Sunday, August 24, 2014

Getting to Know You, Getting to (E-) Know All About You


Despite the fact that we might not get to meet one another in-person, I thought it made sense to open the semester by introducing ourselves.  Below, please post a brief introduction: your name, major/ year, knowledge of or interest in comics (if any), and a line or two about a favorite book/ movie/ television show/ comic to give us a sense of your taste. 

I can start: I'm a professor in the English department at UC. I teach classes on contemporary American literature, especially comics, the modern novel, literary theory, and race and ethnicity.  I am happy to talk to you more about the department here at UC or other fun classes you might take or (gasp) careers you might pursue with an English degree. I love teaching this course because I really enjoy comics, particularly what has come to be called "the graphic novel," and think that comics have forever altered the contemporary literary scene and made us think about how images, like words, can tell a story.  I have countless favorite books, movies, television shows, and comics; like a lot of you, I imagine, I am a bit of a culture junky.  I'd have to say, though, that I am obsessed with the newish show, Orphan Black, and can't bear that there won't be a new season for awhile. Any other Orphan Black obsessives out there?

26 comments:

  1. I am Jennifer Londergan and I am an Asian Studies major. I am actually in my final semester at UC and have been thinking of continuing my studies into graduate school. I love comics such as those found in the DC and MARVEL universe. I also have a great deal of passion for Japanese Manga and Korean Manwha. I studied in Japan last year and found it only increased my love for Asian studies and culture. I have taken every Japanese Literature class UC has offered. I would love to continue reading and learning of asian literature in graduate school.
    I love reading. I have more money invested in books than what my car is worth. I have numerous favorites when it comes to books, movies, comics, manga, manwha and tv. It is my personal dream to work for Tuttle Publishing or write my own book someday. I don't want to work hard studying the things I love to end up working in a call center or grocery store.

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  3. My name is Dean Willis and I am double majoring in Electronic Media and English with a focus on Creative Writing and hoping like heck that I am graduating this December. I have enjoyed comics and graphic novels for a long time, although I tend to stick towards trade paperbacks for comics as I don't have the patience to wait for each issue to come out. As I read like crazy, picking out a favorite book is pretty much impossible, but I tend to most enjoy graphic novels (can we say Watchmen?), science fiction (2001 for the win), and ethnic literature (Jhumpa Lahiri's new book The Lowland is one of my current favorites). In addition to reading, I am also a computer geek (hence the Electronic Media degree), musician, and writer. I hope to eventually have my own production company so that I can produce my own works as well as those of others, but I would eventually like to teach as well.

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  4. Hello, my name is Robert Keck and I'm a English and Cultural Studies major. I'm also in my final semester at UC. I would also like to continue my studies into graduate school. I originally was a secondary education major, but switched to my current one last year. It's not that I don't want to teach. In fact, I would like to teach at the college level. I would definitely love to teach this class. I'm not a hundred percent on what I want to do career wise, but I would appreciate any advice or suggestions on careers I could pursue with my degree. The last two graphic novels I've read were "The Dark Knight Returns" and the sequel "The Dark Knight Strikes Again" by Frank Miller. I never miss a superhero movie, and I am really looking forward to learning more about graphic novels.

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  5. Hi guys! My name is Megan Esterkamp. I’m a Fine Arts major and going for a certificate in Creative Writing. This is my third year but I’m a second year in my major. In the past I was into Anime and now I’m focusing western style comics (mostly Marvel because of their recent explosion in media). I will admit to being a nerdy geek when it comes to my wonderful addiction to Doctor Who, the tabletop game Dungeons and Dragons (I am a Dungeon Master and Player for version 3.5, exploring 4e right now and I am willing to teach/run a game for anyone who is interested), I read at least 10 books a month, recent TV shows have been "Avengers Assemble" and "Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes" (as an interest and study in the pieces of plot they have and their different animation styles) and I am willing to try anything under the umbrella that is from the Kingdom of Nerd and Geek.

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  6. Matt Evans here. Just like most other folks so far, today is my LAST first day of school ever (woo woo!) I'm studying Magazine Journalism with a certificate in Creative Writing and I hope to work with anti-human trafficking organizations post graduation.
    I've been reading funny paper comic strips like Calvin and Hobbes and the Far Side since before I could read, but I'm pretty sure I picked up my first comic book (The Essential Amazing Spider-Man volume 4) when I was around 9. The rest is history. I'm an absolute Spider-Man fanatic and most of my book shelf consists of comics and graphic novels (Blankets, Watchmen, Scott Pilgrim, various Spider-Man stuff.) My all-time favorite movie is Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (based off of the comic series, HIGHLY recommend it.)

