June 1, 2021
It’s been a hell of a few months, enjoyable, but hectic. But since all my marking is finally finished, I can once again focus more on my own studying, not to mention sitting and reading comics properly.
When it comes to marking season, I tend to feel incredibly guilty stopping to read a book, when I know that is time I could spend reading students essays and writing feedback. Yes, I know, I’m bad at giving myself a break. How I see it is that the students tried their best and wrote these papers, so I should dedicate a good amount of my time to reading them, and giving them the feedback they deserve. Even if it’s sometimes difficult to express how it could be improved without just calling them and walking them it step by step. But the marking is now all done, and I can breath just a little.
My plans for the summer are to focus as hard as I can on my doctorate, you’ll possibly notice that there is now a counter on my page with the days since I started my doctorate. I want to keep that number as low as I can. But you can’t write about comics, if you don’t read more of them.
Friends and brilliant creators have been making some stunning work, some of while have finally inspired me to pick up some neglected books. The fantastic Owen Likes Comics recently put out his video on Batman Universe. While I find Bendis hit or miss, he has encouraged me to check it out, because it does seem like a lot of fun. The ever lovely Comic Drake has demonstrated his passion for Invincible many times over, but with the new television series (which I still haven’t seen), he may have finally convinced me to read it. Once again Scott Niswander puts my research skills to shame, and actually gets me curious about Marvel (!). I know, shocker. It’s amazing seeing so many friends make incredible content, and it really inspires me to take my own work further. I may not be as creative as them, or as good with words, but they remind me just why I love comics, and their work certainly kept me company while I was marking away on all-nighters.
My latest avenue for research with my thesis has been attempting to explain the evolution of DC Comics between the Golden, Silver and Bronze age. I task I am enjoying. But I think this means that a lot of my summer this year will be spent going through all three of these ages, highlighting key moments, and expanding this section of my thesis.
If anything, it’s an excuse to read some Bronze Age Swamp Thing.