Yesterday, comics writer Mark Waid posted a request for people interested in taking an online course on gender roles in comics:

I’m putting out an urgent public call to readers and fans, especially those who support the new and the innovative. I’m getting behind something I believe in, and I’m asking you to join me–and Brian K. Vaughan and Scott Snyder and Matt Fraction and Brian Bendis and Gail Simone and many, many other comics creators, all of whom have volunteered to talk to you about what we do and how we do it. We’re making ourselves available to you in a new way, and here’s how:

For the last few months, a talented university teacher named Christy Blanch has been putting together a college-level course called “Gender Through Comic Books”–but it’s not limited to college students. It’s the world’s first comics-related Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)–meaning that it will be FREELY AVAILABLE to ANYONE across the world who has web access and who’s interested in comics and in the creative process. There’s no obligation, NO COST, and all you have to do is take thirty seconds to enroll...

I just signed up for the course. Maybe if enough Slog folk sign up with me, we can get a little post-class conversation going on this here blog. If that's not enough to convince you to take the course, here's the trailer:

(Via Robot 6.)