Monitor is an irregularly published overview of publications from the previous six months that may be of relevance to comics studies scholars. The introductory texts are the respective publishers’. Do you have suggestions or information on new releases that have been overlooked and should be introduced on our website? Please let us know via email: redaktion@comicgesellschaft.de.
→ See previous Monitor posts.

On Black Bandes Dessinées and Transcolonial Power

Studies in Comics and Cartoons

Michelle Bumatay
Ohio State University Press
February 2025
Publisher’s website

“On Black Bandes Dessinées and Transcolonial Power is the first book-length study in English about Black francophone cartoonists and their work. Michelle Bumatay decenters Eurocentric conceptions of francophone comic art and foregrounds the ubiquity of Western racial stereotypes encoded in mainstream French and Belgian bandes dessinées as well as the imbalance of power between the Global North and the Global South carried over from the colonial era. By examining a diversity of Black cartoonists’ aesthetic and material responses to the colonially inherited medium of bandes dessinées, she argues that their innovations constitute important reparative work that combats racial stereotypes and challenges transcolonial power imbalances.
Bumatay demonstrates how Barly Baruti, Papa Mfumu’eto, Marguerite Abouet, Japhet Miagotar, and other Black cartoonists throughout the francophone world employ a range of tactics to tell their own stories. Through a balance of historical context and close readings, she shows how these artists represent and comment on their everyday lives in a postcolonial reality, expose and critique racial capitalism and exploitation, and provide new ways of seeing and understanding Black francophone peoples and cultures.”

Comics, Activism, Feminisms

Anna Nordenstam, Kristy Beers Fägersten, Margareta Wallin Wictorin (eds.)
Routledge
September 2024
Publisher’s website

“Feminist comic art emerged with the second-wave feminist movements. Today, there are comics connected to social activist movements working for change in a variety of areas. Comics artists often respond quickly to political events, making comics on topical issues that take a critical or satirical stance and highlighting the need for change. Comic art can point to problems, present alternatives, and give hope.
Comics artists from all parts of the world engage issues pertaining to feminisms and LGBTQIA+ issues, war and political conflict, climate crisis, the global migrant and refugee situation, and other societal problems. The chapters of this anthology illuminate the aesthetic and thematic aspects of comics, activism, and feminisms globally. Particular attention is given to the work of comics collectives, where Do-it-Ourselves is a strategy among activism-oriented artists, which use a great variety of media, such as fanzines, albums, webcomics, and exhibitions to communicate and disseminate activist comic art.”

Japanische Fan-Comics: Transkulturelle Potenziale und lokale Gemeinschaft

Comic-Kulturen

Katharina Hülsmann
Transkript
March 2025
Publisher’s website

“In Japan findet jährlich eine Vielzahl von Amateur-Comic-Events, darunter die größte Comic-Messe weltweit, die Comiket, statt. Entgegen dem globalen Trend zur Digitalisierung im Comic-Bereich wird ein Großteil der dortigen Werke nach wie vor von den Künstler*innen selbst verlegt, gedruckt und herausgegeben. Katharina Hülsmann nimmt die Kultur japanischer Fan-Comics (sog. dōjinshi) in den Blick: Wie entwickelte sich eine solch solide Infrastruktur in Japan und warum hält sie sich bis heute? Welche Anschlussmöglichkeiten haben dōjinshi an ein globales Fandom, wenn sie sich im Internet eher wenig verbreiten? Und was treibt japanische Amateur-Künstler*innen an, ihre Werke mit viel Aufwand herzustellen und mit anderen Fans zu teilen?”

Drawn to the Stacks: Essays on Libraries, Librarians and Archives in Comics and Graphic Novels

Studies in Comics and Cartoons

Carrye Kay Syma, Robert G. Weiner, Donell Callender (eds.)
McFarland
March 2025
Publisher’s website

“This is the first academic volume to examine the librarian and archival professional through the lens of sequential art. The portrayal of libraries/librarians in sequential art has a long history from the Golden Age to the present day. Libraries and archives in comics historically are seen as places of important knowledge and information.
Diving deep into a multitude of sources, these new essays show how librarians/archivists and libraries/archives are used within the comic medium to address multiculturalism, LGBTQ issues, archival practice, and even the concept of librarians as “baddies” or stewards of information unwilling to share with others. The wide breadth of material examined here includes Miyazaki’s Nausicaa, Spiegelman’s Maus, Bechdel’s Queer Dykes to Watch Out For, Marvel’s Black Panther, Nono’s Yoake No Toshokan, DC’s Batgirl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics, Gaiman’s The Sandman, webcomics, Marvel’s America Chavez character, Schultz’s Xenozoic Tales and much more.”

