British Comics Rock! Conference announced for June 2012

After a successful two years at Manchester Metropolitan University, the next International Comics Conference is heading to the seaside next year and the call for papers has just been announced

The Third International Comics Conference: 'Comics Rock!' will take place at Bournemouth University on 28-29th June 2012. Organised by Studies in Comics and the Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, the team are now inviting proposals for papers, posters and workshops on:

• Comics and Education (Thursday 28th June 2012) 
Including the first UK screening of Todd Kent's film Comic Book Literacy (which was Best Documentary Winner at Phoenix Comicon 2010) and additional speakers tbc.

There is an increased interest in using and teaching the comics medium in schools, colleges and universities.  There is also an increasing use of comics in support of other areas of the school curriculum.  However, there are also many challenges for teachers regarding how to use and teach comics in the context of schools and they often have to contend with continuing perceptions of the medium as problematic.  Reading for pleasure is a key aspect of the increased use of the medium in school settings and libraries are often instrumental in initiating reading groups.

Papers are invited that discuss any aspect of comics in education, including but not limited to the following:

• teaching comics at various levels and within different disciplines, e.g. issues, theories, effects, current debates
• using comics to support specific elements of the curriculum (e.g. Raymond Briggs' Ethel and Ernest in relation to English history)
• comics, graphic novels and manga used laterally e.g. manga as a way of learning about elements of Japanese culture, or superheroes in PSHE; or using titles in a range of languages to encourage reading for pleasure; or Bryan Talbot's Alice in Sunderland as local history
•  using comics to support literacy development (history, practice and controversies)
• comics in school libraries and classroom collections e.g. wider reading, reading for pleasure
• school and library manga and graphic novel reading groups
• children and young peoples' awards for graphic novels and manga run through schools and libraries e.g. the Stan Lee Excelsior award
• creating comics, e.g. as assessment (formative or summative), or elsewhere in the curriculum (from short strips to publications like Fool's Gold, a school project from Dearne High Specialist Humanities College in Rotherham that produced a book available for purchase - see review here)
• the use of comics-related software in the classroom e.g. Comic Life
• Studying comics as comics, e.g. approaches to graphic novels and manga, illustration, writing, the practice/theory crossover, history, notions of canon and so forth
• educational and online resources, e.g. availability, usefulness, other associated issues (The Maryland Comic Book Initiative, S.A.N.E., Comics in the Classroom)
• associations and forums, e.g. their structure, purpose, strategies (America's National Association of Comic Art Educators, The Comix Scholars List, The UK Comics Scholars List)

Comics and Multi-Modal Adaptation (Friday 29th June 2012) 
Keynote industry speakers tbc.

Adaptations seem to saturate the mass media and this conference will examine recent debates focusing on comics.  The most prevalent comics adaptations are those of the superhero; whose emphasis on spectacle and special effects seem especially attractive to film and television companies.
However, in her Theory of Adaptation, Linda Hutcheon proposes we think beyond the originality of an adaptation and instead regard adaptation as a central issue within storytelling.  The adaptation can then be located within the contexts of its production, reception, and the constraints and possibilities of media forms.
This conference aims to take the debate beyond superhero movies by focusing on other genres and media and examining some of the more unusual aspects of adaptation.

Suggested topics include:

• comics and film, e.g. autobiography (American Splendor, Persepolis), drama (A History of Violence), history, documentary, biography
• adaptations of comics from and to other media, e.g. comic to video game
• historic adaptations, e.g. the output of Gold Key and Dell
• fairytale adaptations, e.g. Fables, The Unwritten
• new ways of promoting or pitching a story, e.g. the use of comics as a way into film and television (30 Days of Night)
• audience experiences of the adapted text, e.g. the effects of primacy and familiarity, experiencing the adaptation before or after the source text
• adaptation as a creative act
• responses to an adaptation, e.g. fans, creators (Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman's criticisms of Hollywood adaptations), writers, artists
• tropes and devices incorporated into comics, e.g. Choose your own Adventure, pop-ups
• use of a comics aesthetic in other media
•  comparative studies, e.g. in contrasting representations of icons (Walk the Line versus Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness)

Please contact comicsconference@gmail.com with expressions of interest (initial deadline for paper proposals is 31 December 2011). Visit the conference website at www.comics.bujournalism.info for details of deadlines, updates, early bird ticket prices, keynote speakers, journal subscription offers, and much much more...

US comics publisher Bluewater offers school lessons

Here's an interesting item from across the pond that might well be of interest to readers and publishers involved in comic workshops and comic art lessons here in the UK, or whose range might appeal directly to English teachers (such as Classical Comics or SelfMadeHero, perhaps).

Comic book and graphic novel publisher Bluewater Productions is offering free lesson plans for its non-fiction comic titles, from its Female Force, Political Power, Fame, and Orbit series, to US educators and librarians.

Developed in partnership with Chris Wilson, an educator and creator of The Graphic Classroom, web site Cynopsis reports Bluewater's new middle and high school aimed educational lesson plans feature a multi-discipline study of several of its biographical graphic novels and comic books including language, historical perspective, conceptual thinking, and decision making, as well as talking points, exercises and activity prompts.

