i teach a university writing seminar for first-year students at brandeis university.

the course is titled autobiographical comics. we read a variety of comics and theorists, and discuss the relationship between art, memory, history, and the truth.

our syllabus includes understanding comics by scott mccloud, maus by art speigelman, persepolis by marjane satrapi, fun home by alison bechdel, i was seven in ‘75 by ellen forney, the art lesson by tomie depaola, and many other fantastic comics and theoretical texts.

students participate in drawing exercises and draw autobiographical comics at the start of each class. students learn firsthand about the choices that artists make in depicting their memories. how does a lived experience become a comic? can a drawing in pencil and crayon represent reality more accurately than a photograph?

for more info, email rafaelnabrahams@gmail.com