Introduction to Bizarro Fictionn

What is Bizarro fiction? How do we define it and
what is its significance? Bizarro has been called
the equivalent to the cult section of a video
store, Adult Swim shows in book form, and Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland for adults. In this
class, we will study novellas, short stories,
flash fiction, and illustrated work from some of
the biggest names in Bizarro to help us craft our
definition. From Carlton Mellick III to Cameron
Pierce, MP (Emma) Johnson to Laura Lee Bahr, we
will analyze different strands of Bizarro fiction
to help us better understand what types of
stories fit into this genre. In addition to
studying Bizarro fiction, we will invent it, too.
Each student will craft a short story that
incorporates his/her idea of Bizarro (the weird),
and we will workshop every story in class to help
the writer better understand (and improve)
his/her work. Furthermore, this will introduce us
to even more varieties of Bizarro. Besides
writing short fiction, at the end of the
semester, each student will present a project
that combines one of the readings with his/her
own métier.
Students should expect to spend approx. $50.00 on
materials and supplies for this course.