Author Archives: Comics Forum

Africa

South Africa

Culture

GRAPHIC RADICALS: At the Cutting Edge of Comic Art, is an exhibition that will take place in Muizenberg, Cape Town, from the 3rd October. Link (English, WG)

Americas

Canada

Research

There is a call for papers for a collection entitled, The Canadian Alternative: Canadian Cartoonists, Comics, and Graphic Novels. Submissions are due by the 30th April 2015. Link (05/09/2014, English, WG)

United States

Business

Based on total comic book sales invoiced for August, DC’s Batman #34 ranked first according to Diamond News. Marvel Comics’ Amazing Spider-Man #5 and Original Sin #7 ranked second and third respectively. Link (English, MB)

Based on total graphic novel sales invoiced in August, Marvel’s Thanos Infinity Revelation and Deadpool vs. Carnage ranked first and third according to Diamond News. DC’s Fables Volume 20: Camelot ranked second. Link (English, MB)

Dynamite Digital announced that Bitcoin, the virtual currency, will now be an accepted form of payment, joining traditional forms of payment options. Link (17/09/2014, English, MB)

Jobs

The University of Chicago has posted a position for Assistant Professor in 20th & 21st Century Fiction and Narrative Theory, which mentions seeking scholars working on comics and video game studies. Candidates must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae and dissertation abstract by the 3rd November. Link (12/09/2014, English, MB)

Research

The International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts is accepting proposals for their 26th annual conference being held in Orlando, Florida, between the 18th and 22nd March 2015. 400 word abstracts are due by the 31st October. Link (English, MB)

The Comics Arts Conference organisers have announced the submission deadlines for both Wondercon Anaheim (held between the 3rd and 5th April 2015), and San Diego Comic-Con conference (being held between the 9th and 12th July 2015). Proposals of between 100 and 200 words are due by the 1st December for Wondercon, and the 1st March 1 for San Diego. Link (English, MB)

The University of Florida has announced their 12th annual Conference on Comics and Graphic Novels with the theme of “Comics Read but Seldom Seen: Diversity and Representation in Comics and Related Media”. Proposals are due by the 1st January for the conference, which is being held in Gainesville, Florida between the 10th and 12th April. Link (02/09/2014, English, MB)

ImageTexT: Interdisciplinary Comics Studies is currently seeking manuscript reviewers with expertise in a variety of areas in comics studies. Link (13/09/2014, English, WG)

Cord A. Scott’s book, Comics and Conflict, has been published through US Naval Institute Press. Link (English, WG)

There is a call for papers for Marvel Feature Films edited by Robert Moses Peaslee, Matthew McEniry, and Robert G. Weiner. Abstracts are due by the 15th November. Link (17/09/2014, English, WG)

Asia

China

Education

There is a leaflet for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2015/2016. There are opportunities for funded places to study a PhD in comics in the Department of English at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Interested candidates are urged to contact Francisco Veloso (francisco.veloso@polyu.edu.hk). Link (English, WG)

Europe

Belgium

Research

Sfar So Far: Identity, History, Fantasy, and Mimesis in Joann Sfar’s Graphic Novels, by Fabrice Leroy, has recently been published through Leuven University Press. Link (English, WG)

France

Business

Astérix co-creator, Albert Uderzo, and his daughter Sylvie have ended their seven-year legal feud amicably, agreeing to drop their respective lawsuits. Link (26/09/2014, English, LTa)

French newspaper L’Humanité is preparing to relaunch its BD magazine Pif Gadget (1969-1993; 2004-2009) in the coming months. Link (12/09/2014, French, LTa)

Culture

Franco-German TV network ARTE has shown an adaptation of Frederik Peeters’ Pilules Bleues. Link (01/09/2014, French, LTa)

Research

There is a call for papers for the conference, Voyages, the theme for the Sixth International Graphic Novel and Comics Conference / Ninth International Bande Dessinée Society Conference. Abstracts are due by the 31st December for the conference which takes place in Paris between the 22nd and 27th June. Link (23/09/2014, English, WG)

Germany

Culture

Comicfestival Hamburg is taking place from the 2nd until the 5th October; guests include Amanda Vähämäki, Luke Pearson, and Mawil. Link (01/09/2014, German, MdlI)

