COURSE SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
January 19 / Thursday: INTRODUCTION
WEEK 2
January 23 / Monday: SUPERMAN & THE BIRTH OF THE COMIC BOOK INDUSTRY
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, Chapter 1 ("Superheroes for the Common Man: The Birth of the Comic Book Industry, 1933-1941"), pp. 3-29
• Action Comics # 1 (1938)
January 26 / Thursday: discussion of BATMAN AND BILL movie
• watch documentary: Batman & Bill (92 mins, 2017)
• watch video: "Kevin Smith: Batman Origins of the Joker" (37 mins, March 2016)
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1
WEEK 3 (REMOTE)
January 30 / Monday: WORLD WAR II
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, Chapter 2 ("Race, Politics and Propaganda: Comic Books Go to War, 1939-1945"), pp. 30-55
• Captain America Comics # 1 (1941)
February 2 / Thursday: WONDER WOMAN
• Trina Robbins, “The Great Women Superheroes” from The Superhero Reader, pp. 53-60
• Gloria Steinem, “Wonder Woman” from The Superhero Reader, pp. 203-210.
WEEK 4
February 6 / Monday: discussion of SUPERMAN movie
• watch film Superman (143 mins, 1978)
• Richard Reynolds, "Masked Heroes" from The Superhero Reader, pp. 99-115.
• Tom Breihan, “Age of Heroes: Superman”
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 2
February 9 / Thursday: PRESENTATIONS 1 (Theme: "Man of Tomorrow")
• Superman II (1980)
• Superman Returns (2006)
• Man of Steel (2013)
WEEK 5
February 13 / Monday: COMIC BOOKS IN CRISIS
• QUIZ 1
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, Chapter 4 (“Youth Crisis: Comic Books and Controversy, 1947-1950”), pp. 86-108 and Chapter 6 (“Turning Point: Comic Books in Crisis, 1954-1955”), pp. 154-179
• Fredric Wertham, “The Superman Conceit” from The Superhero Reader, pp. 46-52
February 16 / Thursday: discussion of BATMAN movie
• watch film Batman (126 mins, 1989)
• Andy Medhurst, “Batman, Deviance and Camp” from The Superhero Reader, pp. 237-251.
• Tom Breihan, “The Age of Heroes: Batman”
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 3
WEEK 6
February 21 / Tuesday: MARVEL COMICS, Pt. 1
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, Chapter 7 (“Great Power and Great Responsibility: Superheroes in a Superpower, 1956-1957”), pp. 201-225
• Robert Genter, “ ‘With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility’: Cold War Culture and the Birth of Marvel Comics,” pp. 953-978 (read only pp. 953-969)
• Fantastic Four # 1 (1961)
February 23 / Thursday: PRESENTATIONS 2 (Theme: "The Nostalgic Superhero")
• The Rocketeer (1991)
• Mystery Men (1999)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
• Wonder Woman (2017)
WEEK 7
February 27 / Monday: MARVEL COMICS, Pt. 2
• The Amazing Spider-Man # 14 (1964)
• The Amazing Spider-Man # 96 (1971)
# 97 (1971)
# 98 (1971)
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, Chapter 8 ("Questioning Authority: Comic Books and Cultural Change, 1968-1979"), pp. 226-253.
• Robert Genter, “ ‘With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility’: Cold War Culture and the Birth of Marvel Comics,” pp. 953-978 (read only pp. 969-974)
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 4
March 2 / Thursday: THE 'OTHER'
• QUIZ 2
• Clancy Smith, "Days of Future Past: Segregation, Oppression and Technology in X-Men and America," pp. 63-76.
• The Uncanny X-Men # 141 and # 142
WEEK 8
March 6 / Monday: PRESENTATIONS 3 (Theme: "Franchise Starters")
• X-Men (2000)
• Spider-Man (2002)
• Batman Begins (2005)
+
• Clancy Smith, "Days of Future Past: Segregation, Oppression and Technology in X-Men and America," pp. 63-76.
