Image by Frank Quitely
“Grant Morrison: Comic Book Writer/Rock Star/Wizard” is an earnest attempt to cure Wesleyan of stilted, sub-intro-level “the Graphic Novel” courses through a focused, informed perspective on a specific topic within the vast and daunting medium of comics. To wit, the works of Glaswegian comics auteur Grant Morrison, MBE.
Morrison (1960-) has been one of the most influential voices in the comics medium for twenty-five years, a member of the same 1980s “British invasion” that brought Alan Moore (WATCHMEN) and Neil Gaiman (SANDMAN) to the attention of American readers. Morrison quickly proved to be still more eclectic than those two innovators, earning his fame in 1988 with a bestselling graphic novel (ARKHAM ASYLUM: A SERIOUS HOUSE ON SERIOUS EARTH) about the Jungian unconscious, Aleister Crowley’s Thoth tarot deck, and Batman. Since then, he has time and time again demonstrated an ability to oscillate between personal works such as THE FILTH and high-profile superhero comics while bringing similar thematic concerns and stylistic innovations to each.
The course will be conducted as a literature seminar, tracing a chronological survey of his work ranging from the countercultural fringes (THE INVISIBLES) to the nexus of Western pop culture (ALL-STAR SUPERMAN). Morrison’s often bizarre, convoluted, alarmingly metafictional narratives will provide a launchpad for discussion about the elusive nature of reality, the relationship between the individual and society, the existential implications of theoretical physics, and the practical application of mythology and magic. Two papers will supplement reading, attendance and discussion for a full course credit.
Contact Matthew Amylon ’14 (mamylon[at]wesleyan[dot]edu) for more details.
Date: Monday January 27th
Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Place: Room 110, 41 Wyllys Ave