Comics Forum 2013

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Comics Forum 2013

Small Press and Undergrounds: A Conference on Comics

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Contents

Welcome to Comics Forum 2013 4

Programme 6

Abstracts & Speaker Biographies 10

Chair Biographies 39

Comics Forum Biographies 42

Comics Forum: Get Involved 46

Welcome to Comics Forum 2013

Hello and welcome to the fifth undertaking, and comics Comics Forum conference. scholarship more generally. We round out the conference with This year’s conference focuses a keynote session that puts into on small press and underground conversation Paul Gravett, a comics, and we were very key figure in the history of the pleased to receive a wide British small press, and Roger range of abstracts following this Sabin, a noted expert whose year’s call for papers, reflecting book Adult Comics: An the diverse set of subjects that Introduction is one of the key falls under our general theme. In cultural histories of the medium. preparing the programme we A huge thank you to all of our looked to represent as much of speakers for joining us at this this diversity as possible, while at year’s event. the same time giving the conference a sense of thematic We must also pass on our coherence. This year’s speakers gratitude to the wider team have travelled from around the who have been involved in world to speak on topics such organising Comics Forum this as history, audience, gender, year. There are numerous sexuality, authorship, art, politics people whose work behind the and communication. We are scenes has been essential to also very pleased to welcome the success of the conference, our friends from the excellent and to the broader activities of Graphixia blog the organisation, and it is fair to (http://www.graphixia.cssgn.org say that without them Comics ) to talk about the work they are Forum would not be able to

4 take place. Thanks go as ever Comics Art on Thursday to Lisa Wood and Clark evening. Finally, we want Burscough and the rest of the mention our supporters: the Thought Bubble team for their University of Chichester, Thought continued support of Comics Bubble, Routledge, Travelling Forum, to Hattie Kennedy, Will Man, Dr Mel Gibson, and Grady and Paul Fisher Davies, Molakoe Graphic Design, who who have worked on various have all provided valuable elements of Comics Forum this resources and support year, to Hannah Wadle for her throughout the planning stages work on the conference behind of this year’s conference. the scenes, to our consultants Hugo Frey, Mel Gibson and We very much hope you enjoy Roger Sabin, and to our the conference; if you have any designer Ben Gaskell. We would questions or feedback do not also like to say a big thank you hesitate to speak to us at the to the Leeds Central Library event, or email us at team, who have been [email protected]. extremely generous in their Carolene Ayaka, Ian Hague support of the conference since and Rebecca Macklin 2012, and to Nabil Homsi and the Travelling Man team for Conference Directors, Comics hosting our book launch for Forum 2013

Programme

21/11/2013

0900-0930: Registration

0930-0945: Opening Remarks

0945-1100: Panel 1: History

Chair: Ian Hague

Lise Tannahill: Assessing Ololê: Vehicle for Breton Pride or Source of Shame?

David Huxley: 'I still have 50 Copies in the Attic’: British Regional Underground comics 1970-1980

Martin de la Iglesia: Early manga translations in the West: underground cult or mainstream failure?

1100-1115: Break

1115-1215: Panel 2: Audience

Chair: Joan Ormrod

Cameron Fletcher: “Amateur” Hour

R.Finn: Using a webcomic comment thread to gauge reader experience

1215-1300: Lunch

1300-1415: Panel 3: Gender & Sexuality

Chair: Carolene Ayaka

Louisa Parker: Small Story – Big Picture

Laura A. Pearson: Nina Bunjevac’s “Alternative” Catwoman in ‘Bitter Tears of Zorka Petrovic’

Mihaela Precup: ‘It came from Alpha Centaur looking for love’: The Mutant and Non-human Body in Denis Kitchen’s Bizarre Sex (1972-1982)

1415-1430: Break

1430-1545: Panel 4: Graphixia

Brenna Clarke Gray, Damon Herd, Hattie Kennedy, Ernesto Priego, Peter Wilkins and David N Wright: Small is the New Big: The Comics Criticism Blog as Small Press

1550-1620: Comics Forum Developments

1700-1830: Comics Art Book Launch (Venue: Travelling Man Leeds)

1830: Conference Dinner (Venue: Little Tokyo)

22/11/2013

0900-0930: Registration

0930-0945: Opening Remarks

0945-1045: Panel 5: Authorship

Chair: Julia Round

Ian Horton: Dave Sim’s Cerebus the Aardvark: Self-publishing, the Direct Market and Creative Freedom

Christopher J. Thompson: Comix Narrative Parody: Hunt Emerson’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner

1045-1100: Break

1100-1215: Panel 6: Art

Chair: Simon Grennan

Gareth Brookes: Small Press Comics and Fine Art

Paddy Johnston: From Random House to Rehab: Julia Wertz and the Small Press

Dan Smith: Revisiting Donald Parsnips' Daily Journal

1215-1300: Lunch

1300-1400: Panel 7: Politics

Chair: Hattie Kennedy

Aysel Demir: Political Humor is Absolutely a “Serious” Job!

John Miers: Metaphor, financial crisis, and the small press

1400-1415: Break

1415-1515: Panel 8: Communication

Chair: Ian Horton

John G. Swogger: Underground Archaeology: Comics as alternative agents of professional discourse

Lydia Wysocki, Jack Fallows and Mike Thompson: Epic themes in awesome ways, or how we made Asteroid Belter: The Newcastle Science Comic

1515-1530: Break

1530-1630: Keynote: Paul Gravett in conversation with Roger Sabin

1630-1645: Closing Remarks

Panel 1: History

Chair: Ian Hague

Assessing Ololê: Vehicle for Breton Pride or Source of Shame?

