1. COMICS AND CULTUREThe History of the Medium and Why it Matters

2. Comics in America1. Comics were always a commercial artform2. Comic books and superheroes are a cultural artifact ofthe 1930s3. Most of the founders of American comics were 1st or2nd generation, mostly Jews.4. Comics have had relationships with other media typesfrom the beginning.A few notes on the cultural/historical context:The cultural legacy of comicsshapes current day perceptions of the medium

3. Comics were alwayscommercialThe Yellow kid (Hogans Alley)R.F. Outcault, 1895Yellow JournalismW.R. Hearst, Joseph Pulitzer

4. Comic books started in the30sSuperman Champion of the Oppressed.Action Comics #1 (June, 1938)

5. Class origins of comicsPublishersJerry Siegel &Joe Shuster Bob Kane & Bill Finger Will Eisner Joe Simon & Jack KirbyHarry Donenfeld & Jack Liebowitz Martin GoodmanSheldonMeyerMaurice Coyne, LouisSilberkleit & John Goldwater

6. Further readingChabon, M.The AmazingAdventures of Kavalier& Clay (2001)Jones, G.Men of Tomorrow:geeks, gangsters, andthe birth of the comicbook (2005)Fingeroth, d.Disguised as clark kent:jews, comics and thecreation of thesuperhero (2008)Hajdu, d.The ten-cent plague:the great comic bookscare and how itchanged America (2009)

7. Comics & other mediaLittle Nemo in Slumberland (Windsor McCay)Little Nemo Animated (1911)

8. Superman, mediasuperstarRadio (1939)Animated Shorts(1939)Movie Serial(1941)TV Series (1952)Novel (1942)Coloring Book(1939)Syndicated NewspaperStrip (1939)Toys (1940s)

9. Comicbook Confidential 1988 Directed by RonMann 90 Minutes

10. Break time

11. COMICS IN CONTEXTWhat Youre Saying when Youre Saying itwith Comics

12. The Evolving CulturalContext1920s-30s: Comics as mainstream1940s: Comics as mass media1950s: Comics as menace1960s: Comicsas youthculture1960s: Comicsas camp/kitch1960s: Comicsas rebellion1980-90s:Comics asliterature1970s-80s:Comics asnerdsubculture2000s:Comics ascommunity2010s:Comics asbig business

13. Context and perception

14. Comics and commerce

15. Critical perceptions

16. Legal implicationsThey told meI was not todraw.- Mike Diana

17. Gender issues

18. Comics and Big Media

19. Intellectual property

20. Creator RightsRelying on Marvel and DC is no longer becoming a viable option, because the contractsarent viable and the rates arent set. They make the rules. A lot of people have fooledthemselves into thinking thats stability but are now realizing that its the exact opposite.The real stability is controlling your own career and being in a position to hire yourself,generating ideas that are enough to make you a sustainable income, and also controllingthose ideas and your own destiny. Thats the new stability and thats something people arerealizing. Im very optimistic that itll be something that is here to stay.-- Robert Kirkman (creator, The Walking Dead)

21. Coming AttractionsBoth of these one of these

22. Written assignment 800 word analysis Short synopsis of subject matter How does the author use the medium ofvisual narrative to tell the story? What specific techniques are employed? Why does the piece work or not work?

23. Special GuestsEllen Forney,Best-Selling Graphic NovelistMarbles, LustLab, I was Seven in 75Calvin Reid, Senior EditorPublishers Weekly

24. SEE YOU ON 4/20!Rob Salkowitzrob@robsalkowitz.com@robsalk206-860-9847 (h/o)206-669-2471 (m/txt)