Class

Poetry Comics

Discover the dynamic possibilities of poetry comics, a hybrid form that combines poetic language and visual images. In this generative class, weʼll look at diverse examples of the poetry comic form and make quick experiments to share with the class. We’ll look at works that combine poetry with traditional elements of the comic—drawings, sequential panels, speech balloons. We’ll also investigate comics-adjacent works that blend poetry with photographic images and collage. For inspiration, we’ll turn to examples by Bianca Stone, John Porcellino, E.A. Bethea, Mita Mahato, Oliver Baez Bendorf, and Monica Ong. Weʼll investigate how visual elements interact with poetic techniques of line break, juxtaposition, tonal textures, and metaphor. In-class exercises are opportunities to sample different approaches to the poetry comics form, discuss process, and receive encouraging feedback on in-class experiments. Students will leave with tools and resources for future explorations in graphic poetry.

Instructions for Accessing This Online Class

In order to access live class meetings, you must have the Zoom application downloaded to your computer. You will also need a WiFi/Internet connection throughout the duration of your scheduled meeting and a computer with audio and video capability. The information to join your Zoom classroom will be provided in your confirmation email upon registration. Please check spam folders if you do not see this email upon registration. For more information on how to use Zoom, please see our training manual here.