. 

For your Presentation Assignment, I want you to put together an Exhibit of Comic Book Art, to be shown in the Hallie Brown Ford Art Gallery. Your exhibit should showcase one work of art from each comic in class. The work of art can be anything from a single frame (which would be blown up to make it easily viewable) to a 'splash page' (meaning a full-page frame or a double-page frame). Choose a work of art that you find striking, memorable, or significant to either the comic or the style of the artist. 

Your Presentation is the "audio tour" that takes guests through the exhibit and tells them a little bit about each piece so they can leave smarter than they came in. Your tour can follow any format you like, but you should briefly introduce each piece (the artist, the comic, etc.) without trying to give us lengthy plot summary. Focus primarily on the art. Discuss the style, how the art helps tell the story, or create the character, the mood, or the feel of the piece. You can also discuss what part this frame/page plays in the overall story of the comic. In general, just make us appreciate it as a work of art, and assume that many people might say, "but this is just a comic book!" 

You can place the works in any order you like, but try to use them to tell a story or to demonstrate some progression or development (maybe the different type of word + image relationships, or the different types of superheroes, etc.). Just think of what makes it interesting and what would help people understand and appreciate comics as a work of art. 

TWO OPTIONS FOR WRITING THIS: 

#1: I would love for you to record this, either in a short video (such as the Zoom videos I make) or an audio file, that would literally be the audio tour in question. If you make a video, all you would have to do is record yourself talking over slides of each image, helping us 'see' the significant details. For this option, you wouldn't have to write anything (unless you want to read from a script), but you would turn in the file via e-mail, or you could post it directly onto the blog (I'll give everyone access to post). For this option, I would love to post it on the blog as a resource (and as inspiration) for others. However, if you object to this, I won't make you post it. 

#2: If you don't want to record your tour, you can simply write it out as a script that someone would read for the recording. In this case, you would have to turn in a 3-4 page script taking us through each panel and discussing it following the guidelines above. Again, I would love to post this on the blog (and I could include each panel you discuss), but if you object to sharing, I won't make you. 

THE PRESENTATION IS DUE NO LATER THAN NEXT FRIDAY, MAY 22nd by 5pm. We won't have class work on Thursday-Friday so you can work hard on finishing this presentation (or starting it!). Please e-mail me with any questions or concerns, but above all, have fun with it! 

For Friday: Blog Video #5 and The Vision

Okay, for our last day this week we're switching too a lesser-known hero (The Vision) and moving from DC comics to Marvel...I'll talk more about the difference between these two next week! So enjoy this comic, which is the most 'literary' in some ways, and also the most complex to follow, for reasons I hope to explain in today's video. So today I have a short video (16 min.) that discussed the word + image relationships in comics, and how words can change what we see (and what we believe)in an image. 

RESPONSE QUESTION: Discuss a passage in The Vision where the words are "interdependent" or "parallel" to the images in the frame. In other words, the words are not merely describing what the image is showing, and is adding another storyline, voice, or event that is not literally seen in the frame. How difficult was it to understanding what's going on here? Why do you think the comic does this? How does adding the multi-layered narrative benefit the story itself? 

For Thursday: Blog Video #4 and Batman: The Long Halloween

For Thursday's class, be sure to start reading Batman: The Long Halloween, which is our longest work. You don't have to finish it today, but do read at least a few chapters. It's one of the classic Batman comics, and influenced all the recent Batman movies (well, the ones that came out almost 20 years ago now!). Don't forget to complete your Template Response to this comic, either tomorrow or in a few days. 

For now, though, watch this video (17 min.) about how frames tell stories, particularly in this comic. This time, all the artwork is the same throughout each chapter/comic, so you get one unified experience. Do we gain or lose something from that experience? 

RESPONSE QUESTION: I want to help you work on your Template for this comic, so we'll borrow from the Template Questions again (so you can use this in your Template Response for Q2). Since there are so many Batman movies, what does a Batman comic really bring to the table? What makes The Long Halloween need to be a comic rather than just a film or a TV show? What can this comic do, or show, or illustrate that a movie couldn't? Try to discuss a specific scene or example and consider how it tells the story--the use of frames and the transitions. 

For Wednesday: Blog Video #3 and Superman: American Alien

For Wednesday's class, start reading and/or finish Superman: American Alien. Remember that you don't necessarily have to finish the comic to write about it, or to respond to the blog. Reading a few issues (chapters) is better than reading nothing at all. You can always finish it later. You will have to turn in a Response Template (see previous post) for each comic, but you can turn that in on Wednesday or later, just as long as I get them all by the end of Week Two. However, don't let them pile up or you'll be miserable trying to write them all (especially because you'll have a Presentation to prepare as well--more on that soon!). 

Here's Wednesday's video (19 min.) about reading style in comics, which will help you with questions #1 & 2 especially on your template: 

RESPONSE QUESTION (post as comment or e-mail): basically, I want you to answer question #1 from your template here as well (you can double-dip, and use the same response twice if you like)...discuss the artistic style of ONE of the chapters/comics in Superman: American Alien. How does it make us feel about the story and the characters? How does it illustrate the type of story or genre we're reading about? Do you feel it went well with the story, or somehow contradicted it? Would you prefer one of the other styles in the book, or is this your favorite--and if so, why? Be specific and try to discuss a specific frame or passage in the book that helped you 'see' this. Try not to talk too generally about the entire chapter and challenge yourself to figure out why you either like/dislike the art, and how it makes you feel about the characters and story. 

