Superheroes in Graphic Novel, Comics and Film

Professor Michael O’Sullivan will introduce his course “Superheroes in Graphic Novel, Comics and Film” during the YouTube Live Talk. Below are the course description:

“We are all superheroes at times. Modern superheroes, however, take us back to the gods of ancient Greece. They remind us of the vast potential of human endeavour. This course aims to provide a historical and cultural overview of the genre of superheroes and the Marvel empire. Narratives of superheroes began to circulate in popular culture during the 1930s with the DC comics phenomenon. The visual artistry and matching of illustrations with text and plot produced a uniquely new form of weekly reading material. The development of the Marvel Graphic Novel in the 80s and 90s built on Asian illustrated traditions and forged new relationships between East and West comics and graphics styles. Today, the genre is among the most dominant cultural forms worldwide. This course will introduce you to the comics and graphic novel literary genre. The course will also have a workshop element hosted by an Oscar-nominated animation team and seek graphic and illustrated responses from students. Above all, the course will investigate the role of the superhero. Who is this superhero, or rather what is a superhero? Why does the fantasy of an individual with supernatural powers generate such fascination in modern society? These are some of the answers we will attempt to answer during this course.”