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“Radical Reading: Political Comic Books” online short course open now from the School for Social and Cultural Change

By John Freeman on March 24, 2021

Comics writer Sean Michael Wilson is tutoring “Radical Reading: Political Comic Books”a new online course from the US-based School for Social and Cultural Change.

“This course is an eight week look at the idea of comic books or graphic novels as radical literature,” Sean tells downthetubes. “It will consider how the still common image of comic books as being a medium for just comedy or fantasy for children or teenagers readers is inaccurate.

“Modern graphic novels tackle subjects of history, biography, race, gender, class and the economic system,” he continues. “They do so often from a radical political point of view, as a type of subversive literature. Various examples will be looked at in short videos and text sections. There will be a Zoom meeting each week, which all students are welcome to take part in.”

Enrolments are open now and the courses begin on 1st April 2021.

The School for Social and Cultural Change exists to help its participants deal with issues, answer questions, or arrive at capacities they seek. SSCC intends, therefore, to provide what participants seek as best its instructors can. Each course runs eight weeks.

“All the SSCC courses are reasonable in cost, so please have a look and consider enrolling for my course or one of the other good ones there,” Sean asks.

Sean’s books include The Garden, released last year, The Many Not the Few, Portraits of Violence and the award-winning Secrets of the Ninja.

• This is a completely self-paced online course – you decide when you start and when you finish – you can sign up for it here at any time

• Sean Michael Wilson is online at seanmichaelwilson.weebly.com

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.