Comics at the Crossroads

Undergraduate / Graduate

Mid-1985 to mid-1986 is the most important year in comics history. This course is an introduction to comics through the prism of this period with snapshots of comics "before" and comics "after"; major texts are Maus, Watchmen, Crisis on Infinite Earths, and The Dark Knight Returns, all of which were released (or released in accessible formats) in '85-'86. We will try to identify the various forces that made this remarkable year possible: changes in the comics business, in American politics and culture, and in the life cycle of the superhero. In the mid-80s the "high" and "low" of comics blended like it never had before. This course is designed for the newbie and afficionado alike, whether you're meeting these four of the greatest comics of all time, or rediscovering them within a new milieu. (Fiction)