Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates the human capacity of modifying established myth in the light of new circumstances. It focuses on the changing status of myth and mythical cosmologies in Western culture as advances in telematics and techno-culture has led to the abundant proliferation of mythic content in modern society. The rise of scientific, secular and rational tendencies in the Occident has resulted in the demystification and negation of some myths and the cultural realities they once supported. Mythical symbols, however, do exhibit a certain degree of independence from their original set ontologies, growing and transforming continuously within contemporary culture as they are communicated to all social spheres. A particular focus is placed on the demystification of myth and its ability to be appropriated within other discourses, most notably fiction. As such, myth tends to exhibit certain migratory and conservational qualities that this study investigates. This serves as background for this thesis that is primarily located within the broader theoretical argument of myth as a system of world-representation in society, the main point of discussion is the re-appropriation of myth within the narrower field of visual signification, specifically the comics medium, as exemplified in the works of Neil Gaiman and Conrad Botes, as well as in my own work. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tesis ondersoek die menslike kapasiteit om gevestigde mites te wysig in die lig van nuwe omstandighede. Dit fokus op die veranderlike status van mites en mitiese kosmologieë in die Westerse kultuur, aangesien vooruitgang in die telematiek en tegnokultuur gelei het tot ’n ryk proliferasie van mitiese inhoud in die moderne samelewing. Die opkoms van wetenskaplike, sekulêre en rasionele tendense in die Weste het die demistifikasie en negasie van sommige mites en kulturele realiteite wat hulle eens ondersteun het, tot gevolg gehad. Mitiese simbole vertoon egter ’n sekere graad van onafhanklikheid van hul oorspronklike vasgestelde ontologieë en groei wild binne die kontemporêre kultuur, aangesien hulle deurlopend gekommunikeer word aan verskillende sosiale sfere. Daar word veral gefokus op die demistifikasie van die mite en sy vermoë om geapproprieer te word binne ander diskoerse, veral in fiksie. As sodanig is mites geneig tot migrasie en die vertoon van konserverende kwaliteite, soos ondersoek in hierdie studie. Alhoewel die tesis eerstens gelokaliseer is binne die breër teoretiese argumentasie rondom mite as ’n sisteem van wêreldrepresentasie in die samelewing, is die kern van diskussie die re-appropriasie van die mite binne die smaller veld van visuele betekenisgewing, spesifiek in strippe as medium, soos uitgelig in die werke van Neil Gaiman en Conrad Botes, asook in my eie werk.

Thesis (M.Phil) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2000 / 230 leaves printed single pages,numbered pages 1-230.Includes bibliography.Digitized at 600 dpi grayscale to pdf format (OCR),using an Bizhub 250 Konica Minolta Scanner. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Anton Kannemeyer and Conrad Botes have been publishing Bitterkomix,, their comics magazine, for nearly a decade in South Africa. These comics are a structured satyrical attack on the South African and specifically Afrikaans culture. Both artists employ different narrative strategies to convey their sometimes shocking message. The reaction on their writing and drawing shows an unwillingness in certain academic circles to analyse their texts critically. As a result Bitterkomix has drawn very little academic attention. This unwillingness is a product of the modernist approach to the comic as "low" literature. Modernists didn't regard comics as worthy material for critical analyses. The literary paradigm shift towards popular culture, and therefore comics, and the pluralistic reading strategy ofpostmodemism make it possible for an academic approach towards this previously ill-treated art form. This thesis is an attempt to suggest an approach strategy to Bitterkomix as a South African underground comics magazine. As a backdrop the study looks at the development of comics in general, as well as the changes that took place in the traditional approach strategies to the modem comic. It also focusses on selected texts by Kannemeyer and Botes to demonstrate how Bitterlwmix functions as an underground comic in the changing South African society. The writers draw upon methods and strategies used by underground comix artists in the United States during the sixties. Their specific employment of the drawing styles and narrative contents of artists like Robert Crumb, S. Clay Wilson and also the Belgian artist, Herge, makes intertextuality one of the strongest postmodemist aspects of Bitterlwmix. Botes's and Kannemeyer's combined use of intertextuality and other postmodemist metafictional narrative strategies gives Bitterlwmix a literary value that requires an academic approach. