A “Call for Chapters” has gone out for Battle Lines Drawn: War Comics since 1914, a planned collection of papers on war comics, edited by Stephen Connor (Nipissing University, Canada) and Harriet E.H. Earle (Sheffield Hallam University, UK)
This collection seeks chapters that explore the diverse history of war comics, with special focus on comics that deal with storylines about war and conflict from World War One to the present.
Although serialised war comics in a US American context have diminished in popularity since their ‘golden age’ in the late 1940s and early 1950s, narratives of war in comics form remain prevalent internationally and continue to intervene into both historiographies and popular culture representations of conflict. The rise of long-form comics, as well as the opening of the form to emerging creators and genres, has created a new space to engage with war and conflict on the comics page.
This edited collection will explore the ways in which war comics, popular culture, history, and historiography intersect: how is comics representing historical conflict events and to what end? To what extent can we use comics texts as historiography? What are the limitations of the comics form for discussing historical war and conflict events?
This collection looks to deepen our understanding of war comics and the ways in which warfare is represented and reflected on with this form. To this end, chapters exploring global conflicts and total war are particularly welcomed.
Chapter topics could include, but are not limited to: Methodologies for war comics and conflict representation; Patriotism, heroism, and propaganda in war comics; Moral dilemmas in war comics; Combatants, veterans, and civilians in war comics; Homecoming; Post-war trauma, including PTSD and PTS; Marginalised communities and perspectives in war comics; Political ideologies and global conflicts; War comics and public perception of armed conflicts;?Controversies and debates surrounding war comics; Underground, alternative, and indie war comics; and War comics and diversity, identity, and social justice.
All authors are welcome to submit abstracts: from PhD candidates and early career researchers to established academics.
Chapters should be 7000 words, inclusive of all notes and bibliography. All references should be presented in Chicago style.
Deadlines:
– Abstracts of up to 300 words, with a biographical note of 150 words: 8th January 2024
– Notification of abstract acceptance: 1st February 2024
– Draft chapters due to editors: 1st June 2024
All documents should be submitted to the editors in Word Doc format by e-mail via BattlesLinesCollection@gmail.com
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as 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.
Categories: Books, British Comics, Comics, Comics Education News, Comics Studies, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Other Worlds, US Comics