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Please also note that I do occasionally fall behind in updating this page. It is therefore highly important that you attend class regularly in order to get the most current assignments which I always discuss at the end of each class session.
Current Assignment(s)
Week 15
Assignment: Read Watchmen, Chps. 1-4
due Apr. 24 Tue.
- Read Chapters 1-4
- Be sure to read the comic book panel sections and the text only sections which come at the end of each chapter
Assignment: Comic Book Paper
due May 3 (Final Exam meeting)
Extra Credit: Pittsburgh Comicon
Apr. 27 Fri. – 29 Sun.
- Write 1 page report about your experience attending this convention
- Pick up 1 artifact to show you were there
May 3 Thur. 2:45-4:45
For the final, we are going to have:
- Several presentations
- Bring some sort of food to share for our party
- Bring 1 comic related item you can give away: a comic, a taped music CD or DVD, VHS, or some other comic related item—wrap this item
- Final version of your Comic Book Paper
Complete List of Course Unit Assignments
Week 2
Assignment: Super Powers Survey
due Jan. 23 Tue.
Survey 5 friends asking the simple questions below. Record your answers on a piece of paper to turn in.
- Which power would you rather have, the ability to fly or the ability to turn invisible?
- Why?
- Also record each person’s gender, age, and educational level
Assignment: Greatest Super Hero Defense
due Jan. 25 Thur.
In a 1-2 page typed summary, provide the following information:
- Name the Greatest Super Hero of all time
- Briefly describe the hero, his/her powers, and background/origin story
- List arguments for why this hero is the greatest of all time
- Include a list of any sources you consulted
Week 3
Extra Credit Opportunity: 6:00 Lecture Series
Jan. 29 Monday (6:00 – 7:30 p.m. in the Ohio Room at the HUB)
- Write 1 page listing any interesting/useful facts the speaker mentions about the job search. Also list the “three questions that can earn you thousands of extra dollars in salary.”
- This activity is not required, but it is worth 10 bonus points if you go.
Assignment: Astonishing X-Men Reading
due Jan. 30 Tue.
- Read First Half of Joss Wedon’s Astonishing X-Men, Vol. 1: Gifted (Issues 1-3)
Assignment: No Assignment
due Feb. 1 Thur.
- No assignment due for this class
Week 4
Assignment: Astonishing X-Men Reading
due Feb. 6 Tue.
- Read Second Half of Joss Wedon’s Astonishing X-Men, Vol. 1: Gifted (Issues 4-6)
Assignment: Readings on Rhetoric
due Feb. 8 Thur.
Please read the following to prepare for Thursday’s class:
- “Rhetoric” (2005) by Paul Newall (a bit longer)
- “Introduction to Rhetoric” (short)
- “A Brief History of Ancient Greek Rhetoric” (short)
Week 5
Assignment: Comic Paper Proposal
due Feb. 13 Tue.
- Write a proposal for your comic paper
- If you want to work on project with someone else, that is fine too (all people doing a collaborative project will earn the same grade)
Assignment: Alter Ego
due Feb. 13 Tue.
- Create an alter ego, a secret identity
- In 3 paragraphs, give your character a basic identity
Feb. 15 Thursday
NO CLASS
- No regular class meeting
- Instead, we will be using our regular class time to see Ghost Rider
Feb. 16 Friday
Special Class Cinematic Event!
The Major Motion Picture Ghost Rider
Week 6
Assignment: Comic Book Origins
due Feb. 20 Tue.
- Find and read 3 comic book origin stories
- Bring these stories with you to class (collectable comics will be treated with care, but don’t bring anything too valuable)
- If you find a story in electronic form, bring it on a laptop or bring the link to add to your home page (note that unfortunately we can’t install comic reading software in the classroom)
- If you aren’t sure what an “origin” story is, read the following:
- Superman’s Origin (from Action Comics #1)
- Superman’s Origin (from Superman #1)
- On a separate sheet of paper, record the following:
- Your Name
- Name of each character whose origin you read
- Brief summary of each origin story
- Reference for the source of the story
Assignment: No Assignment
due Feb. 22 Thur.
- No assignment due for this class
Week 7
Assignment: Read Identity Crisis
due Feb. 27 Tue.
- Read Identity Crisis: Issues 1-3
Assignment: Write Origin Story
due Feb. 27 Tue.
- Write an origin story for your blog superhero
- You are free to shape this character to be any sort of hero you want: a cape wearing champion of justice, a blood-crazed vigilant, a wise-cracking anti-hero, a non-super hero, or something even more interesting–your character’s fate is in your hands . . . for now . . .
Assignment: Finish Reading Identity Crisis
due Mar. 1 Thur.
