Comic World Research Articles

‘Pure Prima Der Coronavirus’. Representations of the COVID-19 Era in Italian Collective Comics

ABSTRACT The response of Italian comics artists to the COVID-19 pandemic was immediate and variegated. Since the first outbreak in the Western world, these artists have been reflecting on themes related to the pandemic, such as social and individual crises, awareness of climate change, the spread of misinformation and fake news, the dissemination of conspiracy theories through social media, institutional inadequacy, and the impact of these on underrepresented communities. This meditation through comics on COVID-19 related issues confirms the socio-cultural relevance of this medium in contemporary Italian culture, and its capacity to negotiate traumatic events during times of collective crisis. This article discusses a set of case studies of a particularly successful type of comics publication, collective comics, published in Italy since February 2020. These works show how pandemic graphic narratives can serve as a privileged observatory of the historical trends and current tendencies that characterise the present Italian comics world.

Sugar, Spice and the Not So Nice: A feminist intervention in the world of comics

Sugar, Spice and the Not So Nice: A feminist intervention in the world of comics

There’s No Riot Going on – Social Changes from Inside Out. Discourses Surrounding Pop Culture, Authenticity, and Forms of Life in the School Context in the German-speaking Part of Switzerland around 1968

This article shows that social change at the end of the 1960s cannot be understood only in terms of large protest movements, but also on a small scale, as in the case studies analysed here, where the mostly unspoken “moral force of the ideal of authenticity” (Taylor, 1991, p. 17) is expressed by a wide variety of actors. Using two case studies from the school context and with pop culture references, the paper examines how the rebellious practices often described as typical of teenagers around 1968 were present not only among adolescents, but also among young adults – and among young teachers. The boundaries and transitions between young and old, between rejection and acceptance of different practices and forms of life (Jaeggi, 2014) seem to be fluid. Practices in the school context and the forms of life of young people are not always clearly distinguishable from the forms of life of young adults. Forms of life and everyday practices – based on insignia from music, from the world of comics, from fashion – were just as influential for the individual as loud protest movements against the “establishment”.

Multilingual and Multicultural Childhood: Robin Ha’s Almost American Girl

Abstract Robin Ha’s Almost American Girl (2020) visualizes the narrator’s childhood in South Korea and the United States through a multilingual and multimodal lens. Taking advantage of comics’ unique formal properties, Ha’s work situates the narrator’s memories and experiences as a teen immigrant at the nexus of Korean, English, and visual languages. This article examines how Ha’s book addresses social discrimination, linguistic hybridization, and intertextual cross-cultural encounters, while telling a coming-of-age story. It discusses how Ha utilizes colors and symbols to map the young narrator’s struggles with language barriers; how her book dismantles linguistic walls and highlights the fluidity between languages and cultures; and how it blurs the boundaries among lived experiences, memories, and the fantasy world of comics. Overall, Ha’s “expansive visual vernacular” (Miller “Innovative Autobiography,” 6) helps the narrator navigate challenges as she learns English and guides the reader through a multilingual and multicultural landscape.

“I don’t know how to process experiences unless I put them into comics”: an interview with Raina Telgemeier

ABSTRACT In Spring 2023, we sat down with Raina Telgemeier, #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning creator of Smile, Sisters, Guts and many other comics to share our love of her work and how she has changed the conversation around comics. She shared with us her journey into comics, why the form lends itself so well to life writing, and her thoughts on the formal elements of sequential art. We also talked about how she creates her comics with her child readers in mind and especially enjoys opening up the world of comics to the inner lives of girls and well as boys. We hear a little about her upcoming work and the current retrospective of her work at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum in Columbus, Ohio.

«А НА МЕСТЕ ЛЮЦИФЕРА ВО ЛЬДАХ ДАНТОВА АДА АВТОР МАНГИ РИСУЕТ ОГРОМНОГО СОМА»

Julia Magera is a scholar in the field of Japanese culture studies, a researcher at the Institute for Oriental and Classical Studies, the organizer of the international conference “The World of Comics”, the editor–in-chief of the website “Mangalectory”. In this issue of P&I dedicated to comics culture, Julia Magera talks about tanuki werewolves and Mickey Mouse, the city of Neo-Tokyo and “munyashki”, about the manga faculty in Kyoto and the course “Cool Japan” at the HSE. Interview by Ekaterina Maksimova.

