OFFERED EVERY FEW YEARS
How do superheroes and comic books reflect our society over time?
I teach this course every few years. We begin with the Jewish roots of American superheroes, then explore how comics reflect debates about identity, belonging, gender, race, power, and responsibility.
BOOKS & PRIMARY SOURCES
Major readings from the 2019–2020 archive. Students read selected chapters and issues as well as complete graphic novels; the daily plans specify each assignment.
A memoir, short selections, and Scott McCloud’s guide introduce superhero storytelling and visual reading.
A graphic novel about power, violence, and competing ideas of heroism.
Selected chapters connect the comics industry with American social and political history.
Historical readings accompany The Death of Superman and questions about identity and belonging.
An article used to examine the evidence behind the campaign against comics.
Assigned selections connect the character with women’s history.
Close reading, annotation, discussion, and an analytical essay.
Readings connect Black superheroes and Batman with questions of representation and power.
Selected issues prepare students for conversations with writers and their own storytelling.
Titles identify the readings; books are not reproduced here. See the assignment sheets for specific chapters and excerpts.
HISTORY · IDENTITY · STORYTELLING
Readings from Harry Brod’s Superman Is Jewish and Larry Tye’s history of Superman connect a familiar cultural icon to questions of immigration, identity, and belonging. Students consider how creators’ experiences shape the heroes—and societies—they imagine.
From Kingdom Come and The Death of Superman to Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns, we examine what stories reveal about their historical moment.
Students analyze words and images together, prepare for seminars, compare books with film adaptations, and develop evidence-based essays. Jill Lepore’s The Secret History of Wonder Woman and Adilfu Nama’s Super Black extend our study of representation and social change.
The archived course ends with conversations with comic-book writers and the beginnings of an original superhero origin story. Students move from interpreting creative choices to making their own.
THE WHOLE YEAR, TOGETHER
Read all 97 dated entries across 7 units on one page, with daily classwork and homework in the course’s teaching order.
Open the full-year assignment sheet ↗Print the complete year or use your browser’s Print → Save as PDF.
BROWSE THE COMPLETE COURSE
The month menu covers every month with dated lessons in this archived course. View the whole year, choose a unit, or combine both filters to narrow the daily plans.
Showing 7 of 7 units · 97 dated entries
ARCHIVED CLASSWORK & HOMEWORK · UNIT 1
What makes a hero—and who gets to decide?
Read Stan Lee, Scott McCloud, and Kingdom Come to examine responsibility, redemption, and the relationship between words and images.
Open printable assignment sheet ↗Read each day below: In class shows the work students do together; Homework / preparation shows what they complete outside class and when it is due. Search within this unit, or use the course-wide unit and month filters above.
Showing 12 of 12 dated entries · 2019–2020 · Unit 1
Introductions. Who is your favorite superhero? Why?
For Monday, please write a 1-2-page response to the summer reading Amazing Fantastic Incredible, analyzing Stan Lee’s thoughts about what makes a popular superhero. How did Lee’s own life experiences play a role in his thinking, and how did his ideas change over time?
Seniors away at Camp
Superhero trivia.
No additional homework.
Share written responses. Discuss summer reading and themes of course. Distribute course syllabus.
For tomorrow, please read and be prepared to discuss the following short selections in What Is a Superhero:
More than Normal, But Believable (By Stan Lee, comic book writer)
Making the World a Better Place (By Jeph Loeb, comic book writer)
We Could Be Heroes (By Will Brooker, academic)
Discuss selections from What Is a Superhero. Which take do you find most convincing? Why?
For tomorrow, please read and be prepared to discuss the following short selections from What Is a Superhero:
What is a Female Superhero? (By Jennifer K. Stuller, academic)
Straddling a Boundary: The Superhero and the Incorporation of Difference (By Clare Pitkethly, academic)
Extraordinary (By Joe Quesada, comic book writer)
Discuss selections from What Is a Superhero. Which take do you find most convincing? Why?
For Friday, please read Chapters 1 and 4 in Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics. We will return to additional selections of this amazing book, as we read different comics and graphic novels. Also, while nothing is due to be submitted, please bring in any questions you have about how to make sense of reading and interpreting comics, which will be a central focus of the course.
Discuss Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics.
For Monday, please read and be prepared to discuss Chapter 1 in Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross. As you read each chapter, consider the following questions for discussion…
How do you think Waid and Ross define superheroes?
How do you think Waid and Ross define villains?
What role do “ordinary” people play in the story?
How does the art complement the writing? Or not?
