We will be working on the visual aspect of our MGRP visuals tomorrow.  Please remember to bring your sources to class, as we will be turning in a rough outline/project proposal at the end of class.  This outline should contain the following:

• A description of media to be used (computer animation, pen and ink, collage, photography, etc.)
• A description of content to be included in the work (metaphor, color, design elements, text, sketch of panels if creating a comic strip)
• A list of sources to be referenced in the work (these are the books/papers you should bring to class tomorrow)

We will be spending a lot of time on this project, so spend time thinking about what you would like to say with your piece (message), then determine how you should deliver it (medium).  If you have any questions, or would like to run an idea by the class, post a comment below.

Today we discussed possible topics for our next essays.  Here’s what we came up with:

1st Hour Dracula—after exploring various symbols in Stoker’s novel (vampires, the stake, blood, the transfusions, lightness and darkness, etc), we came up with several topics from the book, which are listed below:

• Fear of the unknown
• Fear of death
• Good versus evil
• Holy versus unholy
• Purity versus corruption

We also explored the vampire metaphor (life/health/soul/purity/blood-sucking) in modern culture and society.  For the essay, each student will be writing a short fictional piece implementing the vampire metaphor and one or more of the topics listed above.  We will be workshopping these in class tomorrow, and they are due Monday the 14th.  The papers should be at least two typed pages, double-spaced, 12 pt font, header, etc.

3rd Hour War of the Worlds—as with Dracula, we explored various symbols in the novel (aliens, the alien technology, the curate, the hero), then pulled several topics from the work:

• Foreign versus domestic
• Adversity
• Humanity/inhumanity
• War
• Interaction between opposing cultures

Students will write a short analysis of "Book I" from Wells’s novel, discussing one of the topics above and supplementing their argument with quotations from the text.

4th Hour War of the Worlds—Using an "invasion" metaphor, students will write a short fiction piece using one or more of the topics above from War of the Worlds.  The perimeters of the paper are the same as those for the Dracula piece above.

Today in class we continued yesterday’s discussion of tone in a few examples from Thompson, Ware, Miller, and Eisner, then moved to Imagery in graphic works.

If you were absent today, please see me tomorrow so I can catch you up, as we completed an assignment worth 20 points in class.

Homework: 1st hour, read chapter 15 of Dracula

2nd hour, read chapters 17-Book II Ch 1 of War of the Worlds

Today we went over a few terms specific to graphic works with this handout, which I found on TeachingComics.org (cite your sources…):

(Click the image to expand.)  The most important terms in this handout are those surrounding the sample panel, but dropping "recto" or "verso" into conversation is always good for a strange look.

Then, we went through a super-neat slide show of graphics and images, discussing the tone and diction of each.  If you were absent, I can email the images to you.  We looked at examples of Chris Ware’s bleak and often depressing style, noting the simple lines and use of subdued color.  In a frame from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, we noticed the use of irony in the frame’s idyllic tone and imagery. From many frames from Craig Thompson’s Blankets we noted the dark, oppressive, shameful, and sometimes fearful tone of the images depicting a boy’s movement from childhood to adolescence.

Tomorrow we will continue using McCloud’s "five choices" in our analyses.  We will look at the imagery and literary devices employed in a few passages from graphic novels, and discuss the symbols and archetypes in superhero comics.

If any of you have a "Quick Start Guide" that came with an electronic device (one depicting the installation of the device in pictures), bring it to class.  We will be discussing Frame and Flow next week, and the guides are good illustrations of these.

Homework: 1st hour, read chapter 14 of Dracula

                 2nd and 3rd hours, read chapters 15-16 of War of the Worlds

This week we will begin a section on graphic analysis.  Basically, this means that we will be looking at works (mostly outstanding graphic novels, some shorter comics and comix, some advertisements, and possibly a short video) as we do with literature—think T-DIDLS but with Sandman or Jimmy Corrigan. 

So, we began today with an overview of "why we are doing this."  Always my favorite way to begin, as it ensures that our vital time isn’t wasted.  My reasoning is this (please feel free to add another reason in the comments section):

• We are literally surrounded, daily, by images.  Whether it is the cartoon on our Count Chocula in the morning, the pictures we take on vacation, television we watch, instructional videos we watch in psychology or chemistry, movies or television we use to avoid our homework, or webpages we obsess over.  (I’m sure this is one; right?  Um, guys?)
• Because we are surrounded, we become used to these visual messages in our lives, but we rarely think about them.  When is the last time you went to a movie by your favorite director (unless it’s Michael Bay; he doesn’t count) and were able to come out with a good explanation of why it was good, or why it wasn’t (beyond "It seemed real")?
• Because the little illustrations that came with your MP3 player manual are really helpful, but would you know how to create one yourself?
• Because we can apply what we have learned about literature to graphic pieces.  If you still aren’t comfortable discussing tone, diction, detail, imagery, language or syntax in a written piece, perhaps it will click as we move through the visuals.

And,

• Because graphic novels are finally becoming worth reading in the classroom.  Really, what’s more fun than that?

We then discussed Scott McCloud’s terminology for understanding comics (found in his aptly titled work, Understanding Comics), and discussed how these terms can be applied to anything visual.  (What’s the tone of your MySpace or Facebook page?  How do you know?)  Here are his terms alongside our own:

Your homework for tonight:

1st hour: Read chapter 13 of Dracula

3rd and 4th hour: Read chapters 13 and 14 of War of the Worlds