Comics

The very short panels first introduced the Wayne's murder nearly eighty years ago. Despite the changes in comics and society since that time, the core foundation of a murder in an alley by a criminal has remained unchanged. Why has Batman's origins remained the same while so many heroes have their origin stories and past drastically changed?

Much discussion has occurred widely, and here on The Artifice, concerning the representation of women. From their characteristics, values, roles, costuming and purposes within film, TV, literature and comics, there is a rising concern about the way women are represented in popular culture.

However, one area that has not received too much discussion yet is the concept of the representation of the female form. By this I am referring to the actual body type and shape of female characters. Although there is much written about the over sexualisation of the form – an emphasis on unrealistically sized breasts for example – there is little that discusses what constitutes a positive portrayal of the female form. For instance, if we go to the polar opposite and position women physically with almost a masculine form are we undermining the concept of femininity? Does that even matter? Or if we present them as pseudo-teenage boys does this then privilege the male form over that of the female form? As quite frankly, outside of supermodels most women will have pronounced breasts. Should this physical feature be depicted or ignored? What is the better choice? How can we continue to represent women in a positive manner without removing their gender altogether? I recognise that some would argue for this, an androgynous form, but would that form actually resonate with women or would it isolate them further?

How can we today present a positive version of the female form?

At San Diego Comic Con 2018, Tom King unveiled his upcoming Heroes in Crisis event for D.C. Comics. The event will focus on a super hero rehabilitation center that is the target of a mass shooting. Tom King has been up front about his belief that comics should confront real issue that society is dealing with, but will this subject matter be too serious and rooted in reality to be successful (both commercially and artistically)? this article could examine other situations that explore real world issues (the struggle of Pakistani-Americans in Ms. Marvel or Drug Use in Batman:Venom) and if and how these more grounded stories are successful. You could also include the comic book industry's use of rape and domestic abuse as a plot devices, which have largely been criticized by critics and fans alike as often being insensitive or used in inappropriate ways.

Classics Illustrated were comics that were produced from 1941 to 1971 and 169 issues were made. Hamlet, Moby Dick, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers were among the novels they made. Students going through high school in the 1950s and 1960s probably were able to make their way through many English classes and exams by using Classics Illustrated instead of reading the real novels. Forget Cliff Notes, these were on a standard well above them. Should we consider Classics Illustrated on a higher level than comics such as Detective Comics or Superman or consider them to be graphic novels.

The internet provides a platform for indie artists and writers with limited resources to get their work out into the world. Webcomics were born of this freedom. Many popular webcomics choose to deliver their stories in a micro-serialized manner, often releasing only a single page of panels at a time. Additionally, many webcomics have no clear end in sight, but rather are stories that run indefinitely. Explore the strengths and weaknesses of webcomics as we see them today: the common formats and delivery approaches, the trends, how it relates to the quality of the stories being told, and what the future holds for creators and fans alike.

When considering how women are viewed in film, I like to think of the Bechdel test. This test (and I am paraphrasing here) says that if a movie does not have two female characters in it that talk about something other than a man, then it fails. Unfortunately, not all of Marvel's movies pass. How do these depictions of women (ie, their lack of roles that include interactions with other women, the way that only men are discussed when interactions do occur, etc) affect real live ladies? How does it affect society? How does it support the systematic oppression of women and perpetrate the patriarchy?

Discuss how the use of graphic novel may be appropriate to assist in crossing language or cultural barriers either online or in a classroom setting.

Ed Brubaker said, "If you look at the generation now in power in the entertainment industry, they grew up with comics as serious stuff. The Geeks have won." Discuss how elements of nerd culture have become part of every day life. Technology, media, the vanishing stigma of coding. Comic books and the rise of alternative fiction. Have the Geeks won?