Modules

Core Module Information
Module title: Comics and Culture
SCQF level: 09:
SCQF credit value: 20.00
ECTS credit value: 10
Module code: CLP09142
Module leader: Frederik Byrn Kohlert
School School of Arts and Creative Industries
Subject area group: Media and Humanities
Prerequisites

There are no pre-requisites for this module to be added
Description of module content:

Beyond their common association with superheroes, comics have a long and varied history that reaches back to the modern development of the form in the late nineteenth century. This module will take a broad perspective and will provide an in-depth examination of comics and their associated cultures. You will read a wide range of different primary texts, with a focus on contemporary comics and graphic novels. The module’s approach will be global, and you will read comics from North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Japan. In addition to these texts, you will read secondary literature from comics studies and related fields, which will help you understand the various cultural contexts and production practices. You will also examine comics through different thematic perspectives, such as race, gender, and sexuality. Throughout, you will learn to pay special attention to form as well as content when reading comics and you will develop a critical vocabulary for evaluating the aesthetics of the form. The module also includes an opportunity to learn about the comics form through creative practice, an approach that is integrated into the module’s design and learning objectives at every stage.
Learning Outcomes for module:

Upon completion of this module you will be able to

LO1: Critically reflect on the history of comics and associated graphic forms, including their place in the contemporary cultural landscape

LO2: Examine the relationship between comics and their varied cultural contexts in a global perspective

LO3: Demonstrate knowledge about the formal features of comics, including such aspects as layout, design, drawing style, and word-image interplay

LO4: Apply knowledge about the formal features of comics to the production of creative-critical work

LO5: Implement insights gained from creative-critical work in order to think and write about the medium of comics in an integrated and transformative way
Full Details of Teaching and Assessment
2024/5, Trimester 2, In Person,
VIEW FULL DETAILS
Occurrence: 001
Primary mode of delivery: In Person
Location of delivery: MERCHISTON
Partner:
Member of staff responsible for delivering module: Frederik Byrn Kohlert
Module Organiser:


Student Activity (Notional Equivalent Study Hours (NESH))
Mode of activityLearning & Teaching ActivityNESH (Study Hours)NESH Description
Face To Face Tutorial 10 Weekly tutorials consisting of class discussion and various in-class activities including drawing assignments, presentations, group work, and other learning activities.
Online Guided independent study 170 Students will prepare for the weekly classes, which will include reading and watching the assigned material. In addition, students will research and complete the formative as well as summative assignments during this time, which will involve independent research into topics of their choice.
Face To Face Lecture 20 Weekly lecture introducing students to the main historical and critical issues of the week's topic.
Total Study Hours200
Expected Total Study Hours for Module200


Assessment
Type of Assessment Weighting % LOs covered Week due Length in Hours/Words Description
Project - Written 30 1~2~3~4 Week 6 , WORDS= 10 hours For this assignment, you will choose a page from a comic on the reading list to visually analyze. This means that you will either trace the page on tracing paper or redraw it in your own hand. You will then annotate the page with notes and diagrammatic elements, in which you explain the effect of the various stylistic and other creative elements of the page. In other words, you will need to offer analytical commentary about why certain interesting creative decisions seem to have been made, and what they do to your understanding of the comic. The emphasis here is on observation—how much can you notice?—and what you can deduce from everything you have observed. The assignment is designed to help you think about the construction of a comic—how is it made, why is it made in this way, and what is the effect of it being made this way?—and it will be an important first step as you learn to visually analyze comics. You must bring a hard copy with you to class on the due date. It is expected that you will spend 10 hours on this assessment.
Project - Written 70 1~2~3~4~5 Week 12 , WORDS= 25 hours For this assignment, you will choose a comic that is not on the reading list to review in comics form—that is, you’ll be creating your own comic that describes, reflects on, and evaluates another comic. The comic can take any form you like, but the result should display awareness, understanding, and use of the comics form as discussed in class. In addition, it should have a clearly-defined opinion about the quality of the comic you are reviewing that goes well beyond a simple binary (this is awesome/this sucks) evaluation. You will receive a detailed checklist in advance, which will help you ensure your comic fulfils the requirements. There is no specific length requirement, but your comic should represent a substantial engagement with the comic under review. If you genuinely feel like it is long enough to achieve this, it probably is. You are welcome to create the comic any way you like (by hand or digitally), but you must bring a hard copy with you to class to hand in on the due date.Please note that prior drawing experience is not necessary to complete this assignment successfully; in comics, basic stick figures and other simple drawings can be just as effective as more polished artwork, and your grade will be independent of your technical drawing skills.The review comic must be accompanied by a 1000-word written reflection that critically engages with both your finished comic and your creative process. For this part of the assignment, in other words, you will draw on everything you have learned about comics and culture and apply the appropriate critical vocabulary to a consideration of your own comic. It is expected that you will spend 25 hours on this assessment.
Component 1 subtotal: 30
Component 2 subtotal: 70
Module subtotal: 100

Indicative References and Reading List - URL:
CLP09142: Comics and Culture
 

Related information