Course Title: From Ink to Screen: a study of Comics and Their Films Course Description

Comic Books started a world-wide phenomenon from their early inception as “Funny Pages” to the more modern Graphic Novel. They have been vilified, suppressed, banned, and raised to an art form. The class will attempt to define the nature of the comic book and why they receive such positivity in today’s world as opposed to the history of their banishment as “real” literature and how they have been adapted into some of the top grossing films of all time. An analysis of the “types” of comic heroes will begin the class that will culminate in the discussion of the cultural impact of the comic.

Upon completion of the course, the student will to able to:

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  analyze the impact of popular culture
  
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  discuss alternative literature
  
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  discuss alternative art
  
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  apply archetypal criticism to literary sources
  
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  discuss social issues/problems addressed in artistic mediums
  

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  Completion of assigned readings.
  
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  Quizzes and Tests.
  
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  Several short response papers based on films with reference to readings.
  
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  Essays.
  
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  One long project.
  

The Ten-Scent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How it Changed America by David Hajdu

Film and Comic Books by Ian Gordon

Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud

Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America by Bradford W. Wright

Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes by Chris Knowles and Joseph Michael Linsner

Comic Book Nation: the Transformation of Youth Culture in America by Bradford W Wright

The Power of Comics: History, Form and Culture by Randy Duncan

Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God From Smallville can teach us about being human by Grant Morrison

Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book by Gerard Jones

The Supergirls:Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy, and the history of the Comic Book Heroine by Mike Madrid

Super Heroes: A Modern Mythology by Richard Reynolds

Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud

A Comics Studies Reader by Jeet Heer

Superheroes: Capes and Crusaders in Comics and Film by Roz Kaveney

Holy Superheroes: Exploring Faith and Spirituality in Comic Books by Greg Garrett

The Government Manual for New Superheroes by Matthew David Brozik

Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero by Danny Fingeroth

Green Arrow

Doctor Strange

Ghost Rider

Martian Manhunter

Flash

Swamp Thing

Blade

The Spirit

Aquaman

Jonah Hex

The Punisher

Power Man

Iron Fist

University Courses on Comic Books and Graphic Novels

University of Maryland

http://www.honorshumanities.umd.edu/Graphic%20Novel%20Course%20Syllabus,%20Spring%202010.pdf

University of Cincinnati

http://www.uc.edu/News/NR.aspx?ID=7372

University of Houston

http://www.uh.edu/news-events/stories/2010articles/March2010/0312GraphicNovelWorkshop.php

George Mason University

http://samplereality.com/gmu/fall09-493/guidelines

Drury University

http://www.drury.edu/multinl/story.cfm?ID=15895&NLID=50

Fordham University

http://www.fordham.edu/Campus_Resources/eNewsroom/topstories_1460.asp

Michigan State University

http://history.msu.edu/historyofcomics/about/

University of Missouri

http://english.missouri.edu/people/hobereka.html