Comics in Academia: “What We Do When We Do Comics Studies”

Dr. Candida Rifkind, Department of English, University of Winnipeg For copy of this presentation go to: www.candidarifkind.com/community What is comics studies?

! Scholarly study of comics & graphic novels ! 1996 = publication of Art Spiegelman’s Maus changes perceptions of storytelling in graphic form ! Around 2000 = beginnings of comics studies in universities and colleges ! usually as part of existing Humanities fields and courses, eg. English, History, Women’s and Gender Studies, Media Studies, Rhetoric and Composition, Education, etc. ! Around 2010 = dedicated courses and degree programs What is comics studies?

! Diverse field (“indiscipline” rather than a discipline) ! Multiple disciplinary approaches from literary studies to film studies to communication to neuroscience ! Multiple methodologies, for instance: ! formalist (technique) ! cultural studies (text within cultural contexts) ! audience studies (reception) ! adaptation studies (both ways: comics adapting existing works and adaptations of comics into film or theatre) ! Scholars sometimes also creators, fans have knowledge to share with academics Landmark works in comics studies 4 Theoretical debates in comics studies

1. Definitions: what is a comic? 2. Are comics a unique form? ! Will Eisner: comics = “sequential ! “comics exceptionalism” art” (vs. one panel cartoon) but debate too general for Scott McCloud 3. Terminology ! comics vs. graphic novels vs. graphic narratives vs. ….

Scott McCloud, Understanding Comics p. 9 Theoretical debates in comics studies

4. Creating a canon of “great works”: what is a “good” comic or graphic novel?

Most studied graphic narratives in academia Beaty & Woo argue for expanding study to bestsellers, popular, serials that fans love but academics overlook Comics studies research: online resources

! Bonner Bibliography: online comprehensive international bibliography for comics studies Comics studies research: online resources

! University of Florida Comics Studies Comics studies research: online resources

! Neil Cohn’s Visual Language Lab Comics studies research: scholarly journals

Open Access Database Subscription Required ! The Comics Grid ! ImageTexT Comics studies research: scholarly books beyond the landmarks

! University of Mississippi Press ! Ohio State University Press ! Rutgers University Press Comics studies research: organizations

! Comics Studies Society Comics studies research: organizations

Canadian Society for the Study of Comics/La Sociéte canadienne pour l’étude de la bande dessinée. Comics studies at Uwinnipeg

REQUIRED TEXTS THE UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG Barr, Mike W. Camelot 3000. DC Comics, 2013. Topics in Comics: Medievalism Bennett, Marguerite. 1602: Witch Hunter Angela. Marvel Comics, Course # ENGL-3980.002 2016. Term: Winter 2017 Foster, Hal. Prince Valiant Vol. 1: 1937-1938. Fantagraphics, 2009. Professor: Lauren Chochinov Fraction, Matt. Hawkeye Vol. 1: My Life As A Weapon. Marvel Comics, 2014. This course will aim to examine how comics negotiate the McCreery, Conor. Kill Shakespeare Vol. 1. IDW Publishing, 2010. numerous literary, political, cultural, and societal issues Simone, Gail. Red Sonja Vol. 1: Queen of Plagues. Dynamite, inspired by the medieval period. Together we shall explore 2014. the long-standing relationship between medievalism and Spurrior, Simon. The Spire. Boom Studios, 2016. the comics medium. From the Anglo Saxon age to the Stevenson, Noelle. Nimona. Harper Teen, 2015. England of King James I, we will question the influence of Van Hamme, Jean. Child of the Stars (Thorgal). Cinebook, 2007. medieval literary tropes in modern comics, the relevance of Yagi, Norihiro. Claymore Vol. 1. VIZ Media LLC, 2006. the Middle Ages in twentieth/twenty-first century comics, Yukimura, Makoto. Vol. 1. , 2015. and what happens when King Arthur, the Once and Future King, finally wakes up. In the year 3000. Comics Studies at UWinnipeg

Module 1: History & Myth THE UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG ENGL-3980.001 Brown, Chester. Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip biography. Topics in Comics and Graphic Narraves: CANADIAN Chantler, Sco. Two Generals. COMICS Yahgulanaas, Michael. Red: A Haida . Term: Fall 2016 Professor: Dr. Candida Riind Module 2: Coming-of-Age This course introduces students to an array of Canadian comics Castrée, Geneviève. Suscepble. and graphic narraves that tell a diversity of stories, across the Cho, Michael. Shoplier. spectrum from ficon to non-ficon. We will pay special aenon Lemire, Jeff. The Complete Essex County. to how contemporary Canadian and Indigenous comics represent and unsele Canadian naonal mythologies, from the idea of Module 3: Border Crossings North to hockey. As well, the readings invite discussion of such topics as historical ficon, peace and conflict, memory and Van Kamp, Richard and Sco Henderson. A Blanket of nostalgia, bodies and sexualies, race and ethnicity, place and Buerflies. Delporte, Julie. Everywhere identy, self and other. In addion to the comic books, students AntennasVaughan, Brian K. and Steve Skroce. We Stand should be prepared to read crical and theorecal material. On Guard (Deluxe Ed.). New First Year course at UWinnipeg Winter 2018

Introduction to Reading Culture: Graphic Novels Course # ENGL-1004.3-004

This course introduces students to the diverse and vibrant storytelling worlds of graphic novels. We will read a range of literary genres, including coming-of- age ficon, auto/biography, gothic horror, and speculave ficon, all in the form of comic books. Lectures and discussions will teach students the specific terminology and foundaonal theories of comics studies, an interdisciplinary field that draws on literary studies, cultural studies, media and communicaon studies, art history, and film studies. We will also pay aenon to the similaries and differences between comics, literature, and film, especially when we study film adaptaons of the graphic novels. Assignments will include a sequence analysis (close reading), comparave essay (between two texts), research essay (on one text), reading quizzes, parcipaon, and a final exam.