- Paperback: 248 pages
- Publisher: Continuum (Dec 15 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0826428789
- ISBN-13: 978-0826428783
- Product Dimensions: 22.6 x 15 x 1.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 295 g
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #260,678 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
"Versaci avoids the contrarian stance-taking and overcompensatory justification of childhood dreck that plagues most writing about comics, bringing instead a big-hearted, clear-minded rigor to a subject which clearly obsesses him."
"Versaci believes this awakened interest [in graphic novels among the literati is in order...[and} he accomplishes this in exemplary fashion...the result is a well-researched, easy-to-read volume that will appeal to fans, students, and researchers...Summing Up: Recommended. Lower division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers." --
"Versaci believes this awakened interest [in graphic novels among the literati is in order...[and} he accomplishes this in exemplary fashion...the result is a well-researched, easy-to-read volume that will appeal to fans, students, and researchers...Summing Up: Recommended. Lower division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers." --
Book Description
This Book Contains Graphic Language looks at different literary forms and genres—including journalism, fiction, memoirs, and film—in relation to their comic book counterparts. By demonstrating the ways in which comic books (and graphic novels) both reflect upon, and expand the boundaries of literature, Rocco Versaci demonstrates that comics have earned the right to be taken just as seriously as any other literary form.
As comics and graphic novels become more popular than ever, literary critics are finding that they now have a new subject to examine. But while many advocates of the medium maintain that comics are a true art form, there have been no detailed comparisons among comics and "legitimate" types of literature. Filling this void, This Book Contains Graphic Language examines different literary forms in relation to their comic book counterparts. These literatures include prose memoir, Holocaust memoir, journalism, film, and-for lack of a better term-the "classics." Each richly-illustrated chapter outlines the key issues of one of these forms and then explores how comic books have been able to reflect and expand upon those issues in unique ways.
The comics discussed include Eightball by Daniel Clowes, Love and Rockets by Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez, American Splendor by Harvey Pekar, Maus by Art Spiegelman, Palestine by Joe Sacco, Frontline Combat and Two-Fisted Tales from EC Comics, Sandman by Neil Gaiman and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore. By examining the ways in which these and other comic books and graphic novels expand the boundaries of literature, English professor Rocco Versaci demonstrates that the medium of comics has earned the right to be regarded as an important artistic and literary form.
As comics and graphic novels become more popular than ever, literary critics are finding that they now have a new subject to examine. But while many advocates of the medium maintain that comics are a true art form, there have been no detailed comparisons among comics and "legitimate" types of literature. Filling this void, This Book Contains Graphic Language examines different literary forms in relation to their comic book counterparts. These literatures include prose memoir, Holocaust memoir, journalism, film, and-for lack of a better term-the "classics." Each richly-illustrated chapter outlines the key issues of one of these forms and then explores how comic books have been able to reflect and expand upon those issues in unique ways.
The comics discussed include Eightball by Daniel Clowes, Love and Rockets by Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez, American Splendor by Harvey Pekar, Maus by Art Spiegelman, Palestine by Joe Sacco, Frontline Combat and Two-Fisted Tales from EC Comics, Sandman by Neil Gaiman and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore. By examining the ways in which these and other comic books and graphic novels expand the boundaries of literature, English professor Rocco Versaci demonstrates that the medium of comics has earned the right to be regarded as an important artistic and literary form.
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4.5 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
A decent book but ..., April 29 2010
By Clifford - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: This Book Contains Graphic Language: Comics as Literature (Paperback)
Versaci's plea for the cultural value of comics begins well. His writing is clear with a welcoming tone and the first two chapters are the best in the book. After those chapters, though, the book falls into familiar territory: retreads of why comics are considered "low" culture in the United States, and a tour through the standard texts that challenge that assumption. This material has already been covered by better writers and researchers (most notably by Joseph Witek back in 1989). Versaci fails to bring something new. A chapter on Spiegelman's Maus? A chapter on EC war comics? A short discussion of Neil Gaiman's use of Shakespeare? There are no surprises here, just the usual suspects and pleas for respect. (Comics criticism must stop apologizing for its subject matter.) This is too bad because Versaci has some great insights here and he makes some productive parallels across genres and mediums. But there is too little in the way of sustained analysis -- Versaci makes promising points but seldom develops them in any detail. And the serious typos in the book (including several pages which are printed out of order) don't help either. The book is generally disappointing, a predictable retread, but those first chapters are worth reading.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Comics because..., Nov 18 2010
By Maria D. Zamparelli "Miranda" - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: This Book Contains Graphic Language: Comics as Literature (Paperback)
I purchased this book intrigued by the title. I wondered how a Literature professor justified his love for comics and his conviction that the medium qualifies as literature. Not that I doubted the medium since I am in the process of writing a graphic novel.Roscco Versaci makes a thorough analysis of this hybrid and versatile medium. He explores the effective way in which memoires of the Holocaust, war stories, reportage (creative non fiction), and literature have been presented in the comic adding depth of meaning, layers of content, and a distictive narrators voice due to its graphic nature. For anyone in the process of writing a graphic novel the examples presented in each chapter help to visualize the potential of the medium and how others have taken advantage of it. I found of special interest chapter 3 in which the author compares the sustained and deep emotional impact that a graphic novel such as Maus exerts over the reader in contrast to the response a viewer of photographs depicting the horrors of the Holocaust may have.
The book is easy to read, interesting and enlightening. In some chapters I would have appreciated more illustrations and not just descriptions.
Finally a warning,in my copy there is text missing from the end of page 148 and the first line of page 149. I believe there has been an omission of material.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ultimate Authority on Graphic Novels Explains Genre, May 18 2008
By Sarah L. Bates - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: This Book Contains Graphic Language: Comics as Literature (Paperback)
Versacci explains the generational appeal of comics and graphic novels and the resurgence of the genre for 21st century readers. The book reveals why a graphic novel can reach readers, when other forms of literature cannot. It is rich in historical detail and insight and could be a text for teaching the art of the Graphic Novel or certainly a reference for anyone exploring the art on his own.
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