Lise Tannahill

During the German occupation identity, with editorials, stories of France, children’s comics and older-style bandes (bandes dessinées) gradually dessinées focusing on Breton disappeared from the market, folklore and pride, and either owing to economic estimated print runs of 3000- pressures or to difficulties with 10000. It also spawned spin-off the German authorities, books and a youth organisation particularly in cases where the with various chapters, Urz publications were Jewish- Goanag Breiz (Order of the owned. Eventually the only Hope of Brittany). Upon the bande dessinée available in Liberation, Herri Caouissin was Paris and the majority of the arrested for collaboration and occupied zone was the stripped of his assets, including colourful, modern, German- Ololê. In the 1970s the paper backed publication Le was resurrected as a Téméraire. However, it was not traditionalist Catholic, pro- alone: in Brittany, a little known Breton magazine, L’Appel paper prospered until May 1944 d’Ololê. — Ololê. This paper will give an overview Founded by Breton autonomist of this unique publication, Herri Caouissin, Ololê offered a virtually unstudied in French or right-wing, traditionalist, English. It is of particular interest Pétainist version of Breton for its expression of Breton 10 identity pre-1968 and the portrayal of the French regions presence of numerous notable and French minority identity in authors of early bande the francophone bande dessinée, including Etienne Le dessinée. Current research Rallic, Benjamin Rabier and includes work on graphic (without permission) Hergé. representations of minority Although small, Ololê was cultures of Brittany, (in Les connected to many key figures Aventures de Bécassine and of early 20th-century Breton Ololê) and Corsica (in Pétillon’s nationalism and contains rarely- L’Enquête Corse, Astérix en mentioned work by major Corse, and others). authors. Thus it is of interest both in terms of modern French Her research interests include history and the history of the pre-1945 bande dessinée, bande dessinée. European minority languages and expressions of regional Lise Tannahill is PhD student in identities. French at the Stirling Maxwell Centre, University of Glasgow. Her research focuses on

'I still have 50 Copies in the Attic’: British Regional Underground comics 1970-1980

David Huxley

Although the most famous British the Birmingham Arts Lab and underground comics of the the Newcastle upon Tyne JPO. 1970s were the London-based In particular the impact of Cozmic Comics and Nasty technology on comic Tales, there were many other production will be examined, in regional production centres in the light of the Arts lab and the UK. This paper will mainly 'Free Press’ developments of the concentrate on two of these, mid-1970s, and also the rise of 11 independent female comic Alternative Graphic Magazines creators. The paper will also 1966-1986. Current research look at the influence of art interests include the graphic colleges on the comics novel and the comic produced at these two centres strip,animation and the horror both in terms of aesthetics and film and early twentieth century narrative. British Music Hall performers. He has drawn and written a wide David Huxley is Senior Lecturer range of adult and children's on the BA(Hons) Film and Media comics, and designed posters Studies course at Manchester for conferences held at the Metropolitan University. His university. subject specialisms are the Graphic Novel, Comic Book & He is joint editor of the new Comic Strip, Censorship, Routledge publication The Hollywood Film and Animation. Journal of Graphic Novels and His PhD thesis was The Growth Comics (first issue 2010). and Development of British

Early manga translations in the West: underground cult or mainstream failure?

Martin de la Iglesia

In the 1980s, publishing specialised manga publishing translated manga in the companies such as Tokyopop Western world was still an had not been founded there unstable business. Manga had yet. Back then, some not yet been discovered to be translations were published by profitable by established comic short-lived comic companies publishers in Western countries like First Comics (US edition of (e.g. Carlsen from 1991, 'Lone Wolf and Cub', 1987) or DC/CMX from 2004, or Egmont Eclipse Comics (US edition of from 1994), and most 'Mai, the Psychic Girl', 1987, 12 etc.). Others were published by the manga boom of the 1990s companies that did not and 2000s? These questions are normally produce comics, like part of a long-term research Rowohlt (German edition of project, the first results of which 'Barefoot Gen', 1982), Verlag will be presented in this paper. der Goethe-Buchhandlung (German edition of 'Haine', Martin de la Iglesia studied Art 1988) or University of California History and Library and Press (US edition of 'Japan Inc.', Information Science at 1988). Clearly, these titles can Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. hardly be considered In 2007 he wrote his Master’s commercially successful. But Thesis in London on the who exactly were their readers, reception of US comics in the and how did this readership United Kingdom. Currently he is compare to the marketing a PhD student at Heidelberg goals of the publishers? For University (dissertation topic: the instance, First and Eclipse tried early reception of manga in the to break into the mainstream US West). At the same time he comic market, whereas UC works as a librarian in Press, Rowohlt and Goethe- Göttingen, Germany. His fields Buchhandlung probably had an of interest in research include audience in mind that was comics, art geography, interested in the content of their reception history and manga, but which was not aesthetics, and art historical necessarily comprised of regular methodology. All of his comic readers at all. Even so, publications are available in did those ill-fated manga Open Access. He blogs at translations sow the seeds of an http://650centplague.wordpress underground cult following, .com/ which would grow to become

Panel 2: Audience

Chair: Joan Ormrod

“Amateur” Hour

Cameron Fletcher

An exploration of the evolution Comic Book Fanzine to illustrate of the fanzine from its simple the general principles. In some beginnings to its current state, ways the Comic book Fanzine is looking at both the technology like a microcosm of the comic and the relationship between book industry with larger than the small medium and the mass life characters whose medium it celebrates. This work pioneering in the fan will briefly look at the stages of communities helped shape the development in terms of the comic book industry into its technology and examine the current format. notion that the fanzine played a developmental role in the In looking at the development cultural capital and structure of the comic book fanzine it that can be seen in the “fan would be a flawed piece if the boy” phenomenon that offsets most important component was the inherent stigma of the overlooked, I am of course subject medium and for the talking about the fan. As the purpose of this work will use fanzine has developed so have comic books. the fans and this work will look at that development from the Due to time constraints this will enthusiastic “amateur” fan, to not be an exhaustive the fan as author/artist. examination of the Fanzine field but rather a whistle stop tour This work does not profess to using the template of the bring forth profound answers 14 but seeks to promote discussion particular emphasis on of the rich milieu that is the fan superhero comics. Married to base. Anne, we have one son Craig who has an interest in graphic I am an independent novels. I Have a BA(Hons) in researcher, currently in final Social Sciences and my stages of research phase of a dissertation was a joint personal project. I have been Sociology and Economics reading and collecting comics piece on mainstream comics since around 1965 and and their moral and economic collection is a mix of British and effects on society. American comics with a