Ms. Marvel and those Persian guys: unpacking Kamala Khan’s layers of crazy

ABSTRACT Upon her introduction as the new Ms. Marvel in 2013, the Pakistani-American superhero Kamala Khan was celebrated, by audiences and critics alike, as a welcome addition to the world of superhero comics. Familiar superhero tropes and ethical dilemmas were given an added twist for Marvel’s first Muslim protagonist as the teenage girl strives to reconcile her newfound powers with the moral authorities of her family and her faith. Many comics scholars reserved special praise for the nuanced and unobtrusive way in which the new Ms. Marvel introduces American readers to Muslim culture by following its eminently ‘relatable’ heroine on her search for moral guidance, whereas others were more sceptical of the extent to which the comic’s representation of Muslims can be considered progress. This article probes this ambivalence by analysing the cultural authorities invoked in the first eleven issues of the series. Instead of resolving the critical disagreement, a close reading of Kamala Khan’s implicit and explicit appeals to authority allows for a more complicated and richer understanding of the comic’s, as well as its eponymous intersectional superheroine’s, ambiguity.

Two Armies on a Colour (less) Plain: Tracing the Cultural Narratives of Amar Chitra Katha as a Colonial Embodiment

Despite a growing body of research on the media landscape in postcolonial India, Indian children’s media culture continues to be underrepresented in the field of history and popular culture. The world of comics and graphic novels shapes not just the minds of individuals but also the collective consciousness of communities and their unsung histories. Amar Chitra Katha has been an important cultural institution that has played a significant role in defining, for several generations of Indian readers on what it means to be an Indian. The paper seeks to address the politics of representation and the symbolic significance of the visual representation of different historical figures and events throughout the history of India. In today’s Indian society, love towards fair skin is seen in every spectrum of life, from songs to movies to marriages. Through this study I will explore how all these variables are linked and connected over the period of time with the skin tone preference thereby re-writing the essence of ‘Indianness’. The historical representations of this comic book tradition render Amar Chitra Katha a crucial resource to understand paradigm shift in the ways the nation imagines itself.

Don Quichotte dans la bande dessinée : la trace de Cervantès dans la publication Hazañas bélicas

The study presented here focuses on the relationship between Don Quixote, the famous work of Cervantes, and the publication Hazañas bélicas, one of the best examples of the war genre in Spanish comics. Its success made it enjoy a privileged position in the world of comics during the central years of Franco’s dictatorship, when control over artistic production was more intense. Throughout the hundreds of issues that were published, brief episodes from armed conflicts such as the Second World War or the Korean War are described, all of them under the perspective of the imposed censorship. Precisely, it is in these two wars where the presence of Cervantes’ stele has been noted, since two of the published comic strips make direct references to Don Quixote, to the point of consolidating it as the element that solves the situation. These curious appeals to the book inevitably led to the need to ask a series of questions at the beginning of the research: what was the intention behind including such literary references within the course of the comic? is there any real reference to the facts that are narrated or is it purely fictional? what role did Cervantes’ work play in the transmission of information to readers? is it an isolated event from this publication or are there other examples? In order to answer these questions, we have made use of the important collections of the Centre of Studies of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), an institution of reference in the documentation of Cervantes’ work, where, in addition to the series of publications studied, dozens of comic books with the presence of the famous Don Quixote are preserved.

Superbohater jako produkt postmodernizmu w koncepcji Umberto Eco – kilka uwag do dyskusji

The aim of this BA thesis was to present the influence of postmodernism on the image of superheroes in mass culture. It presents the most important features of postmodernism, as well as the most popular characters from the world of comics of that period. Their influence on the mentality of the recipient of the 20th and 21st centuries was also discussed. The subject of simulacra creating the world of heroes, important for the context, was also discussed. The diploma thesis is based mainly on the work of the Italian writer Umberto Eco, considered one of the most important authors on the subject of postmodernism.

