"A complete critical guide to its history, forms and contexts, Autobiographical Comics helps readers explore the increasingly popular genre of comic book life writing. In an accessible and easy-to-navigate format, the book covers such topics as: The history of the genre from its underground beginnings and its rise to mainstream popularity, Key texts from Art Spiegelman's Pulitzer Prize-winning Maus and the works of Robert Crumb to Persepolis and American Splendor, Cultural contexts -- from confessional modes, coming of age and trauma narratives to the rise of web comicss, Important theoretical and critical approaches to autobiographical comics. Autobiographical Comics includes a glossary of crucial critical terms, annotated guides to further reading and online resources and discussion questions to help students and readers develop their understanding of the genre and pursue independent study."--