Using a webcomic comment thread to gauge reader experience

R.Finn

Some webcomics allow readers expressions of positive or to comment on single pages or negative affect. These can offer complete narrative arcs either interesting insights into the ways through embedded software or in which readers experience through links to affiliated, specific compositional features, externally hosted message make mistakes, and interact boards. In self-published works with the webcomic as a story in particular—the model for and as a site for related social most, if not all webcomics—this interaction. Within the self- can create a uniquely intimate publishing framework, they also dialogue among fans and provide a more privileged artists. Comments tend to range position to natural reading from participatory socio- experiences, interpretations and commentary of characters' appraisals, as opposed to behaviours to emotional traditional systems of responses and general publication and institutionally- 15 sanctioned criticism. comics, consciousness and cognition. He has previously I will look at a chapter from studied English and French Meredith Gran's webcomic language and literature at Octopus Pie to show how this Wadham College, Oxford and kind of reader-response data linguistics at Lancaster can be used to provide a map University. His thesis examines of salient narrative features and ways in which psychological to gain an overall picture of and cognitive linguistic theories readers' experiences of the can help develop story. From this analysis, I point understanding of comics to how such data can be used storytelling and reading to examine claims about practices, with a focus on stylistic, compositional and depictions of consciousness. He conventional features both of has worked in learning, individual stories and of comics development and in general. communications for a mental health trust in Cumbria, as an Finn is a PhD student at the English teacher in Paris and as a University of Sheffield studying fryer in a fish and chip shop.

Panel 3: Gender & Sexuality

Chair: Carolene Ayaka

Small Story – Big Picture

Louisa Parker (@skiptomyloulou; @unacomics)

There is a growing movement in value lie in terms of audience, in women’s press in comics form, the dissemination of noted by the American marginalized narratives in academic Hillary Chute but also popular form? Is there value for evident in UK comics, which has political writers in exploring expanded the themes through use of the slow personal/political format into a and inherently contemplative new visual realm. The process of drawing comics? significance of this genre is What does the iconography evidenced by the numerous and metaphor of visual imagery well-respected comics artists bring to the platform? And how working within it, but what does do comics tackle the the comics form contribute to unspeakable more effectively political, gendered life writing than other forms of literary and that text based writing does visual work? Finally, is there a not? What kind of space do danger of reducing or trivialising graphic narratives (based in challenging ideas and serious fact) create for the examination issue based stories by working in of women’s lived experience this format? and what is the value of this type of production? Does the

These are the questions that my Stories, in which she examines project, Small Stories is contemporary social history attempting to explore. The first from a gendered perspective two small press publications for through the medium of comics. the PhD, On Deserving a Medal She also works under the and On Life and Death, explore pseudonym Una, producing the lived experience of women small press comics which tackle born in the post war years, re- subjects including sexualized imagined in comics form by a violence, serious mental illness, woman born into generation X, disability and political activism. in an attempt to produce Her novel length graphic material featuring women’s lives narrative about misogyny, centrally located in a social violence and growing up during historic context. the hunt for Peter Sutcliffe has received attention from Paul Louisa Parker is an artist and Gravett and will be published practice based researcher at by a small London publishing Loughborough University house in the near future. working on a PhD titled Small

Nina Bunjevac’s “Alternative” Catwoman in ‘Bitter Tears of Zorka Petrovic’

Laura A. Pearson

Belonging to the argument that Wright Spotlight Award the comics medium is (Canada, 2013) for her graphic undervalued as an art form novel collection Heartless (2012) worthy of serious study, it may may have triggered a change be redundant to say not for her. Yet, to date and enough small press comics beyond a few reviews, there is authors and artists are getting an absence of scholarly the recognition they deserve. criticism on her work. Partially Nina Bunjevac’s recent Doug and previously printed in the 18 underground zine Mineshaft hand, while suggesting and recently published as a subversive and transformative collection by Conundrum Press ideas on the other. Tapping into (which “has quietly become a traditions of funny animal major force in alt-comics comics, not-so-funny animal publishing”—Rob Clough, comics, and “Wimmen’s tcj.com), this rich compilation of Comix,” I will discuss how personal and political comics Bunjevac’s “alternative” contains a treasure-trove of catwoman utilizes and presses stunning art and multilayered the boundaries of the comics storytelling. medium, speaking to contemporary and My presentation explores the controversial concerns “Bitter Tears of Zorka Petrovic” surrounding performativity, sequence of Heartless, with agency, and ideologies of special attention to how gender. Bunjevac constructs and deconstructs mainstream views Laura A. Pearson is a in two divergent but related postgraduate researcher in the areas: mainstream comics and School of English at the the politics of gender. University of Leeds. Her doctoral Evidenced by representations project combines aspects of of abortion, masculinity, postcolonial zoocriticism and femininity, and transgender for comics studies, looking at example, I will argue that this animal-human relations in suite of stories draws attention contemporary graphic fictions, to the fine line comics can walk and is specifically interested in between conventional, the transcultural, ecocritical, orthodox, and even and sociopolitical overlaps in stereotypical views on one the study of animals, literature, and culture.

‘It came from Alpha Centaur looking for love’: The Mutant and Non-human Body in Denis Kitchen’s Bizarre Sex (1972-1982)

Mihaela Precup (@pilpel)