The program also hopes to encourage kids to read.

Available via Bluewater (www.bluewaterprod.com) beginning this month, the first lesson plans will be are based on titles about historical figures including Hilary Clinton, Sarah Palin and Michelle Obama, as well as authors such as S.E. Hinton, JK Rowling, and Stephenie Meyer, not to mention pop stars Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift.

Lesson plans for additional titles are set to follow over the next several months. Copies of the individual issues and graphic novels are also being made available at a discounted cost for classroom use.

londonprintstudio offers five internships in comics for 21-25 year olds

Al Davison at a londonprintstudio comic workshop

Do you enjoy telling tall tales or scribbling stories? Do you love reading graphic novels, comics or picture books? Then look no further - londonprintstudio is offering five carefully chosen 21-25 year olds the chance to:

• Run comic workshops for 16-20 year olds
• Receive mentoring from top professional comic artists, anthology makers, screenwriters, print makers, comic publishers and art educators
• Develop your own artistic comic projects with supervision from mentors and feedback from your fellow interns
• Be introduced to the London comic scene, attend events, give presentations, network and meet publishers, editors and creators in the comic industry
• Take part in editing, planning and creating work for a comic anthology publication and a comic exhibition at londonprintstudio.

The course is run by professional comic creator Karrie Fransman, whose comics have appeared in The Times and The Guardian and who is currently working on her first graphic novel due to be published by Random House.

The internships run for two days (14 hours) per week for  six months. Interns will receive a travel and food expenses budget for two days per week. All londonprintstudio staff and volunteers are required to have a Criminal Records Bureau Check.

The deadline for return of application form is Monday 5th September 2011, with interviews set to take place on Tuesday 13th September 2011. The intrnships will then start on Tuesday 20th September 2011

• For job description and application visit: www.londonprintstudio.org.uk/F13-intern.html

• For more information on the project visit: www.londonprintstudiocomics.blogspot.com

Comics in education: SANE Journal launched

The first issue of the academic SANE journal: (which stands for Sequential Art narrative in Education) is out now, with its first issue focusing on "comics in the contact zone."

SANE publishes research- and practioner-based articles covering all intersections of comics and education, from pre-kindergarten to post-secondary studies, from a variety of disciplines.

Articles in this first issue include articles examining how graphica engages what Mary Louis Pratt has called the 'contact zone' - social spaces in education and life where entities meet, clash and grapple with various conflicts and constructions. Articles may include the amusingly titled 'Everything I Learned About Teaching in the Contact Zone I Learned from Charles Xavier and the Uncanny X-Men' and 'This is Not Your Forefather's Thor: Using Comics to Make Mythology Meaningful' but they're meant as serious study of the medium and its uses.

The second issue will focus on teaching the works of Alan Moore, and the editors are still accepting submissions for it.

• Visit www.sanejournal.net to read articles, a review, rationales, and more.

Free Comics Workshops at ThoughtBubble

Leeds comics event Thought Bubble, which takes place this coming weekend, has just announced several free workshops for children and adults run by industry professionals. If you or anyone you know wants to come along for some comic art and writing fun just sign up!
To book a place email thoughtbubblefestival@googlemail.com

Digital Colouring Masterclass with Peter Doherty. 14:00-15:00, Carrigeworks, FREE, 16+

Famous for his work on The Wachowski Brothers' Shaolin Cowboy, and Judge Death, Peter will take participants through the stages of how to digitally colour line art in photoshop. A basic understanding of photoshop is required. Places are limited, book soon to avoid disappointment.

Sequential Art and Literacy Workshop. 14:00-15:30, Leeds Art Gallery, 12-18 year olds, FREE

Award-winning artist, curator, and academic Sarah Lightman, who trained at 'Slade School of Art', will go through the stages of creating your very own publication. She will explain how young people can use the comic format to reflect their own feelings and experiences. Places are limited, book soon to avoid disappointment.

Yishan Studio Shojo Manga Workshop with Yishan Li. 14:30-15:30, Leeds Central Library, 7-12 year olds, FREE.

Yishan Li, a leading manga artist, and creator of the Yishan Studio 'How To Draw Manga' books, will run this fun workshop for younger children. Yishan will take them through the steps of how to create characters and figures.

Creation of Computer Game Concept Design. 14:50-16:50, Leeds Central Library, 16+, FREE

Steve Beaumont, character design and storyboard artist, will look at how the two are produced within the video games industry. There will be an opportunity to work from a typical client brief to create a gaming character. Steve will also touch on what the gaming industry looks for to give you a heads up in this ever growing field.

Manga Character Art Workshop with Emma Vieceli. 14:50-15:50, Leeds Central Library, 12-18 year olds, FREE.

Sweatdrop Studios' Emma, is well known for her presenting on Anime Network, and her fantastic art on the Manga Shakespeare series. In this session, Emma will demonstrate techniques used in manga styled pages and show participants the foundations needed to create their own characters. This workshop will be fun and informal.

