Unsettled Narratives: Graphic Novel and Comics Studies in the Twenty-First Century – A Preface

Women’s Cartoons and Comics in the Twenty-First Century

Critical Directions in Comics Studies ◽

10.14325/mississippi/9781496828996.003.0008 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 179-194

Author(s):

Nicola Streeten

Keyword(s):

Essential Element ◽

First Century ◽

Graphic Novel ◽

Feminist Activism ◽

Political Messages ◽

Twenty First Century ◽

The Uk

Streeten draws on Simone Lia’s graphic novel Fluffy (2005, Jonathan Cape) to demonstrate how humor combines with the comics form to address and quietly challenge assumptions around childcare, parenting, and masculinity. Streeten’s consideration is part of her wider thesis that the humorous cartoon and comic has been an essential element of feminist activism in the UK, supporting serious political messages. Her claim is that the structures built by feminist activity have made the buoyant position and visibility of women cartoonists in the UK today possible. The role of humor in this history, has been an essential, yet little recognized aspect.

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Next Issue

The Oxford Handbook of Comic Book Studies ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190917944.013.37 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 641-655

Author(s):

Matthew J. Smith ◽

Randy Duncan

Keyword(s):

Discussion Groups ◽

First Century ◽

Research Teams ◽

Learned Societies ◽

Comics Studies ◽

Practice Based Research ◽

Twenty First Century ◽

Empirical Approaches

This chapter looks ahead to the possible trajectories of twenty-first-century Comics studies. Scholars are expanding the disciplinary perspectives and methodologies, from empirical approaches to practice-based research, brought to bear in studying comics. Perhaps more of that research will be done collaboratively, including multidisciplinary and transnational research teams. Comics scholars seem to be maintaining the zeal of a movement as they continue to integrate the field into the institutions of academia, from creating interdisciplinary minors to establishing comics studies divisions and discussion groups in learned societies. While resistance to comics studies might have diminished within the academy, there is still a need for outreach to educate the wider public about the value of comics. More detailed than the ubiquitous “next issue” caption box at the end of a comics magazine, this chapter does nonetheless serve as a preview of coming attractions for the next historical span in the field.

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