What truths do Waid and Ross try to reveal about our own society?
Please think of any of your own questions to ask and respond to.
Also, for next Friday, please write your own response (2-3 pages) on What is a Superhero? There are no right or wrong answers, but please be thoughtful. You do not need to follow a particular structure (essay or op-ed style is equally great), but your writing should be clear, concise, and persuasive. You do not need to rely on classroom or outside sources, but if you do, cite accordingly using Chicago.
Discuss Chapter 1 in Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross.
For tomorrow, please read Chapter 2 in Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross. Have your responses to any of the questions (above) changed? If so, why?
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
Discuss Chapter 2 in Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross.
For tomorrow, please read Chapter 3 in Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross. Have your responses to any of the questions (above) changed? If so, why?
Discuss Chapter 3 in Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross.
For Friday, please complete writing assignment. Also, please read chapter 4 and “one year later…” in Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross, finishing the graphic novel. Have your responses to any of the questions (above) changed? If so, why?
Discuss chapter 4 and “one year later…” in Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross.
For Monday, please read the “bonus material” after the graphic novel concludes. Be prepared to discuss how the material give you deeper insight into what the authors think about superheroes. What surprises you about any particular revelations?
Discuss “bonus material” from Kingdom Come. Introduce take-home response (4-5 pages) due Oct. 16. Please write an academic essay in response to one of the following prompts…
Analyze the role of responsibility in Kingdom Come. How does this affect the younger meta-humans? In what way does Superman abandon his responsibilities and how does he redeem himself? What responsibilities does Norman McKay fail to perform in the beginning of Kingdom Come? How do the humans and the delegates of the U.N. factor in here? In particular, how does this relate to the relationship between Magog and Superman? Cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.
How is Kingdom Come a story of redemption? How (and to what extent) do the meta-humans redeem their lapses in the eyes of the humans they swore to protect? How must superman redeem his abandonment of society, as well as society their condemnation of his peaceful ways? In what ways is Wonder Woman’s loss and subsequent recovery of her heritage integral to the story? How is Norman McKay’s story line and character arc in line with the theme of redemption?
The art of telling a story through a graphic novel is vastly different from telling a story in novel form. Discuss how a writer and artist must work together to create a comic book, especially one of the magnitude of Kingdom Come. What were their processes? How did they strike the balance between visual and written story-telling? How did the art help develop the characters? How did the writing help develop the art? Feel free to pick a specific scene from the book to more effectively illustrate your ideas and points.
The destruction of Kansas is the turning point for society’s views on meta-humans. It is also the event that finally brings Superman out of his self-imposed exile. Discuss the symbolism of the Kansas disaster in relation to three of the points below (and remember to cite specific examples from the text to support your response):
The shattering of hope, especially for Norman McKay.
The confirmation of the public’s realization that they have too readily embraced violence as a solution.
The eventual acceptance of guilt and blame by all meta-humans at the end of the book.
The fragility of human life, especially in comparison to the meta-humans.
A symbol of redemption and rebirth.
For tomorrow, please read “Superman’s Revelation: The Problem of Violence in Kingdom Come,” by David Hatfield.
Discuss “Superman’s Revelation: The Problem of Violence in Kingdom Come,” by David Hatfield.
For tomorrow, in Comic Book Nation, please read the Introduction and Chapter 1 up to page 13.
ARCHIVED CLASSWORK & HOMEWORK · UNIT 2
How do Jewish experience and imagination shape an American icon?
Connect Superman’s origins with Jewish identity, immigration, belonging, and the history of American popular culture.
Open printable assignment sheet ↗Read each day below: In class shows the work students do together; Homework / preparation shows what they complete outside class and when it is due. Search within this unit, or use the course-wide unit and month filters above.
Showing 17 of 17 dated entries · 2019–2020 · Unit 2
Discuss Comic Book Nation. Read and analyze select comics from reading, which Mr. Cutler will project.
For Friday, please complete Chapter 1 in Comic Book Nation.
Discuss Chapter 1 in Comic Book Nation. Read and analyze select comics from reading, which Mr. Cutler will project.
No additional homework.
No School-Rosh Hashanah
No class.
No additional homework specified.
Continue discussing Chapter 1 in Comic Book Nation. Read and analyze select comics from reading, which Mr. Cutler will project.
For tomorrow, please read Chapter 1 in Harry Brod’s Superman is Jewish, “Superman as Supermentsh: How the Ultimate Alien Became the Iconic All-American.”