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  7. My name is Sebastian Misleh, and I am an English major at UC, focusing on comparative literature and cultural studies, as well as a History minor. I am incredibly excited to start this class as I have had an avid love and appreciation for graphic novels and comic books since a very young age when I was swept up in the beginnings of the comic book movie movement with Spider-Man. Since then, I have read countless Spider-Man titles, most notably the original Amazing Spider-Man and Ultimate Spider-Man. I also love all things MARVEL, as well as Batman, and the Japanese manga strip Dragon Ball Z. Among my other favorites are Alan Moore's Watchmen, Art Spiegelman's Maus, and Hellboy. I love super-hero movies, and greatly enjoy creating my own comic book scripts and fan-fiction. I am excited to take this class and learn more about the art form we love in graphic novels and better understand and appreciate how they have become a pop culture sensation within our lifetime.

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  8. Hi. I'm Chris Sweeney, an English major who is set to graduate in December. This is my second go-around in terms of getting a degree (I have an associates in Graphic Design), and I'm very excited to finally see some light at the end of the academic tunnel.

    Comic books have always been a huge part of my life, ever since I was a child. I grew up in the heyday of the medium in the late eighties/early nineties, when it seemed like there was a nigh-infinite amount of titles to choose from (which, in reality, was just a byproduct of overindulgence on part of the major publishers). Comics helped me become an avid reader, and spurred my interest in art, two things that have come to define me as a person.

    In fact, it's such a part of who I am, that I'm actually working on my own webcomic at the moment. It's a throwback to the old, over-the-top "extreme" comics of the early nineties, but with presented through a more cynical lens. It also takes heavy influence from late-eighties manga, and the 2000A.D. publishing imprint. The comic can be read here: http://breachandclearcomic.tumblr.com

    Overall, I'm super hyped to take this course, not only because I'm such a fan of comics in general, but also because I'm looking to turn around and use whatever I learn in it and apply it directly to the comic I'm working on.

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  9. It's so exciting to "meet" you all; I'm glad to hear you're already comics fans and that some of you are even artists yourself. As you will see (and we will discuss in more detail soon), there is an extra credit project designed around creating a comic of your own later in the semester! It will be lovely to see what you produce.

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  10. Hi Everyone!

    I’m Max Winters, and I am a Master of Architecture candidate for May 2015 here at UC. I am pursuing research into the design of intergenerational communities as a financially sustainable model for senior living/caregiving in the United States.

    I am passionate about comics as a medium, and I’ve read A LOT in the past few years. Some of my published favorites are Underwater Welder, Daytripper, and the Umbrella Academy. Things that are going on right now that I’m really excited about are Southern Bastards, East of West, and Nowhere Men. There’s a lot of innovation on the shelves right now, and most of it happens to be coming from Image Comics.

    I have also begun, in the past year or so, to dabble in writing and drawing comics. I have completed a 22 page short story, and am now working in collaboration on a short-story anthology slated for early next year. I am of the firm belief that the medium of comics has quite a bit of untapped potential that I hope I can begin to explore in my work.

    More generally, I’m also into tabletop gaming, tennis, and jazz. I am also involved in a podcast where we discuss different topics from the pop-culture canon (including a lot of comics talk). I won’t link it here, but if you’re interested let me know.

    I’m excited to be working with everyone this semester!

    Max

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  11. Hey, my name is Traci Listo and I am majoring in both Fine Arts and English. This is my third year in these programs and fifth year at UC overall; needless to say, I am so very ready to be finished.

    As far as my knowledge of comics/graphic novels goes, I have read various superhero graphic novels as they have been recommended to me, as well as some web comics.

    My favorite fictional world is probably from the Oz series by L. Frank Baum and portrayed by the MGM film. The language used is meant for children but in a more sophisticated way than the books I read as a child. But I am most interested in the illustrations by W. W. Denslow; they show the emotions and playfulness of the people in this world so clearly, and lead me to imagine how each character would move and feel.

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  12. I am Darius Martin and I am a Junior in the DAAP Fine arts program. I like to say my concentration is in Animation and Comics. I like Jademan Comics from the 80's and early 90's. Jademan comics were produced in Hong Kong and translated in to english. My favorite series of Jademan comics is called Oriental Heroes. I have been kind of a comic/animation snob most of my life believing that the Japanese and Asian are superior to the Western comics and animation. I have since come to the conclusion that I like all sorts of comics and animation and have learned to appreciate each individually. That being said some of my favorite shows are Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League, Superman: The Animated Series and and anything else super hero related by Bruce Timm. I also have a very small collection of the Marvel Omnibus.

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  13. Hi everyone.