LINGUOSEMIOTICS OF MULTIFANDOM WORLD

Aim. To characterize one of the modern forms of social leisure within subcultures – multifandom worlds – from the standpoint of linguosemiotics.Methodology. The research is carried out by methods of linguistic and semiotic analysis, the features of the creation and functioning of comics as the main component of the multifandom world are considered on the example of the products of two American publishing houses that laid the foundations of this social and linguosemiotic phenomenon.Results. The semiotic (verbal and nonverbal) structure of the comic book as the main element of the subculture of the fandom world is considered; the relations of signs within comics, the principles of their implementation in comics of two major American publishers. The common linguistic semiotic features characteristic of both the comics themselves and the comic book fandom world as a whole are revealedResearch implications. The study of the polycode text of a comic book within the framework of relatively limited communities – fandoms characterized by their own interpretation of classical axiology, in particular, the concept of hell, demonstrates the need to create a generalization model that differs from the general culture of society, based on the requirement of maximum concentration of information, manifested in its presentation in the form of a brief polycode text (comics). The use of polycode means (verbal and nonverbal) within a multifandom subculture as a special kind of discourse makes it possible to expand the perception of this special world, to compensate for the likelihood of communicative failure expressed by ignorance and misunderstanding among people not involved in this world.

The Comics World: Comic Books, Graphic Novels, and Their Publics ed. by Benjamin Woo, and Jeremy Stoll

The Comics World: Comic Books, Graphic Novels, and Their Publics ed. by Benjamin Woo, and Jeremy Stoll

Au-delà des deux solitudes : les multiples et complexes circulations transnationales dans le monde des BD et des comics au Canada

La circulation transnationale des « bandes dessinées » constitue un cas particulier au Canada pour au moins deux raisons. D’une part, si l’on accepte que « transnational » fait référence à une circulation à travers plusieurs nations et que le Canada est composé d’au moins trois nations (en incluant le Québec et les « Premières Nations »), on parlera de circulations transnationales (avec une minuscule) à l’intérieur du pays. D’autre part, on devra ajouter la circulation Transnationale (avec une majuscule) entre divers pays à l’intérieur de l’Amérique et de la globalisation, laquelle diffère selon ces nations intérieures et plus spécifiquement encore selon les acteurs des mondes des BD/comics présents dans celles-ci. Cette circulation est donc un phénomène complexe qui varie au moins à trois niveaux : intra-nationale, inter-nationale, ainsi qu’à l’intérieur des trois mondes de la BD et des comics selon que l’on considère les auteur.rice.s, éditeur.rices, « distributeur.rice.s » (i.e., libraires, bibliothécaires, enseignant.e.s), organisateur.rice.s de festivals ou fans. Dans cet article, en utilisant de manière critique le concept canadien des « deux solitudes » et le concept beckerien de « Art World », je vais montrer comment la circulation transnationale s’effectue à ces différents niveaux et dans divers domaines. Après avoir présenté une vue générale et les deux concepts, je me concentrerai plus précisément sur les 30 dernières années (1990) en donnant pour chacun de ces niveaux quelques exemples représentatifs.

Violence as a key form of entertainment in the comics industry

The culture of consumption of comics by the young generation is actualized by a wide range of preconditions and consequences in the formation of brutal thinking due to imitation of the favorite char- acters in the comic book industry. The aim of the study is to define comics as the leading agent of social- ization of generation “Z”, to elucidate the nature of violence in comics and anime through determining the degree of popularity of superheroes, supervillains and antiheroes among the younger generation of Kazakhstan. The aim of the study is to determine comics as the leading agent of socialization of genera- tion Z and in this direction to find out the essence of violence in comics and anime, to determine the degree the popularity of superheroes, supervillains and antiheroes among the younger generation of Ka- zakhstan. The main results of the research show the fact that the products of the comic book industry are perceived by the younger generation as the norm and consequently reflected in the aggression towards peers. Consumers of the comic book industry are becoming more obedient and reverent to authoritative directors, with little or no opinion on their creations. The instincts of the younger generation transform their inner state depending on what they see on the screen. In the world of comics, a logic of good and evil is formed, which has equal forces of opposition. The viewer is given the choice of which side to take. The paradox is that antiheroes and supervillains have more admirers than some superheroes. The binary logic of the comic book industry creates an imbalance in the mindset of a teenager. The study of the problem is based on a sociological survey of 600 respondents. Key words: violence, media comics, comics industry, superheroes, supervillains, antiheroes.

The mediating role of Iranian television comedy series: Mehran Modiri’s Barareh Nights and Bitter coffee

This article explores the contemporary and historical significance of comedy and humour in Iran. It indicates how social, economic, and political issues are veiled by pleasant comedic interactions as a way of expression. It uses satire, comedy, and humour theories to analyse Mehran Modiri’s Barareh Nights and Bitter coffee as two influential and popular television series. This paper will reveal how comedy features can be linked to character representation policies to create a satiric context. It will discuss how these comedy series play a mediator role in articulating prohibited facts or critiques, as well as expressing social and political issues. It will address what comic features these television series use to define their comic world, how they employ comedy to depict socio-political matters, how they represent their characters to shape their satiric attack, and how they introduce a central mediator character to place emphasis on their vital mediating role. These comedies compel the viewers to interrogate their socio-political status and encourage them to reform their social or political behaviour. By weaving their criticism with humour, these comedies not only cross the sharp edges of censorship that is inescapable for serious criticism but also act as a mediator in socio-political communications.

