** On behalf of Thomas Giddens <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> **

Graphic Justice: Call for Interest

This is a call for anyone interested in the crossover between justice and graphic fiction.

Comics, cartoons, graphic novels, and other visual narratives, have had a considerable impact on cinema, books, and the internet.  They form a significant-and growing-element of popular culture, yet the intersection between comics and the concerns of law and justice is one that has received little critical attention.

Themes of public protection, justice, and punishment are widespread in mainstream superhero narratives (think Justice League of America, Superman, or Spider-Man), but there is also a wealth of graphic literature beyond the spandex-wearing mainstream that, like other artistic media, deals with all walks of human life (the work of the Hernandez Brothers, for instance, or Ghost World, or the Pulitzer prize winning Maus).  Indeed, from the mainstream western comics that inspire Hollywood films, to the diverse and multi-layered world of Japanese manga, or the rich history of French-language bandes dessinées, comics have permeated our global culture (consider the huge cultural impact, for example, of Batman or Tintin).  Moreover, the blending of words and images in the very form of the comics medium itself may pose important questions about the limitations and interpretation of textual language-fundamental issues for the highly text-dependent discipline of law.  Add to all this the complex intellectual property issues involved in this collaborative and methodologically varied medium, and the lack of interest seems clearly to be one that is in need of a remedy.

The remedy is this: Graphic Justice.

As already stated, this call is for anyone interested in the intersection of justice and graphic fiction.  Whether you work in legal studies, philosophy, cultural studies, penology, law enforcement, art, criminology, sociology, imprisonment/corrections, or literary studies, if you're interested in comics and the concerns of justice-this call is for you.  An international and collaborative space has been set up where interested parties can submit ideas and post articles, where contacts can be made and networks built up, understanding can be nurtured, and the intersection of comics and justice can be mined, examined, questioned, and developed.  Depending upon levels of interest, the project may include seminars or dedicated conference streams, or even a full Graphic Justice conference.  The aim is to gather together academics and practitioners, interested parties and artists, and to promote discourse and engagement on this expansive and under-researched area.

The international and collaborative space can be found at graphicjustice.blogspot.com<http://graphicjustice.blogspot.com/>, and you can contact Graphic Justice via the comments sections on that website, or via email to [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>.

(Apologies for cross-posting)