    My name is Aaron Coleman and I am a senior majoring in Science Engineering specializing in Gamma Radiation.

    This past summer I spent time as an intern out in the Nevada desert at a scientific testing facility. My tenure was cut tragically short as I suffered a severe accident. I'm making a full recovery though ... in fact, you could say I'm getting stronger every day.

    As for favorite comics .... I marvel at the thought of people having enough time to read for pleasure. I'm literally green with envy! With all my studies, I really don't have time to read comic books. Which kind of makes me angry.

    And you wouldn't want to see me when I'm angry.

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  14. Hey everyone.

    I'm Matthew. I'm a senior year English major with a minor in Communications and a certificate in Film & Media Studies. I have a very base knowledge of comics and graphic novels. I've read most all of the big Batman graphic novels, as well as some other reputable titles, like Watchmen. One of my favorite graphic novels is Blankets.

    I'm a hug fan of books, movies, AND television, so I have a lot favorites. I recently rewatched The Hustler, which at 16 I called me favorite film, and it's still probably true. As far as TV, I really enjoyed the newest season of Derek.

    Looking forward to the semester...

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  15. Hey all,

    Michael Broderick here, and I am a junior in the Fine Arts program. My knowledge of comics is mediocre, but I read comics/graphic novels intensely.

    Comics such as Tank Girl and Battling Boy are on the top of my list. Just started getting into Saga and am loving it! All three have art that just blows my mind. Especially obtaining all of the Tank Girl comics and watching the progression (artistically). Not just in technical ways but the introduction of colors and how it really changes the mood is just gorgeous.

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  16. Hey party people!

    My name's Mikeyy Evans (yes with two y's). I'm an senior in Electronic Media, with a minor in Creative Writing! I am a huge comic book fan, reading a lot of Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, and whatever else I happen to get my hands on. Batman is probably my favorite superhero of all time, so I've read a lot of his stories, but I've recently started reading something called East of West that is absolutely bizarre and quite interesting, and I'm riveted to say the least. I also love film, television, and books, and am currently obsessed with Game of Thrones (both the TV show and books).

    My favorite comic: Arkham Asylum by Grant Morrison. Favorite TV: Breaking Bad/True Detective/Community. Favorite book: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Favorite Film: Garden State.

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  17. Hi Everyone,

    I'm Chelsea, also an E-Media senior (Hi, Dean and Mikeyy!). I'm relatively new to graphic novels. I read a good amount of Batman and Spiderman comics back in the day, but recently read The Watchman and enjoyed it a lot. I watch way more TV and Film than I should (but I guess in E-Media that could be considered research? I tried).

    I'M OBSESSED WITH ORPHAN BLACK. Sarah's my fave. After bingeing on the first season, I really wanted to go out, buy a leather jacket (maybe some doc martens?), and convert to a punky BA. She rocks! How amazing is Tatiana Maslany? I try to recruit people to watch all the time, but how do you pitch a show like that?

    Me: It's a SciFi show with clones that doesn't really feel like a SciFi show. The lead actress plays 8 different people --but it doesn't come off weird at all! ...Oh yeah, it's on BBC America but I think the actors are actually Canadian?

    Them: Oh... sounds... um, I'll have to watch that for sure...

    Anyway here's a few of my favorite things:

    TV: Tied between Orphan Black and Doctor Who (Nostalgic winner will always be Pete and Pete)
    Film: I always pop Singin' in the Rain in when I'm in a bad mood, so I guess that counts for something? Hard to pick one.
    Favorite book: I really enjoy all the collections of George Saunders short stories, but Tenth of Dec and Pastoralia are at the top of my list.

    Can't wait to discuss more with you guys. Here's to an awesome semester!

    - Chelsea

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  18. Hello Everyone,

    My name is Alexander Westcott. I am a senior in Communication and minoring in Creative Writing. I hope to become an excellent writer some day and I've already started writing a novel featuring a post-apocalyptic genre. And yes it has zombies in it. I am a huge fan of the zombie apocalypse, so you would find it predictable that my favorite comics would be the Walking Dead. I haven't read them in I while though because of other things going on in my life, but the first chance I get I'm taking it. Robert Kirkman's style of story telling has always gotten me over the edge, wondering if someone will live or die. You never know what's going to happen when that man is writing. I'll enjoy other types of genre, but the apocalypse will always be my favorite. Here are some of my other favorites;

    Book: World War Z

    TV Show: Walking Dead, Big Bang Theory, American Dad, Cleveland Show

    Film: Hobbit (both movies)