Of the countless American various objects, humans having underground comics sex with insects, exploding anthologies, Denis Kitchen’s 10- genitals, a wide range of issue Bizarre Sex (1972-1982) was masturbatory practices, etc. among those that ran the Bizarre Sex thus borrows longest, possibly also because explicitly from several defunct of its clearly focused subject EC titles, but also indulges in the matter: aberrant sex. This celebratory questioning of narrative thread gave the series visual and ethical boundaries coherence, but it was also that often hides behind its own responsible for the creative absurd humor. freedom implied by the wide term “bizarre,” read differently My paper focuses specifically by each cartoonist involved. on the possible ideological Bizarre Sex features the work of implications of the recurrence a large number of artists, of mutant bodies (and among whom Howard Cruse, humanized body parts), as well Art Spiegelman, Robert Crumb, as non-human (i.e. alien, and Trina Robbins. Throughout animal, mixtures of both) bodies the series’ 10-decade engaging in sexual practices. I existence, “bizarre sex” ended am interested in questioning the up including incest (with which preference visible in this series – the series famously debuted), but also elsewhere in animals having sex with underground American comics humans, half-human half- – for dismembered and animal characters having sex reassembled bodies, and what with humans or one another, this means in terms of the sexual giant genitals having sex with acts these bodies are engaged in. Are these impossible bodies 20 used here because they signify University of Bucharest, bodies that do not matter/that Romania, where she teaches cannot be framed as important American visual culture, because they are so “bizarre” popular culture, film studies, as that anything can be done to well as American literature. Her them? And, in that case, how is main research interests include the ideology of Bizarre Comix autobiographical comics, different from the mainstream trauma studies, and family policing of non-normative photography. She is the recipient sexuality? of a Fulbright fellowship with the Women's, Gender and Sexuality In this paper, I am in Studies Program at Yale conversation with Judith Butler University (2006-2007). She and Donna Haraway, but I am edited a volume of essays also using Bob Levin’s Outlaws, entitled American Visual Rebels, Freethinkers, and Pirates Memoirs after the 1970s. Studies (2005) and Robert Crumb’s Your on Gender, Sexuality, and Vigor for Life Appals Me (1998). I Visibility in the Post-Civil Rights am also relying on important Age (Bucharest: Bucharest archival work by comics University Press, 2010). She is historian Patrick Rosenkranz, currently involved in two who documents essential out- research projects funded by the of-print fanzines and short-lived National University Research underground publications in his Council of Romania (NURC), Rebel Visions: The Underground Cross-Cultural Encounters in Comics Revolution 1963-1975 American Trauma Narratives: A (2008). Comparative Approach to Personal and Collective Mihaela Precup is an Assistant Memories and Women’s Professor in the American Narratives of Transnational Studies Program at the Relocation.

Panel 4: Graphixia

Small is the New Big: The Comics Criticism Blog as Small Press

Brenna Clarke Gray, Damon Herd, Hattie Kennedy, Ernesto Priego, Peter Wilkins and David N Wright

We propose a Graphixia panel international conferences and at Comics Forum 2013 in which student exchanges, and a the members of our team system of independent yet discuss the significance of confederated blogs covering a blogging to the comics scene range of possible academic today as an alternative to discussions about comics academic publishing, without excessive overlap or presenting Graphixia and other redundancy. Our belief is that grassroots blogs as critical simply making comics analogues to small press comic scholarship one more publishers. Furthermore, we will conventional academic talk about our experience in discipline is a mistake; rather, leveraging a small-scale blog we should harness the DIY, into a relatively powerful “punk” elements of comics platform for developing scholarship to create a new academic activities on the kind of academic experience in subject of comics. We will also line with 21st century address how the open access developments in global society model of the blog yields both and technology. global conversation and future development that includes an If our proposal is accepted, we international network of comics will record the panel as a scholars, multi-institutional on- podcast for the Comics Forum line courses on comics, and Graphixia web-sites. Each

22 attending member of the team combining their interest in will address an aspect of comics and web 2.0 technology Graphixia’s activities. Other platforms. Brenna Clarke Gray, team members and audience also from the English members will be encouraged to Department at Douglas College, respond in kind. Issues will and Scott Marsden, librarian at include comics and open Alexander College, joined in access publishing, comics and 2011; their arrival introduced the global humanities, comics thematically clustered posts and the digital humanities, the and videocasts. Hattie future of comics in the Kennedy, of the University of academy, and comics and Edinburgh, and Damon Herd, of identity. We modelled this kind Duncan of Jordanstone College of panel at our Comics and the of Art and Design at the Multimodal World conference University of Dundee joined in to good effect, and the 2012, and most recently in 2013, interactive, conversational Ernesto Priego of City University engagement it fosters is in line London and editor-in-chief of with the new academic culture The Comics Grid, has joined our Graphixia wants to promote. ranks. The blog has served as a springboard for presentations by The Graphixia project began in members of the team at 2010 with Douglas College conferences in Spain, China, English faculty members David and the UK, and in June 2013 N Wright and Peter Wilkins we hosted the Comics and the writing back and forth to each Multimodal World conference, other on a Google Document at Douglas College in and creating podcast Vancouver, Canada. discussions as ways of

Panel 5: Authorship

Chair: Julia Round

Dave Sim’s Cerebus the Aardvark: Self-publishing, the Direct Market and Creative Freedom

Ian Horton

Cerebus the Aaardvark (1977- creative growth under direct 2004) is a remarkable market conditions.” However, achievement in the field of Hatfield, along with other critics comics. Over the course of 300 and scholars, highlights issues this sword and sorcery problems with the overarching parody became the most narrative of Cerebus and is sustained example of self- critical of the republished publishing in the medium. volumes as standalone graphic Although never as popular as novels. In this paper this other self-published comics of dominant viewpoint is the period such Elfquest and countered by focusing in detail Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles it on Sim’s relationship to the had, at its height, a monthly direct market and comic fan circulation of 37,000. In the early culture and how these are 1980s, to further extend this fan evident in the content and form base, creator Dave Sim also of both the comic books and began re-publishing Cerebus in the collected volumes. collected ‘novel’ length volumes. Dave Sim clearly acknowledges the importance of the direct In Alternative Comics Charles market to the success of Hatfield states that Cerebus and the potential “Cerebus...stands as a signal creative freedoms allowed by example of the medium’s self-publishing in comics. Sim 24 also displayed his own fanboy His present research focuses on credentials in many aspects of experimental typography and Cerebus, as this was crucial in comic books. In 2008 he was developing an audience for his co-organiser of the Beyond the work. In examining these Margins International features it is argued that its serial Experimental Typography nature was central to Cerebus Symposium held in Cambridge. and that to interpret it outside Recently he has presented this context is to undervalue the papers on information design importance of the direct market and comic books, experimental on its creation. typography and curatorial practices at international Ian Horton is a Senior Lecturer at conferences by organisations London College of such as the Association of Art Communication, University of Historians, the Comics Forum, the Arts London. He has Comics Grid, Graphixia, published papers on national International Association of identity and architectural Word and Image Studies and aesthetics, text-based public art the Oral History Society. and colonialist stereotypes in European comic books.

