Americas
Canada
Culture
The “What Were Comics?” research project is a four-year study of the evolution of comic book stylistics over an eighty-year period. Housed at the University of Calgary under the direction of Bart Beaty, Nick Sousanis, and Benjamin Woo; the project organisers are hoping to reach interested undergraduate students from the following countries: Australia, Brazil, China, France, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Vietnam. Students who would like to participate in this project for a period of between twelve and twenty-four weeks during the summer of 2016 can find more details via the link. Link (English, WG)
United States
Research
Santiago García’s, On The Graphic Novel, has been translated by Bruce Campbell and published through University Press of Mississippi. Link (English, WG)
Gustave Doré: Twelve Comic Strips, by David Kunzel, has been published through University Press of Mississippi. Link (English, WG)
The International Journal of Comic Art 17:1 (Spring 2015) has been published. Link (17/07/2015, English, WG)
In connection with the Children’s Literature Association Conference that is being hosted by The Ohio State University in 2016, the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum will mount an exhibit on children’s comics, (running from the 4th June to the 30th October 2016). In conjunction with this exhibition, there is a call for papers for a peer-reviewed digital exhibit catalogue of critical essays about children’s comics, past and present. 500 word proposals are due by the 15th October. Link (English, WG)
Asia
Japan
Culture
Kyoto International Manga Museum‘s exhibition: “Ghost tales at the Museum, an Exhibition by Iris de Moüy”, opened on the 27th July and runs until the 31st August. Link (English, JBS)
On the 21st September there will be a talk event with gag manga artist Kei’ichi Tanaka, celebrating the anniversary of legendary gag manga artists Akatsuka Fujio. Link (Japanese, JBS)
The summer edition of this year’s comiket, Comic Market 88, the largest fan convention held in Japan, will be held from the 14th to the 16th August at Tokyo Big Sight. Link (English, JBS)
Two live action films based on hit manga “Attack On Titan” will be released in theaters around Japan on the 1st August and the 19th September. Link (Japanese, JBS)
The exhibition, “MANGA AND WAR”, which opened on the 6th June, is open until the 6th September, held at Kyoto International Manga Museum. Link (English, JBS)
Europe
Belgium
Culture
A museum dedicated to Philippe Geluck’s character, Le Chat, will open in central Brussels by 2019, it has been announced. Link (French, LTa)
France
Business
Publisher Delcourt-Soleil has partnered with digital platform Comixology and plans to released several of its titles in English translation. Link (07/07/2015, French, LTa)
Culture
Albert Uderzo has revealed the title of the next Astérix album along with some other details. The series’ 36th edition, Le Papyrus de César, will be released on the 22nd October and inspired by Julius Caesar’s Bellum Gallicum. Link (25/07/2015, French, LTa)
Germany
Culture
Comic Con Germany is going to take place in Stuttgart on the 25th and 26th June 2016. Link (02/07/2015, German, MdlI)
The Erika-Fuchs-Haus comic museum in Schwarzenbach an der Saale opened on the 1st August. Link (02/07/2015, German, MdlI)
A comic festival named “German Comic Con” (not to be confused with “Comic Con Germany” in Stuttgart) is going to take place in Dortmund on the 5th and 6th December. Link (10/07/2015, German, MdlI)
A reading by Christina Plaka and Barbara Yelin took place in Cologne. Link (13/07/2015, German, MdlI)
“Graphic Novel Day” is going to take place as part of “15. internationales literaturfestival berlin” on the 12th and 13th September; guests include Joann Sfar and Paco Roca. Link (German, MdlI)
A Flix exhibition is shown in Leipzig until the 28th August. Link (30/07/2015, German, MdlI)
Research
The programme of this year’s ComFor conference (Frankfurt, 4th-6th September) has been published. Link (23/07/2015, German, MdlI)
A comics panel is going to take place at the annual GfM Gesellschaft für Medienwissenschaft conference in Bayreuth on the 3rd October. Link (20/07/2015, German, MdlI)
Portugal
Culture
From the 25th July until the 7th August, the El Pep store & Gallery in LX factory (Lisbon), will be hosting an exhibition of original vignettes of António Gamito. Link (22/07/2015, Portuguese, RR)