• The Uncanny X-Men # 141 and # 142
March 9 / Thursday: COMICS IN THE 1980s and 1990s
• Read GRAPHIC NOVEL: Frank Miller, The Dark Knight Returns (DC Comics, 1986)
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, Chapter 9 (“Direct to Fans: The Comic Book Industry, 1980-1992”), pp. 254-281
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 5
NO CLASS: March 13-17 (SPRING BREAK)
WEEK 9
March 20 / Monday: DECONSTRUCTING SUPERHEROES
• read GRAPHIC NOVEL: Alan Moore: Watchmen (DC Comics, 1986-1987)
March 23 / Thursday: discussion of WATCHMEN movie
• watch film Watchmen (163 mins, 2009)
• GUEST SPEAKER: Video Essayist Patrick H. Willems
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 6
WEEK 10
March 27 / Monday: SUPER VILLAINS
• read GRAPHIC NOVEL: Mark Millar, Superman: Red Son (DC Comics, 2003)
• David A. Pizarro and Roy Baumeister, “Superhero as Moral Pornography,” pp. 19-36.
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 7
March 30 / Thursday: PRESENTATIONS 4 (Theme: "Alternative Histories")
• QUIZ 3
• V for Vendetta (2006)
• X-Men: First Class (2011)
• X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
WEEK 11
April 3 / Monday: discussion of IRON MAN & THE DARK KNIGHT movies
• watch both Iron Man (126 mins, 2008) and The Dark Knight (152 mins, 2008)
• Tom Breihan, “The Age of Heroes: The Dark Knight”
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (optional)
April 6 / Thursday: NO CLASS
WEEK 12
April 10 / Monday: NO CLASS
April 13 / Thursday: GENDER (Remote)
• read GRAPHIC NOVEL: G. Willow Wilson, MS. MARVEL, Vol. 1 (Marvel Comics, 2014-15)
• Elizabeth Behm-Morowitz and Hillary Pennell, “The Effects of Superhero Sagas on Our Gendered Selves” from Our Superheroes, Our Bodies, pp. 73-93.
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 8
WEEK 13
April 17 / Monday: PRESENTATIONS 5 (Theme: "Surveillance and Authority")
• Dredd (2012)
• Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014)
• Captain America: Civil War (2016)
April 20 / Thursday: OUR BODIES, OUR SHELLS
• read GRAPHIC NOVEL: Tom King, VISION, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 (Marvel Comics, 2019)
• David Cantwell, "The Wisdom of 'The Vision': A Superhero Story About Family and Fitting In," The New Yorker, March 22, 2018.
• complete VISION assignment
WEEK 14
April 24 / Monday: PRESENTATIONS 6 (Theme: "Deconstruction")
CLASS CANCELLED TO SUPPORT FORDHAM GRADUATE STUDENTS
• Deadpool (2016)
• Logan (2017)
• Joker (2019)
April 27 / Thursday: PRESENTATIONS + 9/11 AND COMICS
• Deadpool (2016)
• Logan (2017)
• Joker (2019)
+
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, “Spider-Man at Ground Zero,” pp. 287-293
• Jeffrey K. Johnson, “Terrified Protectors: The Early Twenty-First Century Fear Narrative in Comic Book Superhero Stories,” pp. 1-9.
• The Amazing Spider-Man # 36
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 9
WEEK 15
May 1 / Monday: RACE & COLONIALISM: discussion of BLACK PANTHER movie
• watch Black Panther (134 mins, 2018)
• Wallace, “Why ‘Black Panther’ is a Defining Moment for Black America”
• DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 10
• QUIZ 4
May 8 / Monday / 1:30 - 3:30 PM
FINAL
• Robin S. Rosenberg, “Our Fascination with Superheroes” from Our Superheroes, Our Bodies, pp. 3-18.
• Peter J. Jordan, "Emotions in Comics" from Our Relationship with Superheroes, pp. 53-71.
