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 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
2026/7, 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 Kohlert
Module Organiser:


Student Activity (Notional Equivalent Study Hours (NESH))
Mode of activityLearning & Teaching ActivityNESH (Study Hours)NESH Description
Online Guided independent study 170 Each week reading materials and resources will be issued on Moodle (these will also be shared via the Module leganto list at the beginning of the module should you wish more time to engage with the materials). You are expected to read and reflect on the essential reading material which can be discussed during the seminar sessions. Resources to help you to read and take productive study notes created by the University's Academic Skills team can be accessed on the module moodle page. In addition, you will research and complete the assessments during this time, which also includes our Reading Week in week 7. This will involve independent research into topics of your choice, enabling you to learn at your own pace and according to your own style. You have a variety of options for the format in which to complete these, allowing you to further take advantage of your individual approach to learning.
Face To Face Seminar 30 Our weekly seminars will be lecturer-facilitated but will allow you to explore and apply theory introduced in the readings to consolidate your knowledge and understanding. The majority of the discussion will be student-led and happen either within small groups or as a full class. To get full benefit from the seminar and to support other students, you are expected to come prepared having engaged with the essential reading - however your lecturer will support you if that has not been possible during that week. Each week, you will be given a description of that week's topic and the main questions we will be asking in class, which will help you prepare and get the most out of class time.
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 5 , 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 its various stylistic and other elements. You are encouraged to be as creative as possible, and to draw and write directly onto the page. In your engagement with the page, 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 on what you can deduce from everything you have observed. It is not enough to simply point out a handful of things; the idea is to be as exhaustive as you possibly can.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 step as you learn to visually analyze comics. You must bring a hard copy with you to class on the due date. In addition, you need to upload a digital version (scans or photos of the entire project) to Moodle.Reasonable adjustments for inclusivity can be agreed with the module leader; please come speak to me as soon as possible to arrange for this.
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 hand in a hard copy by the due date. In addition, you need to upload a digital version (original image files, scans, or photos of the entire comic) to Moodle.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 mark 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.Reasonable adjustments for inclusivity can be agreed with the module leader; please come speak to me as soon as possible to arrange for this.
Component 1 subtotal: 30
Component 2 subtotal: 70
Module subtotal: 100

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