Comics Art in Korea

John A. Lent
University Press of Mississippi
January 2025
Publisher’s website

“In Comics Art in Korea, comics scholar John A. Lent embarks on a comprehensive exploration of the vibrant world of Korean comics, cartoons, comic strips, graphic novels, webcomics, and animation. This meticulously researched work delves deep into the intricate history, cultural significance, and artistic innovations that have shaped the comics landscape in both North and South Korea. Drawing from extensive research, decades of interviews with comics creators and artists, and firsthand study, Lent offers readers a profound understanding of the societal, political, and cultural factors that have played a pivotal role in shaping Korean comics.
Korean comics have a storied tradition that stretches back decades. In this insightful book, Lent not only traces the origins of Korean comics but also places them within the broader context of Asian comics, highlighting the interconnectedness of comic art across the continent. From the early days of Korean comics to their contemporary evolution, Lent unravels the forces that have influenced and shaped the industry and sheds light on the ways in which comics have been used as a medium for social commentary, political expression, and cultural identity in Korea.
Comics Art in Korea is not merely a historical account but a celebration of the art form itself. Lavishly illustrated with examples of Korean comics, this book showcases the incredible talent and creativity of Korean comics artists. Lent’s impeccable attention to detail and his ability to contextualize each work within its cultural and historical framework make this book an invaluable resource for both comics enthusiasts and scholars.”

Supervillains: The Significance of Evil in Superhero Comics

Nao Tomabechi
Rutgers University Press
January 2025
Publisher’s website

“Alongside superheroes, supervillains, too, have become one of today’s most popular and globally recognizable figures. However, it is not merely their popularity that marks their significance. Supervillains are also central to superhero storytelling to the extent that the superhero genre cannot survive without supervillains.
Bringing together different approaches and critical perspectives across disciplines, author Nao Tomabechi troubles overly hero-centered works in comics studies to reconsider the modern American myths of the superheroes. Considering the likes of Lex Luthor, the Joker, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Loki, Venom, and more, Supervillians explores themes such as gender and sexuality, disability, and many forms of Otherness in relation to the notion of evil as it appears in the superhero genre. The book investigates how supervillains uphold and, at times, trouble dominant ideals expressed by the heroism of our superheroes.”

Analyzing the Marvel Universe: Critical Essays on the Comics and Film Adaptations

Douglas Brode (ed.)
McFarland
December 2024
Publisher’s website

“Marvel, like other media “universes,” is a collection of highly profitable and audience-satisfying products that exist not only as individual items of popular culture but coalesce to form a unique and all-encompassing identity. Within media studies, elements of popular culture once dismissed as low-brow entertainment are now studied with the seriousness that has always been afforded classics like Shakespeare’s plays and ancient myth. Indeed, DC and Marvel might be thought of as competing myth systems.
This book is a collection of diverse essays covering all aspects of the Marvel Universe, from in-print graphic novels to film and television variations. Contributors present in-depth, original and inclusive interpretations of numerous individual elements of Marvel, including analysis of key characters, themes and aesthetic elements. They also offer a vision of the essential “meaning” of Marvel, including aspects that set it apart from the DC Universe and other media. Individual readings apply feminist, ethnic, and queer theory, among others, and deal with the lesser known aspects of Marvel’s offerings in order to provide the definitive collection on this subject. Beginning with an introduction by the editor that provides a complete overview of the Marvel canon, this book offers the broadest and most in-depth collection on the subject to date.”

Horror Comics and Religion: Essays on Framing the Monstrous and the Divine*

Studies in Comics and Religion

Brandon R. Grafius, John W. Morehead (eds.)
McFarland
December 2024
Publisher’s website

“While many genres offer the potential for theological reflection and exploration of religious issues, the nature of horror provides unique ways to wrestle with these questions. Since EC Comics of the 1950s, horror comics have performed theological work in ways that are sometimes obvious, sometimes subtle, but frequently surprising and provocative.
This collection brings together essays covering the history of horror comics, from the 1950s to the present, with a focus on their engagement with religious and theological issues. Essays explore topics such as the morality of EC Comics, cosmic indifference in the works of Junji Ito, the reincarnated demons of the web-comic The Devil is a Handsome Man, religion and racial horror in comic voodoo, and much more.”

*The ComFor editorial board regrets the lack of diversity in this publication. We endeavour to cover the entire spectrum of comics studies, report in a neutral way and keep the editorial selection process to a minimum. But we are also aware of the problematic structures that shape our academic research environment and that frequently lead to a lower visibility of female comics scholars as well as those with marginalised identities in general. We know that this imbalance is often not intended by the editors / organisers and we do not want to imply this in any way. But nonetheless, we would like to draw attention to it to raise awareness for this problem.