We’re excited to share the news that the 2023 Comics Studies Society Annual Conference, “Comics on the Margins“, is coming to the University of North Texas, July 27-29, 2023!

“The Comics Studies Society (CSS) is an interdisciplinary society open to all who share the goals of promoting the critical study of comics, improving comics teaching, and engaging in open and ongoing conversations about the comics world.” In addition to an annual conference for comics scholars, students, creators, and publishers, the Society also supports a scholarly journal, INKS, annual prizes and research grants, and special caucuses for Graduate Students and Librarians.  

This year’s conference, “Comics on the Margins”, will examine the topic of “margins” as it relates to the creation, production, aesthetics, and socio-political position of comics and their creators. This event seeks to make space for comics on the margins, and encourages participants to consider the formal, aesthetic, political, and social ways of seeing and reading cartooning’s relation to the marginal spaces, concepts, and peoples. 

The conference will take place at the UNT Gateway Center from July 27-29, 2023. Dr. Joanna Davis-McElligatt, from the UNT English Department, and Dr. John Edward Martin, from the UNT Libraries will serve as local hosts for this event, while the program will be organized by the CSS Conference Planning Committee.

This is a great event for comics scholars, artists, students, or others in the comics community to come together and share their ideas, interests, and scholarly or creative works in a supportive and inclusive environment. 

In addition to the scholarly sessions, this event will feature exciting keynote addresses by Dr. Frederick Luis Aldama (a.k.a. “Professor LatinX“) and comics author and illustrator, Mari Naomi! and pioneering cartoonist, Rupert Kinnard. 

The Call for Papers is currently available and proposals for papers, panels, roundtables, or workshops are due by February 27 , 2023. Participants will be notified of acceptance by March 13, 2023. Conference presenters must be current members of CSS at the time of registration. 

If you have questions, please contact: comicsstudiesorg@gmail.com