Despite the fact that critics and scholars across the globe have been writing about comics for decades, many people were surprised to hear that at the University of Oregon, the Department of Comparative Literature now offers comics-dedicated courses and you can even minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies. In “COLT 370: Comics Theory Around the World,” we will delve into the exciting and interesting theories that create the foundation for comics studies. How do we read comics? How do comics create meaning? What even counts as comics in the first place? By reading theory alongside comics from different genres and national/linguistic backgrounds, this class will introduce newcomers and comics fans alike to the exciting and challenging world of comics theory.
Comics Studies Minor
Comics Studies Minor courses present students with an international, historical, and critical perspective on the art of editorial cartoons, comic books, and graphic novels, and how these forms communicate, inform, and emotionally engage their audiences. Students will be required to think outside of accustomed disciplinary boundaries, and to analyze and experiment with the interaction of both visual and linguistic systems of meaning.