An exhibition of the winners of this year’s Max-und-Moritz-Preis is shown in Wiedensahl from the 14th September 2014 until the 24th May 2015. Link (08/09/2014, German, MdlI)

The exhibition, “Streich auf Streich – 150 Jahre Jahre Max und Moritz. Deutschsprachige Comics von Wilhelm Busch bis heute”, is shown again in Oberhausen from the 14th September 2014 until the 18th January 2015. Link (08/09/2014, German, MdlI)

The award, “Comicbuchpreis 2015 der Berthold Leibinger Stiftung”, goes to Birgit Weyhe for her comic Madgermanes. Link (10/09/2014, German, MdlI)

Research

A workshop on “Empirical Approaches to Comics” took place in Berlin on the 20th September. Link (04/09/2014, English, MdlI)

A lecture series on holocaust representations, including two lectures on comics by Ralf Palandt (23rd October) and Ole Frahm (6th November), is going to take place in Bochum. Link (15/09/2014, German, MdlI)

Ireland

Culture

Various Irish comics creators were involved in panels at DICE 2014, which took place in Dublin on the 27th and 28th September. Link (06/09/2014, English, SC)

Portugal

Culture

The Casa da Baía in Setúbal is hosting an exhibition titled “Portos em Banda Desenhada” (Ports in Comics), dedicated to port activity and the maritime world. The exhibition can be visited until the 19th October and is open daily, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Link (25/09/2014, Portuguese, RR)

From the 25th October until the 10th November, the city of Amadora is hosting the 25º Festival Internacional de Banda Desenhada 2014 (25th International Festival of Comics). Link (19/09/2014, Portuguese, RR)

Spain

Business

Spaceman Books, a new publishing house specialising in comics associated to ECC, has been created. Link (05/09/2014, Spanish, EdRC)

Culture

The 4th edition of GRAF, the independent comics publishing festival, will take place in Madrid on the 14th and 15th November at Museo ABC (Madrid). Link (29/09/2014, Spanish, EdRC)

Issue 10 of DON, a free online magazine (available on App Store and Play Store), is integrally dedicated to comics and includes many interviews and selections of comics from international and Spanish authors. Link (09/09/2014, Spanish, EdRC)

The winners of the 14th edition of Dolmen’s Premios de la crítica (Critics’ prizes) have been announced. Link (15/09/2014, Spanish, EdRC)

The cultural magazine Jot Down has published “100 tebeos imprescincibles”, a guide to the 100 indispensable comics. Link (03/09/2014, Spanish, EdRC)

The exhibition Dibujar las meninas, which explores the creation of the graphic novel of the same name by Jabier Olivares y Santiago García, is being shown at Museo ABC (Madrid) from the 26th September until the 16th November. Link (26/09/2014, Spanish, EdRC)

Education

A new edition of the Master de novela gráfica (Master in graphic novels) has been announced. Enrollment is open  until the 14th December this year, and the course will start on the 14th January 2015. Link (04/09/2014, Spanish, EdRC)

Research

The book Breve historia del cómic, by Spanish comics specialist, Gerardo Vilches, has been published. Link (03/09/2014, Spanish, EdRC)

Switzerland

Culture

A comics exhibition titled “Bulles – in Blasen sprechen” is shown in Zurich from the 5th until the 19th October. Link (15/09/2014, German, MdlI)

Research

Peter Gautschi and Christian Gasser are going to give a lecture on violence and history in comics at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts on the 15th October. Link (20/09/2014, German, MdlI)

UK

Culture

Southeast Asian Comics, an exhibition curated by CT Lim, will be at the The Proud Archivist – Library, London, between the 24th October and 2nd November. Link (English, LCT)

Research

There is a call for papers for a Special Issue of the journal, South Asian Popular Culture, entitled “Graphic Novels and Visual Cultures in South Asia.” The editors welcome enquiries or proposals in the form of a 150-200 words abstract by the 14th November. Link (English, WG)

St. Mary’s University, London, is welcoming participants for workshops and a symposium focused on “Graphic Justices of the Future: Law and Jurisprudence in Futuristic Comics.” Link (16/09/2014, English, WG)

Oceania

Australia

Culture

At the 2014 Small Press Expo (SPX), Australian comics creator Simon Hanselmann was nominated for the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Story. He was also ‘married to comics’ in a ceremony conducted by Gary Groth. Link 1 (English, ALM), Link 2 (English, ALM)

