Comics

The Legacy of Original Intentions: The Non Violence of Wonder Woman by Nick Pumphrey

by Feminism and Religion

Originally posted on the Feminism and Religion project

What would a superhero comic be without Pow, wham!, Zap, and even a Boom! (insert your own campy sound bites from... more What would a superhero comic be without Pow, wham!, Zap, and even a Boom! (insert your own campy sound bites from Batman).  Oddly enough, when psychologist William Marston created the character of Wonder Woman, he did not intend for her to be a violent character.  When villains shot their mere bullets, she simply would deflect them with her indestructible bracelets.  Instead of stooping to the level of her attackers, she would wield the lasso of truth, capture her foes, and force them to admit their malevolent deeds.  Meanwhile, creator William Marston was actually developing the first polygraph using changes in blood pressure as exemplified in Wonder Woman’s lasso.  Wonder Woman was not the first female superhero; however, she was the first non-violent one.  While other writers like Siegel and Shuster (Superman’s creators) were using their religion as inspiration, Marston drew on the women of his life as example.  He intended to have a peaceful, warrior woman, who was more than equal on grounds of “sex,” and could stop the tyranny created by war and hatred (i.e. men) without having to embrace it.  He wanted an example for young girls to idolize and a way for boys to embrace feminine power. 

Comiczeichnen als komplexe Praxis [Vortragsmanuskript]

by Lino Wirag

München, April 2012

“Dude! You mean you’ve never eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?!?” Nut allergy as stigma in comic books

by Simon Weaver

with Sarah McNicol, Health Communication, Online 10th May 2012

This article examines the representation of nut allergy in comics aimed at children and young people. It maps the... more This article examines the representation of nut allergy in comics aimed at children and young people. It maps the signification and stigma of nut allergy in comics, and includes an outline of the imagery, stereotypes, and connotations that are created on this condition. Three texts are examined: first, Allergic, a semi-autobiographical story by Adrian Tomine aimed at young adults; second, What's Up With Paulina? from the Medikidz series of comic books that aim to help a pre-teenage audience learn about medical conditions; and third, Peanut, a forthcoming comic book by Ayun Halliday aimed at those in their early to mid teenage years. Using textual analysis, we focus on three principal areas of the texts. First, we consider the way in which the allergic character is represented in relation to examples of felt stigma, typified by feelings of shame and rejection, and compare this representation to common stereotypes of disability. Second, we look at the representation of other characters, drawing attention to the way in which stigma is enacted, highlighting acts of overt discrimination. Last, we examine the way in which the event of an allergic reaction is portrayed, considering how this might be used to help children and young people better understand nut allergy and combat the stigma attached to it. Throughout the article we compare the representation of stigma in comics with that depicted in empirical research on children living with nut allergies.

Koomiks kui totaalne tekst

by Mari Laaniste

M. Laaniste, Koomiks kui totaalne tekst / Comics as a Total Form of Text – Kunstiteaduslikke Uurimusi / Studies in Art and Architecture 2004, vol. 13 (no. 1), p. 128-151, English summary p. 148-151.

Silent Scenes in Manga as the Powerful and Universal Visual Languages

by Hafiz Aziz Ahmad

Presented in 18th Biennial Congress of International Research Society for Children's Literature. Kyoto: IRSCL, 2007

Comics as the popular medium of communication, especially medium for the children due to its capabilities in telling... more Comics as the popular medium of communication, especially medium for the children due to its capabilities in telling stories with its visual narrative has been known for quite long. Manga as the form of comic medium that came from Japan is also well known for its uniqueness. Due to the strong relation within the Japan cultural background, manga has integrated its own distinctive way in telling the stories, visually. One of the methods is known as the silent sequences.

The silent sequences term is used to mention the scene in comics that told using minimal sequence and with very little -if any- text or narration. Some even used several of unconnected scenes to create a specific mood or a sense of place. Such scenes could be found in abundance in various manga works, notably in the works of Ozamu Tezuka or Mitsuru Adachi. Scott McCloud –a comic scholar- relates these sequences as the solid example of moment-to-moment and aspect-to-aspect type of panel transition.

By using mostly visual images with less text and narration as the way of telling stories and creating the exact mood for the scenes, the silent sequences could serve as a good example of the universality and power of comic language. This paper is intended to take further analysis behind the context of the silent sequences and the possibilities in using it as a more universal way in visual communication as part of the power in children’s literature.

