In this class, we will study comic books written in Spanish. We will examine how comics differ from other visual narratives, and from texts written uniquely in prose. We will cover different types of comics, which vary from short strips (Mafalda; Condorito) to longer serial narratives (María Isabel). One important concept that will be emphasized in the class is that comic books rely not only on words, but also on visuals to communicate their story, and thus they sometimes convey certain representations of race and ethnicity that can be controversial in many Spanish-speaking countries and the United States. We will also cover aesthetic influences from around the world, as many modern comic books in Spanish are heavily influenced by art from Europe, Japan, and the United States. Among the comics we will discuss will be Elpidio Valdés, Turey el Taíno, Fuego: Majestad Negra, El Eternauta, Roberto Alcázar y Pedrín, and many others. (1 unit)

Required texts: Scott McCloud, Entender el comic, el arte invisible (ISBN 978-8496815124); Carlos Gimenez, Todo 36-39: Malos tiempos [Tapa Blanda] (ISBN 978-8499086989); Hector Oesterheid & Francisco Solano Lopez, El eternauta (ISBN 978-987-9085-33-2) (Doedytores: Historias argentinas.com).