At the University of Mary Washington
Fresh out of summer, one of the most significant moments still on my mind, and many others, is the passing of Darwyn Cooke. There are myriad topics that could be covered when talking about a man with such immense talent and influence. From his works as an animator, and both writer and artist for comics, to his use […]
Growing up I remember reading a lot of different kinds of comics that helped to shape my identity early on. Trying to find yourself in media is a standard thing for kids to do when growing up and for me it was never particularly difficult to find idols to adore. Although women in comics have […]
Persepolis is the first and only graphic novel I have read before taking this class. I have gotten to read Persepolis in two different literature classes at Mary Washington, and it is one of the most powerful books I have read in college. Not having any experience with graphic novels before college I was […]
For many years now I have been reading manga a form of Japanese graphic novel. Compared to American graphic novels, manga is a diverse form of graphics that bring more to the table than a single genre. I can say with confidence that unless actual take the time to read from the multiple genres the […]
My experience with comics has been pretty limited prior to reading in this class. I’ve taken some interesting classes here at Mary Washington that have either briefly included comics or have focused on studying the power of images. From Visual Rhetoric, to Global Issues in Literature (where we read Persepolis– the first graphic novel I […]
Originating in Japan, magical girl or Mahou Shoujo is a genre/category of manga and anime that includes tales about..well…magical girls. The name basically says it all. The classic storyline/origin story usually involves a young girl of around middle or high school age being granted a device which allows her to transform and fight evil. The girls usually […]
An artist’s muse can be anything from a song, a color, a person, to pretty much anything in the world. Gavin Aung Thang started a project of comics, Zen Pencils, that were inspired by famous quotes that he finds influential. I remember coming across the comic Strange Like Me and thinking that 10 year old me would […]
There is a place called Binghamton in New York? Where is that? Well, it is the birth place of the B.C. comic author John Hart and it is where I grew up. For most of my life, I can remember the characters from the comic all over town. Today, you can find and drive by 100 […]
Remember that one time in your childhood when you were inspired to be a superhero? Well for me it all started with the graphic novel series of Captain Underpants. Captain Underpants fixed all problems and had some of the coolest battles with some of the weirdest villains. It all stated when I was about six […]