Wednesday Night University: The Rise of Graphic Novels

Graphic novels are essentially long-format comics and are considered a valid literary art form. They take many shapes but usually demonstrate an often complex narrative within a carefully constructed visual structure, with a concern for strong character development and plot strategies akin to much contemporary prose. Authors/artists working in this form address all manner of serious subjects worthy of study. In this session, we will begin by exploring sequential art from its earliest occurrence to modern fictional and superhero tales based on allegory and myth to the genre’s emergence in the form of nonfiction text-image narratives focusing on wide-ranging human experiences and global events, or “auto-graphic novels.”