Beth Kathleen Hetland

Will Eisner was a trailblazer in many ways, one of which was to put the term 'graphic novel' on his 1978 book, A Contract with God. He was a tireless advocate for comics and wanted them to be included in scholarly discussions, reach a wide audience, but most importantly be appreciated as a medium, not a genre. A storytelling medium that could be used to tell an infinite number of stories in vastly different ways. By labeling his book as a graphic novel, he was able to do all of that and more. Comics aren't visual arts and they're not prose. They're a medium that exists in the tension between images and text. Readings will supplement this course and provide context and expectations for producing high caliber work paralleled with managing a studio practice and your health. Selections will vary but typically include This One Summer by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki, From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, BTTM FDRS by Ezra Claytan Daniels and Ben Passmore, and The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui. Course work will be largely focused on developing, writing, workshopping, and beginning the visual planning stages for a long form narrative in graphic novel format. Work will be primarily created with the intention to communicate a plan (thumbnails and sketching) not finished artworks. Depending on each individual's needs, there will be varying supplemental material that is created, including but not limited to sketches, visual studies, and research. You don't need to be a master draftsperson to take this course, but you should be ready to visualize what you write.

Will Eisner was a trailblazer in many ways, one of which was to put the term 'graphic novel' on his 1978 book, A Contract with God. He was a tireless advocate for comics and wanted them to be included in scholarly discussions, reach a wide audience, but most importantly be appreciated as a medium, not a genre. A storytelling medium that could be used to tell an infinite number of stories in vastly different ways. By labeling his book as a graphic novel, he was able to do all of that and more. Comics aren't visual arts and they're not prose. They're a medium that exists in the tension between images and text. Readings will supplement this course and provide context and expectations for producing high caliber work paralleled with managing a studio practice and your health. Selections will vary but typically include This One Summer by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki, From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, BTTM FDRS by Ezra Claytan Daniels and Ben Passmore, and The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui. Course work will be largely focused on developing, writing, workshopping, and beginning the visual planning stages for a long form narrative in graphic novel format. Work will be primarily created with the intention to communicate a plan (thumbnails and sketching) not finished artworks. Depending on each individual's needs, there will be varying supplemental material that is created, including but not limited to sketches, visual studies, and research. You don't need to be a master draftsperson to take this course, but you should be ready to visualize what you write.

This seminar will address professional practices for teaching comics and developing proposals, including graphic novel pitches. Part of the semester we will explore a variety of teaching approaches for various age groups and venues while examining unique challenges for comics in particular. Students can expect to create a wide range of documents aimed at preparing them to teach including but not limited to syllabi, teaching statements, lesson plans, lectures, and assignments. The other part will be focused on researching proposal opportunities including residencies, grants, fellowships, and graphic novel pitches. Students will develop and refine language for applications, collect contacts and submission deadlines, and dissect publishing contracts.

Taken every semester, the Graduate Projects courses allow students to focus in private sessions on the development of their work. Students register for 6 hours of Graduate Project credit in each semester of study.

Taken every semester, the Graduate Projects courses allow students to focus in private sessions on the development of their work. Students register for 6 hours of Graduate Project credit in each semester of study.

Taken every semester, the Graduate Projects courses allow students to focus in private sessions on the development of their work. Students register for 6 hours of Graduate Project credit in each semester of study.