In America, comics and comic books have often been associated with adolescent male fantasy-muscle-bound superheroes and scantily clad women. Nonetheless, comics have also been read and enjoyed by girls. While there have been many strong representations of women throughout their history, the comics of today have evolved and matured, becoming a potent medium in which to explore the female experience, particularly that of girlhood and adolescence. In Girls and Their Comics: Finding a Female Voice in Comic Book Narrative, Jacqueline Danziger-Russell contends that comics have a unique place in the representation of female characters. She discusses the overall history of the comic book, paying special attention to girls' comics, showing how such works relate to a female point of view. While examining the concept of visual literacy, Danziger-Russell asserts that comics are an excellent space in which the marginalized voices of girls may be expressed. This volume also includes a chapter on manga (Japanese comics), which explains the genesis of girls' comics in Japan and their popularity with girls in the United States. Including interviews with librarians, comic creators, and girls who read comics and manga, Girls and Their Comics is an important examination of the growing interest in comic books among young females and will appeal to a wide audience, including literary theorists, teachers, librarians, popular culture and women's studies scholars, and comic book historians.
Autorentext
By Jacqueline Danziger-Russell
Inhalt
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Introduction
In the Beginning
Comic Books' Evolution from Working-Class Literature and the Marginalization of Comics
The History of Comic Books for Girls
Comics-Now
Chapter Two
Comics as a Hybrid Art Form, or The Mysterious Case of the Picture Book
Defining the Picture Book
The Graphic Text and Reader-Response Theory
The Dynamic Interaction of Image and Text
Wordless Narrative
Comics' Influence on the Picture Book
Summary
Chapter Three
Why Visual Literacy is Important
The Value of the Visual Text
The Mechanics of Comics
Comics Giving a Voice to the Underrepresented Female
Chapter Four
The Appeal of Manga
Manga's History
Shojo Manga: A tradition of Girls' Comics
Manga in America
Manga's Future Influence in America
Chapter Five
The Validation of Comics Through the Graphic Novel Format
What is a Graphic Novel? Taking a Step Back Through History
Marketing Comics as Literature
New Heroes: The Impact that Modern Girl's Comics Can Have on the Female Reader and the Maturation of the Female Role in Comics
Beyond Graphic Novels: The Digital Age of Comics Has Arrived
Conclusion: Growing Up with Comics and Comics Growing Up
Bibliography