Is it possible to imagine your own birth as well as your future life until your death? How does it feel to live with Asperger syndrome? What was it like to grow up in the GDR? What challenges does a transperson experience as they transition? These are just a few of the questions addressed by German-speaking authors in their autobiographical graphic novels that we will read and discuss in this course. You will see that "graphic novel" is not just another label for comic strips, but the name of a genre invented to go beyond the boundaries of the funnies and superhero comics. Like a traditional novel, a graphic novel gives you time to become familiar with the main characters and immerse yourself in their world. You will engage with a wide variety of visually appealing, touching, and sometimes funny narratives, discuss their content, and learn to analyze narrative and artistic devices used by the authors. For your final paper, you will be invited (but not expected!) to tell an episode from your own life in comic strip form.