FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 4TH
Title: Comics, Trauma, and Psychiatric Disorders
Description: Join us as we investigate the representations of trauma and psychiatric disorder in modern superhero comics.
Presentations: Austin Hendricks (Georgia Regents University), “Waiting for Heroes: An Examination of Psychological Disorders, Existentialism, and General Strain Theory in Superhero Films”
Kari Storla (University of Southern California), “Superheroes, super trauma: Is trauma in superhero comics a human or superhuman experience?”
Moderator: Matthew J. Brown (UT Dallas)
Time: 11:30 AM
Location: Comics Track – Hanover F – Hyatt
Title: The Wayfaring Gater and Other Traveling Metaphors
Description: How medieval travel narratives, 19th century time-travel stories, and contemporary space dramas teach us that good (Star)gates make good neighbors.
CPAC Panelist: Richard Scott Nokes (Troy University)
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Stargate Multiverse Track – Chastain FGH – Westin
Title: Of Monsters and (Super)Men
Description: We examine the complex moral negotiations at work in making distinctions between good and evil and ask wheher superheroes’ extra-legal efforts to stop evil become monstrous.
Presentations: Corey Goergen (Emory University), “‘It’s [Not] Alive!’: Disability, Eugenics, Zombies, and Frankenstein’s Creature”
Shanna Early (Emory University), “Are Superheroes Monsters: Of Monsters, Superheroes, and the Law”
Stephanie Larson (Emory University), “Dial Meow for Murder: The Figure of the Feline in Horror Literature, Film, and Comics”
Moderator: Matthew J. Brown (UT Dallas)
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Comics Track – Hanover F – Hyatt
Title: Roundtable: The History of Gender and Race in Comics
Description: Comics professionals & scholars discuss historical issues of gender and race in comics, such as the feminist and racist themes in early Wonder Woman.
Participants: Daniel Amrhein (Independent Scholar), Matthew J. Brown (UT Dallas), John Flowers (SIU Carbondale), Matt Fraction (SEX CRIMINALS; ODY-C), Kari Storla (University of Southern California), Vickie Willis (Georgia State University)
Moderator: Vickie Willis (Georgia State)
Time: 8:30 PM
Location: Comics Track – Hanover F – Hyatt
Title: Anime, Manga, and Japanese History
Description: This panel explores how Japan has used Anime and Manga to tell and retell its national history. Additional Panelists: Yasemin Davarci, Johnathan Flowers/CPAC.
Presentations: Yasemin Davarci (Ankara University), “1904 – 1905 Russo Japanese War in Historical Japanese Manga”
Moderator: John Flowers (SIU Carbondale)
Time: 8:30 PM
Location: Anime/Manga Track – Courtland – Hyatt
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 5TH
Title: Wonder Woman and Greek Mythology
Description: Two scholars explore problematic representations of the Amazons and Greek mythology, their appropriation and reconfiguration in Wonder Woman comics.
Presentations: Daniel Amrhein (Independent Scholar), “Wonder Woman and the Reappropriation of Women Warriors of Greek Myth”
Matthew J. Brown (University of Texas at Dallas), “Love and Strife, Aphrodite and Ares – Marston’s Manichean Reconfiguration of Greek Mythology and Philosophy in the Wonder Woman Comics.”
Moderator: Damien Williams (Kennesaw State University)
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: Comics Track – Hanover F – Hyatt
Title: Virtual Reality in Japanese Anime
Description: In Anime, the virtual can become all too real. This panel discusses the nature of virtual reality in anime, asking what is “real,” what is “virtual,” and does the difference matter?
Participants: Damien Williams (Kennesaw State University), Michael Bugajski (SIU Carbondale), Carl Dull (Independent Scholar)
Moderator: John Flowers (SIU Carbondale)
Time: 5:00 PM
Location: Anime/Manga Track – Courtland – Hyatt
Title: Roundtable: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Contemporary Comics
Description: Comics professionals & scholars discuss the increase in positive representations as well as the continuing problems in the industry.
