Graphic Narratives and Comic Collections - Oxford College Library

Graphic narratives are a growing area of study and literary expression. This exhibit focuses upon the expansion of Oxford’s collections in this genre, including comics and long-form graphic novels. In addition to providing an overview of the genre, the exhibit also features three in-depth “sub-exhibits” of graphic novels and comics that illustrate how the genre allows for the expression of alternative perspectives and narratives. These graphic narratives provide a different experience than a prose narrative and demand what some have called a “double literacy” of the visual and the written word.

The curated collections of notable graphic novels focus on important social, racial, and historical themes, events, and individuals. They provide examples of how written and drawn narratives can create complex stories and engagement with the past, present, and future. They often serve as a literary and artistic medium to the experiences of individuals and communities in response to established social, historic, and economic institutions.