Comix Narrative Parody: Hunt Emerson’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Christopher J. Thompson (@Christo_HST)

This paper will examine the On the authority of Alan Moore, incongruous “extra-narrative” Hunt Emerson is ‘The British events that occur in Rime of the Alternative Comix Artist’ Ancient Mariner (1989) by Hunt (Emerson 1983:1). Emerging Emerson. from the alternative comix scene of the 1970s and 1980s his

25 style is marked by an This paper shall explore the outrageous sense of humour in ways in which Emerson the tradition of George masterfully constructs a parody Herriman, Gilbert Shelton, through the conflict between Robert Crumb and French visual and verbal channels of cartoonist Edika. His oeuvre communication. In doing so, it includes significant work in will draw upon advances made adaptation of literary classics in in narratology by Monika which he adopts a Fludernik treating narrative as a sophisticated range of narrative fundamentally experiential attitudes at the service of phenomenon. This paper will parody, yet despite this has utilise the concept of received little scholarly “narrativization”, the process by attention. which a reader imposes narrativity on discourse (rather Throughout his Rime of the than merely recognising it as a Ancient Mariner, Emerson narrative), to explore the ways employs a range of humorous in which these conflicting devices and visual puns that channels are recuperated into exploit a seemingly naïve verbal ambiguous narrators at odds narrator. These “extra- with one another. narrative” events are characterised as being both Currently I work in supporting incredibly weird (a Wedding adult learners in lifelong Guest sitting on Mick Jagger learning, access and from the Rolling Stones, instead professional development at the of a simple rock as implied by University of Oxford. I have the poem for example) and attended the Comics Forum for have little to no impact on the many years now and look unfolding story, yet play a forward to the opportunity to significant role in setting the present my own research. My mood of the comic reinforcing article on Hunt Emerson was its “lampoon” of Samuel Taylor published in Studies in Comics Coleridge’s 1817 poem of the 4.2 in 2013. same name.

Panel 6: Art

Chair: Simon Grennan

Small Press Comics and Fine Art

Gareth Brookes (@brookes_gareth)

Over the last five years UK to fine art as well as the output comics have undergone a of other creators (such as Oliver transformation. I’d like to East, Joe Kessler, Donya Todd, explore how the small press has Mark Oliver and Malcy Duff) driven this change, in particular who inhabit the ground how small press creators between Comics/Fine Art and relationship with fine art has fed Small Press/Mainstream. This will the innovation that is re-shaping include a discussion of the British comics. conceptual in comics, the use of new materials and printing I will argue that an increasingly methods and the appropriation sophisticated comics audience, of strategies for using dissillusioned art students, the image/text. I will also ask the DIY and resurgent zine question of what, if any status movement and giant leaps in Comics are likely to be afforded technology and the in the art world, and whether affordability of print have come such status is even desirable. together to produce a rich seam of experimentation I studied fine art at the RCA, and feeding up through the roots of have been involved with small small press and zine fairs, into press comics publishing since the output of emerging 2005, beginning with publishers such as Nobrow, collaborations with Banal Pig Myriad Editions and Blank Slate. and later becoming involved with groups such as The My talk will explore the Alternative Press and The Comix relationship of my own practice Reader. My graphic novel The Black print, won the First Fictions First Project, a comic created Graphic Novel Prize and will be entirely in the mediums of published in September by embroidery and linocut relief Myriad Editions.

From Random House to Rehab: Julia Wertz and the Small Press

Paddy Johnston

In 2009, autobiographical The Infinite Wait was a much cartoonist Julia Wertz received better home for her work for a surprising call from a literary numerous reasons. She also agent who wished to represent received an offer to turn her her, having seen her popular series The Fart Party into a underground comic series The television series, which would Fart Party. The agent sold her have brought significant money book, Drinking at the Movies, to and fame, and turned it down, an imprint of Random House fearing a compromising of the (US), who published it in 2010 essence of her work as a during what Wertz has comics artist. described as a fleeting period of heightened interest in This paper will explore, in the graphic novels from mainstream context of the categories of book publishers. Douglas Wolk’s division between ‘mainstream comics’ For her next book, The Infinite and ‘art comics,’ why Wertz’s Wait, published after a stint in a comics are better off being rehab clinic, Wertz chose to published by a small press. distance herself from Random Through close examination of House and work closely with a Wertz’s comics and how they Canadian Small Press, Koyama embody the qualities of ‘art Press, which she makes clear in comics,’ I hope to realise and

28 present how small presses have PhD which will examine the grown with the rise of art comics relationship between comics and how the two interact to and work, paying attention to create the landscape of art comics' portrayal of manual comics, paying close attention labour and the history of comic to the qualities which make a production. He has previously comic an ‘art comic’ and why given papers on Chris Ware, these comics are more often advertising, the gutter and than not published by small digital comics. He also has a presses. day job in publishing, makes his own comics intermittently and is Paddy Johnston is a doctoral a singer/songwriter. He is on researcher at the University of twitter @paddyjohnston. Sussex, currently working on his

Revisiting Donald Parsnips' Daily Journal

Dan Smith (@utopianimpulse)

The artist Adam Dant currently historical associations with makes elaborate ink drawings pamphleteering, he would related to maps, museology produce the Daily Journal in and satire, with an emphasis on editions of 100, and distribute the Eighteenth Century, them by hand between the creating links between artists photocopy shop in Bethnal such as Hogarth and life in Green Road where they were Twenty First Century London. printed and Agnew’s Gallery in However, for this paper I would Bond Street, where he worked like to focus on an earlier work at the time. of his - Donald Parsnips' Daily Journal. Produced between It was a small press activity in 1995 and 2000, Dant produced the extreme, one that had a a publication every day. regular audience every day, Fascinated by London’s and that established a high profile within and around the 29 peripheries of the world of Dr Dan Smith is Senior Lecturer in contemporary art. However, the Fine Art Theory at Chelsea ephemeral nature of the work College of Art and Design. His has meant that the actual book Traces of Modernity is an material is not very visible today. archaeology of the shadow of I would like to return to the the Great Exhibition of 1851, specificity of the printed through an exploration of the material, and would like to ruins of the Crystal Palace in suggest that the real Sydenham and the dinosaurs significance of the work lies in that remain, the Albert recognizing that these are not Memorial in Kensington some neutral form of pamphlet, Gardens, Oxford's Pitt Rivers but are comics. These daily Museum and The Time Machine underground comics were by H.G. Wells. He is currently engaged in satire, offering working on Agamben Reframed humorous documents of some for I.B. Tauris. He has been a of the lifestyles and values of regular contributor to Art the artworld around Dant in the Monthly magazine, and is now 1990s. I aim to recover the blogging for the Huffington Post history of a lost ephemeral in the UK. His drawings can be practice that transgressed found at boundaries between comics, [email protected], contemporary art and social and writings at encounter. utopianimpulse.blogspot.com, and twitter @utopianimpulse.

