Drawing on Religion: Reading and the Moral Imagination in Comics and Graphic Novels

Comics traffic in stereotypes, which can translate into real danger, as was the case when, in 2015, two Muslim gunmen opened fire at the offices of Charlie Hebdo, which had published depictions of Islam and Muhammad perceived by many to be blasphemous. As a response to that tragedy, Ken Koltun—Fromm calls for us to expand our moral imaginations through readings of graphic religious narratives.

Utilizing a range of comic books and graphic novels, including R. Crumb’s Book of Genesis Illustrat...