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DAILY HOMEWORK
Note: the bulleted homework tasks are listed below the date they are due.
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Monday, January 19, 2026
- NO CLASS: Martin Luthor King Day (Federal Holiday)
- You should do some of the reading, though.
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
- Complete the Contact Information survey (1 point).
- Read the instructions and complete the Student Contract handout (See Handouts page). (1 point)
- Read and mark “How to Really Read This Book” (Available in “Readings” on Canvas).
- Read and mark all of Superman for All Seasons.
- Read and mark the introduction, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2 of Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics.
- I strongly suggest using clear Post-it notes for the graphic novel readings.
- Because there’s a large amount of reading here, it will be worth 10 points instead of the normal 5 per day. If there are marks on at least every other page or multiple pages of notes, you’ll get full credit, even if there are ways to improves. You will each learn what form of marking works best for you.
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
- NO CLASS: We do not meet on Tuesdays.
- Last day to add a course without faculty signature.
Monday, January 26, 2026
- NO CLASS, but an assignment is due: Dr. Halbert is meeting with a medical specialist.
- Scholarly Article Analysis Project Due (20 points).
- First, read and mark "Nostalgia, Myth, and Ideology: Visions of Superman at the End of the ‘American Century'” (available in the “Readings” section of Canvas).
- Present marked essay in class and post written response in the “Academic Article Activity” Assignment. See Assignment description for specific details. (Marked text=5 points; Activity=20 points)
- Due by 2 PM today.
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
- Read and mark Chapters 1-4 (pages 1-126) of Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic (Five points).
Monday, February 2, 2026
- Read and mark Chapters 5-7 (pages 127-240) of Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. (Five points). You will finish the book.
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
- NO CLASS: We do not meet on Tuesdays.
- Last day to drop a course before withdrawal required.
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
- Read and mark Chapters 3 and 4 of Understanding Comics (5 points).
- Withdrawal period without professor’s signature starts.
Monday, February 9, 2026
- Read and mark the first half of Vol. 1 of Astro Boy (pages 1-110) 5 points.
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
- Finish reading Vol. 1 of Astro Boy (pages 111-222). We are not reading Vol. 2 (which starts with “His Highness Deadcross”: if you start reading past this point, it’s called “Pleasure Reading”). 5 points.
- Quotation Assignment #1 Due. Submit to the “Quotation Assignment #1” Assignment. This assignment will not be accepted late (20 points).
Monday, February 16, 2026
- Draft of Paper #1 due. Post a copy in the "Paper #1: Draft" Discussion Board topic. Posting is worth five points.
- We will have a workshop on your drafts today worth 20 points. You must attend class with a completed draft printed for a partner to read to get those points. Incomplete drafts will be prorated, but it is better to come with a partial draft than to skip class.
- If you had an accommodations letter sent to me, please send me an email to remind me that you will need extra time on the midterm exam so I can make arrangements.
Wednesday, February 18, 2025
- Read and mark Incredible Hulk #377 (Available in “Readings” on Canvas; 5 points).
Monday, February 23, 2025
- Final draft of Paper #1 due in the “Paper 1: Final Draft (Graded copy)” in Assignments (for up to 200 points) and the “Paper 1: Final Draft (Discussion Board)” option (for 5 points). See checklist for details.
- We will prepare for the midterm essays today in class.
Wednesday, February 25, 2025
- Midterm exam. Remember to prepare an exam card for the essay question (available on the Graded Tasks page) to get ready for the exam. Historically, students who choose not to do an exam card do very poorly on the exam.
Monday, March 2, 2025
- Read and mark books 1 and 2 of The Dark Knight Returns.
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
- Finish reading and marking The Dark Knight Returns.
Monday, March 9, 2026
- NO CLASS: Spring Break. Start reading and marking Maus.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Monday, March 16, 2026
- Library Orientation: meet in the library classroom in the library in College Hall. Ask at the circulation desk if you do not know where that is. -10 points if you miss this class.
- Read and mark “The Bat and the Watchmen: Introducing the Revisionary Superhero Narrative” (Available in “Readings” on Canvas; 5 points).
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
- Read and mark chapters Part 1 (“My Father Bleeds History”) of Maus (pages 5-165). 10 points because of length.