Creators representing Australia (and New Zealand) at SPX 2014 also include Matt Emery (Pikitia Press), Frank Candiloro (FrankenComics), Nicholas (NikNik) McIvor, Matthew Hoddy and Caitlin Major (Space Pyrates), and Alexis Sugden (AnimatorLex). Link (English, ALM)

Pikitia Press, a news site about Australian and New Zealand comics, has recently expanded its content to include a monthly review column. The reviews will be written by Philip Bentley, a judge of the national comics art awards, the Ledgers. Comics and zines can be sent in for critical review. Link (English, ALM)

Registration has now opened for the Australian Cartoonists Association 30th Annual Stanley Awards. “The Stanleys” will be held on the 14th and 15th of November, at the Menzies Hotel in Sydney. Link (English, ALM)

Research

The Inkers and Thinkers Interdisciplinary Comics Symposium has released its Call for Papers for the 2015 conference. The theme is ‘The Alternative’, and as well as abstracts the organisers are seeking creative workshop proposals. The deadline for abstracts is the 15th October, and the deadline for workshop proposals is the 31st October. Link (English, ALM)

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News Editor: Will Grady (comicsforumnews@hotmail.co.uk)

Correspondents: Michele Brittany (MB, North America), Enrique del Rey Cabero (EdRC, Spain), Shelley Culbertson (SC, Ireland), William Grady (WG, UK), Martin de la Iglesia (MdlI, Germany & Switzerland), Amy Louise Maynard (ALM, Australia), Renatta Rafaella (RR, Portugal), Lise Tannahill (LTa, France), Lim Cheng Tju (LCT, UK).

Click here for News Review correspondent biographies.

Click here to see the News Review archive.

Suggestions for articles to be included in the News Review can be sent to Will Grady at the email address above.

Americas

 United States

Business

Rocket Raccoon #1 (Marvel) shot to the number one slot in Diamond Comic News Top 100 Comics in July. Batman #33 (DC) and Amazing Spider-Man #4 (Marvel) followed in the second and third spots respectively. Link (English, MB)

Diamond Comic News reported their Top 100 Graphic Novels for July, based on total unit sales of products invoiced. The top three spots went to Walking Dead Volume 21: All Out War Part 2 (Image), Avatar: The Last Airbender Volume 8: Rift Part 2 (Dark Horse), and Deadly Class Volume 1: Reagan Youth (Image). Link (English, MB)

The Summer 2014 Diamond Retail Best Practices Awards were held at the San Diego Comic Con on the 25th July. The link lists the categories, all those nominated, and the winning stores. Link (English, MB)

Research

The Popular Culture Association and American Culture Association has put a call for papers out for several areas including Comics and Comic Art. The conference will be held between the 1st and 5th April 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The deadline for abstracts is the 1st November 2014. Link (English, MB)

The Southwest Popular/American Culture Association has a call out for presentation proposals for the annual conference held in Albuquerque, New Mexico between the 11th and 14th February 2015. The proposal submission deadline is the 1st November 2014. Link (English, MB)

Whit Taylor reports for The Comics Journal on the conference, Comics & Medicine: From Private Lives to Public Health, which took place between the 26th and 28th June at the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore. Link (01/08/2014, English, WG)

Sequart Organization has announced the release of New Life and New Civilizations: Exploring Star Trek Comics, edited by Joseph F. Berenato. Link (English, WG)

Asia

Japan

Culture

On the 13th September, Kyoto International Manga Museum will hold a talk show with manga artists Est Em and Aono Shunju, and manga magazine IKKI editor Egami Hideki (with Kyoto Seika University Faculty of Manga Dean Yoshimura Kazuma as a facilitator) on the topic “Can we still talk about ‘The Dawn’ of comics?” Link (Japanese, JBS)

On the 20th September, the symposium Kansai International Tourism Year 2014, “Let’s think about the impact of manga and anime on tourism” will take place at Kyoto International Manga Museum, with four experts from the field of manga research and production: Yoshimura Kazuma, Inoue Shinichiro, Kondo Hikaru, and Sakurai Takamasa (this event will be held in Japanese). Link (Japanese, JBS)

