University of Waterloo
Department of English Language and Literature
ENGL 108A
The Superhero
Spring 2021
Asynchronous, Virtual Learning
Instructor: David Shakespeare
Office Hours: Mondays, 6:00-7:00pm, EDT, or request an appointment via e-mail
Email: rdshakespeare@uwaterloo.ca
Territorial Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are living and working on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron (also known as Neutral), Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land promised to the Six Nations that includes ten kilometres on each side of the Grand River.
Course Description
We will take the term “superhero” largely as a given, this class will investigate various iterations of the superhero across millennia, though with a focus almost exclusively on figures from the twentieth century. We will consider such questions as the roles and representations of superheroes, their struggles and antagonists, and their genres and media. We will read some prose fiction, but also comic books, and consider other adaptations, such as film and television, if possible.
Course Goals and Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of the course, successful students should be able to
- identify and describe the role of a hero and superhero in a narrative
- focus on the details of text and image to develop an advanced reading of a superhero text
- understand and use the term genre and the conventions of the superhero genre
- deploy a critical vocabulary through learning and applying literary terminology
- think critically and communicate effectively, especially about superheroes and comics
- develop abilities to write for an academic audience through tests, an exam, and an essay
- engage with your peers through discussion to develop a sophisticated response to literature
Required Texts
- The Epic of Gilgamesh, translated by N. K. Sandars
- Thus Spake Zarathustra (excerpt), by Friedrich Nietzsche
- Odd John, by Olaf Stapledon
- Action Comics #1, #252, #346, #352 by various artists
- Wonder Woman #1-4, by George Pérez, Greg Potter, Len Wein, & Bruce Patterson
- Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet, Volume 1 by Ta-Nehisi Coates & Brian Stelfreeze
- Giant-Size X-Men #1, by Len Wein & Dave Cockrum
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, by Kevin Eastman & Peter Laird
- Understanding Comics, by Scott McCloud, isn’t required reading but is a very valuable resource
Some texts are available without charge on the internet; others will require payment. Comics are available through comiXology.com; for physical copies, check the UW bookstore’s website for availability. Ask the instructor if you have trouble finding the texts.
Course Requirements and Assessment
Should any deadlines need to change as a consequence of the pandemic, you will be notified as far in advance as possible.
|
Assessment |
Date of Evaluation (if known) |
Weighting |
|---|---|---|
|
Short Paper: Who Would Win? |
May 25 |
10% |
|
Essay #1: Gilgamesh or Odd John |
June 15 |
20% |
|
Team Report: Film Comparison |
June 29 |
10% |
|
Essay #2: Comic Book Heroes |
July 20 |
30% |
|
Team Project: Superhero Teams |
August 5 |
20% |
|
Participation |
ongoing |
10% |
| Total | 100% |
Brief descriptions of the assignments follow; full details will be supplied as we approach the deadlines.
Short Paper: Who Would Win? (10%)
In a typed, two-paged and double-spaced paper, you will present a hypothetical match between two superheroes, two supervillains, or a superhero and a supervillain (no teams; that will come later). You will describe the characters, offer a brief scenario in which the two meet, and offer your reasons for a champion.
First Essay: Gilgamesh or Odd John (20%)
The first major assessment for the course will be an argumentative essay of approximately 16001700 words, or 4-5 double-spaced, typed pages. You will be asked to develop a topic from a given list and argue your interpretation of the texts in question. We will have a class devoted to writing in the English discipline on 15 January. Essay topics will be distributed prior to their due dates, but if you would like to develop your own topic, you must first have instructor approval.
Team Report: Film Comparison
Working with your team for the term, you will view two superhero movies, an older one and a contemporary one, and compare them in terms of heroes, villains, plot, themes, setting, and other relevant aspects. For instance, you might compare the Hellboy movies (2004 and 2019) or Superman (1978) with Superman Returns (2006) or Man of Steel (2013).
Second Essay: Comic Book Heroes
In this essay, you will present an argument about one of the comic-book superheroes discussed in class: Superman, Wonder Woman, or Black Panther. This paper will be slightly more substantial than the first essay, at approximately 2100 words, or about 6 double-spaced, typed pages. You will be required to include two sources in your paper, and you will engage in a peer-editing session for this assignment. Once again, the instructor will supply a list of possible essay topics, though if you would like to develop your own, you may if you receive instructor approval prior to essay submission.