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  19. Hi! My name is Devon Abney and I am an English major with a Creative Writing focus and also a minor in history. I am a senior but won’t be graduating until next semester. My idea of a career is a little uncertain but I’m aiming to be a book editor while writing on the side and maybe creating my own comic series. I have an interest in a lot of comics such as Marvel and DC (thanks to the movies), daily comic strips, and manga (which I read the most due to ease of access). I am currently reading the Fables comic series by Bill Willingham and the manga series Black Butler. I also love video games and have for years but can’t afford them on a college budget. My all time favorite visual media form, however, is cartoons. My childhood was basically dedicated to cartoons and I still watch them to this day. My current obsession is the Disney animated series Gravity Falls which has just started its second season. I don’t think I could pick my all time favorite book as I’ve read so many and own more than I have space for but I can say it’s fairly obvious I love science fiction and fantasy novels which heavily influence my writings and what I’d like to practice drawing.

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  20. Hello!
    I am an English major in the R&PW track, hopefully in my last year. I always enjoyed the “funny page” of comics in the newspaper when I was younger but I am relatively new to graphic novels. I love almost everything I have read so far in this genre and I’m excited to dive deeper!
    I enjoy reading fantasy and scifi and I think everyone should read Dan Simmons’ Hyperion Cantos at some point. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_Cantos) Other books that have influenced my life are Margret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and an anthology of “flash fiction” called Flash Fiction Forward (http://www.amazon.com/Flash-Fiction-Forward-Short-Stories/dp/0393328023).
    Here’s to a great semester of awesome books!

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  21. Hi, my name is Alex Millette. I am a Physical Therapy Assisting major. I have been reading comics since I was a young kid, and my dad would buy me comic books to read on long car rides. I mostly read Marvel titles, although Geoff Johns run on Green Lantern got me reading a little more DC. I've always loved the X-books (X-Men, Excalibur, X-Force, X-Factor...) ever since watching the 90's cartoon back in my youth. Some of my other favorites include Ed Brubaker & Matt Fraction's Immortal Iron Fist, Eastman & Laird's original run of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ben Edlund's run of The Tick, and Steve Purcell's Sam & Max. I also watch just about any superhero cartoon and movie. My favorite movie of all time would have to be Ghostbusters, and I'm pretty pleased with the current run of comics being produced by IDW. I've just always loved that it has everything: comedy, action, horror, romance, adventure, etc. I'm looking forward to learning more about comics, and discovering new favorites.

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  22. Hey guys! My name is Andy Knolle, I'm a Fine Arts major at DAAP just starting my 3rd year. I have interest in printmaking, illustration and new media installations. My comic knowledge is amateur at best, but they were the one thing that actually got me into reading at all when I was a child. My favorites are Chew, The Armory Wars and a Graphic novel called Death. I'm really into philosophy and the role it plays within Sci-Fi/ Fantasy novels and movies. I've been lately trying to focus on the ideas of DIY comics, by making my own Sci-fi Epic and short trash- maximalist comics, like Puke Force by Brian Chippendale or Wayne Coyne's comics.

    Book; Dune by Frank Herbert

    Tv: FLCL, NGE, Cowboy Bebop, and Game of Thrones

    Movies: Ghost in the Shell, and Redline.

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  23. So excited! You sound like an amazing group. And, so far, we've evaded the perils of Blackboard aka Canopy.

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  24. Hi everyone! My name is Ruthie Herman and I am a 3rd year Fine Art major focusing on digital illustration and animation. My background in comics comes from my desire to tell story through image, text. and sequence. I hope to explore my own narrative imaging with a deeper understanding of the medium's history and context. I have a hard time choosing favorites, but my current favorite comic right now is a sci-fi series called Saga. My favorite movie is probably Ridley Scott's Alien, and my favorite show would be True Detective. I look forward to learning with all of you!

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  25. Hey Everyone! My name is Dan Battista I am a 4th year Photo student in Daap. I really like comics and am excited to learn more about them in this course. Weirdly enough I really like this comic called "Opus". I had a few of the books, they were about a little penguin who gets into mischief with his friends. Anyhow I don't really know a ton about comics but I cant wait to start reading some. I like snowboarding and traveling a lot and my favorite show is Game of Thrones. I would totally read a Game of Thrones graphic Novel! Its great to meet you all

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  26. Hi everyone! My name is Kailynn Saylor. I am a senior Secondary Education student with my focus being in Language Arts. I've never been one to read comics. I don't know why, I just never fully got into them (although I do find them interesting). I LOVE Shakespeare!!! I never thought I would become interested in Shakespeare merely because it was something that was difficult and seemed out of reach to understand. But, once I took the Shakespeare course at UC, I fell in love with the time period and the psychological aspects behind the people in Elizabethan time.

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