From the 6th September until the 23rd, Kita Kyushu Manga Museum is hosting the exhibition “Manga and Media cross-overs”, including not just manga, but animation and mixed media, as well as creative environments that include both professional and amateur creators. The Museum is closed on Wednesdays. The exhibition includes art by Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure artist Araki Hirohiko. Link (29/08/2014, Japanese, JBS)

The Museum of Kyoto is hosting the “Let’s go to space, brother!” Exhibition (until September the 23rd), featuring 200 pieces of original art by “Space Brothers (Uchu Kyodai)” manga artist Koyama Chuya, as well as material from the animated series and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Link (30/07/2014, English, JBS)

Director Miyazaki Hayao is to receive a Honorary Award from the Academy of Motion Pictures Art. Link (29/08/2014, English, JBS)

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of Doraemon creator, Fujiko F. Fujio, Osaka Gran Front is hosting the Fujiko F. Fujio Exhibition (until the 5th October). Link (Japanese, JBS)

Research

The Copyright Subcommittee of the JSSCC (Japanese Society for Studies in Cartoons and Comics) will hold its 1st lecture meeting on the 10th September (at Japan Patent Attorneys Association Hall, B1 conference room A). Komori Ikuya will hold a lecture on the revision history of Japanese copyright law in 2014; this event will be held in Japanese. Link (Japanese, JBS)

The Philippines

Research

There is a call for papers for the 15th Annual International Conference on Japanese Studies &
the 6th Women’s Manga Conference: A Joint International Conference. The conference theme is, Manga and the Manga-esque: New Perspectives to a Global Culture, and will take place between the 22nd and 25th January 2015 at Ateneo de Manila University. Link (27/06/2014, English, WG)

Europe

Denmark

Culture

The next Copenhagen Comics festival will take place between the 6th and 7th June 2015. The special theme of the 2015 festival is Children and Youth. A general meeting will be held on 3rd September, where opportunities to participate in the festival as a volunteer will be presented. Register as a volunteer or learn more about volunteering at Copenhagen Comics 2015 via the link provided. There is also information and an opportunity to register for the general meeting on their Facebook page. Link 1 (Danish, KBF), Link 2 (English, KBF)

France

Culture

Manu Larcenet’s bande dessinée series Le Combat Ordinaire (2003-2008) is being adapted for cinema. The film will be directed by Laurent Tuel (Inside Ring, Tour de Force). Link 1 (29/08/2014, French, LTa), Link 2 (24/07/2014, English, LTa)

Research

There is a call for contributors for, Pratiques de la bande dessinée au féminin: Expériences, formes, discours, a volume focusing on post-2000 francophone bande dessinée created by women. The deadline for abstracts of 300 words is the 31st October. Link (French, LTa)

Germany

Culture

An exhibition on the educational comic Tagebuch 14/18 took place at Bilderbuchmuseum Troisdorf from the 3rd August to the 3rd September. Link (04/08/2014, German, MdlI)

Cöln Comic Haus announces two events in Cologne: a 24 hour comic day on the 4th October, and a comic fair on the 8th November. Link (11/08/2014, German, MdlI)

Germany’s first manga café opened in Düsseldorf. Link (20/08/2014, German, MdlI)

The exhibition “Holocaust im Comic” opens again in Bochum on the 23rd October. Link (25/08/2014, German, MdlI)

The fourth “Graphic Novel Day” is going to take place as part of “14. internationales literaturfestival berlin” on the 14th September; guests include Reinhard Kleist. Link (28/08/2014, German, MdlI)

Research

The latest issue of the magazine Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte focuses on comics; contributors include several comics scholars. Link (German, MdlI)

The programme of the conference “Übersetzungen und Adaptionen von Comics / The Translation and Adaptation of Comics” in Hildesheim from the 31st October to the 2nd November is now online. Link (German and English, MdlI)

Greece

Culture

In connection with Comicdom Press, a comic book library has opened in Athens, Greece. Link (Greek, WG)

Norway

Culture

The Raptus 2014 festival takes place between the 19th and 21st September in Bergen. The festival homepage, including a list of guest artists, can be accessed via the link. Further information is available on the Rasmus 2014 Facebook page. Link 1 (Norwegian, KBF), Link 2 (Norwegian, KBF)

