Jeremy Larance

West Liberty University, Department of Humanities, Assistant Provost of Academic Innovation and Strategic Planning

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Ph.D., English Literature, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK (2008)
Dissertation: _Howzat…Cricket or Not?: The Language and Literature of Cricket and the English Gentleman Mythos_
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M.A., English Literature, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA (2002)
Thesis: “Who the Blazes is Blazes?: The Rebirth of Cúchulainn in James Joyce’s _Ulysses_”
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B.A., English, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN (1998)

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Papers by Jeremy Larance

Batman vs. Superman: The Class (Syllabus)

This is Dr. Jeremy Larance's syllabus for ENG 278.01 (Batman vs. Superman: The Class), being taug... more

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Alan Moore’s "Miracleman": Harbinger of the Modern Age of Comics

Two of the most influential graphic novels of the twentieth century, Frank Miller’s _The Dark Kni... more Two of the most influential graphic novels of the twentieth century, Frank Miller’s _The Dark Knight Returns_ and Alan Moore’s _Watchmen_ (both published in 1986) played key roles in altering the public’s perception of “comic book” superheroes while simultaneously winning over the respect of critics who hitherto may have had little, if any, interest in the medium. In contrast, one work that has garnered very little critical attention is Moore’s _Marvelman_ (later __Miracleman_), which ran from 1982-1989. _Miracleman_’s relative obscurity stems from the legal limbo of the Miracleman canon since its original publication. Readers and critics alike have had few opportunities to read what is arguably one of the most significant series from the early years of the Modern Age of Comic Books (alternately referred to as the Dark Age). This essay explores the ways in which the "real world logic" of Moore's _Marvelman/Miracleman_ comics likely influenced Miller’s reconstruction of the superhero genre in _DKR_ as well as the more obvious influences on Moore’s own work in _Watchmen_. In examining the _Miracleman_ series in this way, I will argue that _Miracleman_ is a true forerunner of comic’s Modern Age.

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The A. J. Raffles Stories Reconsidered: Fall of the Gentleman Ideal

English Literature in Transition, Jan 2014

When a character from popular fiction becomes so associated with his own archetype that his very ... more When a character from popular fiction becomes so associated with his own archetype that his very name becomes a suitable entry in the Oxford English Dictionary, one may safely assume that the character has, quite literally, played a notable role in how English culture views and defines itself. And while E. W. Hornung’s infamous antihero lacks the present-day familiarity of a philandering Don Juan or an overly romantic Romeo, there was a time when allusions made to A. J. Raffles—first-class amateur cricketer by day, first-class professional burglar by night—were as identifiable as any other fictional character of his day. From 1898 to 1909, few works of English fiction could claim to be as popular, nor could many other characters claim to have had as much of an impact on the nation’s reassessment of the English masculine ideal, particularly the once seemingly infallible gentleman model. Relying heavily on allusions and references to cricket, Hornung spoke to late-Victorians in a language they could understand and appreciate, making Raffles one the era’s most prominent icons of male decadency.

The stories featuring A. J. Raffles deserve to be a part of any attempt to fully understand the fall of the gentleman ideal in English literature. Part Oscar Wilde, part W. G. Grace, Raffles became one of the fin-de-siècle’s most improbable models of English masculinity. By essentially turning a self-professed antihero into one of the nation’s most fashionable archetypes of the English gentleman, Hornung played a significant role in shifting the literary standards of what it truly meant to be “cricket” and—even more importantly—what rightfully ought to be categorized as “not cricket,” the more commonly used construction of the “cricket/not cricket” idiom. While Raffles was certainly not the first fictional gentleman in English literature to fall short of his expected social role, he was by far the most popular gentleman-rogue of the era, an accomplishment made all the more remarkable given the fact that Raffles was quite possibly the most ungentlemanly gentleman of early-twentieth-century popular fiction.

