HART288 Comics: History & Theory 3cr

Comics: History and Theory is a broad survey course on the history and theory of comics, from

the beginnings to the present, that deals with American, European, and Japanese comics. This

course provides students with a broad overview of the history of the medium as well as the tools to

analyze and compare comics in terms of narrative techniques, combination of text and visuals,

style, and content. The course assignments are designed to integrate the two main tracks of the

course: history and theory. Students will situate comics within the context of the major genres

(from super heroes, underground comics, graphic novels/memoirs, to manga and European comics),

and within the broader context of the history of the medium. The course will also deal with social

issues related to the making and reading of comics, and how these are reflected in comics.

Prerequisites: HART-100

LEC

Instructor’s Discretion