Author Description
Wonder Woman. Asterix the Gaul. Watchmen. These popular comics, and many others, use classical sources, narrative patterns, and references to enrich their imaginative worlds and deepen the stories they present. This volume explores that rich interaction. Son of Classics and Comics presents thirteen original studies of representations of the ancient world in the medium of comics. Building on the foundation established by their groundbreaking Classics and Comics (2011), George Kovacs and C. W. Marshall have gathered a wide range of essays with a new, global perspective. Chapters are helpfully grouped to facilitate classroom use, with sections on receptions of Homer, on manga, on Asterix, and on the sense of a "classic" in the modern world. All Greek and Latin passages are translated. Lavishly illustrated, the volume significantly widens the range of available studies on the reception of the Greek and Roman worlds in comics, and deepens our understanding of comics as a literary medium. Son of Classics and Comics will appeal to students and scholars of classical reception as well as comics fans.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This volume investigates how contemporary comic books and graphic novels utilize, adapt, and reinterpret classical Greek and Roman sources to construct their narrative frameworks. Editors C. W. Marshall and George Kovacs, both established scholars in the field of classical reception, curate a collection of thirteen original essays. The work builds upon their previous research to provide a global perspective on how ancient motifs function within modern visual storytelling, ensuring accessibility by providing translations for all original Greek and Latin passages.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of classical reception in diverse media including manga, Asterix, and superhero narratives like Wonder Woman and Watchmen.
- Thematic groupings focusing on Homeric reception and the definition of a "classic" in modern contexts.
- Scholarly essays supported by visual illustrations from the comics discussed.
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on the intersection of classical antiquity and the comics medium, rather than providing a comprehensive history of comics themselves.
- The analysis is restricted to the specific case studies selected by the contributors rather than an exhaustive survey of all classical references in global comics.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and students of classical reception view this volume as a significant expansion of the field, particularly for its inclusion of global perspectives and manga. The text is noted for its utility in classroom settings due to its structured thematic organization and the inclusion of translated primary sources.
Page Count:
288
Publication Date:
2015-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190268913
ISBN-13:
9780190268916
Non-Fiction
English & College Success
Reception Studies
English
Literary Criticism
Cultural History
Comics Studies