The Graphic Novel as Literature and Art

This course will examine several foundational texts within the genre of graphic novels, analyzing them as works of literature and as cultural artifacts, and tracing the recent emergence of a major artistic and literary form. In addition to studying foundational graphic texts, students will also examine the legacies of several of these texts by critiquing their popular film adaptations. From their emergence as a niche sub-genre within the larger comic book industry, graphic novels have grown in popularity across many genres including fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, young adult fiction, and memoir. Course readings may include works by Moore, Spiegelman, Bechdel, Beaton, and Yang, among others. In addition to studying these works analytically, students will undertake their own creative process developing a short graphic work.