In contrast to the suburbs, urban America has always been portrayed as a site of violence, moral decay – often times located at the crossroads of alienation and anonymity. How do these anti-urban biases manifest in graphic narratives? What happens when humans collapse? Why are their wasted lives a product of modernity? In our seminar we are trying to answer these questions by analyzing urban alienation in three graphic novels.
Students are expected to purchase Daniel Clowes’ Ghost World (1997); Eric Drooker Flood! A Novel in Pictures. (1992); and Paul Levitz’ and Tim Hamilton’s Brooklyn Blood (2018). Instead of providing a reader, you will find the secondary material on moodle. The password will be sent via E-mail.
Please note: This course is a reading intensive class and not about superhero comics, mangas or about TV-related genre such as anime or on how to make comics. Several assignments include creative tasks. In addition to that students are expected to design a learning diary. Attendance and active participation in discussion is a part of the required work without which you cannot successfully complete the course. Due to Covid-19, not more than 30 students will be accepted to the course. No exceptions will be made. |
