Reconsidering History Comics as a Means of Periodization

This paper will examine how the subgenre of “history comics” may allow us to reconsider periodization in the field of comics studies and bring in voices from outside the anglophone world. This examination will begin by defining the subgenre and then explore the ebbs and flows of at least four “waves” of history comics. Building on the work presented by Pollard, this paper will incorporate these early versions of history comics (sometimes current events comics) and then push forward through development and change over time as new material (e.g. paper and printing) alters and shifts the medium.