Participants: Daniel Amrhein (Independent Scholar), Kelly Sue DeConnick (BITCH PLANET; PRETTY DEADLY), John Flowers (SIU Carbondale), Tini Howard (Cape Fear Community College), Laurenn McCubbin (A MONUMENT TO THE RISEN; MADAME XANADU), Kari Storla (University of Southern California)
Moderator: Damien Williams (Kennesaw State University)
Time: 8:30 PM
Location: Comics Track – Hanover F – Hyatt
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 6th
Title: Philosophical Perspectives on Japanese Anime
Description: Scholars Carl Dull and Michael Bugajski discuss the philosophical themes in Madoka Magica and Cowboy Bebop.
Participants: Michael Bugajski (SIU Carbondale), Carl Dull (Independent Scholar)
Moderator: John Flowers (SIU Carbondale)
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Anime/Manga Track – Courtland – Hyatt
Title: Diversity and Sexuality in Comics*
Participants:Daniel Amrhein (Independent Scholar), Johnathan Flowers (SIU Carbondale), Afua Richardson (THE ART OF AFUA RICHARDSON VOL.1; GENIUS), Ally Pelphrey (Carol Corps. Atlanta), Josh R. Trujillo (LOVE MACHINES; DEATH SAVES)
Time: 8:30 PM
Location: Comics Track – Hanover F – Hyatt
Title: Con Culture & the Changing Face of Fandom*
Participants: Chris Brennaman, Molly Dilts (Pennsylvania State University), Kari Storla (University of Southern California)
Time: 10:00 PM
Location: Comics Track – Hanover F – Hyatt
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 7th
Title: Comics and Feminism
Description: Feminist analyses of comics and comic fandom, including the “fake geek girl” phenomenon, toxic masculinity, and how to think “outside the fridge.”
Presentations: Molly Dilts (Pennsylvania State University), “The “Fake Geek Girl”: Female-Occupied Space and Masculinity in Geek Culture”
Tini Howard (Cape Fear Community College), “Thinking Outside the Fridge – Changing Comics with the Subject/Object Problem”
Moderator: Matthew J. Brown (UT Dallas)
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: Comics Track – Hanover F – Hyatt
Title: Kelly Sue DeConnick in Focus
Description: Ahmed Younis, Chandra Jenkins, and John Flowers discuss feminism, heroism, and philosophical themes in the work of Kelly Sue DeConnick.
Presentations: Ahmed Younis and Chandra Jenkins (Chapman University), “Comic Feminism: Re-Imagining Traditional Perceptions of Heroism”
John Flowers (SIU Carbondale), “Captain Marvel and John Dewey’s Theory of Imagination”
Moderator: Damien Williams (Kennesaw State University)
Time: 11:30 AM
Location: Comics Track – Hanover F – Hyatt
Title: DC Comics and Cultural Studies
Description: Two scholars analyze Suicide Squad and the Batman mythos from the perspective of Foucault and cultural/gender studies. D Humphries, J Dambruch.
Presentations: Durf Humphries (Independent Scholar), “Discipline and Punish: Foucault and the Suicide Squad”
Jessica Dambruch (Old Dominion University), “Rev Up Your Harley: Cultural Constructions of Gender In The Batman Universe”
Moderator: Matthew J. Brown (UT Dallas)
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Comics Track – Hanover F – Hyatt
Title: Comics in the Classroom
Description: Exploring the use of comics in the high school and college classroom to meet common core objectives and teach critical thinking skills.
Presentations: Elizabeth Perkins (Morehead State University), “Teaching Critical Thinking Skills to College Freshman Utilizing the Portrayal of Crime & Justice in Superhero Movies and Comics”
Moderator: Matthew J. Brown (UT Dallas)
Time: 2:30 PM
Location: Comics Track – Hanover F – Hyatt
* Panels marked with an asterisk have been organized by the track heads and include fans and/or professionals in addition to CPAC scholars.