Working-Class Comic Book Heroes: Class Conflict and Populist Politics in Comics

Working-Class Comic Book Heroes: Class Conflict and Populist Politics in Comics

Franz Kafka in the Comic. Description of some Examples

Franz Kafka is considered to be the author of literature that is difficult to read, the value of which is recognized mainly by a narrow circle of experts. However, looking at some aspects of contemporary and popular culture, and especially the presence of Kafka's works in comics, one needs to verify the traditional belief in the elitism of this prose. David Zane Mairowitz (1943-) published in 1993, together with the cartoonist Robert Crumb, the graphic book “Kafka for Beginners”, in some editions known as “Introducing Kafka”. As for the Mairowitz / Cramb graphic book, it contains several graphic components: comic adaptations of some of Kafka's most famous works, including the stories “The Metamorhosis”, “The Penal Colony” or “The Judgment”, as well as briefly listed plots of three novels: “The America”, “The Trial” and “The Castle”. In the work of Mairowitz / Cramb, we also find the most important biographical facts of Kafka, which are partly illustrated with an academic essay, and partly with comic-like frames with sequences of biographical events given in text frames. The success of publishing houses with a comic presentation of fragments of Kafka's works prompted David Zane Mairowitz to develop the text for the graphic novel entitled “The Castle” (2013), based on the novel of the same name. The author of the drawings for this publication was the Czech artist and musician Jaromír Švejdík, using the pseudonym Jaromír 99. Mairowitz and Jaromir's a composition is another act of establishing Kafka's work in the world of comics. In “The Castle”, however, the variety of comic techniques was limited to a monochrome form of drawing and paper cutouts. The presence of Kafka in comics results from the inclusive nature of popular culture, whose authors are able to use for their own purposes the sublime art of modern prose. As a result, Kafka's work becomes a sign of the times of modernism, an image of the phenomena of human alienation in the reality of state offices or corporate systems.

Looking back: Pharmacists share COVID-19 vaccination lessons one year later

Looking back: Pharmacists share COVID-19 vaccination lessons one year later

PERKEMBANGAN TREN MEMBACA KOMIK PADA ERA DIGITAL DI INDONESIA

Comics is a reading medium that is a favorite for some people in Indonesia. Reading comics has become a habit or a hobby for some people. Various types of titles, genres, and types of comics have been found in the world and also in Indonesia. In this digital era, printed comics are challenged by the changing times that have migrated from the printed book system to digital books. This study wants to see how the comic fan community has an opinion about the displacement that occurs in the world of comics. In the existing dualism, each version that exists in the type of printed or digital comic has its own appeal for its fans. Comics have become an alternative reading medium which is a hobby for some people. The convergence of comics at this time received mixed opinions from the audience. Digital and printed comics still have an attractive side for the audience to continue reading and collecting.

Beyond the Two Solitudes: Differences in Fluidity in Franco-Canadian BD and Anglo-Canadian Comics Through the Influence of Manga

In this article, I study the influence of manga on the two main Canadian comics worlds. I show how, for several reasons that I will explain, the Anglo-Canadian comics world has been quite receptive to manga influence, while the French-Canadian one has been much less welcoming. This different degree of influence can be seen in one aspect of the formal structure of comics: the various panel layouts on the page, sometimes called the grid. Mainstream French-Québec BD (BDQ) tends to use a more regular grid than mainstream Anglo-Canadian comics. The latter adopts a more fluid form of the grid, which is also typical of manga style. Using Brenna Clarke Gray’s parallel between territorial border and comics gutter (Gray 2016), I argue how these differences can be seen in some concrete examples from both Canadian linguistic communities. I conclude with the Tamaki cousins’ graphic novels to emphasize how fluidity is a reflection of, and on the Anglo-Canadian comics world, and maybe beyond, which could be seen as a critique of the notion of rigidity in various fields (identity, sexuality, border), as well as a calling for textual, sexual and national fluidities.