[CW-Grad] Books for 252J Graphic Novel Class

[Robin Russin]

Hi guys--

Sorry for the blanket broadcast, but our Blackboards have not yet been set up, and enquiring minds want to know.

For those of you taking this class, these are the required texts, supposedly available at the UCR bookstore, along with their prices there. Or you can order on Amazon.

BEST AMERICAN COMICS 2009 
Author: BURNS 
ISBN: 9780618989652
Used: $16.50    New: $22.00   

GRAPHIC STORYTELLING+VISUAL NARRATIVE 
Author: EISNER 
ISBN: 9780393331271
Used: $17.25    New: $22.95   

MAKING COMICS:STORYTELLING SECRETS 
Author: MCCLOUD 
ISBN: 9780060780944
Used: $17.25    New: $22.95            


IN ADDITION: 

FIRST: Your final paper will consist of developing your own graphic novel, including both written and visual components. As you may know, graphic novels are sometimes written by one person and drawn or illustrated by another; however, in this class the goal is to do both. Those of you who aren't visual artists will still be okay, trust me. The two texts by Eisner and McCloud are very good; just keep it within your capabilities. The Burns text is to give you a more overall sense of the variety of contemporary graphic storytellers, and I will be bringing in other examples throughout the class, as well as (hopefully!) bringing in some others in the field as guests.

BUT: if you're completely hopeless at drawing, I am open to allowing some of you to team up with other students who are more visually inclined. However, each student must still develop his or her own novel, so if you are in a team of two, there will be two novels developed by that team. 

As for media: I am open to your preferred medium. Bristol board, blue pencil, ink and gouache are the classic media (available at any art supply store), but if you want to use Illustrator or Photoshop and even include hypertext, that's fine too, or just pen and drawing paper -- so long as it's thought out, and is the right medium for the kind of story you're telling. This class is meant to be an exploration. 

Needless to say, I am not looking for finished work, but for a solid first draft ranging from 25 to 40 pages. If you're thinking of going further, this can represent a first volume or chapter, but must be complete in and of itself as well. 

SECOND: In place of a midterm, I will be requiring a researched, critical paper focusing on a theme, or artist/writer, or subgenre. I will submit a list of possibilities to give you ideas, or you can choose your own. I will ask each of you to prepare and make a presentation for the class, Powerpoint or otherwise. These will be spaced over the second half of the term and presented based on a schedule we'll work out in the first class. 

You will be individually responsible for buying, borrowing or checking out those particular books that are relevant to your subject, and then will bring them in to class to pass around for the others as part of your presentation, unless your sources are online, in which case you'll share them that way. The idea is for you to more deeply explore a particular aspect of the genre and share that with the rest of the class.

See you next year -- have a great break!


Robin Russin

Associate Professor & Graduate Advisor
Department of Theatre
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
(951) 827-2707
(213) 949-1061 cel
robin.russin at ucr.edu

"I try all things; I achieve what I can." - Ishmael in "Moby Dick," written by Herman Melville

"Deserve's got nothin' to do with it." - William Munny in "Unforgiven," written by David Webb Peoples