Class Description
In this discussion-based class, we will explore the portrayal of distinct Chicago neighborhoods in contemporary graphic novels, focusing on 1960s Uptown, 2000s Humboldt Park, and 2010s South Side.
Eve Ewing’s Ironheart series, Emil Ferris’s My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, and Chris Ware’s Building Stories will provide three lenses to view Chicago through their specific interpretation of the “graphic novel.” Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art will serve as a guiding text as we navigate these three works.
Brian Lynch holds an MA in English literature from Northwestern University and a BA in comparative literature from Brown University. He is currently active as an independent scholar.
Materials List
Required:
- Chris Ware, Building Stories. Pantheon, 2012. ISBN: 978-0375424335
- Scott McCloud, Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. William Morrow Paperbacks, 1994. ISBN: 978-0060976255
- Eve Ewing, Ironheart Vol. 1: Those With Courage. Marvel, 2019. ISBN: 978-1302915087
- Emil Ferris, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters. Fantagraphics, 2017. ISBN: 978-1606999592
First Reading:
- Please read Understanding Comics for the first session.
Cost and Registration
Four sessions, $215 ($193.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
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