Sins of the Fathers: Oedipal Characteristics in Jimmy Corrigan

by DJ Dycus

Helenistic Encomium: A Reflection on Comics and Rhetoric by Jason Helms

by Jason Helms

Kairos, Disputatio, 13.2, Spring 2009

Miller's Tale: Comics as Electracy

by Jason Helms

Pre/text 19.1-4 (2009)

The Ontology of Comics

by Aaron Meskin

Draft only

The Philosophy of Comics

by Aaron Meskin

Unedited version of essay to appear in Philosophy Compass

Comics have been around since the nineteenth century, but it is only just recently that they have begun to receive... more Comics have been around since the nineteenth century, but it is only just recently that they have begun to receive philosophical attention as an art form in their own right. This essay begins by exploring the reasons for their comparative neglect by philosophers of art and then provides an overview of extant work on the philosophy of comics. The primary issues discussed are the definition of comics, the ontology of comics, the relationship between comics and other art forms, the relationship between text and image in comics, and the connection between comics and cartooning.

The Aesthetics of Comics

by Aaron Meskin

Unedited draft of article for Routledge Companion to Aesthetics, 3rd edition.

Quand New York sera devenu taliban. New Byzance. Tome I—Ruines de Corbeyran-Chabbert. Glénat,«Grafica», 54 p. New Byzance. Tome I—Ruines de Corbeyran- …

by Yan Hamel

Eudes le Volumeur au Musée du Louvre. Les sous-sols du Révolu. Extraits du journal d'un expert, de Marc-Antoine Mathieu. Futuropolis/Musée du Louvre éditions, 60 …

by Yan Hamel

Fearful Symmetry: John Carter and the Struggle of the Individual

by Julian Chambliss

Published at PopMatters.com an international magazine of cultural criticism. PopMatters' scope is broadly cast on all things pop culture, and our content is updated daily, Monday through Friday.  We provide intelligent reviews, engaging interviews, and in-depth essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, sports, theatre, the visual arts, travel, and the Internet.

An commentary on the intersection of history and culture represented by the release of the new film based on Edgar... more An commentary on the intersection of history and culture represented by the release of the new film based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars.

Reference Articles, “Horne, Lena,” “Pinup Girls,” and “Wonder Woman”

by Megan E. Williams

In The Forties in America, edited by Thomas Tandy Lewis. 3 Vols. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 2010.

The Joy of Plex: Erotic Arthrology, Tromplographic Intercourse, and" Interspecies Romances" in Howard Chaykin's American Flagg!

by Dan Yezbick

Heidegger e Rat Man

by Marco Menicocci

Pubblicato in "Diogene", 2006 (2), n. 5, pp. 44-45

La geografia inattuale di Corto Maltese: il viaggio come uscita dalla modernità

by Marco Menicocci

Pubblicato in "Diogene", 2006 (2), n. 4, pp. 49-52

“Muertos de risa: el cómic y el humor en el aula de E/LE”

by Eleni Leontaridi

LEONTARIDI E. & N. PERAMOS SOLER (2011), “Muertos de risa: el cómic y el humor en el aula de E/LE”, en J.F. Barrio Barrio (coord.), III Jornadas de formación del profesorado de español, Sofía, septiembre de 2010 (NIPO: 820-11-118-7) Sofía: Embajada de España en Bulgaria (Edita: Secretaría General Técnica del Ministerio de Educación, Subdirección General de Información y Publicaciones), pp. 6-42. http://www.educacion.gob.es/exterior/bg/es/File/IIIjornadaspublicacion5.pdf

RESUMEN: El humor es un componente lúdico fundamental en la clase de E/LE como lo demuestra la creciente cantidad de... more RESUMEN: El humor es un componente lúdico fundamental en la clase de E/LE como lo demuestra la creciente cantidad de artículos y propuestas de uso de éste como apoyo en el aprendizaje de la lengua extranjera. Las muestras de lengua humorística, como las tiras de cómic por ejemplo, constituyen un interesante recurso didáctico como forma de facilitar la lectura y la comprensión a los alumnos de lenguas extranjeras y ayudarles a ampliar vocabulario, fomentar conocimientos gramaticales y socioculturales, etc. Desde esta perspectiva, en este trabajo nos centramos en aspectos teóricos y prácticos de la explotación didáctica de materiales humorísticos en la clase de E/LE, cuyo uso puede hacer que el proceso de aprendizaje resulte más ameno, productivo y creativo.
Palabras clave: cómic, humor, E/LE, pragmática, componente lúdico

ABSTRACT: A sense of humor is a fundamental component of a foreign language class as it is proven by the numerous articles and proposals that show how useful it is as an educational instrument. The usage of comic, for example, in a foreign language class is an interesting educational tool because it facilitates reading comprehension, vocabulary expansion, grammar consolidation and it helps students acquire socio-cultural concepts of the foreign culture. In this perspective, in the present article we will focus on both theoretical and practical aspects concerning the implementation of humoristic materials in the foreign language class. Hopefully, these materials will make the learning process more pleasant, creative and efficient.
Key words: comic, humor, Spanish as a foreign language, pragmatics, humoristic component

The Eternal Detective

by Julian Chambliss

Commentary on Dick Tracy's 80th anniversary.