WEEK 1
January 19 / Thursday: INTRODUCTION
WEEK 2
January 23 / Monday: SUPERMAN & THE BIRTH OF THE COMIC BOOK INDUSTRY
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, Chapter 1 ("Superheroes for the Common Man: The Birth of the Comic Book Industry, 1933-1941"), pp. 3-29
• Action Comics # 1 (1938)
January 26 / Thursday: discussion of BATMAN AND BILL movie
• watch documentary: Batman & Bill (92 mins, 2017)
• watch video: "Kevin Smith: Batman Origins of the Joker" (37 mins, March 2016)
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1
WEEK 3 (REMOTE)
January 30 / Monday: WORLD WAR II
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, Chapter 2 ("Race, Politics and Propaganda: Comic Books Go to War, 1939-1945"), pp. 30-55
• Captain America Comics # 1 (1941)
February 2 / Thursday: WONDER WOMAN
• Trina Robbins, “The Great Women Superheroes” from The Superhero Reader, pp. 53-60
• Gloria Steinem, “Wonder Woman” from The Superhero Reader, pp. 203-210.
WEEK 4
February 6 / Monday: discussion of SUPERMAN movie
• watch film Superman (143 mins, 1978)
• Richard Reynolds, "Masked Heroes" from The Superhero Reader, pp. 99-115.
• Tom Breihan, “Age of Heroes: Superman”
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 2
February 9 / Thursday: PRESENTATIONS 1 (Theme: "Man of Tomorrow")
• Superman II (1980)
• Superman Returns (2006)
• Man of Steel (2013)
WEEK 5
February 13 / Monday: COMIC BOOKS IN CRISIS
• QUIZ 1
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, Chapter 4 (“Youth Crisis: Comic Books and Controversy, 1947-1950”), pp. 86-108 and Chapter 6 (“Turning Point: Comic Books in Crisis, 1954-1955”), pp. 154-179
• Fredric Wertham, “The Superman Conceit” from The Superhero Reader, pp. 46-52
February 16 / Thursday: discussion of BATMAN movie
• watch film Batman (126 mins, 1989)
• Andy Medhurst, “Batman, Deviance and Camp” from The Superhero Reader, pp. 237-251.
• Tom Breihan, “The Age of Heroes: Batman”
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 3
WEEK 6
February 21 / Tuesday: MARVEL COMICS, Pt. 1
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, Chapter 7 (“Great Power and Great Responsibility: Superheroes in a Superpower, 1956-1957”), pp. 201-225
• Robert Genter, “ ‘With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility’: Cold War Culture and the Birth of Marvel Comics,” pp. 953-978 (read only pp. 953-969)
• Fantastic Four # 1 (1961)
February 23 / Thursday: PRESENTATIONS 2 (Theme: "The Nostalgic Superhero")
• The Rocketeer (1991)
• Mystery Men (1999)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
• Wonder Woman (2017)
WEEK 7
February 27 / Monday: MARVEL COMICS, Pt. 2
• The Amazing Spider-Man # 14 (1964)
• The Amazing Spider-Man # 96 (1971)
# 97 (1971)
# 98 (1971)
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, Chapter 8 ("Questioning Authority: Comic Books and Cultural Change, 1968-1979"), pp. 226-253.
• Robert Genter, “ ‘With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility’: Cold War Culture and the Birth of Marvel Comics,” pp. 953-978 (read only pp. 969-974)
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 4
March 2 / Thursday: THE 'OTHER'
• QUIZ 2
• Clancy Smith, "Days of Future Past: Segregation, Oppression and Technology in X-Men and America," pp. 63-76.
• The Uncanny X-Men # 141 and # 142
WEEK 8
March 6 / Monday: PRESENTATIONS 3 (Theme: "Franchise Starters")
• X-Men (2000)
• Spider-Man (2002)
• Batman Begins (2005)
+
• Clancy Smith, "Days of Future Past: Segregation, Oppression and Technology in X-Men and America," pp. 63-76.