From the 24th July until the 26th September, the main gallery of the library, Fernando Piteira Santos, in Amadora, will be hosting an exhibition titled, “Quarto Interior” (Interior Bedroom), by the Portuguese author Francisco Sousa Lobo. Entrance to the exhibition is free. Link (23/07/2015, Portuguese, RR)
On the 18th July was published a comic book titled “Shock-Tributo a Estrompa”. The book is a tribute to the publisher Estrompa (1942-2014) and the fanzine “Shock”. Link (10/07/2015, Portuguese, RR)
Romania
Culture
The Museum of the City of Bucharest is hosting the exhibition, Stories from Bucharest in Comics, which includes representations of the city by 60 artists from 1890 to 2015. The exhibition runs until the 31st August. Link (Romanian, MP)
Spain
Culture
Humoristán, a digital museum of Spanish graphic humor (http://humoristan.org/), has been opened. Link (02/07/2015, Spanish, EdRC)
The comics festival, Viñetas desde o Atlántico, will take place from the 10th to the 11th August in A Coruña. There will be conferences, exhibitions, professional meetings and invited authors such as Ana Miralles, Alfonso Zapico o Chloé Cruchaudet. Link (30/07/2015, Spanish/Galician, EdRC)
Research
Diccionario terminológico de la historieta (Terminological Dictionary of Comics), by Manuel Barrero, has been published by Asociación Cultural Tebeosfera. Link (07/07/2015, Spanish, EdRC)
UK
Job
There is a job listing for the role of Lecturer in Comics, Graphic Novels & Sequential Arts, in the School of Arts & Media at Teesside University. The application closing date is the 9th August. Link (English, WG)
Research
Remembered Reading: Memory, Comics and Post-War Constructions of British Girlhood, by Mel Gibson, has been published through Leuven University Press. Link (English, WG)
Global Manga: “Japanese” Comics without Japan?, edited by Casey Brienza, has been published by Ashgate. Link (English, WG)
The Comics Grid: Journal of Comics Scholarship has posted a call for papers for a special collection entitled, Brilliant Corners: Approaches to Jazz and Comics. The submission deadline is the 16th January 2016. Link (30/07/2015, English, WG)
Oceania
Australia
Business
Twelve Panels Press, a new publisher of literary comics, announced their first book, The Salty River by Jan Bauer. Book launch on the 27th August at 6:30 PM at Readings Bookstore, Carlton. Link (English, AH)
Culture
Copier Jam! , an exhibition of independent zines and comics curated by Jeremy Staples opened on the 26th July at the Childers Art Space, QLD. Link (English, AH)
Matt Godden’s gallery wall-size graphic novel was displayed between the 3rd and 25th July at the Carton Project Space, Sydney. Link (English, AH)
Women in Comics: a panel conversation with Queenie Chan, Sarah Boxall, Lesley Vamos, Meri Amber and Alex Hammond about how female creators are shaping the comics world, will be held at Kinokuniya Sydney, on the 8th August at 3:30 PM. RSVP in store, by phone: 02 9262 7996 or email: ebd1-sydney@kinokuniya.co.jp
An exhibition of work from the underground comics art anthology Phatsville Comics, which began in Brisbane in 2002, will be on display at West End’s Junky Comics in Brisbane, QLD, starting on the 16th August. Link (English, AH)
Anthony Castle discussed Fly the Colour Fantastica, an anthology of comics by Australian women, on Radio Adelaide on the 11th July. Link (English, AH)
The Sugar City Comic Con will be held in Mackay, QLD on the 29th and 30th August. Link (English, AH)
Comics and culture will be celebrated at the Kathleen Syme Library Comics Fair, between 1 PM and 5:30 PM, on the 8th August 8 in Carlton, VIC. Workshops and performances from Bruce Mutard, Squishface Studios, Silent Army and AdviceComics. Events are free, registration is required. Link (English, AH)
The Zines and Independent Comics Symposium will be held in Brisbane, QLD, on the 22nd and 23rd August. Link (English, AH)
Preliminary voting has opened for The Golden Stapler Awards, Australia’s annual awards for zines and minicomics. Link (English, AH)
* * *
News Editor: Will Grady (comicsforumnews@hotmail.co.uk)
Correspondents: Jessica Bauwens-Sugimoto (JBS, Japan), Enrique del Rey Cabero (EdRC, Spain), William Grady (WG, UK), Aaron Humphrey (AH, Australia) Martin de la Iglesia (MdlI, Germany), Mihaela Precup (MP, Romania), Renatta Rafaella (RR, Portugal), Lise Tannahill (LTa, Belgium & France).
Click here for News Review correspondent biographies.
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Suggestions for articles to be included in the News Review can be sent to Will Grady at the email address above.
