Spring 2027

Introduction to Comics and Graphic Novels: Theory, History, Method

Introduction to Comics and Graphic Novels explores the theory and history of comics, graphic novels, and related media from around the world.

offering recorded3 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Adam Kern3.7/5

Summary

1 / 6

Past student reviews · Adam Kern

Opinions on difficulty varied; one student described the class as easy with manageable quizzes, while another stated it was not an easy A.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the history of comics as a major mode of human communication in a comparative context

  • Develop cultural awareness across historical periods and national boundaries

  • Understand and critically rethink the theory of comics as strip-based sequential narrative

  • Apply different theoretical models to the reading of comics; synthesize and critically evaluate source materials

Source: UW Guide

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

Sophomore standing

  • Sophomore standing
ASIAN 310

This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • Sophomore standing

Professors

Spring 2027
Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.68/5 from 25 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 1.8/5 raw quality · 3.2/5 difficulty · 5 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Adam Kern

Adam Kern's quizzes and discussions were easy to complete without attending class, though attendance was recommended. Students found the course straightforward, noting one opportunity for 1% extra credit.

Conversely, another student described the class as bland and boring, noting that it was not an easy A.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 3.64 GPA, 85.7% A/AB (n=70 letter grades); Fall 2023: 2.97 GPA, 50.0% A/AB (n=48 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

ADAM KERN is recorded teaching in Spring 2022, Fall 2023. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 700

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Past student reviews · Adam Kern

Students found the course easy to manage with Adam Kern, noting that quizzes and discussions could be completed without attending class, though attendance was recommended.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 3.64 GPA, 85.7% A/AB (n=70 letter grades); Fall 2023: 2.97 GPA, 50.0% A/AB (n=48 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Adam Kern

Opinions on difficulty varied; one student described the class as easy with manageable quizzes, while another stated it was not an easy A.

Past student reviews · Adam Kern

One student described the class as bland and boring.

Topics

  • Theory and history of global comics and graphic novels
  • Cultural awareness across historical periods and national boundaries
  • Comics as strip-based sequential narrative

Skills

  • Applying theoretical models to read comics and synthesizing source materials
  • Critically rethinking the theory of comics as strip-based sequential narrative

Grades

Latest available · Fall 2023— not enough history to project Spring 2027.

average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades
Instructor

Grade distribution · % of letter grades

A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

Grades over time

Through Fall 2023

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Fall 2023 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1292 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

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Selected offering source records
ASIAN 310 · Spring 2027

Introduction to Comics and Graphic Novels: Theory, History, Method

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
[
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:185:025568",
    "course_id": "ASIAN 310",
    "course_uid": "course_26de8f272d6c9bdb02cb09c2",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "025568",
    "source_subject_id": "185",
    "title": "Introduction to Comics and Graphic Novels: Theory, History, Method",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Not Applicable"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
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Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1
Model & dataset provenance 
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  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "754b94110ef37e487a4ed662c6b58818630beb1195ba32adc75f14b64a97118c",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}