• The Uncanny X-Men # 141 and # 142
March 9 / Thursday: COMICS IN THE 1980s and 1990s
• Read GRAPHIC NOVEL: Frank Miller, The Dark Knight Returns (DC Comics, 1986)
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, Chapter 9 (“Direct to Fans: The Comic Book Industry, 1980-1992”), pp. 254-281
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 5
NO CLASS: March 13-17 (SPRING BREAK)
WEEK 9
March 20 / Monday: DECONSTRUCTING SUPERHEROES
• read GRAPHIC NOVEL: Alan Moore: Watchmen (DC Comics, 1986-1987)
March 23 / Thursday: discussion of WATCHMEN movie
• watch film Watchmen (163 mins, 2009)
• GUEST SPEAKER: Video Essayist Patrick H. Willems
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 6
WEEK 10
March 27 / Monday: SUPER VILLAINS
• read GRAPHIC NOVEL: Mark Millar, Superman: Red Son (DC Comics, 2003)
• David A. Pizarro and Roy Baumeister, “Superhero as Moral Pornography,” pp. 19-36.
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 7
March 30 / Thursday: PRESENTATIONS 4 (Theme: "Alternative Histories")
• QUIZ 3
• V for Vendetta (2006)
• X-Men: First Class (2011)
• X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
WEEK 11
April 3 / Monday: discussion of IRON MAN & THE DARK KNIGHT movies
• watch both Iron Man (126 mins, 2008) and The Dark Knight (152 mins, 2008)
• Tom Breihan, “The Age of Heroes: The Dark Knight”
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (optional)
April 6 / Thursday: NO CLASS
WEEK 12
April 10 / Monday: NO CLASS
April 13 / Thursday: GENDER (Remote)
• read GRAPHIC NOVEL: G. Willow Wilson, MS. MARVEL, Vol. 1 (Marvel Comics, 2014-15)
• Elizabeth Behm-Morowitz and Hillary Pennell, “The Effects of Superhero Sagas on Our Gendered Selves” from Our Superheroes, Our Bodies, pp. 73-93.
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 8
WEEK 13
April 17 / Monday: PRESENTATIONS 5 (Theme: "Surveillance and Authority")
• Dredd (2012)
• Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014)
• Captain America: Civil War (2016)
April 20 / Thursday: OUR BODIES, OUR SHELLS
• read GRAPHIC NOVEL: Tom King, VISION, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 (Marvel Comics, 2019)
• David Cantwell, "The Wisdom of 'The Vision': A Superhero Story About Family and Fitting In," The New Yorker, March 22, 2018.
• complete VISION assignment
WEEK 14
April 24 / Monday: PRESENTATIONS 6 (Theme: "Deconstruction")
CLASS CANCELLED TO SUPPORT FORDHAM GRADUATE STUDENTS
• Deadpool (2016)
• Logan (2017)
• Joker (2019)
April 27 / Thursday: PRESENTATIONS + 9/11 AND COMICS
• Deadpool (2016)
• Logan (2017)
• Joker (2019)
+
• Wright, Comic Book Nation, “Spider-Man at Ground Zero,” pp. 287-293
• Jeffrey K. Johnson, “Terrified Protectors: The Early Twenty-First Century Fear Narrative in Comic Book Superhero Stories,” pp. 1-9.
• The Amazing Spider-Man # 36
• complete DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 9
WEEK 15
May 1 / Monday: RACE & COLONIALISM: discussion of BLACK PANTHER movie
• watch Black Panther (134 mins, 2018)
• Wallace, “Why ‘Black Panther’ is a Defining Moment for Black America”
• DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 10
• QUIZ 4
May 8 / Monday / 1:30 - 3:30 PM
FINAL
• Robin S. Rosenberg, “Our Fascination with Superheroes” from Our Superheroes, Our Bodies, pp. 3-18.
• Peter J. Jordan, "Emotions in Comics" from Our Relationship with Superheroes, pp. 53-71.