Adult Comics: An Introduction New Accents Library Collection (New Accents)

In a society where a comic equates with knockabout amusement for children, the sudden pre-eminence of adult comics, on everything from political satire to erotic fantasy, has predictably attracted an enormous amount of attention. Adult comics are part of the cultural landscape in a way that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. In this first survey of its kind, Roger Sabin traces the history of comics for older readers from the end of the nineteenth century to the present. He takes in the pioneering titles pre-First World War, the underground 'comix' of the 1960s and 1970s, 'fandom' in the 1970s and 1980s, and the boom of the 1980s and 1990s (including 'graphic novels' and Viz.). Covering comics from the United States, Europe and Japan, Adult Comics addresses such issues as the graphic novel in context, cultural overspill and the role of women. By taking a broad sweep, Sabin demonstrates that the widely-held notion that comics 'grew up' in the late 1980s is a mistaken one, largely invented by the media. Adult Comics: An Introduction is intended primarily for student use, but is written with the comic enthusiast very much in mind. "How is it that television has come to play such an important role in our culture? What does TV tell us, and how do we make sense of its content? How does what's on telly relate to the culture of the people watching it? What is it that we find so satisfying in the format of TV crime shows, or in quiz or sports programmes, that we enjoy watching them again and again? Reading Television addresses these questions, providing a sympathetic but systematic method of analysis from which critical readings of television can be made." "The book's overall approach - recognizable now as cultural studies - became widely influential when Reading Television was first published in 1978, and it continues to shape the field internationally. In this edition, John Hartley reflects on the development of television studies since then and provides invaluable new suggestions for further reading. His fascinating foreword both underlines and ensures the continuing relevance of this foundational text, which provides the ideal entry point for anyone wanting to understand the place of television within contemporary culture."--BOOK JACKET "This guide discusses the nature and development of structuralism and semiotics, calling for a new critical awareness of the ways in which we communicate and drawing attention to their implications for our society. Published in 1977 as the first volume in the New Accents series, Structuralism and Semiotics made crucial debates in critical theory accessible to those with no prior knowledge of the field, thus enacting its own small revolution. Since then a generation of readers has used the book as an entry not only into structuralism and semiotics, but into the wide range of cultural and critical theories underpinned by these approaches." "Structuralism and Semiotics remains the clearest introduction to some of the most important topics in modern critical theory. An afterword and fresh suggestions for further reading ensure that this new edition will become, like its predecessor, the essential starting point for anyone new to the field."--BOOK JACKET First launched in 1977, The New Accents series rapidly changed the face of literary studies. Its clear and concise volumes brought the latest in literary theory to students and academics and paved the way for undergraduate teaching on essential new topics and approaches. The New Accents volumes are now firmly established as classic texts and are still widely used by students and lecturers. The authors have gone on to become some of the most important figures in their field. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the New Accents publications. To mark this important event, Routledge are reissuing a library edition of all of the volumes from the series, many of which are now out of print and have never before been available in hardback. 1. Introduction -- 2. Linguistics and Anthropology -- 3. The Structures of Literature -- 4. A Science of Signs -- 5. Conclusions: New 'New Criticism' For Old 'New Criticism'?