Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
6-2026
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Program
Women's and Gender Studies
Advisor
Matt Brim
Subject Categories
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | Queer Studies
Keywords
Graphic novels, Monsters, queer studies
Abstract
In this thesis I read two graphic novels together: My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris and Black Hole by Charles Burns. Although the stories are quite different, they mirror each other quite closely: Burns’ story takes place in a homogenous suburb; Ferris’ is set in a diverse part of Chicago. Both deal with what it means to be a monster, but in different ways. Ferris has a clear framework of the different kinds of monsters – good, bad, and villager – which is at times helpful but often too narrow. Yet reading Burns with this lens in mind helps to clarify his attitude towards monsters, who are neither bad nor good, but rather people who have been outcast from their social world. Both authors offer a critique of the nuclear family, though only Ferris demonstrates what alternatives might look like. Taken together, these books provide a clear portrait of what a monster really is.
Recommended Citation
Beriss, Maren, "Monsters in the Gutter: Queerness and Family in Graphic Novels" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6701