The Response Template and Instructions for Tuesday

For Tuesday, all you need to do is watch the video in the post below and respond to Blog Question #2. Be sure to watch the videos, since they will help you write about the comics, and prepare your presentation in Week 2! 

I also want you to start reading Superman: American Alien as soon as possible for Wednesday's class. For each comic you read, you will turn in a RESPONSE TEMPLATE which is a series of 4 questions (always the same) to help you examine the comic in question. The Template is below, and you can e-mail me these questions as soon as you finish the book--but it can be whenever you finish it. So if you don't finish the book for two days, you can e-mail it to me in two days. Or you can e-mail it to me on Wednesday; or Friday, etc. Just be sure that I get all the templates before the class ends! However, don't save them all for the last minute, or you'll have a LOT of writing to do. 

THE RESPONSE TEMPLATE (answer all 4 questions for each comic we read):

Q1: Describe the artistic style of the comic. 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), choose one of the chapters to discuss. 

Q2: What would this story lose if it was a traditional novel (no images)? How do the images help tell the story for you, and what wouldn't you know or understand or appreciate without them? In other words, why does this particular story make more sense as a comic than any other form of literature? Be specific and try to discuss a particular passage or moment that would be untranslatable without the images. 

Q3: How does this comic address the ethics of being a superhero, or someone with unique powers and abilities? According to this comic, what does it mean to be a “hero” and a “villain”? Do the heroes ever cross ethical boundaries in their 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: Connect some passage or idea of the book to one of the lecture videos. You don't have to quote anything I say necessarily, but show how some of the ideas I raise in one of the lecture videos is 'echoed' by the comic itself. This could be something about the form, the style, the history, the themes, the characters, the creators, etc. I just want to see that you can connect the background content to the works themselves (and I want to make sure you're watching the videos, too!). 

For Tuesday: Blog Video and Response #2

Welcome back! Okay, I have just one video for you today (about 18 min.) about where superheroes come from (not just from Planet Krypton!). I want you to get started reading our first comic, Superman: American Alien for Wednesday's class, and you have an assignment for that (in the post above this one). So when you're read, watch this video and respond to the question below: 

RESPONSE QUESTION (post as a comment or e-mail to me): In the video I suggest that superheroes are connected to our ancient past, but were reinterpreted for the needs of the early 20th century (Superman is a creation both of ancient Greece and the roaring 1920's).  However, superheroes are still alive and kicking almost a hundred years since their birth in the comics--and indeed, have become even bigger in the last decade. Why do you think superheroes have exploded in recent years and become even more popular than ever? What do they seem to express or represent in our 21st century culture that makes them so easy to adapt into films, even when people don't know the characters (most people didn't know the Avengers or The Guardians of the Galaxy before the films came out). 

Welcome and Instructions for Monday

Welcome again to the course! I sent everyone an e-mail with the syllabus, so make sure to look over it and e-mail me with any questions. I go over the syllabus in the first post (2 posts down). I'll give you more information about this week on Tuesday, but for now, this is all you need to do to get the class started:

1. Buy the books for the class (listed in the syllabus) as soon as possible, since we start reading for Wednesday's class. If you get behind you can easily get snowed in by work (since it's only a three-week class). 

2. Watch the two short videos in the post below this one and respond to the question with a comment on the blog (it's all explained in the post below).

3. E-mail me at jgrasso@ecok.edu on MONDAY with responses to the following questions:

1. Your name and major 
2. Your preferred e-mail address(es) (I assume the one you're e-mailing me from, but maybe not)
3. Any experience with comics you have--any comics you've read before, or any you enjoy reading or collect. If you don't have experience, just let me know you're new to the form (no shame in that!).
4. Finally, tell me what is the biggest challenge you've faced so far from the COVID crisis. It can be anything, large or small (this will help me learn your name and know something about you, since we can't talk face-to-face). 

That's it so far! Welcome to the class, and e-mail me with any questions! :) 

For Monday: First Two Blog Videos and Blog Response (see below)

Welcome to our first class of Superheroes as Literature! Okay, first things first: I want you to watch a two-part video to introduce you to Comics as a Medium, and the Symbolism of Comics. Each one is pretty short, about 14-15 minutes, and you can take a nice long break between each one. Here's Part I: 

Rested and ready to go? Okay, here's Part 2: 

Once you've finished watching, I want you to respond to the question below (in bold) as a COMMENT to this post. Just click on comments and write your own. You don't need to make a profile to do so, but if for some reason it doesn't allow you to post, you can either (a) make a Blogger profile (which is free and easy), or you can (b) e-mail your response to me with your other e-mail. If you post anonymously, be sure to put your name in the comment, otherwise I won't know who you are! 

THE RESPONSE: Why do you think comics have such a tough time getting respect as a form of literature or art in our society? Is it because of the name comics (as I mentioned in the video), or some other aspect of the form? What biases do you personally have about reading comics, or what criticisms have you heard from others? If you are a comic-book reader, what comments have been directed at you by non-readers? In other words, what do you think prevents comics from being truly mainstream literature in American society? 

[Note: to get credit for this, you must post a response--or e-mail it to me--so I can read it and respond to it. You lose points for every missed response, so be careful!] 

Welcome to the Course!

Please watch this quick video just as a "welcome" to the course and to give you a head's up about the class, the syllabus, and the books! Be sure to get the books as soon as possible, since this is a short class and you'll fall behind quickly without them! But again, welcome to our Superhero Comics course and I look forward to sharing this amazing literature with you for the next few weeks!

NOTE: This is a blog I've kept since 2011 for each time I've taught this course. The posts after this one are from other courses and will not be the work you do for this class--so don't get worried. This is the only post you have to worry about for now.