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Anton Kannemeyer en Conrad Botes se strokiestydskrif Bitterkomix verskyn reeds bykans 'n dekade in Suid-Afrika. Hulle strokies, wat van 'n akademiese en literere uitgangspunt getuig, is 'n berekende satiriese aanval op die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing en meer spesifiek die Afrikanerdom. Beide skrywers span 'n verskeidenheid vertelstrategiee in om hulle somtyds skokkende boodskap oor te dra. Die reaksie op hulle skryf- en tekenwerk spreek egter van 'n onvermoe ofonwilligheid by die akademici om die tekste op kritiese wyse te analiseer. Gevolglik het Bilterkomix tot dusver min akademiese aandag gekry. Hierdie onvermoe stam myns insiens moontlik uit 'n modemistiese miskenning van die strokie as kunsvorm. Strokies is as "lae" literatuur gekategoriseer en is volgens modemiste dus nie geskikte materiaal vir 'n diepsinnige bespreking me. Die literere paradigma ten opsigte van populere kultuur en dus strokies het egter intussen verander en die pluralistiese leesstrategie van 'n postrnodemistiese benadering maak dit moontlik om akademiese aandag aan hierdie voorheen miskende kunsvorm te skenk. Die tesis is 'n poging om 'n benaderingswyse voor te stel tot Bitterkomix as Suid-Afrikaanse underground-strokiestydskrif. As agtergrondstudie ondersoek dit die ontstaan en ontwikkeling van die strokie in die algemeen, asook die veranderinge wat plaasgevind het in die tradisionele benaderingswyses tot die modeme strokie. Daama fokus die bespreking op geselekteerde tekste uit die oeuvres van Botes en Kannemeyer om te probeer aantoon hoe Bitterkomix as underground-strokie binne die veranderende Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing funksioneer. Die skrywers gebruik onder andere uitgangspunte en strategiee van die underground-strokie, soos dit veral in die sestigerjare in Arnerika gevind is. Hulle doelbewuste inspeling op beide die tekenstyle en verhaalinhoude van skrywers soos Robert Crumb, S. Clay Wilson asook die Belgiese Herge maak intertekstualiteit een van die sterkste postmodemistiese kenmerke van Bitterkomix. Botes en Kannemeyer se gebruik van intertekstualiteit, metafiksionaliteit, en ander postrnodemistiese vertelstrategiee verleen aan Bitterkomix 'n literere kwaliteit wat om 'n akademiese benaderingswyse vra. / Instituut vir Navorsingsontwikkeling van die Raad vir Geesteswetenskaplike Navorsing

Thesis (MA (Visual Arts)) -- University of Stellenbosch, 1997 / 168 leaves printed single pages,preliminary pages and numberd pages 1-70.Includes bibliography and 115 illustrations.Digitized at 600 dpi grayscale to pdf format (OCR),using an Bizhub 250 Konica Minolta Scanner. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study considers the history and problematics of the contemporary comic strip, particularly in regard to issues of controversy and iconoclasm. Special attention is paid to the local magazine, Bitterkomix as an example. In Chapter One, the comic medium is identified and discussed as a homogeneous art form. Its independence from both fine arts and literature is explained and the identifying, intrinsic characteristics of the medium are used as a basis for the analysis of form and meaning in selected contemporary comics. Chapter Two provides a brief history of iconoclasm, subversion and controversy surrounding selected comics from the 1950's up to the present. The emphasis is placed on pivotal developments in the medium, particularly in the United States. A link is suggested between the post-war affluence of the American society and the conservative values which underpin it. Because of the many similarities which exist between the value systems of white South Africa and those of the more conservative states of the U.S., a contextual parallel is mooted which identifies the development and impact of controversial comics abroad and the reception which Bitterkomix encountered in South Africa. Chapter Three outlines and analyses this connection, emphasising that Bitterkomix has to be seen in the wider historical context and not simply as an expression of a parochial, "alternative"culture among young Afrikaners. In the final two chapters, satire and the use of stereotypes in the comic form is considered. The study pays particular attention to the publications, Gif, Afrikaner Sekskomix and Loslyf(an Afrikaans skin magazine) in order to establish connections between deviant sexual behaviour in a repressive society. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:In hierdie werkstuk word die geskiedenis en problematiek van die hedendaagse strip, veral die kontroversieIe en ikonoklastiese aspekte daarvan, aangespreek. As 'n voorbeeld word die aandag veral toegespits op die plaaslike tydskrif, Bitterkomix. In Hoofstuk Een word die stripmedium geidentifiseer en as homogene kunsvorm bespreek. Die medium se onafhanklikheid van beide die Skone Kunste en die Letterkunde word verduidelik en die identifiserende, intrinsieke kenmerke word basies toegepas vir die ontleding van vorm en betekenis in gekose, hedendaagse strips. Hoofstuk Twee bestaan uit 'n kort oorsig van die geskiedenis van ikonoklasme, ondermyning en kontroverse rondom geselekteerde strips vanaf 1950 tot die hede. Die k1em word geplaas op deurslaggewende ontwikkelings in die medium, veral in die Verenigde State. 'n Skakel word voorgestel tussen die na-oorlogse welvaart van die Amerikaanse gemeenskap en die konserwatiewe waardes onderliggend daaraan. As gevolg van die baie ooreenkomste tussen die waarde-sisteme van wit Suid-Afrika en die van die meer konserwatiewe state van die V.S., word 'n kontekstuele parallel vasgestel wat die ontwikkeling en impak van kontroversieIe strips in die buiteland en die reaksie op Bitterkomix in Suid-Afrika, identifiseer. Hoofstuk Drie skets en ontleed hierdie verbintenis en beklemtoon dat Bitterkomix in 'n wyer historiese konteks beskou moet word en nie slegs as 'n uitdrukking van 'n parogiale, "altematiewe" kuItuur onder jong Afrikaners nie. In die laaste twee hoofstukke word satire en die gebruik van stereotipes in die stripvorm oorweeg. Aandag word veral gegee aan die publikasies Gif: Afrikoner Sekskomix, en Loslyf( 'n Afrikaanse sekstydskrif) om kwessies van abnormale seksuele gedrag in 'n repressiewe gemeenskap aan te raak.