Teaching comics as literature: The San Diego Union Tribune spotlights Palomar College professor Rocco Versaci, whose "Comic Books as Literature" class focuses on such works as American Splendor, Ethel & Ernest and Summer of Love:

"Many people tend to dismiss comics as lowbrow and juvenile, but in fact comics are a complicated format that can express ideas, create characters, address issues, and tell stories in ways unmatched by other forms, such as literature and film. ... Because comics are both textual and visual, they can explore the rich ground upon which these two means of expression collide."