Comics and Graphic Novels

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. 

Ben Katchor and What's Left Behind

by Kathleen Dunley

Published on The Comics Grid: Journal of Comics Scholarship (ISSN 2048-0792)

Kathleen Dunley continues her exploration of Ben Katchor’s work, this time looking at an example from the Cheap... more Kathleen Dunley continues her exploration of Ben Katchor’s work, this time looking at an example from the Cheap Novelties collection. Dunley zooms in to show how Katchor’s work can offer complex notions of memory and narrative.

Comiczeichnen als komplexe Praxis [Vortragsmanuskript]

by Lino Wirag

München, April 2012

Zu einer Produktionspoetik des Comics

by Lino Wirag

Der Essay skizziert Comiczeichnen als zu entdeckendes kulturwissenschaftliches Arbeitsfeld. Die Begriffe... more Der Essay skizziert Comiczeichnen als zu entdeckendes kulturwissenschaftliches Arbeitsfeld. Die Begriffe ,Produktionspoetik’ und ,Poetik‘ werden diskretisiert, anschließend Quellen der Zeichnungsforschung vorgestellt, mögliche Fragestellungen eingeführt und erste Thesen, beispielsweise zu den poetologischen Implikationen von Zeichenratgebern,
angerissen.

A different kind of cultural frame: An analysis of panels in American comics and Japanese manga

by Neil Cohn

The growing interest and influence of Japanese manga (“comics”) in America has inspired comparisons between the... more The growing interest and influence of Japanese manga (“comics”) in America has inspired comparisons between the properties of the two cultures’ graphic systems. Various theories have hinted to the existence of structural variation between these cultures’ books, yet little quantitative data has served to support these claims. This study seeks to provide empirical evidence for these cross-cultural theories by examining 300 panels in each of twelve American and twelve Japanese comic books. It examines 1) how they highlight amounts of information, 2) their depiction of subjective viewpoints, and 3) the angle of view taken by their representations.

A Visual Lexicon

by Neil Cohn

One of the most recognizable graphic components of the visual language of “comics” is the “panel,” a demarcated frame... more One of the most recognizable graphic components of the visual language of “comics” is the “panel,” a demarcated frame of image content put into discrete sequences, thereby seeming to be the primary unit of expression. However, meaningful visual elements do exist that are both smaller and larger than this encapsulation of image and text. Spoken languages also have vari- ation in sizes of lexical items above and below their primary sequential unit of the “word.” This paper will address these varying levels of representation in visual language in comparison to the structural make-up of verbal language, to aim toward at what it means to have “visual lexical items.”

Review: The System of Comics by Thierry Groensteen

by Neil Cohn

(Pea)nuts and bolts of visual narrative: Structure and meaning in sequential image comprehension

by Neil Cohn

Co-authored with Martin Paczynski, Ray Jackendoff, Phillip Holcomb, and Gina Kuperberg

Just as syntax differentiates coherent sentences from scrambled word strings, the comprehension of sequential images... more Just as syntax differentiates coherent sentences from scrambled word strings, the comprehension of sequential images must also use a cognitive system to distinguish coherent narrative sequences from random strings of images. We conducted experiments analogous to two classic studies of language processing to examine the contributions of narrative structure and semantic relatedness to processing sequential images. We compared four types of comic strips: (1) Normal sequences with both structure and meaning, (2) Semantic Only sequences (in which the panels were related to a common semantic theme, but had no narrative structure), (3) Structural Only sequences (narrative structure but no semantic relatedness), and (4) Scrambled sequences of randomly-ordered panels. In Experiment 1, participants monitored for target panels in sequences presented panel-by-panel. Reaction times were slowest to panels in Scrambled sequences, intermediate in both Structural Only and Semantic Only sequences, and fastest in Normal sequences. This suggests that both semantic relatedness and narrative structure offer advantages to processing. Experiment 2 measured ERPs to all panels across the whole sequence. The N300/N400 was largest to panels in both the Scrambled and Structural Only sequences, intermediate in Semantic Only sequences and smallest in the Normal sequences. This implies that a combination of narrative structure and semantic relatedness can facilitate semantic processing of upcoming panels (as reflected by the N300/N400). Also, panels in the Scrambled sequences evoked a larger left-lateralized anterior negativity than panels in the Structural Only sequences. This localized effect was distinct from the N300/N400, and appeared despite the fact that these two sequence types were matched on local semantic relatedness between individual panels. These findings suggest that sequential image comprehension uses a narrative structure that may be independent of semantic relatedness. Altogether, we argue that the comprehension of visual narrative is guided by an interaction between structure and meaning.

