A call has gone out for paper on the broad subject “The Sequential Art: Comics as a Cultural Nexus“, for a panel at the Fourth Global Forum of Critical Studies, organized by Vienna-based Euroacademia in Lucca, Italy, which will take place 23rd – 24th October 2015.

Here’s the panel description:

“Comics are just words and images. You can do anything with words and images.”
– Harvey Pekar

The phenomenon known as comics, bandes dessinées, graphic story or fumetti was first defined as sequential art by Will Eisner in his work Comics and Sequential Art (1985). Further inquiries were led by Scott McCloud (Understanding Comics) or Benoît Peeters (Lire la bande dessinée) in trying to establish a theoretical framework for this mean of expression.

After a long period of being perceived as a childish form of entertainment, nowadays the sequential art is a well-known and respected form of art and it has even became the field of academic research.

This panel aims to feature the transdisciplinarity of its subjects and its methods, to bring together different ways of approaches, and to highlight its numerous possibilities of cultural dialogue.

The panel welcomes contributions regarding the following topics, but any other paper or subject related to sequential art are most appreciated:

• Mainstream, independent and underground comics traditions
• How comics have been a way of expression to social and historical subjects
• Theoretical and critical approaches of comics
• Otherness in comics: depiction of exotic places and alterity
• The Superhero prototype: a way of understanding the American way of life?
• The Space In Between. On Time and Space in comics. Phenomenological interpretations
• The connection between comics and architecture: François Schuiten – Les cités obscures
• Comics versus Movies

If you’re interested in applying, please check out the full details of the conference first here. You can apply online on the conference website or by sending 300 words abstract together with the details of affiliation until 20th September 2015 at application@euroacademia.eu

The conference takes place in the run up to the world famous International Festival of Comics, Animation Illustration and Games Lucca Comics & Games (29th October – 1st November) and a number of comic-related exhibitions will already be open in Lucca in the run up to that event. Guests at this year’s Festival include a huge number of top Italian comic creators, including Milo Manara; Kathryn and Stuart Immonen, hot on the heels of their UK appearance at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival; and Yosagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai.

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. Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Explorer (previously known as Star Trek 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.

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