69444 - History of Anglo-American Culture (LM)

Learning outcomes

The course is an introduction to the interdisciplinary study of North American culture. Through the analysis of significant case studies, the student widens her/his knowledge of patterns and developments in the history of US culture, with particular focus on the relations between arts and their historical, cultural, and linguistic contexts. American Graphic Novels will introduce students to American culture at large through the unusual doorway of comics, more and more influential in the articulation of an updated critical discourse.

Course contents

American Graphic Novels

 

The course aims at delving into just another form of (American) storytelling. It will open on a necessary overview of the (cultural) history of American comics, while focussing on the avant-gardes of the late 1970s and 1980s out of which, in a way, the American graphic novel has developed. Documents like Le musée privé d'Art Spiegelman (2012) and Comic Book Confidential (Ron Mann, 1988) will be used as suitable introductions to graphic art.

Both storytelling- and graphic devices & techniques will be discussed, particularly dealing with the following:

Alison Bechdel, Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic (2006)

Daniel Clowes, Ghost World (1993-1997)

Will Eisner, A Contract with God (1978)

Hernandez Bros., Love and Rockets (1981-c2001)

Ben Katchor, Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer (1988-to date)

David Mazzucchelli, City of Glass (1994, with Paul Karasik), Asterios Polyp (2009)

Frank Miller, The Dark Knight Returns (1986)

Harvey Pekar, American Splendor (1976-c2010)

Joe Sacco, Palestine (1993-1995)

Art Spiegelman, Maus (1980-1991), In the Shadow of No Towers (2004)

Tom Tomorrow, This Modern World (1988-to date)

Chris Ware, The Adventures of Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth (2000)

Other comics and graphic novels by the same authors will be examined, and other artists will be touched upon, particularly as to the literary coté of some of their works and/or collaborations. A particular attention will be devoted to the permeability of graphic narrative into other art forms (theatre, modern dance, multimedia performances, radio, film, music).

Specific autobiographical and metanarrative aspects will be analyzed, too, and some films will enter the course syllabus, namely Terry Zwigoff's Crumb (1994) and Ghost World (2001), Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini's American Splendor (2003) and Mark Daniels' La BD s'en va t-en guerre (2009).

Readings/Bibliography

Selected Bibliography

N.B.: What follows herewith is a preliminary, concise list of sources that will be examined and processed during the course. At the beginning of the course, a full bibliography will be distributed, along with the course schedule and the course materials (posted on AlmaDL). Also, a course log will be published by the instructor on his institutional "webpage docente", constantly updating course developments and providing useful tips about the students' study.

Brunetti, Ivan, ed. An Anthology of Graphic Fiction, Cartoons, & True Stories (Volumes 1&2). New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2006 & 2008

Carlin, John-Karasik, Paul-Walker, Brian, eds. Masters of American Comics. Los Angeles: Hammer Museum and The Museum of Contemporary Art, in association with New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2005

Chute, Hillary. Graphic Women. Life Narrative & Contemporary Comics. New York: Columbia University Press, 2010

Dowd, D. B.-Hignite, Todd, eds. Strips, Toons, and Blusies. Essays in Comics and Culture. New York: Princeton Architectural Press & Washington University in St. Louis, 2004

Groth, Gary-Thompson, Kim, eds. Misfit Lit. Contemporary Comic Art. Seattle: Fantagraphics Books, 1991

Inge, M. Thomas. Comics As Culture. Jackson and London: University Press of Mississippi, 1990

Kurtzman, Harvey (with Michael Barrier). From Aargh! to Zap! Harvey Kurtzman's Visual History of the Comics, New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1991

McCloud, Scott. Understanding Comics. The Invisible Art. 1993

Minganti, Franco. “A macchia di leopardo. Il fumetto americano da Art Spiegelman a Art Spiegelman”, in Fadda, Michele-Pesce, Sara, eds. Lo schermo gigante. Studi in onore di Franco La Polla. Bologna: Ed. Cineteca di Bologna, 2011

Sabin, Roger. Comics, Comix & Graphic Novels. A History of Comic Art. London: Phaidon Press, 1996

Sabin, Roger. Adult Comics: An Introduction. New York: Routledge, 2005

Schwartz, Ben, ed. The Best American Comics Criticism, Seattle: Fantagraphics Books, 2010

VvAa. The Best American Comics (Series of yearly publications). Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 (start date)

Ware, Chris, ed., McSweeney, 13 (“An Assorted Sampler of North American Comic Drawings, Strips, and Illustrated Stories”), 2004

Weiner, Stephen-Couch, Chris.  Faster Than a Speeding Bullet: The Rise of the Graphic Novel . Syracuse, NY: NBM Publishing, 2004

Witek, Joseph. Comic Books As History. The Narrative Art of Jack Jackson, Art Spiegelman, and Harvey Pekar. Jackson: University of Mississippi Press, 1989

Witek, Joseph, ed. Art Spiegelman. Conversations. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2007

Teaching methods

Seminar course [in English] with part lecture, part class discussion. Attendance is strongly recommended.

Assessment methods

The final exam consists of two parts, one written and one oral. Students will discuss a paper project with the instructor and submit it at the end of the course (10-15 pages long, complete with footnotes and bibliography). Their papers will be evaluated with reference to the critical and methodological competence developed. Specifically, they will be evaluated against the awareness and knowledge of the (mandatory) course syllabus and materials. The students' ability to reorganize course materials -- primary and secondary sources, seminar work in class included -- into an original critical discourse or angle will be particularly appreciated. Also appreciated will be a solid, organic reference to the cultural-(micro-)historical background of American storytelling at large, with a specific attention for comics and graphic novels. The quality and propriety of written language used will constitute a significant element of the overall evaluation. All these elements, at their best, will indicate a level of excellence, and judged accordingly; while less original developments with less grounded critical reference will lead to middle evaluations (as long as the students show a sufficient general understanding of the course topics). "Minimalistic" papers with poorly developed argumentations, or else casual compilations of particularly unorganized developments (typically cut&paste-constructed), will be considered unacceptable and consequently turned down.

 

An oral conversation with the instructor will also take place. It will move from the instructor's comments and remarks on the paper to the exploration of the context of the course's topics and syllabus. Such a conversation will be particularly useful in order for the instructor to reach a full assessment of the student's work and preparation (her/his knowledge and understanding, ability of making autonomous judgements, communication and learning skills, as applied to the course's specific grounds), and for the student to better illustrate and explain possible misunderstandings with her/his paperwork.

In front of a negative evaluation of the student's paperwork, such a conversation exchange would offer a full picture of the situation. Students unable to reach the required minimal level of proficiency would need to re-take the exam on some other session.

Teaching tools

For this course we will resort to audiovisual materials of various kinds, some of which are rare or not particularly easy to find. That is why attendance is strongly recommended.

Office hours

See the website of Franco Minganti