The Centre for the Reception of Greece and Rome at Royal Holloway is hosting a free online panel discussion tonight, Tuesday 24th January 2023, in celebration of the publication of Comics and Archaeology, edited by Dr. Zena Kamash, Dr. Katy Soar and Dr. Leen Van Broeck.
Part of the book series, Palgrave Studies in Comics and Graphic Novels, this book adds to the scant academic literature investigating how comics transmit knowledge of the past and how this refraction of the past shapes our understanding of society and politics in sometimes damaging ways.
The volume comes at these questions from a specifically archaeological perspective, foregrounding the representation and narrative use of material cultures. It fulfils its objectives through three reception studies in the first part of the volume and three chapters by comic creators in the second part. All six chapters aim to grapple with a set of central questions about the power inherent in drawn images of various kinds.
The three panelists – Michael Goodrum (Canterbury Christ Church University), Leah Hewerdine (Royal Holloway), Alex Lloyd (Oxford) and will each reflect briefly on the book, and speak about the links between comics and archaeology, before we open the floor to wider discussion.
The Centre for the Reception of Greece and Rome was set up in 2007 to bring together interests among members of staff and postgraduate students in many departments and disciplines across Royal Holloway. The Centre’s focus is on the political, philosophical and literary bridges between the contemporary world and Mediterranean antiquity.
Dr Zena Kamash FSA is a British Iraqi archaeologist and Senior Lecturer in Roman Archaeology and Art in the Department of Classics, Royal Holloway University of London, UK. She is an expert on the heritage and archaeology of the Middle East and Britain. Her current research focuses on crafting, heritage and healing in post-conflict Syria and Iraq.
Dr Katy Soar is a Senior Lecturer in Classical Archaeology at the University of Winchester, UK. Her main areas of research are Greek Archaeology, particularly the Bronze Age Aegean, and the history and reception of archaeology. Her current research focuses on depictions of Knossos on historical postcards and on the representation of antiquity in folk horror.
Dr Leen Van Broeck is Honorary Research Associate in the Department of Classics at Royal Holloway University of London, UK, after completing a PhD on Tacitus there in 2018. She has taught undergraduate classicists and ancient historians on methods and approaches to (ancient) history and co-convened the Oxford Comics Network seminar series at the University of Oxford from 2019 to 2021.
• If you have any questions about this event, please contact Dr. Liz Gloyn (liz.gloyn at rhul.ac.uk)
• Comics and Archaeology (Palgrave Studies in Comics and Graphic Novels) is available here from AmazonUK | ISBN 978-3030989187
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.
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