Discuss Chapter 1 in Harry Brod’s Superman is Jewish, “Superman as Supermentsh: How the Ultimate Alien Became the Iconic All-American.”
For Friday, please read Chapter 2 in Harry Brod’s Superman is Jewish, “Flights of Jewish Imagination: From the Old Country to Tales of a Better Tomorrow.”
Discuss Chapter 2 in Harry Brod’s Superman is Jewish, “Flights of Jewish Imagination: From the Old Country to Tales of a Better Tomorrow.”
For Monday, please read Chapter 1 in Larry Tye’s Superman: The High-Flying Adventures of America’s Most Enduring Hero, “Giving Birth.”
Discuss Chapter 1 in Larry Tye’s Superman: The High-Flying Adventures of America’s Most Enduring Hero, “Giving Birth.”
For Wednesday, please read and be prepared to discuss Chapter 2 in Larry Tye’s Superman, Enduring Hero, “A Hero for His Times.”
Examining early science fictions magazines and the pulps.
No additional homework.
Discuss Chapter 2 in Larry Tye’s Superman: The High-Flying Adventures of America’s Most Enduring Hero, “A Hero for His Times.”
No additional homework.
Examining early Superman comic books.
Remember, your essay is due Tuesday before the start of class . For Friday, please read and be prepared to discuss Chapter 2 in Larry Tye’s Superman, Enduring Hero, “A Master of Faith.”
No School-Columbus Day
No class.
No additional homework specified.
Share and discuss essays with peers.
No additional homework.
No Class – College Day
No class.
No additional homework specified.
Discuss Chapter 3 in Larry Tye’s Superman: The High-Flying Adventures of America’s Most Enduring Hero, “A Matter of Faith.”
For Monday, please read The Death of Superman to the opening spread of “Under Fire.” While reading, be prepared to discuss how Superman personifies his Jewish creation. What about the rest of the Justice League? How do superheroes in this graphic novel compare to Kingdom Come?
Discuss The Death of Superman to the opening spread of “Under Fire.”
For tomorrow, please read “Under Fire” to “Doomsday is Here!” in The Death of Superman. While reading, be prepared to discuss how Superman personifies his Jewish creation . What about the rest of the Justice League? How do superheroes in this graphic novel compare to Kingdom Come?
Discuss The Death of Superman from “Under Fire” to “Doomsday is Here!”
For tomorrow, please finish The Death of Superman. While reading, be prepared to discuss how Superman personifies his Jewish creation. What about the rest of the Justice League? How do superheroes in this graphic novel compare to Kingdom Come?
Discuss the final chapter of The Death of Superman. Introduce take-home response (4-5 pages), due Wednesday, Nov.6 . Please write an academic essay in response to one of the following prompts…
According to Kingdom Come author Mark Waid, “Superman is not a story about faith—it’s about inspiration. It’s a story about trying to move us into emulating, into being, into doing.” How and to what extent is this represented in DC’s The Death of Superman? When it comes this, the best-selling graphic novel of all time, do you agree with Waid’s sentiments? Would Brod and Tye agree with you?
After reading Brod and Tye, how and to what extent is Judaism, including Jewish lore, mysticism, and history, referenced in DC’s The Death of Superman, the best-selling graphic novel of all time? How does this make the storytelling more engaging?
For Friday, please read pages 30-43 in Chapter 2 of Comic Book Nation, stopping right before “Comic Books Go to War.”
ARCHIVED CLASSWORK & HOMEWORK · UNIT 3
What can comic books reveal about a society’s hopes and fears?
Trace the industry through the Depression, World War II, and debates over youth, censorship, and the influence of popular culture.
Open printable assignment sheet ↗Read each day below: In class shows the work students do together; Homework / preparation shows what they complete outside class and when it is due. Search within this unit, or use the course-wide unit and month filters above.
Showing 11 of 11 dated entries · 2019–2020 · Unit 3
Discuss pages 30-43 in Chapter 2 of Comic Book Nation.
For Monday, please read pages 43-55 in Comic Book Nation, finishing the chapter.
Discuss pages 43-55 in Comic Book Nation.
For tomorrow, please read pages 56-67 in Chapter 3 of Comic Book Nation, stopping right before the final paragraph of 67.
Discuss pages 56-67 in Chapter 3 of Comic Book Nation.
For tomorrow, please read pages 67-75 in Chapter 3 of Comic Book Nation, stopping right before “Exploring the Underworld.”
Discuss pages 67-75 in Chapter 3 of Comic Book Nation.