Panel 7: Politics

Chair: Hattie Kennedy

Political Humor is Absolutely a “Serious” Job!

Aysel Demir

In this study, it is explained that for Turkey like every society. political humor is very important Because they are a mirror of instrument for Turkish comic society and a bridge between press. It has a very powerful authority and the one who is effect on people’s ideas about ruled. politics. Comic press as Penguen, Leman and Uykusuz In comic press, political humor is played a key role on Gezi a way of critical expression to Occupy Movement because of show what is going on in a critiques against Prime Minister country. Penguen, one of Recep Tayyip Erdogan who comic press, usually makes hate from caricatures about covers with very ironic and himself. In this paper, I showed absurd events in Turkey’s that Erdogan’s negative agenda. Especially Erdogan’s reactions against the comic some comments are absurd press and I criticized his reaction and Penguen uses them in their with humor against the humor. I caricatures very cleverly. supported my arguments with Penguen uses a some jokes and caricatures disproportionate intelligence about Erdogan’s undemocratic against Erdogan. Penguen implementations for Gezi Park critiques him with intelligent, protests through comic press, ironic, anarchist drawings and Facebook, Twitter. Finally I said people just smile in spite of that comic press and especially everything when they see those political humor are a necessity caricatures. Because they know 31 that the humor is the best gun Department and I got my Ph.D to beat the enemy. Therefore, from Ankara University, political humor is absolutely a Philosophy Department. My “serious” job! study areas are Political Philosophy, Ethic, Film I am Assist. Prof. Dr. Aysel Demir philosophy, Media and who works at Aksaray University Communication. I love humor, in Turkey. I graduated from especially intelligent ones. Istanbul University, Philosophy

Metaphor, financial crisis, and the small press

John Miers

The cognitive linguistic theory of If the conceptual metaphors metaphor is built on the idea that contribute to our discussion that metaphor pervades our and understanding of the world speech and structures our go largely unnoticed, any understanding of the world, ideological implications they particularly the way we grasp carry will often be hidden. abstract concepts. Cover illustrations for The Metaphorical expressions are Economist published in the found throughout what is usually second half of 2008 frequently considered literal or everyday depicted the global financial speech: in the previous crisis and its effects as a natural sentence the words built and disaster, carrying the implication grasp were linguistic expressions that nobody was to blame. of common conceptual Political cartoons from the same metaphors, in which theories period, while making full use of are understood using properties pictorial stereotypes associated of buildings, and abstract pejoratively with politicians and understanding is financial sector workers, also conceptualised in terms of frequently employed this handling a physical object. pictorial metaphor.

British small press cartoonists metaphors that underlie the have been unanimous in their government’s own account. scorn for the austerity programme introduced by the John Miers is working on a current government. However, practice-based PhD at Central as the above examples suggest, St Martins, University of the Arts texts intended to be critical can London, where he is also a still be shaped by the visiting practitioner. John metaphors that permeate curated and edited the public discourse. This paper will exhibition and anthology Score extract and analyse some of and Script as part of his PhD, the conceptual metaphors that and self-publishes his own structure accounts of the comics anthology I Got Comics. austerity programme in comics He’s also a regular contributor by British cartoonists associated to exhibitions at the Comica with the small press, and and International Alternative compare these to the Press festivals and publications such as Solipsistic Pop.

Panel 8: Communication

Chair: Ian Horton

Underground Archaeology: Comics as alternative agents of professional discourse

John G. Swogger

The publication and shift to digital media has presentation of archaeological resulted only a shift in medium, data, interpretation and not necessarily greater access. experience is dominated by formal modes: site-reports, peer- Comics represent an interesting reviewed journals, teaching alternative to these formal texts, and news-stand and high- presentations of professional street print. Access is tightly- and scholarly discourse. controlled and resultant Employed by both those with publications utilised for highly and without access to specialist information. This traditional modes of publication excludes many kinds of and dissemination, they are narratives and data from being used as genuine presentation, even from those alternatives in the presentation with access, and excludes of archaeological data, many practitioners entirely. The interpretation and experience. result is that aspects of Use of small-press and digital- professional discourse remain based distribution has resulted undocumented and in a small but growing unrecorded. Even the recent 34 underground of archaeological international excavations at the comics, graphic novels, site of Çatalhöyük in Turkey, autobiographies and comix, and now works for archaeology resulting in new kinds of content projects in Eastern Europe, the being disseminated and new Caribbean and on the island of voices being heard. This paper Palau in Micronesia. In 2010 he examines the work of five wrote a 12-part educational contemporary archaeological comic entitled “Archaeology in comics creators (Atalay, De the Caribbean”, and since then Boer, Hackett, Lovata, and he has written on the subject of Wesolowsky) and the author's archaeology and comics for the own comics to consider the Visualisation in Archaeology nature of these alternative project, Comics Forum and the agencies of professional Society for American discourse and their impact on Archaeology. He is currently scholarship and the public working on graphic novels understanding of archaeology. about working on excavations in Turkey and the Pacific islands. John Swogger is an archaeological illustrator. He worked for ten years on the

Epic themes in awesome ways, or how we made Asteroid Belter: The Newcastle Science Comic

Lydia Wysocki, Jack Fallows and Mike Thompson (@nclsciencecomic; @lyd_w; @skippa23; @teltos, @paulxthompson; @brittcoxon)

The Newcastle Science Comic comic) is a story of how a project bunch of small pressers from (http://newcastlesciencecomic. Newcastle made a funded, 44- blogspot.co.uk/ and page, newsprint, 10000 copy http://twitter.com/@nclscience print run comic for the British 35

