QUESTION: Comics, Graphic Novels, and Film???

[timothy shea]

I will be teaching a college course, "Comics, Graphic Novels and Film" and I would love to know your recommendations, both of books to read and film adaptations to view. Thanks!

[Lori Falchi]

Persepolis by Marjane Sartrapi and The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam by Ann Marie Fleming are both adapted into film. Also there is a short film called the Lost Thing adapted from the book by Shaun Tan. I think it is available on iTunes--see the trailer: http://www.shauntan.net/film/lost-thing-film.html

Also, given my explorations of the literature on comics, I would say spending time reading (visually, spatially, as well as written text) and discussing comics/graphic novels together along with a few basic lessons on comics would be a good place to start. Two great people/places to start:

Eisner, W. (1996). Graphic storytelling and visual narrative. Tamarac, FL: Poorhouse Press.

McCloud, S. (1993). Understanding comics: The invisible art. New York: Harper Collins.

Others know the film literature better than I but there are critical media literacy people like David Buckingham who talks about media literacy in interesting ways.

[timothy shea]

I also plan on using Watchmen and V for Vendetta. Persepolis is a terrific choice, too!

[Lori Falchi]

I guess you might like the connection to early film in The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick and Hugo.

[Russ Weems]

If you are doing Alan Moore's work, it would be important to find things he's said in regards to comics vs film. He wants nothing to do with movie versions of his comics & explains the unique qualities of the comic form . Look particularly at chapter 4 of Watchmen & Dr Manhattan's view of time, which is an example of the comic reading experience

[Rebekah Terry]

If you're doing graphic novels and film then Batman would be ideal, since it's so popular in both mediums. You could discuss the different story arcs of Batman in the films and the comics, as well as the different writers and their perspectives on the Batman saga.

For graphic novels I would suggest: Batman: Year One, The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke,Hush, and The Long Halloween. 

Hope this helps!

[Grant Thomas]

Hicksville by Dylan Horrocks is a great graphic novel.  It proposes a town where everyone makes comics and critiques the gory excesses of 90s superhero genre.