For Friday, please read pages 75-85 in Chapter 3 of Comic Book Nation, finishing the chapter.
Discuss pages 75-85 in Chapter 3 of Comic Book Nation.
For Monday, please read pages 86-98 in Comic Book Nation, stopping right before “Censoring Comic Books.”
Discuss pages 86-98 in Comic Book Nation.
For tomorrow, please read pages 98-108 in Comic Book Nation, finishing the chapter.
Discuss pages 98-108 in Comic Book Nation.
For Tuesday, please read Seducing the Innocent: Fredric Wertham and the Falsifications that Helped Condemn Comics, by Prof. Carol Tilley.
Catch up day.
No additional homework.
No School—Conferences
No class.
No additional homework specified.
No School Veteran’s Day
No class.
No additional homework specified.
Discuss Carol Tilley’s “Seducing the Innocent: Fredric Wertham and the Falsifications that Helped Condemn Comics.”
For next Tuesday, please read pages 1-79, or Part 1, of The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
ARCHIVED CLASSWORK & HOMEWORK · UNIT 4
How do superheroes reflect and challenge ideas about gender?
Read Jill Lepore’s The Secret History of Wonder Woman alongside films and historical discussion of women’s rights.
Open printable assignment sheet ↗Read each day below: In class shows the work students do together; Homework / preparation shows what they complete outside class and when it is due. Search within this unit, or use the course-wide unit and month filters above.
Showing 14 of 14 dated entries · 2019–2020 · Unit 4
Introduce The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore. Watch “Professor Marston & The Wonder Women.”
No additional homework.
Watch “Professor Marston & The Wonder Women.”
No additional homework.
Watch “Professor Marston & The Wonder Women.”
No additional homework.
Discuss film and The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
For Friday, please read pages 79-116 in The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
Continue discussing The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
No additional homework.
Discuss pages 79-116 in The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
Enjoy the break!
Watch “Wonder Woman,” the 2017 movie.
For Wednesday, please read pages 117-150 in The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
Watch “Wonder Woman,” the 2017 movie.
No additional homework.
Discuss pages 117-150 in The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
For Friday, please read pages 151-180 in The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
Discuss pages 150-180 in The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
For Monday, please read pages 181-218 in The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
Discuss pages 180-218 in The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
For tomorrow, please read pages 219-246 in The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
Discuss pages 219-246 in The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore. Introduce paper topics, due Jan. 15.
For Thursday, please read pages 247-279 in The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
Exploring Wonder Woman in the media.
No additional homework.
Discuss pages 247-279 in The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
For tomorrow, please read pages 280-297, finishing what we will read in this book. You’re welcome to read the afterword, if you’re curious.
ENJOY BREAK!
ARCHIVED CLASSWORK & HOMEWORK · UNIT 5
What happens when the superhero ideal meets distrust and moral uncertainty?
Place Watchmen in historical context, then analyze its characters, visual storytelling, symbols, and treatment of power.
Open printable assignment sheet ↗Read each day below: In class shows the work students do together; Homework / preparation shows what they complete outside class and when it is due. Search within this unit, or use the course-wide unit and month filters above.
Showing 19 of 19 dated entries · 2019–2020 · Unit 5
Exploring the Cold War: Origins and Containment.
For Friday, please finish Chapter 7 in Comic Book Nation.
Exploring the Cold War: Origins and Containment.
No additional homework.
Exploring the Vietnam War (through music and film).
No additional homework.
Discuss Chapter 7 in Comic Book Nation (graded seminar).
For Wednesday, please finish Chapter 8 in Comic Book Nation.
Watch Part 1: Watchmen
No additional homework.
Watch Part 2: Watchmen
No additional homework.
Discuss Chapter 8 in Comic Book Nation (graded seminar).
For Wednesday, please read Chapters 1-2 in Watchmen. Mr. Cutler will collect annotations for this graphic novel, which is filled with nuance. I will discuss this more with you in class.
No School—Faculty Work Day
No class.
No additional homework specified.
No School—MLK Day
No class.
No additional homework specified.
Humanities Symposium
School event or independent preparation.
No additional homework specified.
Discuss Watchmen, Chapters 1-2.
For Friday, please read Chapter 3 in Watchmen.
Discuss Watchmen, Chapter 3.
For Monday, please read Chapters 4-5 in Watchmen.
Discuss Watchmen, Chapters 4-5.
For tomorrow, please read Chapter 6 in Watchmen.
Discuss Watchmen, Chapters 6.
