21 June 2013

Desperate Dan helps Comics Studies graduates celebrate

Picture shows (l-r) Dr Chris Murray, Gavin Boyle, Calum Laird, Mark Duncan and Hannah Rose

The inaugural cohort of students on the UK's first degree programme in Comic Studies graduated from the University of Dundee today.

Five students obtained a postgraduate Masters in Comic Studies degree having explored the history and cultural significance of comics, as well as their artwork and writing. Students even created their own comics as part of their research.

The dissertations they produced looked at a wide variety of issues including the growth of digital comics, feminism in comics, and the history of Spanish comics under Franco's regime. Some of the class have gone on to start PhDs in comics at the University, while others have been commissioned to do work in the comics industry.

Four of the group - Gavin Boyle, Calum Laird, Mark Duncan and Hannah Rose - were at the Caird Hall for the Graduation Ceremony, while their classmate Laura Sneddon was absent.

They were joined in the celebrations by course leader Dr Chris Murray, one of the UK's foremost authorities on the subject who has researched comics and graphic novels extensively, and is editor of the journal Studies in Comics.

'I am thrilled to see the first cohort of Comics Studies MLitt students graduate this year,' said Dr Murray. 'This is the only postgraduate degree of its kind, and the students have all worked extremely hard on it. They have been a great group to teach, and have all been very enthusiastic and knowledgeable.

'The strength of the course is in the commitment the students have to it, and the commitment we have at the University to making sure it allows students to network with professionals, develop their skills, and prepare for jobs in academia, or in the comics industry. We are delighted that the course has done that, and are proud of the students' achievements.'

Dundee can lay claim to being the spiritual home of the British comics industry through the output of publishers DC Thomson & Co Ltd, and the students posed by the city's statue of legendary Dandy character Desperate Dan after receiving their degrees.

Comics and graphic novels are increasingly sophisticated texts which comment on culture, politics and values, and cross over into areas such as television, film, computer games and the internet.

The MLitt in Comic Studies programme is delivered on a one-year full time or two-year part time basis. More information is available by visiting www.dundee.ac.uk/english/prospective/postgraduates/comicstudies/ or emailing Dr Chris Murray on c.murray@dundee.ac.uk.

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