Science Festival 2013 hosted by Master's in Education took a Newcastle University. focus on language as a tool to share ideas, and this thinking Our comic Asteroid Belter is a helped shape the Newcastle collaboration between a total Science Comic project. of 76 artists, writers and scientists, led by our editorial team: Lydia Wysocki, Paul Jack Fallows is a Newcastle- Thompson, Mike Thompson, based comic book artist and Jack Fallows, Britt Coxon and illustrator who has been self- Mike Duckett. Asteroid Belter publishing comics for over a aims to speak with children age decade. He founded 8-13 about science, not to Newcastle’s Paper Jam Comics disguise science as a comic. Collective in 2007 and shortly Our talk will focus on Asteroid after, began delivering comic Belter’s achievements in terms book workshops for young of education, public people in the North East. He has engagement, and as a written, drawn and edited a comic. We will present how we number of publications, set up a project structure to including The Gentleman Ghost achieve these aims, and offer and The Big Bang. His comics our reflections on what was and was not successful in this work has been featured in project. Scream and Starburst magazines and he has curated Lydia Wysocki is an artist, writer, exhibitions, concerts, film and Editor in Chief of Asteroid screenings and online platforms Belter: The Newcastle Science to promote and celebrate the Comic. Lydia makes comics, medium. He has recently begun zines, and artist's books, and a career as a primary school considers them all books with teacher. some sort of educational value. She works in educational Mike Thompson is the manager development at Newcastle of Travelling Man in Newcastle University, and has a and has worked in comics retail background in English for nearly 10 years. He is also a Language Teaching. Her recent recent Librarianship graduate

36 whose final year project currently "resting" Travelling focused on the formation of Man podcast and is proud to be policy regarding the use of part of the editorial team for graphic novels in school Asteroid Belter: The Newcastle libraries for educational Science Comic. purposes. He is a host on the

Keynote Event

Paul Gravett in conversation with Roger Sabin

A key figure in British comics, book Comics Art is published in Paul Gravett’s career started in November 2013 by Tate. 1981 when he launched the Fast Fiction stall at Westminster Roger Sabin is a journalist and Comics Mart. The stall was one academic who has written for of the major intersections The Guardian, The Independent between the British small press and New Statesman. He is now and the European bande Reader in Popular Culture at dessinée scene. Paul later went Central Saint Martin’s College of on to work for Pssst!, and Art and Design. He is the author subsequently launched the of Adult Comics: An important anthology Escape Introduction, a significant with Peter Stanbury, which cultural history of comics, and again marked up the Comics, Comix and Graphic importance of bande dessinée Novels: A History of Comic Art, in its artistic style and approach which takes an international to comics, as well as including look at the medium of comics. early comics work by noted creators such as Eddie Campbell, Neil Gaiman, Myra Hancock, Rian Hughes, Dave McKean and Carol Swain. Paul has played a major role in the

British comic scene ever since, promoting creators and talents, and finding spaces for comics in locations and communities where they might not otherwise have been seen. Paul’s latest 38

Chair Biographies

Carolene Ayaka Simon has also been Director of Viewpoint Photography Gallery, Dr Carolene Ayaka has a Salford and Director of Public doctorate in social policy from Art Forum (now IXIA). He the University of Chichester. She received his doctorate from did her MA in Gender studies University of the Arts London in and diversity at the University of 2011. Grennan & Sperandio are Bradford. Her main area of at www.kartoonkings.com interest is identity; how it is theorised and presented as well Ian Hague as its negotiations and diverseness (thus far having Dr Ian Hague completed his mainly focused on African PhD on comics and the senses female identity). Her interest in at the University of Chichester in comics stems from her 2012. He did his BA in English at enjoyment of exploring how the University of Hull (2004-2007) they are used to represent and and his MA in Cultural Studies at translate people’s everyday the University of Leeds (2007- lives and imagined lives. She 2008). His research interests hopes to write a comic strip one include comic theory, the day! senses and technology. Ian’s recent publications include Simon Grennan ‘Beyond the Visual: The Roles of Simon Grennan has been the Senses in Contemporary practicing internationally as an Comics’ in the Scandinavian artist since 1990. As part of Journal of Comic Art and collaborative artists team ‘Adapting Watchmen’ in Grennan & Sperandio, he is well Framing Film: Cinema and the known as a pioneer of Visual Arts (Intellect, 2012). His interventionist, New Genre and book Comics and the Senses: A post-relational practice, Multisensory Approach to through publishing, television Comics and Graphic Novels will and social action projects. be published by Routledge in Hattie Kennedy 2014. Harriet Kennedy is a PhD Ian Horton student in the Centre of Canadian Studies at the Ian Horton is a Senior Lecturer at University of Edinburgh. Her London College of thesis is entitled Québécois Communication, University of Bande Dessinée: A Quiet the Arts London. He has Revolution? Her research is published papers on national focused on the representations identity and architectural of nationalism and the aesthetics, text-based public art Québécois struggle for and colonialist stereotypes in independence in the bande European comic books. dessinée produced in the province. It is primarily His present research focuses on concerned with questions of experimental typography and voice and the potentials of comic books. In 2008 he was form. co-organiser of the Beyond the Margins International Joan Ormrod Experimental Typography Symposium held in Cambridge. I am researching women in Recently he has presented comics and subcultural papers on information design identities. Research into and comic books, experimental subcultures develops my PhD, typography and curatorial 'Expressions of Nation and Place practices at international in British Surfing Identities' which conferences by organisations focused on analysing such as the Association of Art representations of surfing and Historians, the Comics Forum, national identity through film Comics Grid, Graphixia, and popular culture. I have International Association of extensive publications in surfing, Word and Image Studies and surfing cultures and their the Oral History Society. representations.

