Nick Sousanis
@nsousanis.bsky.social
Comics as thinking. Eisner winner. Unflattening from HarvardUP (http://bit.ly/1vENIO7). Former Detroiter/NYer/YYC/now assoc prof SFSU-Comics Studies!
https://spinweaveandcut.com/
Tags #comics
#Unflattening #Nostos
https://spinweaveandcut.com/
Tags #comics
#Unflattening #Nostos
Bonus 9/8 a still of the birth of Athena piece, the video is better but you can see it clearer here - a lot of looking at popup books to reverse engineer & figure out a functional card! This scene appears quite similarly in the opening to #Nostos #Unflattening 2 - a bit of a crossover there…
November 25, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Bonus 9/8 a still of the birth of Athena piece, the video is better but you can see it clearer here - a lot of looking at popup books to reverse engineer & figure out a functional card! This scene appears quite similarly in the opening to #Nostos #Unflattening 2 - a bit of a crossover there…
6/? From two years ago - relatively simple but all functional paper engineering - I decided these things needed to be foldable this year... A few different things going on here, but all worked smashingly, and it was pretty fun!
November 25, 2025 at 4:32 AM
6/? From two years ago - relatively simple but all functional paper engineering - I decided these things needed to be foldable this year... A few different things going on here, but all worked smashingly, and it was pretty fun!
5/? I make similar for my big kid too - this one was the most difficult bit of paper engineering. It works, can be folded - took some figuring out... The birth of Athena from the brow of Zeus (with a bit of Kirby Krackle hidden in there)!
November 25, 2025 at 2:07 AM
5/? I make similar for my big kid too - this one was the most difficult bit of paper engineering. It works, can be folded - took some figuring out... The birth of Athena from the brow of Zeus (with a bit of Kirby Krackle hidden in there)!
4/? This was the very first one - the simplest but most functional. When you name your boy Odysseus - wooden horses are in your future…
November 25, 2025 at 12:43 AM
4/? This was the very first one - the simplest but most functional. When you name your boy Odysseus - wooden horses are in your future…
3/? Ok, trying again to post a video - what was probably the pinnacle of my card making - the 3D effect of the buildings worked way better than I expected and it was a big hit! From his 3rd birthday. Nearly impossible to photograph adequately, but video does ok...
November 24, 2025 at 10:15 PM
3/? Ok, trying again to post a video - what was probably the pinnacle of my card making - the 3D effect of the buildings worked way better than I expected and it was a big hit! From his 3rd birthday. Nearly impossible to photograph adequately, but video does ok...
2/? When he turned 2, yellow submarine - not really functional lore of a diorama, but a lot going on in it!
November 24, 2025 at 7:48 PM
2/? When he turned 2, yellow submarine - not really functional lore of a diorama, but a lot going on in it!
Ok, it's that time of year again - gearing up to make an overly complicated popup card for my boy's birthday! Sharing a few from over the years that I'm particularly pleased with... (none of these photograph very well, videos of them give a better sense) 1/?
November 24, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Ok, it's that time of year again - gearing up to make an overly complicated popup card for my boy's birthday! Sharing a few from over the years that I'm particularly pleased with... (none of these photograph very well, videos of them give a better sense) 1/?
I have strong memories of listening to Jimmy Cliff struggling man and better days are coming (and rest of that album) on weekends growing up - often while cleaning things around the house & thinking, brings back very specific and positive thoughts… (and remember the album cover well too…)
November 24, 2025 at 6:10 PM
I have strong memories of listening to Jimmy Cliff struggling man and better days are coming (and rest of that album) on weekends growing up - often while cleaning things around the house & thinking, brings back very specific and positive thoughts… (and remember the album cover well too…)
This reminds me, of shape of thoughts project past where student suspended items in Jello(!) - the short explanation - something that even when still is moving, like the mind! (more past examples in class breakdown here spinweaveandcut.com/visual-commu...)