What’s 'Not Cricket' Ain’t Necessarily Baseball Either: Class and Racial Dichotomy in the Literature of Cricket and Baseball

Conference Presentations by Jeremy Larance

The Rhetoric and Meaning of Basketball in the Golden Age of Hip Hop

Throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s, rap music dominated the landscape of popular music... more Throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s, rap music dominated the landscape of popular music, dramatically affecting the nation’s perception of young black culture. Among the many recurring themes and sub-cultures of that era, basketball played a pivotal role in the mythification of “authentic” black masculinity. Although the aesthetics of basketball (movement, sound, drama, etc.) made it a natural subject for rap lyrics, the observable and stereotypical associations between basketball and black culture also played an undeniable role in the repetitive references to basketball in rap throughout the 80s and 90s. In my presentation, I will explore this issue by examining some of the more significant examples of recurring images and themes, including references to rhythm, fame, and success.

1744 and the Dawn of the English Cricketer Ideal

Shticks with Big Sticks: Baseball and Barnstorming Golems in the Graphic Novels of James Sturm

James Sturm’s 2001 award-winning graphic novel, The Golem’s Mighty Swing, tells the story of the ... more James Sturm’s 2001 award-winning graphic novel, The Golem’s Mighty Swing, tells the story of the Stars of David Baseball Club, a fictionalized team inspired by a real baseball club called The House of David that barnstormed across the United States throughout the first half of the twentieth century. In this presentation, I will examine how Sturm uses the art of comics to weave a powerful narrative with themes related to Jewish mythology and assimilation into American culture.

Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na…Batman Class!: A Serious Course on a Serious Campus

_In Batman and Psychology_, superherologist Travis Langley combines “psychological theory with th... more _In Batman and Psychology_, superherologist Travis Langley combines “psychological theory with the latest in psychological research” to demonstrate how the seemingly never-ending saga of Batman has become one of America’s most potent pop-cultural mythologies. First introduced in _Detective Comics_ in 1939, Batman has continued to evolve and fascinate fans for over seventy years; from comics to television to film, Batman is unquestionably one of the most recognizable archetypes of the hero from the past century. At times a campy Caped Crusader and at others a brooding Dark Knight, Batman embodies both the best and the worst of American heroism. For my presentation, first, I would like to give a brief synopsis of an honors course I am currently teaching called “The Dark Knight Mythos,” which is—yes—an entire course dedicated entirely to the study of Batman. Then, in the second part of my presentation, I would like to give a demonstration of the work my students are doing, along with what I think will be a very interesting demographic discussion of the students in the class.

From Muggleton to Gad's Hill: Charles Dickens and the Fictionalization of 19th-Century Cricket

The cricket chapter from Charles Dickens’s _The Pickwick Papers_, first published as a novel in 1... more The cricket chapter from Charles Dickens’s _The Pickwick Papers_, first published as a novel in 1837, is highly regarded as one of the first great fictional depictions of cricket in literature. Over the years, the novel has attained something akin to canonical status among cricket-lit enthusiasts, even though most experts agree that Dickens did not appear to understand the game or its rules. And while much has been written on _The Pickwick Papers_ in this regard, scholars have generally avoided the likelihood that Dickens swiped a significant portion of his cricket narrative from previously published sources. In this presentation, I will argue that Dickens did—in fact—borrow a great deal of his cricket stories from other authors and artists, especially from the playwright Frederick Reynolds and the illustrator Robert Seymour. I will also briefly discuss how the cricket motif gradually evolved in the Dickensian canon and how cricket eventually became a significant part of the author’s construction of his own family’s “English” identity.

How To Turn an English Professor into a "Colonizer": Creating a Graphic Narrative Degree at West Liberty University

The Doctrine of [W. G.] Grace: The Sporting World's First International Icon

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Kids [Not] in America: A 'Wilde' Search for Visual Allusions in Marjane Satrapi’s "Persopolis"

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Teaching Students (& Professors) How To Read Between the Lines in Graphic Novels: A Case Study of Doctor Manhattan's Time-Bending Point of View in "Watchmen"

Muhammad "Übermensch" Ali: Depictions of "The Greatest" as a Black Superhero in ‘70s Popular Culture

The Shocking and True Story of the Best Baseball Novel Ever Written [by a Woman]

Raisers and Razors: "Darktown" Poker Stories from "Life" to Jerry Reed

God to God and Dust to Dust: The Two Chapter IVs in Blake’s "The Book of Urizen"

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Practical Assessment and Epiphany: A Case Study of Utilizing Assessment in the Classroom