Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0144 - Comics Underground

In this introductory-level course we will explore the genealogies of underground, alternative, and radical comics in the United States, focusing on how unconventional comics relate to ideas about popular culture, underground cultures, and politics of race, gender, sexuality, and class. For the most part, we will look at comics and graphic novels published in the U.S., but we will often contextualize our studies by referencing comics histories of Japan, Western Europe, and Latin America. Course readings will include comics, critical and theoretical readings, and histories; we will make extensive use of the Underground and Independent Comics Database. Students will give an oral/visual presentation, complete a series of short writing assignments, and write a short (8-10 page) research essay.

Culture, Humanities, and Languages Writing and Research Multiple Cultural Perspectives Independent Work Field Trip