November 24, 2025 at 4:22 PM
This reminds me, of shape of thoughts project past where student suspended items in Jello(!) - the short explanation - something that even when still is moving, like the mind! (more past examples in class breakdown here spinweaveandcut.com/visual-commu...)
The tilting of Uranus, Mercury being cut down to size. Quark by Quark, planet by planet, panel by panel - I'm going to finish this damn chapter soon...
#Nostos #Unflattening 2
#Nostos #Unflattening 2
November 24, 2025 at 8:33 AM
The tilting of Uranus, Mercury being cut down to size. Quark by Quark, planet by planet, panel by panel - I'm going to finish this damn chapter soon...
#Nostos #Unflattening 2
#Nostos #Unflattening 2
A snipped from this page that's nearly done. the first planet forming and as planets form, clearing their lanes... Really eager to have time to put this one to bed!
#Nostos #Unflattening 2
#Nostos #Unflattening 2
November 23, 2025 at 8:28 AM
A snipped from this page that's nearly done. the first planet forming and as planets form, clearing their lanes... Really eager to have time to put this one to bed!
#Nostos #Unflattening 2
#Nostos #Unflattening 2
Started reading Ben Saunders book do the gods wear capes? last night (I’ve owned it for years) to get some ideas, and his thesis stands out as what I had in mind to focus on “the wish that things were otherwise”. Like how well that encapsulates superheroes…
November 22, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Started reading Ben Saunders book do the gods wear capes? last night (I’ve owned it for years) to get some ideas, and his thesis stands out as what I had in mind to focus on “the wish that things were otherwise”. Like how well that encapsulates superheroes…
And the past year with this book has been a a real treat - smart, compelling storytelling and out of this world page design - @danpgwatters.bsky.social @cleanlined.bsky.social & co made for quite a team! Sad to see it come to a close but quite a gift of inspiring comics making!
November 21, 2025 at 6:29 PM
And the past year with this book has been a a real treat - smart, compelling storytelling and out of this world page design - @danpgwatters.bsky.social @cleanlined.bsky.social & co made for quite a team! Sad to see it come to a close but quite a gift of inspiring comics making!
Related - a few days my wife found our set of Batman stamps from years ago. Cool and good to see Jim Aparo prominently represented here
November 21, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Related - a few days my wife found our set of Batman stamps from years ago. Cool and good to see Jim Aparo prominently represented here
This book! Always conceptually fascinating, but here - not only an interesting take on the mess time-resetting multiverse crises would create, but such a powerful exploration of the experience of losing someone to their loss of memory. beautiful & sweet
@denizcamp.bsky.social @ericxyz.bsky.social
@denizcamp.bsky.social @ericxyz.bsky.social
November 20, 2025 at 7:19 PM
This book! Always conceptually fascinating, but here - not only an interesting take on the mess time-resetting multiverse crises would create, but such a powerful exploration of the experience of losing someone to their loss of memory. beautiful & sweet
@denizcamp.bsky.social @ericxyz.bsky.social
@denizcamp.bsky.social @ericxyz.bsky.social
Had 1st encounter with Ai-generated work from Ss - in what was otherwise beautiful & inspiring work from class overall, these were clearly not their words on lone writing part of 3 part midterm (tiny essay/letter) - so upsetting, a violation. Talked in class of how it robs them of learning. A loss…
November 20, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Had 1st encounter with Ai-generated work from Ss - in what was otherwise beautiful & inspiring work from class overall, these were clearly not their words on lone writing part of 3 part midterm (tiny essay/letter) - so upsetting, a violation. Talked in class of how it robs them of learning. A loss…
10/3 shld’ve noted, activity was also prompted by my comic on @klg19.bsky.social - rare work for hire, said no until found angle that worked for me - tell her story through comics she read - got excited. Took 6 months, blew my deadlines but won an Eisner so… spinweaveandcut.com/greene-anthr...