Monday, March 23, 2026
- Read and mark Chapters 1-2 (pages 163-234) of “And Here My Troubles Began” in Maus. 5 points.
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
- Finish reading and marking Maus.
- Read and mark “Fascism!” from the 24 March 1945 issue of Army Talk. 5 points.
- Withdrawal period without professor’s signature ends.
Thursday, March 26, 2026
- NO CLASS: We do not meet on Thursdays.
- Withdrawal period with professor’s signature starts.
Monday, March 30, 2026
- Maus article project due. Locate an academic article on Maus, read and mark it, and complete the response assignment. Post your response in the “Maus Articles” discussion topic. 10 points for response, 5 for marked text.
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
- Read and mark We3. WARNING: keep a hanky ready.
Monday, April 6, 2026
- Read and mark Chapters 5 and 6 of Understanding Comics (5 points).
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
- Read and mark Chapters 1-4 of Far Sector (section ends with Green Lantern looking at chalk outlines of murder victims and a small stuffed animal; 5 points).
Thursday, April 9, 2026
- NO CLASS: We do not meet on Thursdays.
- Withdrawal period with professor’s signature ends.
Friday, April 10, 2025
- NO CLASS: We do not meet on Fridays
- Excused withdrawal period starts and requires documentation to be shared with administration.
Monday, April 13, 2026
- Read and mark Chapters 5-9 of Far Sector (section ends with Green Lantern saying, “Sometimes I hate this city”; 5 points).
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
- Finish reading and marking Far Sector (5 points).
Monday, April 20, 2026
- Draft of Paper #2 Due. Post a copy in the "Paper #2: Draft" Discussion Board topic. Posting is worth five points.
- We will have a workshop on your drafts today worth 20 points. You must attend class with a completed draft printed for a partner to read to get those points. Incomplete drafts will be prorated, but it is better to come with a partial draft than to skip class.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
- Read and mark chapters 7, 8, and 9 of Understanding Comics. You will finish the book (5 points)
- Quotation Assignment #2 Due. Submit to the “Quotation Assignment #2” Assignment. This assignment will not be accepted late (20 points).
Monday, April 27, 2026
- Read and mark “The Crypt of Terror: ‘Foul Play’” story from Haunt of Fear #19 (the final story in the comic: you don’t have to read the rest of it, but you will have to locate our required story at the end of the comic).
- Read and mark excerpt from Seduction of the Innocent (available in “Readings” on Canvas).
- Read and mark “We’ve Had It” from The Ten Çent Plague: The Gread Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America (10 points worth of readings today).
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
- LAST CLASS (for all 15 week courses)
- Read and mark Sandman #19 (Available in the “Readings” on Canvas)
- It is always a good idea to go to the last class meeting of a course.
Monday, May 4, 2026
- Our Final Exam will take place in our normal classroom from 10:20 AM to 12:20 PM. No make-up exams will be given without documentation of an emergency.
- Bring your exam card and use the exam quotation study guide to prepare for identifications.
- Last day to resolve missing work.
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
- NO CLASS: this is exam week.
- Final Draft of Paper #2 due by noon. Post to “Paper #2 Final Draft: Discussion Board” (for 5 points) and to “Paper #2 Final Draft: Graded Copy” (for up to 200 points). See checklist for details.
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
- NO CLASS: We don’t have any more class meetings.
- Optional Major Paper Rewrite Due. You may rewrite your first paper for a completely new grade, but it must clearly be an evolution of your first paper, not a completely new paper.
- Post a copy to the “Major Paper Rewrite Option” assignment AND email a copy to Dr. Halbert. Make sure you review the expectations of a major paper rewrite: simply fixing a few commas will not change your grade.
End of Semester Reminders:
- Attend the final meeting of all your classes.
- Check your Montco email and Canvas announcements every day until Dr. Halbert says the grades are posted.
- Don’t email Dr. Halbert to see if the grades are done: he will announce when he is done.
- Do check your gradebook on Canvas during exam week to see individual assignment grades as they are entered.
- If there is a problem with a graded assignment, please email Dr. Halbert immediately.
- Faculty have until 11:59 PM on May 8, 2026, to get their grades in, but if they submit them sooner, they do not have to look at any work you try to submit late. Bear that in mind with your other professors.
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Date site created: January 13, 2026