Team Presentation: The Super Team
The final project for the course will be a team effort in which you and your teammates for the term select a team of superheroes or supervillains (e.g. Avengers, Bizarro League, Inhumans, etc.) and offer a mediated (i.e. using audio-visual) presentation about them, using something like Prezzi, Powerpoint, Powtoon, or other such software. You’ll discuss the aspects of the team and consider the role that individual members play. You will likely want to consider additional sources, such as reading comic books, though you are only expected to select 4-5 core team members to discuss (e.g. the Justice League features more than 100 members, if you count those who appear occasionally, in different iterations, their staff, etc., but you need present only a manageable number in your presentation).
Participation
To earn participation marks, you will respond to weekly discussion board posts with about 150-200 words. These will ask you to think about the material discussed in lectures and respond to your team members to develop complex understandings of superheroes and the superhero genre.
Course Outline
|
Week |
Date |
Topic |
Readings Due |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Week 1 |
10-16 May |
Course Introduction, The Earliest Superhero? |
The Epic of Gilgamesh, chapters 1-3 |
|
Week 2 |
17-23 May |
The Earliest Superhero, The Ubermensch |
The Epic of Gilgamesh, chapter 4-end; Nietzsche excerpt |
|
Week 3 |
24-30 May |
“The First Superman” |
Odd John, chapters 112 (chapter 11 is optional) |
|
Week 4 |
31 May – 6 June |
“The First Superman” |
Odd John, chapter 13-end |
|
Week 5 |
7-13 June |
Superman Begins, Superman & Supervillain |
Action Comics #1; Action Comics #352 |
|
Week 6 |
14-20 June |
Superman Meets the Ordinary? |
Action Comics #252; Action Comics #346 |
|
Week 7 |
21-27 June |
Super Woman |
Wonder Woman #1-2 |
|
Week 8 |
28 June – 4 July |
Super Woman |
Wonder Woman #3-4 |
|
Week 9 |
5-11 July |
Super African Man |
Black Panther #1-3 |
|
Week 10 |
12-18 July |
Super African Man, Peer-Editing Essays |
Black Panther #4, Fantastic Four #52 |
|
Week 11 |
19-25 July |
Super Mutant Team |
Giant-Size X-Men #1 |
|
Week 12 |
26 July – 1 August |
Super Mutant Team |
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 |
Late Work
All assignments are to be submitted on the due date by 11:55pm EDT. Late essays will be penalized at a rate of 3% per day, including weekends. No assignments will be accepted seven (7) days after the deadline. To avoid penalties, prepare your work well in advance. If you have legitimate (often medical) documentation to provide the instructor, you will be exempt from the late penalty, and a new deadline will be set for you if it is a medical emergency. Otherwise, you must notify the instructor in advance; no extensions will be granted after the deadline. If you are granted an extension for legitimate reasons, you and the instructor will decide on a new deadline.
Religious and Other Accommodations
Note that any student requiring an accommodation because of a religious observance or other holiday should let the instructor know as soon as possible
Institutional-required statements for undergraduate course outlines approved by Senate Undergraduate Council, April 14, 2009
Academic Integrity
In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. Check the Office of Academic Integrity webpage for more information.
Discipline
A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offences, and to take responsibility for their actions. Check the Office of Academic Integrity for more information. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the Undergraduate Associate Dean. When misconduct has been found to have occurred, disciplinary penalties will be imposed under Policy 71 – Student Discipline. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 - Student Discipline. For typical penalties check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties.
Grievance
A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4. When in doubt, please be certain to contact the department’s administrative assistant who will provide further assistance.
Appeals
A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances (other than a petition) or Policy 71 - Student Discipline may be appealed if there is a ground. A student who believes they have a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72 - Student Appeals.
Note for Students with Disabilities
The AccessAbility Services office, located on the first floor of the Needles Hall extension (NH 1401), collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with the AS office at the beginning of each academic term.
Faculty of Arts-required statements for undergraduate course outlines
Cross-listed Course (if applicable)
Please note that a cross-listed course will count in all respective averages no matter under which rubric it has been taken. For example, a PHIL/PSCI cross-list will count in a Philosophy major average, even if the course was taken under the Political Science rubric.