Frank Quitely Art Masterclass. 15:15-16:45, Carriageworks, 16+, £5 Entry.

Thought Bubble is delighted to welcome Frank Quitely, one of the world's most respected comic book artists, for a special insider look at his art. Frank is best known for his work on Grant Morrison's New X-Men, Batman and Robin and We3. Talking to Peter Dohert of 2000AD fame, Frank will reveal the creative process he employs in this fascinating masterclass. For tickets go to www.thoughtbubblefestival.com

Young People's Comics Writing Masterclass with Adam Lowe. 16:00-17:00, Leeds Central Library, 12-18 year olds, FREE.

Local author Adam Lowe's first novel, Troglodyte Rose, mixes sequential art and prose. In this workshop for young people, he gives tips on writing scripts for comics, including dialogue, pace, and visual cues in this fun and informal masterclass.

• For more information go to www.thoughtbubblefestival.com

• We'll have a fab behind-the-scenes feature by Matthew Badham on the Thought Bubble event here on downthetubes on Wednesday, with info on how it's put together and more!

Tube Surfing: Comics Good for You, Superhero Homage in 2000AD... and Moore

Yes, we know we haven't done one of these for a while: juggling work for ROK Comics and Titan Books as well as a few other things is proving a welcome but all-consuming challenge most days of the week...

• Chris Weston reports on his new 2000AD Future Shock, "Whatever Happened to the Green Pedestrian Palm?", which appears in 2000AD's Christmas issue, Prog 2010, on sale 16 December 2009. "It is cearly inspired by the star of Seventies Public Information Films, The Green Cross Code Man, whose previous comic-strip exploits were handled by The Govenor himself, Mr. Dave Gibbons..." Expect some merry mickey taking of merchandise superheroes, including Mr. Muscle.

• Comics Are Good For You: but that's the message from Carol L. Tilley, a professor of library and information science at the University of Illinois, who insists that looking down upon graphic novels as being inept at benefiting the children is a mistake. She argues comic books are as valuable as any other form of literature to be a part of children's education. So ditch those books and break out the Beano now!

"A lot of the criticism of comics and comic books come from people who think that kids are just looking at the pictures and not putting them together with the words," Tilley said. "Some kids, yes. But you could easily make some of the same criticisms of picture books -- that kids are just looking at pictures, and not at the words." More on this story here on Science Daily.

• We're sorry to report the passing of Belgian Josette Baujot, who has died aged 88, was responsible for colouring Hergé's Tintin albums for more than a quarter of a century during the peak years of his popularity, and established the "colour code" that helped take Tintin far beyond Belgium and France to an international audience. Phil Davison pays tribute to the colourist in The Guardian here.

• Tweeters out there will be pleased to hear that the comics charity Draw the World Together is now on Twitter! Follow its work there

• Comics-related podcast Small Press Big Mouth dropped by CD24's table at BICS 2009, and bought a copy of the Jack in the Box graphic novel. There's an audio review on episode 11 of their podcast, and they've got some really nice things to say about the book and are "infectiously enthusiastic" about the comics scene in general, and you may find some rather cool recommendations (apart from Jack in the Box) if you're stuck for something to read!

• And finally... for those of you who are fans of Alan Moore but are not necessarily on the Alan Moore Yahoo! Group mailing list, Pádraig Ó Méalóid tells us there has recently been a YouTube channel set up to collect all of Alan's appearances that are on YouTube. "We're still adding things to it, so it's by no means complete and definitive," says Padraig, "but it's a good start, at the very least.

"One of the things I'd particularly draw your attention to is the most recent posting, under the name of Alan Moore Swamp Thing Interview. A wee while back I bought a video on eBay which turned out to be something he'd done for DC in about 1985, which I believe was for showing in comics shops and the like, where Alan talks very enthusiastically about his work on Swamp Thing, and about his forthcoming work on Watchmen. With the help of a few different people, I got this put up on YT, as I'm no good with technical stuff, and anyway it's a US video. It's kind of sad to see how enthused he is there, compared to how he feels now after how we was treated by DC."

Scottish Uni Launches Comic Writing MA

Edinburgh Napier University has announced a new MA course in creative writing aimed at aspiring computer games and graphic novel writers.

The one-year postgraduate course, part of a range from the University's School of Creative Industries, has been created by former 2000AD editor and The Phantom writer David Bishop and former literary agent Sam Kelly and starts in September. It will include guest lectures from leading writers, including Ian Rankin, Mark Millar, Denise Mina, Alan Grant, James Moran and Doctor Who writer Robert Shearman. A Writer-in-Residence is also part of the course, yet to be announced.

Crime writing and science fiction will also be part of the syllabus, but not poetry.

"We're embracing the kinds of creative writing that get ignored or patronised by other courses," says David. "We've already had a fistful of applications and marketing has only just begun. There's been a steady stream of people coming to see us at the Craighouse campus in Edinburgh, eager to find out more.

"We're offering something different from the usual mix of literary fiction and poetry on other creative writing MA course - and it's proving popular."

• School of Creative Industries web site