Critical Approaches to Comics - Theories and Methods

-Importance and relevance of the visual placement of elements of a panel. (Deliberate or Subconscious?)

-Abstract Comics as a method and not simply genre, removing narrative as an element, sequetial dynamism and iconostasis. Comics as music (opera)

-Comics as Philosophy (ethnographic studies of comic creators) Ethonography of Production: Editor Axel Alonso and the Sale of Ideas. Character as creation of the disjunction of multiple personalities involved in the creative process.

-Feminist Analysis - comics as a window on societal interpretation of feminism and the position and nature of women. Lois Lane reflects societal images of career women for seventy years. Two or more women, having a conversation, not about men.

-The birth of the superhero genre Peter Cogan. Central to genre theory is genre in relation to other genres. All superhero comics are read in relation to other superhero comics. All Star Superman is a blueprint to contruction of a superhero.

-Henry Jenkins "Convergence Culture". Is there an emergence of a discipline (academic) of comics. Comics exist across many media and so call for the most expansive view of the field.
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Daily Life: An Afternoon Note

A beautiful spring day here in California. I woke early enough, but
managed to conjure enough reasons to linger in bed for a hour or so. I
spoke with a dear one on the phone for a while. I popped into chat
long enough to say hello and muse at the demons that must torture some
folks. I went out and had pancakes with strawberry syrup and butter. I
went to an art gallery to see some works by the Dreamworks people. I
stopped at the music store to buy some guitar polish. I stopped at the
electronics store (actually two of them) and bought a cushioned case
for my Kindle. I stopped at Our Lady of Peace in Sunnyvale and took a
couple of pictures. I stopped at Comics Conspiracy and picked up a
graphic novel. Through it all Janis Joplin sang to me. Now, I've
circled home and I am going to take a power nap and then swing out for
dinner.

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