The Philosophy of Comics: What They Are, How They Work, and Why They Matter

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Henry John Pratt (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Marist College) Kurt F. Shaffert

The Philosophy of Comics

What They Are, How They Work, and Why They Matter

Henry John Pratt (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Marist College), Kurt F. Shaffert

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English

Oxford University Press Inc
06 September 2023

Art & design styles: Postmodernism; Comic book & cartoon art; Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers

How do comics produce such a striking range of vibrant stories, representations, and expressions of the sensibilities of their creators? Henry John Pratt's The Philosophy of Comics provides a ground-breaking, illustrated introduction to the study of comics and graphic novels, advancing the field of comics studies by attending to some of its most notable problems. Pratt examines the history of comics, the contrast between comics and cartoons, the tenuous place of comics in the art world, and what it is to be a comic in the first place. Comics work through extensive modes of representation and expression, including through film, non-graphic literature, and theatre. Pratt examines questions such as, why and how are so many films based on comics? Can there be a perfect adaptation from one to the other? Are some comics better than others? Why is reading comics not regarded in the same light as reading literary books? Pratt urges us to look closely at the most significant problems and puzzles that comics provoke, having to do with the very nature of comics, what composes them, how comics are related to other art forms, how they function to manage space and time in storytelling, and why they've been neglected in academic circles despite being a culturally significant art form for decades. With illustrations by Kurt F. Shaffert, The Philosophy of Comics ultimately tries to explain the true underlying value of comics as an art form.

By: Henry John Pratt (Associate Professor of Philosophy Associate Professor of Philosophy Marist College)
Illustrated by: Kurt F. Shaffert
Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 158mm, Width: 235mm, Spine: 14mm
Weight: 336g
ISBN: 9780190845438
ISBN 10: 0190845430
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 06 September 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Henry John Pratt is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Marist College. He received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from The Ohio State University. His published work focuses on popular art forms such as comics and film. Kurt F. Shaffert is an American cartoonist and creator of the comic strip Fergie. Known as the ""Cartooning Chaplain,"" Shaffert is the first Will Eisner Fellow in Applied Cartooning with the Center for Cartoon Studies and is the co-founder of Pearl Press.

Reviews for The Philosophy of Comics: What They Are, How They Work, and Why They Matter

The author's writing style is conversational and engaging, and Kurt Shaffer's illustrations are quite amusing,...Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals. * Choice *