The limits of time and transitions: challenges to theories of sequential image comprehension

by Neil Cohn

The juxtaposition of two images often produces the illusory sense of time passing, as found in the visual lan- guage... more The juxtaposition of two images often produces the illusory sense of time passing, as found in the visual lan- guage used in modern comic books, which creates the sense that this linear sequence presents a succession of moments or temporal units. Author and theorist Scott McCloud took this view to an extreme, proposing that sequential images are guided by a notion that ‘time = space’ (McCloud 2000), because this temporal passage occurs on a spatial surface. To McCloud, this ‘temporal mapping’ results in a movement of time with a move- ment of space. This sense of temporality, then, is the ‘essence’ of comics, which is manifested in McCloud’s taxonomy of transitions of panel-to-panel relationships (McCloud 1993). While less specific, this same type of ‘essence’ of connection can be reflected in Groensteen’s types of ‘arthrology’ across a linear sequence or disparate panels in a broader text (Groensteen 1999).

"Tintin in the Arab World and Arabic in the World of Tintin." Alternative Francophone 1.5 (2012): 26-39.

by Ziad Bentahar

Errance dans les ruelles graphitiques de Matsumoto Taiyo

by Cyril Lepot

Penser la bande dessinée au travers de l'oeuvre de Matsumoto Taiyo - Partie 1.

Thinking the comic book through Matsumoto Taiyo's art - Part 1.

Cet article fait appel au problème de la représentation de l’espace public dans la bande dessinée japonaise et du... more Cet article fait appel au problème de la représentation de l’espace public dans la bande dessinée japonaise et du rapport entretenu avec celui-ci qui s’illustre dans ces mêmes images, majoritairement abordées au cœur de l’espace public de par leur support et leur format portatif. On retrouve ainsi enchevêtrés la rue dans les images et les images dans la rue. Il s’agit ici de montrer combien la bande dessinée est partie intégrante de l’univers urbain, se révélant ainsi comme une forme de la vie urbaine et comme élément issu de ce milieu et de ses objets. En fin de compte, l’auteur réalise de l’intérieur, au sein de la culture populaire de masse et non comme projet politique entrepris hors de la sphère sociale et quotidienne de la production et de la consommation d’image, le tour de force de renvoyer la bande dessinée à sa propre condition pour mieux en produire une double critique, celle de son objet à la fois comme art et comme extension d’un milieu.



This article deals with the problem of the representation of the public space in Japanese comic-books, and the relationship to it that these same images illustrate, mostly used in the public space for their portative format. Hence are intertwined the street in images and images in the street. The matter at hand is to show how comic-books are a constitutive part of the urban universe, revealing themselves as a form of urban life as well as an element originating from this world and its objects. The author manages, from inside the popular culture – instead of a political project coming from outside the daily sphere of image production and consummation –, to throw comic-books back to their own condition, in order to produce a double critic: that of his object altogether as art and extension of space.

Seducing the Innocent: Fredric Wertham and the Falsifications that Helped Condemn Comics

by Carol Tilley

Forthcoming in Information & Culture: A Journal of History.

Psychiatrist Fredric Wertham and his 1954 book Seduction of the Innocent serve as historical and cultural touchstones... more Psychiatrist Fredric Wertham and his 1954 book Seduction of the Innocent serve as historical and cultural touchstones of the anti-comics movement in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s. Although there have been persistent concerns about the clinical evidence Wertham used as the basis for Seduction, his sources were made widely available only in 2010. This paper documents specific examples of how Wertham manipulated, overstated, compromised, and fabricated evidence—especially that evidence he attributed to personal clinical research with young people—for rhetorical gain.

