Category: comics

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Who is the Black Panther? Syllabus

A few semesters back, I did a literature and composition course entitled “Who Watches Superheroes?” That course went really well, with students actively engaged in the texts and conversations surrounding them. This semester, I’m changing that course up a little, focusing specifically on Black Panther. This is something I have wanted to do for a while, but I have just never done it because … Read More Who is the Black Panther? Syllabus

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“We are all the villains”: The Cost of War in Rick Remender and Daniel Acuña’s “Escape” #4

A few months ago, I picked up Rick Remender and Daniel Acuña’s Escape #1, an issue that immediately gabbed my attention and left me wanting more. It’s a series that grapples with the hard questions, specifically questions of patriotism and war. It deals with these themes in a manner that appears, on the surface, far removed from our own lives because the characters are animals, not people, … Read More “We are all the villains”: The Cost of War in Rick Remender and Daniel Acuña’s “Escape” #4

Language and Power in N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell’s “Far Sector”

We all know the power of words and the ways that words shape our reality. The student in Ernest Gaines’ “The Sky is Gray” points this out when he gets into a conversation with other individuals in the waiting room at a dentist office. He tells those around him that the grass is black and that the wind is pink. Immediately, they laugh at him and … Read More Language and Power in N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell’s “Far Sector”

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Attempting to Change the System from Within in N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell’s “Far Sector”

I first read N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell’s Far Sector when it came out in the trade paperback, and I’d been waiting for an opportunity to teach it. When it came out as part of DC Comics’ compact line, I knew that I would teach it in my “Lost Voices in American Literature” course. I wanted to include it in this course because it connects, in … Read More Attempting to Change the System from Within in N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell’s “Far Sector”

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“Is it a racist story?”: Nate Powell’s “Cakewalk”

When I teach first year composition, I usually frame the course around personal narratives, allowing students to write about themselves. I find that this helps them get comfortable with writing and allows them to express themselves through their essays. As such, I try to choose at least one text that contains personal stories. This semester, I decided to add Nate Powell’s You Don’t Say, a collection … Read More “Is it a racist story?”: Nate Powell’s “Cakewalk”