Digital Reading Network announces first Symposium in June, includes digital comics discussion

By John Freeman on May 1, 2014

The Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded Digital Reading Network will be hosting its first symposium on 19th June in the Executive Business Centre at Bournemouth University, and will include a number of comic-related panels..

All are welcome to attend this free event but please note that places are limited.

The Digital Reading Network brings together academics, practitioners, stakeholders and ordinary readers to explore the impact of digitisation on readers and reading, with a focus on the reading of literary texts. It is funded by the AHRC in response to the Digital Transformations theme, and draws on the work of an earlier AHRC funded development project, Researching Readers Online.

Bob Stein, a pioneer of electronic publishing and founder of the Institute for the Future of the Book, will be the keynote speaker, discussing his latest venture, SocialBook, a new digital publishing platform which promises to take the idea of social reading to a new level.

The day will feature contributions from international scholars and practitioners drawing on a wide range of approaches and methods in an attempt to understand the momentous changes affecting readers and reading in the digital age.

Topics discussed will include

Ebooks and ereaders
Online book clubs and discussion forums
Reading and social media
Digital well being
Artists’ books
Digital comics

As well as scholarly papers, the day will include workshops, roundtable discussions, exhibitions and poster presentations.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Further details of the programme and travel and accommodation information are available on the DRN website (www.digitalreadingnetwork.com).

To register your place, please contact srose@bournemouth.ac.uk.

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.