The Graphic Novel

I felt like I didn’t use enough of McCloud’s book in my graphic novel course in the fall, so I hope to use this post and our discussion to figure out how to better integrate it into an entire course.  The book came up throughout the semester, but we only read chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8.  We began the semester with 1 & 2, and the students, particularly the hardcore comics readers, loved it.  Many of them expressed that McCloud gave them a way to intelligently discuss ideas that they had felt for a long time.  McCloud’s argument that simplicity amplifies identification was probably the most common point that was brought in throughout the semester.  Closure was a close second.  I think we read 3 & 4 with Maus and 8 with Jimmy Corrigan.  I did a Prezi with parts of chapter 3, but otherwise didn’t directly discuss much from these chapters.  The students actually did use the chapters in their discussions, papers, and presentations, but not as much as they used 1 & 2.

Reading the entire book again for the fourth time, I’m still not sure how to use the chapters, but here is what I am thinking:

1. Use Chapters 1, 2, and 6 for the introduction to the course.  6 seems to fit with 1 and 2 as intro material and also complicates the whole combination of words and text part of the equation that McCloud leaves out of his definition.  Last time I also had the class watch the Superheroes Unmasked documentary in the History Channel.  It was helpful to start the class, but it might be more appropriate to begin Watchmen with.
2. Use Chapter 3 with Maus again to explore reader complicity in connection to closure.  I like what I started with my Prezi, but I kind of flubbed it the first time and I think I could improve it.
3. Last time I used Chapter 8 with Jimmy Corrigan, but I think Chapter 4 might be a better fit.  Chris Ware is constantly exploring the connection of the past and future to the present, and parts of McCloud’s discussion on time would work really well.  Maybe another Prezi?
4. Chapter 5 would have worked with Arkham Asylum, but I’m not sure if I’m going to use Arkham again.  We’ll see. Should be easy to connect 5 to many works though.
5. Most of the books I use are black and white, so Chapter 8 on color might be tricky.  Could bring it in for Ware as well or use with Arkham if I include it.
6. I could use Chapter 7 near the end to connect to some of the questions I bring up early in the semester about how we judge the value of individual works.  McCloud’s discussion of the importance of form and idea is particularly strong. Chapter 9 could work at the end too, but I’m not sure it’s necessary?