Don’t Laugh at Kim-Il Sung: Anecdote, Occupational Narrative and Representation in Guy Delisle’s Pyongyang

by Nicholas Hartmann

Published in 'New Directions in Folklore,' 2012

French-Canadian graphic novelist Guy Delisle has made a name for himself with his series of illustrated narratives... more French-Canadian graphic novelist Guy Delisle has made a name for himself with his series of illustrated narratives about life in highly politically-charged nations. The best-known, Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea, is known for its witty yet sharply critical take on a nation known for its secrecy and belligerence. Delisle’s narrative, while firmly rooted in a tradition of personal graphic narratives, is further bolstered by the use of anecdote and occupational narrative; this essay examines how such forms of verbal art are not only highly present in Delisle’s book, but also bring up important issues surrounding both outsider perspectives of North Korea and North Korea's representation of itself to the world.

Storm and the X-Men as Racial Projects

by Deseure DeBerry

Used for MS Applied Project at ASU. Short version of abstract: An applied project that applies Sumi Cho's (2009) concept of 'post-racialism' to the X-Men as a group and why 'post-racialism' is problematic through the representations of Storm in four graphic novels.
link to prezi: http://prezi.com/ryb-smee0qy1/present/?auth_key=eq9qi5v&follow=wbwbkkve2x7v

From the introduction of an international cast in 1975 onward, the X-Men have been a transformative and diverse... more From the introduction of an international cast in 1975 onward, the X-Men have been a transformative and diverse society of mutants. This group of unique superheroes front a human/mutant struggle that brought the readers to imagine a new oppression affecting white mutants alongside mutants of different races, ethnicities and national origins. Acceptance in to humanity and mutant rights were championed by Charles Xavier and, through the X-Men lead by Cyclops, mutants have been saving humanity in the midst of their struggle against hatred.

Storm has been through these struggles as an X-Man and mutant, but what about her identity as a black woman and struggles had by black women in white and male dominated spaces? This project is aimed at answering inquiries about Storm’s representation in struggles for liberation, and the possibility that the X-Men are an example of a post-racial society, with Storm being a willing participant. This has implications of black women’s issues and oppressions being largely ignored, and of the continued un-freedoms of racial minorities in the US, as mutant liberation and acceptance have trumped that of other race-based intersectional social justice issues.

“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.

"Sometimes a mere glance will do...": An Exhibit and Selected Bibliography of Autobiographical Comics and Associated Research Resources

by Roberto C. Delgadillo

Peter J. Shields Library Lobby Display Cases
July 1 to October 31, 2010

The UC Davis Library invites you to an exhibit in the Shields Library celebrating the Autobiographical Comic as an... more The UC Davis Library invites you to an exhibit in the Shields Library celebrating the Autobiographical Comic as an increasingly popular medium for artists and exploring its enduring appeal to readers of all ages.

Autobiographical Comics and their creators have received increased recognition in the popular sector, in noted periodicals such as The New York Times, The New Yorker, and in classrooms, libraries, and bookstores throughout the United States and abroad. The artwork and narrative structure of Autobiographical Comics come together to create a level of sophistication that is often brilliant, frequently frightening, and at times psychologically disturbing. At their best these comics challenge basic assumptions of decency, honesty, truth and civilized beliefs in order, justice, and continuity. They question easily held opinions on mental health and the spiritual.

This exhibit features an accompanying introduction and bibliography that offers interested readers insights into the lives of the artists and the nature of their work.

BOOK REVIEW: "Graphic Novels and Comics in Libraries and Archives: Essays on Readers, Research, History and Cataloging."

by Roberto C. Delgadillo

Reference & User Services Quarterly 50, no. 3 (Spring 2011): 306-307

The article reviews the book "Graphic Novels and Comics in Libraries and Archives: Essays on Readers, Research,... more The article reviews the book "Graphic Novels and Comics in Libraries and Archives: Essays on Readers, Research, History and Cataloging," edited by Robert G. Weiner.

CFP: Undead in the West: They Just Keep Coming

by Cynthia Miller

Sins of the Fathers: Oedipal Characteristics in Jimmy Corrigan

by DJ Dycus

“CACHALOTE” EO INCÔMODO HEROÍSMO DE SOBREVIVER

by Ricardo Postal