This proposed volume for the University Press of Mississippi’s book series, Critical Approaches to Comics Artists, will examine the works of two influential cartoonists: Julie Doucet and Gabrielle Bell. These artists have helped shape the world of contemporary comics, particularly through their experiments in autobiography, travelogue, fantasy, and diary.

We are interested in assembling a tightly woven collection of compelling essays from a variety of disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives in order to suggest starting off points for sustained future critical analysis. Each essay may examine the works of one or the other cartoonist, or it may put historical and aesthetic discussions of their works in conversation with one another. Some of the critical approaches we hope to encounter include: comics and visual studies, art history, print and material culture studies, women’s and gender studies, and auto/biography studies.

General topics potential contributors may choose to address in discussing the works of one, the other, or both cartoonists include:

• diaries, travelogues, and dream journals
• representations of gender and sexuality
• adaptations (film, etc.) and/or translations
• auto/biography and/or gender and genre
• urban landscapes and interiors
• comics genealogies and networks
• technology and comics
• place and origin: Quebec/England/San Francisco/New York
• graphic medicine (epilepsy, depression)
• self-publishing, zines, and mini-comics
• career trajectories
• anthologies/anthologizing; comics publishers/publishing (L’Association, Drawn & Quarterly, website, self, etc.)
• art books and/or non-narrative works
• non-comics works and methods (collage, poetry, animation, silkscreening, etc.)

In the form of a Word file or PDF, please send a 500-1000 word abstract, CV, and contact information to Tahneer Oksman and Seamus O’Malley at bellanddoucet@gmail.com by August 15.