November 19, 2025 at 6:50 PM
10/3 shld’ve noted, activity was also prompted by my comic on @klg19.bsky.social - rare work for hire, said no until found angle that worked for me - tell her story through comics she read - got excited. Took 6 months, blew my deadlines but won an Eisner so… spinweaveandcut.com/greene-anthr...
And ha - an old friend on fb suggested some character named Lockerman… for those that don’t know, my pre-philosophical metaphorical comics making was this superhero/semi-parody character I made from 8th grade through end of high school. Yes, I’m sure he’ll make at least a cameo appearance in class…
November 19, 2025 at 3:39 AM
And ha - an old friend on fb suggested some character named Lockerman… for those that don’t know, my pre-philosophical metaphorical comics making was this superhero/semi-parody character I made from 8th grade through end of high school. Yes, I’m sure he’ll make at least a cameo appearance in class…
For the first time next term, I'm teaching a class on Superheroes! While I have way too much knowledge about DC/Marvel characters/history - I have never thought about integrating that directly into my teaching. I welcome recs for comics/scholarly readings & other advice on potential directions! Tnx!
November 18, 2025 at 8:18 PM
For the first time next term, I'm teaching a class on Superheroes! While I have way too much knowledge about DC/Marvel characters/history - I have never thought about integrating that directly into my teaching. I welcome recs for comics/scholarly readings & other advice on potential directions! Tnx!
7/3 & of course the assignment owes a lot to the master himself, no one can better mimic the styles of any other cartoonist as masterfully as @rsikoryak.bsky.social! I realized after knowing Bob for years, I didn’t know what he drew like as himself! If you somehow aren’t familiar with- change that!
November 18, 2025 at 5:46 AM
7/3 & of course the assignment owes a lot to the master himself, no one can better mimic the styles of any other cartoonist as masterfully as @rsikoryak.bsky.social! I realized after knowing Bob for years, I didn’t know what he drew like as himself! If you somehow aren’t familiar with- change that!
5/3 the initial inspiration for this activity was my comic bi(bli)ography- where I drew on all the things/people I had learned from & referenced their styles. Lockerman & “did it flow?” from Ulysses also show up in Unflattening. Can see all 8 pages here spinweaveandcut.com/bibliography...
November 18, 2025 at 3:05 AM
5/3 the initial inspiration for this activity was my comic bi(bli)ography- where I drew on all the things/people I had learned from & referenced their styles. Lockerman & “did it flow?” from Ulysses also show up in Unflattening. Can see all 8 pages here spinweaveandcut.com/bibliography...
3/3 finally - a tour de force - this is all by a single student! See more examples and how to set it up and try yourself here spinweaveandcut.com/autobiograph...
November 17, 2025 at 9:47 PM
3/3 finally - a tour de force - this is all by a single student! See more examples and how to set it up and try yourself here spinweaveandcut.com/autobiograph...
2/3 More good ones - pretty coherent stories, great examples - made it their own and really got the styles down...
November 17, 2025 at 9:47 PM
2/3 More good ones - pretty coherent stories, great examples - made it their own and really got the styles down...
In my intro Making course, a favorite project, students pick 3 comics authors that inspire, influence, aspire to be like to mimic for a comic about themselves for "autobiographical influences". Some stellar examples from this time around 1/3
November 17, 2025 at 9:47 PM
In my intro Making course, a favorite project, students pick 3 comics authors that inspire, influence, aspire to be like to mimic for a comic about themselves for "autobiographical influences". Some stellar examples from this time around 1/3
A letter arrived other day to us from me, apparently I signed up for a service that held your mail from start of year & sent it to you at end. A time capsule that completely slipped my mind, but nice to have these words from the past wishing courage, resilience & kindness as we faced unknowns ahead…
November 17, 2025 at 6:16 AM
A letter arrived other day to us from me, apparently I signed up for a service that held your mail from start of year & sent it to you at end. A time capsule that completely slipped my mind, but nice to have these words from the past wishing courage, resilience & kindness as we faced unknowns ahead…