Portugal

Culture

Some of the walls, buildings, and prominent spaces in the city of Amadora are being painted with posters from the previous editions of its international annual comics festival, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Link (09/08/2014, Portuguese, RR)

Spain

Culture

The exhibition “Mar interior”, which displays an anthology of the work of Miguelanxo Prado (a prominent Spanish author), is being shown at the Museo des Peregrinacións (Santiago de Compostela), from the 1st August until the 31st December. Link (01/08/2014, Spanish, EdRC)

The exhibition “El TBO: un comic para tiempos difíciles”, which covers the history of Spain’s longest and most iconic comics magazine is being shown at Segorbe (Comunidad Valenciana), from the 25th July until the 7th September. Link (25/07/2014, Spanish, EdRC)

The first edition of Ñam, a new international comics and graphic novels festival, will take place in Palencia from the 30th September to the 5th October. The festival will host national and international personalities such as Scott McCloud, Matt Madden, Chloé Cruchaudet, David Aja, David Rubín and Alfonso Zapico. The program includes many workshops and conferences. Link (Spanish, EdRC)

The 17th edition of the festival, Viñetas do Atlántico, was celebrated in La Coruña between the 4th and 10th August, with the presence of, among others, Zidrou, Marcos Martín and Charlie Adlard. Link (04/08/2014, Spanish, EdRC)

Research

The book, Narraciones gráficas. Del códice medieval al comic, by Roberto Bartual has been published thanks to a crowdfunding project. The book focuses upon the history and pre-history of comics and graphic narration. Link (Spanish, EdRC)

The book was also presented on the 29th of July in café Molar, Madrid. Link (27/07/2014, Spanish, EdRC)

Sweden

Culture

The dates for the AltCom 2014 festival have been announced. The festival, which features the Apocalypse as its theme, will take place in Malmö, between the 4th and 9th November. Information in both Swedish and English can be found on the festival’s home page. Link (Swedish, KBF)

Research

The Scandinavian Journal of Comic Art is planning a special issue on Nordic history and cultural memory in comics, and invites articles about these and related matters. The deadline for abstracts is 1st October 2014; full articles are due on 1st January 2015. Link (English, KBF)

UK

Culture

The Dundee Literary Festival has released details of this years Dundee Comics Day, which takes place on the 26th October. Link (29/08/2014, English, WG)

DeeCAP: Autobiographical Comics Special will take place at the University of Dundee on the 15th September. The event sees artists and writers bring their strips to life with live interaction alongside a visual slideshow. Link (English, WG)

Education

The Scottish Book Trust, in partnership with the University of Dundee and Literary Dundee, have announced the launch of the Comics Lab 2014. This short course will offer sessions on creating comics, advice on developing your work, and pitching to publishers. The application deadline is the 12th September, and runs on the 25th and 26th October. Link (English, WG)

Research

There is a call for contributions to a special themed issue of the journal, New Readings, focused upon Comics and Translation. Submissions should be sent before the 10th November. Link (English, WG)

Graphic Details: Jewish Women’s Confessional Comics in Essays and Interviews, edited by Sarah Lightman, has recently been published through McFarland. Link (English, WG)

Paul Williams at the University of Exeter has been awarded funding for the project, “Reframing the Graphic Novel: Long-Form Adult Comic Narratives in North America and the UK 1973-82”. Further information on the project can be found through the link. Link (07/08/2014, English, WG)

Oceania

Australia

Research

There is a call for papers for Inkers and Thinkers Interdisciplinary Symposium 2015: Alternative Forms, Alternative Voices. Abstracts are due by the 15th October for the event which takes place on the 15th and 16th May 2015. Link (19/08/2014, English, WG)

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News Editor: Will Grady (comicsforumnews@hotmail.co.uk)

Correspondents: Jessica Bauwens-Sugimoto (JBS, Japan), Michele Brittany (MB, North America), Enrique del Rey Cabero (EdRC, Spain), Kristy Beers Fägersten (KBF, Denmark, Norway, Sweden), William Grady (WG, UK), Martin de la Iglesia (MdlI, Germany), Renatta Rafaella (RR, Portugal), Lise Tannahill (LTa, France).

Click here for News Review correspondent biographies.

Click here to see the News Review archive.

Suggestions for articles to be included in the News Review can be sent to Will Grady at the email address above.