Details below of ‘Origin Stories’, a comics conference coming to us in February, courtesy of the Art & Design department at Sheffield Hallam University.
Origin Stories is a one day conference celebrating the influence and impact comics have on wider culture.
Origin Stories seeks to explore the political and social situations that are the basis for creativity within comics, the creative spark that leads to the creation of comics and the influence comics have on the wider creative industries and culture. Comics are a diverse creative playground for ideas and narratives that are frequently developed into other creative disciplines, film, television and games, giving them impact far beyond their origins.
Our Speakers Include
- Dave Gibbons, one of the UK’s most respected comic artists and creator of the influential Watchmen series of comics.
- Karrie Fransman, Creative Director of positivenegative an organisation dedicated to amplifying academic research through engaging in visual story telling.
- Steven Appleby, absurdist cartoonist and illustrator. She has worked for the Times, Sunday Telegraph and Guardian and her most recent graphic novel is Dragman
Tickets available via Eventbrite
General Admission £10
Student Admission £5
Schedule for the day:
9.00 Open
9.30: Matt Edgar — Origin Stories
Matt will introduce the day and open the discussion around the value and influence of comics.
Strand 1
10.00 Patrick Walker — Comics as close as you can get
This dot is a line some time next week. The dot appears to be the hinterland between black and white — it’s not of course, it’s either there or it isn’t. It’s the magnified unit of a larger narrative. The dot is democratic, it’s forgiving and illusive. This presentation explores the dot and those that have exploited and embraced it. Before undertaking a career in Graphic Design I worked in a comic shop, I devoured, collected and peddled them — I ran out of rooms to put them in.
10.20 Jo Breese — Dive into the comics / zines and corresponding 3D artefacts, created by final year Illustration students, in response to a glorious selection of factual human-interest stories from across the globe. The topics range from US roadside attractions, to Asian pearl-diving grandmas, to a Frenchman who ate anything and everything that was presented to him. Think Louis Theroux / Vice magazine / Tomorrow’s World, but beautifully illustrated. A selection of the final books and artefacts will be available to drool over in person, as well.
10.40 TBC
Strand 2
10.00 Gabi Putnoki — The origin of The Graphic Novel Reading Room
In this presentation I will introduce the Graphic Novel Reading Room, my events aimed at comics readers, supporting the comics community and providing a comfortable, social space to read alongside others. I will briefly explore the history and purpose of reading rooms and similar projects around the world.
10.20 Alex Fitch — The groundbreaking acts of Ally Sloper
The popularity of Ally Sloper in Victorian periodicals led to eye-popping merchandise and innovative paratexts from 3D photos to a prototype graphic novel. This may be the birth of long-form British comics, and an example of reformatting strips for reprints, that predated similar activities in the USA by 50 years…
10.40 TBC
12.00 – 5.00 Keynote Speakers
Adsetts Lecture Theatre 6619
12.00 Karrie Fransman, Creative Director of positivenegative an organisation dedicated to amplifying academic research through engaging in visual storytelling.
1.30 Steven Appleby, absurdist cartoonist and illustrator. She has worked for the Times, Sunday Telegraph and Guardian and her most recent graphic novel is Dragman
3.30 Dave Gibbons, one of the UK’s most respected comic artists and creator of the influential Watchmen series of comics.
5pm Collectives for Change Exhibition – Comics from the Arab World
Head Post Office Gallery opening and reception
Throughout the 20th century, comics from the Arab world exclusively targeted children and were used by the ruling totalitarian authorities (military or religious) to control social morals and impose political and ideological agendas.
The Arab Revolutions of the past decade paved the way for the rise of independent collectives of artists from various Arab countries, seeking freedom of expression and creating a network of sharing experiences that has been and continues to shape the comics scene today. Introducing a variety of genres and breaking the boundaries of social and political taboos with a leading role for women, these collectives and independent artists are becoming the voice of the youth across the region.
Curated by Lina Ghaibeh & George Khoury
Organised by The Rada & Mutaz Sawaf Centre for Arab Comics Studies at the American University in Beirut
In Partnership with the Lakes International Comic Art Festival
*There may be changes to the schedule
I loved this post! As a comics fan, it’s incredible to see how the medium has influenced wider culture. The panel discussions and interviews in this event must have been fascinating, and it’s great to see Comics Conference celebrating the impact of comics on society. Can’t wait to see more content like this!