- Read the rest of Identity Crisis: Issues 4-7
Assignment: Post Your Origin Story
due Mar. 1 Thur.
- Post your character’s origin story on:
- Be sure to enter categories for your post so we can find it
- Categorize using your hero’s name, your hero’s alter ego name, and your own name
- If you have trouble posting, Dr. Pagnucci will help you in class
Week 8
Assignment: No Assignment
due Mar. 6 Tue.
- No assignment due for this class
- We’ll be using class time to view and discuss Sin City
Week 9: Spring Break (Mar. 12-16)
Week 10
Assignment: Make 4 Blog Responses to Other People’s Stories
due Mar. 20 Tue.
- Read posts by 4 other students in the class, 2 people you know, 2 people you don’t know
- For each of these heroes, make a story post:
- Write about an event which occurs in that hero’s world
- Write about a problem the hero must deal with
- Write about a character the hero meets
- Give the hero a supervillain to face
- The goal is to propel these stories forward
- Please categorize your posts using the hero’s names (and alter ego names) and your own name
- Please avoid offensive material (no overly sexual or graphic references)
- If you are too hostile with your posting, the writer may seek revenge on your characters
Assignment: The Science of Superheroes Reading
due Mar. 20 Tue.
- Read Introductory material
- Read Chapters 1-5
- There will likely be a quiz
- You don’t have to understand all the science perfectly, but take time to think about the basic ideas
Mar. 22 Thursday
NO CLASS
- No regular class meeting
- Dr. Pagnucci is making a presentation at a national conference in New York City
- Work on writing your Comic Book Paper (drafts are due Apr. 5)
Week 11
Assignment: Write 2 Episodes for Your Hero Blog
due Mar. 27 Tue.
- Read what other students have posted in relation to your superhero blog story
- Then write 2 short episodes (about 4 paragraphs total) about your hero
- Make sure your hero responds in some way to the story elements that were posted by your classmates
- Each story episode should be at least 2 full paragraphs in length, though it can be longer (limit yourself to no more than 5 paragraphs per episode if you can)
- Be sure to make 2 separate posts which contain individual story episode rather than just writing one really long post
Assignment: The Science of Superheroes Reading
due Mar. 27 Tue.
- Read Chapters 6-11
- Read Appendices A & B
- There may be a quiz
- You don’t have to understand all the science perfectly, but take time to think about the basic ideas
Assignment: Finish Saving the Planet Story
due Mar. 29 Thur.
- Work on completing the environmental story we started in class
- Make sure the story is 2-3 pages long (double spaced)
- If you know what you are doing, you can post your story on the blog (be sure to use categories to label it, including a category called global warming)
Week 12
Assignment: Superman on the Couch Reading
due Apr. 3 Tue.
- Read the first third of the book (about 75 pages)
Assignment: Print Saving the Planet Story
due Apr. 3 Tue.
- Post your Saving the Planet story to the Superhero Blog
- Also print out a copy of your story to turn in
Assignment: Rough Draft of Paper
due Apr. 5 Thur.
- Write a rough draft of your paper (at least 2 pages)
- Bring 2 copies to class
Week 13
Apr. 10 Tuesday & Apr. 12 Thursday
NO CLASS
- No regular class meeting
- Use regular class time to work on blog entries and your course paper
- Dr. Pagnucci will be presenting at the AREA and PCEA conferences
Assignment: Make 3 Blog Responses to Other People’s Global Warming Stories
due Apr. 12 Thur.
- Read the global warming stories posted by 3 other students on our class blog
- For each of these stories, post a comment which either:
- Offers some thoughts and reactions to the story or
- Suggests where the story might go next
- Be supportive and encouraging as you make your comments
- Please avoid being overly critical of other people’s work
Week 14
Assignment: Write 1 Episode for Your Hero Blog
due Apr. 17 Tue.
- Read what other students have posted in relation to your superhero blog story
- Then write 1 short episode (about 3 paragraphs total) about your hero
- Make sure your hero responds in some way to the story elements that were posted by your classmates or to the global warming story you wrote earlier
- Your story episode should be at least 3 full paragraphs in length, though it can be longer (limit yourself to no more than 6 paragraphs per episode if you can)
Assignment: Read Maus I – A Survivor’s Tale: My Father Bleeds History
due Apr. 17 Tue.
- Read all of Maus
- It’s a fairly quick read
Week 15
Assignment: Read Watchmen, Chps. 1-4
due Apr. 24 Tue.
- Read Chapters 1-4
- Be sure to read the comic book panel sections and the text only sections which come at the end of each chapter
May 5: Free Comic Book Day!!!!
- Visit a local comic book shop and pick up a free comic book
- Think back on what a great class this was