Ben Saunders (professor)

Ben Saunders
Born (1968-11-16) 16 November 1968 (age 57)
Cardiff, Wales
EducationPhD in English Literature, Masters in Philosophy in English Renaissance Literature, Bachelor of Arts
Alma materDuke University, University of Cambridge, University of East Anglia
OccupationsProgram Director of the Comics and Cartoons Studies Minor, Professor of English at the University of Oregon
Writing career
Notable awardsInkpot Award (2023)

Ben Saunders is a British-born academic and founder of the world's first Undergraduate Minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. He holds a PhD in English Literature from Duke University, a Masters in Philosophy in English Renaissance Literature from University of Cambridge and a Bachelor of the Arts degree with First Class Honors from the University of East Anglia.

Career

In addition to teaching courses in Comics and Cartoon Studies at the University of Oregon, Saunders also teaches courses on the poetry and drama of the English Renaissance and the history of British and American comics and cartoons. Saunders is the author of Desiring Donne: Poetry, Sexuality, Interpretation, Do the Gods Wear Capes?, and numerous volumes on comics and cartoons. Saunders is also series editor of the Penguin Classics Marvel series, which publishes Marvel comics in curated anthologies. In the words of one critic, the Penguin Classics Marvel Collection, which features a series of stories from the early days of Spider-Man, Captain America, and Black Panther, is "the jubilant acknowledgment of a birthright" and an acknowledgment of the artistic and cultural significance of comic art.

Saunder has lectured globally as an authority on the history of comic books, and is the curator of multiple museum exhibitions on comic art and popular culture. His exhibition, Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes, showcased the history and impact of Marvel Comics on the world of entertainment and has been exhibited at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, Washington, the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and Discovery Place in Charlotte, North Carolina. His most recent exhibition, Jack Kirby: Heroes and Humanity (co-curated with Patrick A. Reed), focused on artist Jack Kirby, creator of some of the most influential comics in American history, including Captain America, The Fantastic Four, The Avengers, OMAC, X-Men, The Black Panther, Mister Miracle, and The Incredible Hulk. The exhibition was described by one critic as "A powerful and heartfelt tribute to one of the most influential yet underappreciated figures in American pop culture, the show masterfully blends art, biography, and cultural history to celebrate the legendary comic book artist behind some of the most iconic superheroes of all time."

Saunders also served as a judge for the 2012 Eisner Awards and has appeared in the 2017 History Channel documentary, Superheroes Decoded.

Bibliography

Museum exhibit curation

Awards

References

  1. ↑ Inkpot Award
  2. ↑ "Faculty | Comics Studies at University of Oregon". comics.uoregon.edu. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  3. ↑ Saunders, Ben (2006). Desiring Donne: Poetry, Sexuality, Interpretation. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-02347-5.
  4. ↑ "Review of Do the Gods Wear Capes?: Spirituality, Fantasy, and Superheroes – ImageTexT". 11 March 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  5. ↑ Dauber, Jeremy (27 July 2022). "Melville. Faulkner. Spider-Man". The Atlantic. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  6. ↑ Dietsch, T. J. "Seven Avengers Who Switched Up Their Identities". www.marvel.com. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  7. ↑ Speaker, Jennifer (1 March 2021). "Chicago Assemble! Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes Comes to the Museum of Science and Industry". Better Magazine. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  8. ↑ "Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes Opens in Charlotte May 14!". Discovery Place Museums. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  9. ↑ "Skirball highlights the art of Jack Kirby – ArtsBeatLA". Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  10. ↑ "Past Judges". Comic-Con International: San Diego. 2 December 2012. Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  11. ↑ "Ben Saunders | Department of English".
  12. ↑ Kirby, Jack; Hatfield, Charles; Saunders, Ben (2015). Comic book apocalypse: the graphic world of Jack Kirby. [Northridge, CA]: IDW Publishing. ISBN 9781631405426. OCLC 949651759.
  13. ↑ Saunders, Ben (2011). Do the gods wear capes? : spirituality, fantasy, and superheroes. London: Continuum. ISBN 9780826435569. OCLC 657602788.
  14. ↑ Saunders, Ben (2006). Desiring Donne : poetry, sexuality, interpretation. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0674023471. OCLC 68786821.
  15. ↑ Beebe, Roger; Fulbrook, Denise; Saunders, Ben (2002). Rock over the edge: transformations in popular music culture. Durham: Duke University Press. ISBN 082232900X. OCLC 48675626.
  16. ↑ "Penguin Classics Marvel Collection". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  17. ↑ Fear, David (18 June 2022). "Superhero Lit 101: Why Penguin Classics' Marvel Comics Anthologies Matter". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  18. ↑ Villarreal, Ignacio. ""Faster Than a Speeding Bullet: The Art of the Superhero" Exhibition". artdaily.com. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  19. ↑ "Good Grief! A Selection from 50 Years of Original Art from Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts". jsma.uoregon.edu. Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  20. ↑ "Aliens, Monsters, and Madmen: The Art of EC Comics". jsma.uoregon.edu. Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  21. ↑ "Marvel Universe of Super Heroes". Museum of Pop Culture. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  22. ↑ "Spider-Man at 60: learning from the history of comics". Around the O. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  23. ↑ "Jack Kirby: Heroes and Humanity | Skirball Cultural Center". www.skirball.org. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  24. ↑ "Inkpot Award". Comic-Con International: San Diego. 6 December 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2023.