Vermont Humanities
Comics in World History and Cultures in text over a collage of comic book illustrations

Comics in World History and Cultures

Join award-winning cartoonist and educator Marek Bennett as we explore and explain comics from many corners of the globe — with special attention to how people use sequential visual narratives to share ideas, information, and meaning.

Black and white photo of masks in a shop window along a cobblestone street

Dazed, Seduced and Transfixed: The Monster Through Time, In Literature and In Our Lives

Our culture is filled with manifestations of the monster. These figures span genres, from mythology to oral tradition to poetry. It is a part of our human cartography. Alongside this legacy, moments of history have sometimes raised the question: “Who is the monster?” The creatures we have created on screen and on the page, or the reflection staring back at us?

Black and white photo from Vermont Lesbian and Gay Pride march in 1983

Stories from the Vermont Queer Archives

Objects such as banners, T-shirts, and buttons in the Vermont Queer Archives at the Pride Center of Vermont reflect currents and changes in the lives of Vermont’s LGBTQ+ community. Meg Tamulonis, volunteer curator of the Archives, discusses how these objects mark various milestones, from Pride events to legal rulings.

“The Most Costly Journey” Latin American Migrant Workers, Health Care, and Collaborative Non-Fiction Comics

Andy Kolovos from the Vermont Folklife Center and/or Julia Grand Doucet from the Open Door Clinic provide an overview of the goals of the El Viaje Más Caro Project, the collaborative methods that define its approach, and insight into the lives and experiences of the workers whose labor supports the continued viability of dairy farming in Vermont.

Market Bennett wearing a blue shirt with a tan fedora hat drawing at a table

“The Most Costly Journey” Comics Workshop with Marek Bennett

Join award-winning cartoonist and educator Marek Bennett for a closer look at the Vermont Reads 2022 book “The Most Costly Journey.” He leads a hands-on demo to show how YOU can cartoon the stories of your own family, neighborhood, and wider world.