For tomorrow, please read Chapter 7 in Watchmen.
Discuss Watchmen, Chapter 7.
For Friday, please read Chapter 8 in Watchmen.
Discuss Watchmen, Chapter 8.
For Monday, please read Chapters 9-10 in Watchmen.
Discuss Watchmen, Chapters 9-10.
For tomorrow, please read Chapter 11 in Watchmen.
Discuss Chapter 11 in Watchmen.
For tomorrow, please read Chapter 12 in Watchmen.
Annotations Due
Discuss Chapter 12 in Watchmen. Submit book to Mr. Cutler for annotations.
Take the night off.
ARCHIVED CLASSWORK & HOMEWORK · UNIT 6
Who is represented as a hero, and what does that representation mean?
Read Adilfu Nama’s Super Black and Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns to examine race, authority, and competing visions of justice.
Open printable assignment sheet ↗Read each day below: In class shows the work students do together; Homework / preparation shows what they complete outside class and when it is due. Search within this unit, or use the course-wide unit and month filters above.
Showing 15 of 15 dated entries · 2019–2020 · Unit 6
Introduce Watchmen project, due Friday, Feb. 21.,
For Monday, please read the introduction and Chapter 1 in Super Black.
Discuss introduction and Chapter 1 of Super Black.
For Wednesday, please read Chapter 2 of Super Black.
Deep dive into Black Panther.
No additional homework.
Discuss Chapter 2 of Super Black.
For Friday, please read Chapter 3 of Super Black.
Discuss Chapter 3 of Super Black.
For Tuesday, please read Chapter 4 in Super Black.
NO SCHOOL—PRESIDENT’S DAY
No class.
No additional homework specified.
Discuss Chapter 4 of Super Black.
For Friday, please read Chapter 5 of Super Black.
Deep dive into Luke Cage.
No additional homework.
Watchmen Essays Due
Discuss Chapter 5 of Super Black. Introduce essay, due Monday, March 9.
For Monday, please read Chapter 9 in Comic Book Nation.
Discuss Chapter 9 in Comic Book Nation.
For Wednesday, please read Book 1 in Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
Deep dive into Batman.
No additional homework.
Discuss Book 1 in Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
For Monday, please read Book 2. You may use Friday’s class to read.
Mr. Cutler at NAIS Conference
Please read Book 2 in Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
For Tuesday, please read Book 3 in Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
Discuss Book 2 in Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
No additional homework.
Discuss Book 3 in Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
For Friday, please read the next assigned section of Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
ARCHIVED CLASSWORK & HOMEWORK · UNIT 7
How do writers turn an idea into a compelling superhero story?
Discuss Superman: Birthright and Josh Elder’s Adventures of Superman, prepare questions for writers, and begin an original superhero script.
Open printable assignment sheet ↗Read each day below: In class shows the work students do together; Homework / preparation shows what they complete outside class and when it is due. Search within this unit, or use the course-wide unit and month filters above.
Showing 9 of 9 dated entries · 2019–2020 · Unit 7
Discuss changes with going online. Introduce Superman: Birthright, by Mark Waid.
Please read Adventures of Superman (2013-) #28 by Josh Elder. Submit at least three questions for Mr. Elder about scripting, character development, and anything else of interest.
Discuss Adventures of Superman (2013-) #28 by Josh Elder. Discuss moderator, planning for the upcoming conversation with Mr. Elder.
No additional homework.
Zoom with Josh Elder
Zoom with Josh Elder.
For Tuesday, please read issues #1-2 in Superman: Birthright . Submit at least three questions for Mr. Waid about scripting, character development, and anything else of interest. Questions can also pertain to Kingdom Come.
Discuss issues #1-2 of Superman: Birthright. Students will use the Zoom whiteboard to discuss and write down questions for Mr. Waid, which can also pertain to Kingdom Come.
No additional homework.
Zoom with Mark Waid
Zoom with Mark Waid.
For Tuesday, please read issues #2-4 of Superman: Birthright and prepare at least three questions.
No class · Continue reading
No class.
No additional homework specified.
Discuss issues #2-4 of Superman: Birthright. Students will use the Zoom whiteboard to discuss and write down questions
For Friday, please read issues #5-6 of Superman: Birthright and prepare at least three questions.
No class · Continue reading
No class.
No additional homework specified.
Discuss issues #5-6 of Superman: Birthright. Students will use the Zoom whiteboard to discuss and write down questions. Discuss scripting mini-project.
Begin scripting ideas for your own superhero origin story.
READ · PRINT · REVIEW
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