Handbook : Unit informationEdith Cowan University

Faculty of Education and Arts

School: Communications and Arts

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

• Unit Title

  Graphic Novels

• Unit Code

  ENG3160

• Year

  2015

• Enrolment Period

  1

• Version

  1

• Credit Points

  15

• Full Year Unit

  N

• Mode of Delivery

  Online

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Description

This unit introduces the history of the graphic novel and provides cultural and social contexts for the production of contemporary graphic novels in the USA, Europe and Japan. Students are given analytical strategies to critique the visual and literary narrative devices used in graphic novels. As part of their assessment, students analyse a graphic novel of their choice and produce examples of either a short script or story board.

Non Standard Timetable Requirements

ONLINE

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded MST3160

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Critically evaluate the use of literary and visual narratives in the graphic novel.
2. Identify the cultural and historical paradigms of the graphic novel.
3. Identify the use of text and image in the graphic novel.

Unit Content

1. Imagery and text.
2. Manga.
3. Scripting.
4. Sequential art in the USA.
5. The European graphic novel.
6. Theories of literary and visual narrative.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Online reading and participation.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

Text References

• Beaty, B. (2007). Unpopular culture: Transforming the European comic book in the 1990s. Toronto: Toronto University Press.
• Berona, D. (2008). Wordless Books: The Original Graphic Novels. New York: Abrams.
• Booker, K. (2011). Encyclopaedia of Comic Books and Graphic Novels. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Press.
• Chinn, M. (2004). Writing and illustrating the graphic novel. Chicargo: Barron's Publishing.
• Dorfman, A., & Mattelard, A. (1984). How to read Donald Duck: Imperialist imagery in the Disney comic. New York: International General.
• Eiser, W. (2008). Comics and sequential art. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
• Fisher, D. and Frey, N. (2008) Teaching Visual Literacy: using comic books, graphic novels, anime, cartoons and more to develop comprehension and thinking skills. Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin Press.
• Gravett, P. (2005). Graphic novels: Everything you need to know. London, UK: Collins.
• Koyama-Richard, B. One thousand years of Manga. London, UK: Flammarrion.
• McCloud, S. (1994). Understanding comics. New York: Harper Collins.
• Serchay, D.S. (2008). The Librarian's Guide to Graphic Novels for Children and Tweens. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers.

Journal References

• Jobs, I. (2003). Tarzan under attack: Youth, comics and cultural reconstruction in postwar France. French Historical Studies, 26 (4), 687-725.
• Ito, K. (2005). A history of Manga in the context of Japanese culture and society. Journal of Popular Culture, 3 (38), 456-475.
• Hatfied, C. (2005). Narrative vs. non-narrative demands, or comic art and fragmentation in Aliki's How a book is made. Children's Literature Association Quarterly, 30 (1), 88-99.
• Tabachnik, S. (1993). Of Maus and memory: The structure of art: Spiegelmans graphic novel of the Holocaust. Word and Image, 9 (2), 154-163.
• Chute, H. (2006). Graphic narrative. Modern Fiction Studies, 52 (4), 767-782.

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