I am currently writing a book on 40

Wonder Woman which Books). She has published and examines cultural, political and presented work internationally social influences upon the on cross-media adaptation, representation of the human television and discourse body from the 1940s. I co-edit analysis, the application of Routledge's Journal of Graphic literary terminology to comics, Novels and Comics the ‘graphic novel’ redefinition, (www.tandf.co.uk/journals/rco and the presence of gothic and m) with David Huxley. fantastic motifs and themes in this medium. She is currently Julia Round completing a monograph on Julia Round (MA, PhD) is Senior comics and the Gothic Lecturer in the Media School at (McFarland, 2013). For further Bournemouth University, UK, and details see edits the academic journal www.juliaround.com. Studies in Comics (Intellect

Comics Forum

Carolene Ayaka Paul Fisher Davies Comics Forum 2013 Co-Director Comics Forum Committee, Dr Carolene Ayaka has a Facebook Administrator doctorate in social policy from the University of Chichester. She Paul is a PhD student did her MA in Gender studies researching visual narrative and diversity at the University of theory at the University of Bradford. Her main area of Sussex, where he also gained his interest is identity; how it is BA in English and MA in theorised and presented as well Literature and Visual Culture. He as its negotiations and teaches English Language and diverseness (thus far having Literature at Sussex Downs mainly focused on African College on the South Coast, female identity). Her interest in and dabbles in comics creation comics stems from her amongst other creative enjoyment of exploring how endeavours. You can find they are used to represent and samples of his work at translate people’s everyday www.crosbies.co.uk. lives and imagined lives. She hopes to write a comic strip one Hugo Frey day! Consultant Hugo Frey is Reader and Head

of History at University of Chichester, UK. He has published widely on Francophone comics and graphic novels in Modern and Contemporary France, Yale French Studies, etc. He has 42 edited special issues of extensively. In addition, she has Rethinking History and European run training and promotional Comic Art and he is currently events about comics and co-authoring, with Professor Jan graphic novels for libraries, Baetens, The Cambridge schools and other organizations Introduction to the Graphic since 1993. As a consultant she Novel (forthcoming 2014). also runs events on manga and anime, working with young Since 2011 for Leuven University adults, picture books as art, Press he is ‘editor in chief’ of a visual literacies and, also, the new series of books on links between children's books European graphic narratives, and other media. working with a board composed of Jan Baetens, Bart William Grady Beaty, Ann Miller and Charles Comics Forum Committee Hatfield. Secretary, News Editor When not researching on William Grady is working on a comics he has also worked PhD in the faculty of Humanities extensively on French history, at the University of Dundee, literature, politics and cinema, focusing on American West including the books, Louis Malle comic books. He has articles on (Manchester UP, 2004) and American West comic books in Cinema and Nationalism in the anthologies Comic Books France (Berghahn, forthcoming, and American Cultural History, 2014). and Undead in the West II, and Mel Gibson in the journals Studies in Comics, and the Journal of Graphic Consultant Novels and Comics. Dr Mel Gibson is a Senior For full list of news Lecturer at the University of correspondents, see Northumbria. Her teaching and http://comicsforum.org. research focuses on comics, manga, graphic novels, young people, literature and media and she has published 43

Ian Hague Hattie Kennedy

Comics Forum Committee Comics Forum Committee Chair, Comics Forum 2013 Co- Treasurer, Comics Forum 2013 Director, Website General Editor Organising Committee, Twitter Administrator Dr Ian Hague completed his PhD on comics and the senses Harriet Kennedy is a PhD at the University of Chichester in student in the Centre of 2012. He did his BA in English at Canadian Studies at the the University of Hull (2004-2007) University of Edinburgh. Her and his MA in Cultural Studies at thesis is entitled Québécois the University of Leeds (2007- Bande Dessinée: A Quiet 2008). His research interests Revolution? Her research is include comic theory, the focused on the representations senses and technology. Ian’s of nationalism and the recent publications include Québécois struggle for ‘Beyond the Visual: The Roles of independence in the bande the Senses in Contemporary dessinée produced in the Comics’ in the Scandinavian province. It is primarily Journal of Comic Art and concerned with questions of ‘Adapting Watchmen’ in voice and the potentials of Framing Film: Cinema and the form. Visual Arts (Intellect, 2012). His Rebecca Macklin book Comics and the Senses: A Multisensory Approach to Comics Forum Committee Comics and Graphic Novels will Comics Forum 2013 Co-Director be published by Routledge in Rebecca Macklin holds an MA 2014. in English Literature from the University of Leeds and has worked in the publishing industry for a number of years. She is currently a publisher at an academic publishing house in West Yorkshire and is on the committee of the Society of 44

Young Publishers North & Hannah Wadle Midlands. She has an abiding Comics Forum 2013 Organising critical interest in literary and Committee graphic representations of identity and how it is shaped by Hannah is a social culture and trauma. anthropologist, journalist and philanthropic taking regular Roger Sabin baths in human everyday and Consultant tourism culture in different parts of Europe. She graduated with Roger Sabin is Reader in Popular a Masters in History and Culture at Central Saint Martins European Ethnology from College of Arts and Design, Freiburg University (Germany), University of the Arts London. His started her PhD at the Centre books include Adult Comics: An for Tourism and Cultural Change Introduction (Routledge), and (Leeds Met.) about the socio- Comics, Comix and Graphic cultural impacts of post-socialist Novels (Phaidon). He reviews tourism on a small village in graphic novels for the press and Northeast Poland and is radio. The Daily Telegraph once continuing it now at called him ‘The F.R.Leavis of the Manchester University. Her graphic novel’, and he’s still not interests in the medium of sure if that’s a compliment or an comics are comics as a new insult. language for ethnography and comics and Socialism.

Comics Forum: Get Involved

Comics Forum is always open to events in comics scholarship suggestions for new services it around the world. We are very can provide, and keen to lucky to have a great team of showcase as wide a range of correspondents who send us comics scholarship as possible, updates from their location both online at comicsforum.org, each month, but we are always and at conferences and other on the lookout for new writers events. If you would like to who can expand the coverage make a suggestion, please we are able to offer. If you speak to one of the Comics would be interested in Forum team at this year’s becoming a News Review conference, or email correspondent, please contact [email protected]. our News Editor, Will Grady, at: [email protected]. Comics Forum is open to uk. collaborations with individuals and other organisations, and if Write Reviews for Comics you think we can help with Forum something you’re working on just let us know! Comics Forum is pleased to announce that Become a News Review comicsforum.org will soon be Correspondent launching a new monthly Reviews column. Reviews will The Comics Forum News Review cover academic texts, events is a monthly column at and exhibitions. We are looking comicsforum.org that provides for contributors so if you would a roundup of all the major news like to write for Comics Forum 46 and think that you would be via email at able to commit to writing 500 [email protected] word reviews for us on a regular om. Alternatively, why not basis or even if you would just approach her during the like more information then conference to ask your please get in touch with our questions in person? Reviews Editor, Hattie Kennedy,