The Popular Arts Conference (PAC) is an annual academic conference for the studies of the popular arts, including science/speculative fiction and fantasy literature, film, and other media, comic books, manga, graphic novels, anime, gaming, etc. PAC presentations are peer reviewed, based in scholarly research.

The mission of PAC is to promote scholarship on popular culture and to encourage the engagement between scholars and fans in order to deepen our understanding of comics and the other popular arts.

Currently, the conference takes place annually in Atlanta, GA at DragonCon, which is billed as “the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe!”

PAC is formerly known as the Comics and Popular Arts Conference or CPAC. We have changed our name to better represent the breadth of our work as well as to avoid confusion with groups and events with similar names or acronyms. While comics scholarship continues to be an exciting part of each year’s conference, we believe that this change better represents the diverse range of scholarly topics and approaches for which our Conference is known.

PAC is also supported by the Center for Dewey Studies at Southern Illinois University.

PAC Organizing Committee 

• Erin Gordon (Art Institute of Chicago) – Co-Chair, Programming Director
• Daniel Amrhein (Independent Scholar) – Co-Chair, Director of Communications
• Jillian Marie Browning (University of Alabama, Birmingham) – Co-Chair, Track Liaison
• Matthew J. Brown (Southern Illinois University Carbondale) – Founder, Track Liaison
• Richard Scott Nokes (Troy University) – Volunteer & Member Coordinator
• Kari Neely (Middle Tennessee State University) – Volunteer & Member Coordinator
• Johnathan Flowers (California State University, Northridge)

The Popular Arts Conference (PAC) invites submissions for our 17th Annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, August 30 – September 2, 2024.

PAC is an annual academic conference for the studies of comics and the popular arts, including science/speculative fiction and fantasy literature, film, and other media; comic books; manga; graphic novels; anime; gaming; etc., presented to a mixed audience of scholars and fans. The mission of PAC is to promote scholarship on popular culture and to encourage the engagement between scholars and fans in order to deepen our understanding of the popular arts. PAC presentations are peer reviewed, based in scholarly research.

(PAC is formerly known as the Comics and Popular Arts Conference or CPAC. We have changed our name to better represent the breadth of our work as well as to avoid confusion with groups and events with similar names or acronyms. While comics scholarship continues to be an exciting part of each year’s conference, we believe that this change better represents the diverse range of scholarly topics and approaches for which our Conference is known.)

Please submit a proposal that engages in substantial scholarly examinations of comic books/graphic novels, anime, manga, science/speculative fiction, fantasy, or other parts of popular culture.

A broad range of disciplinary and theoretical perspectives is being sought, including, but not limited to, proposals pertaining to literary and art criticism, philosophy, linguistics, history, communications, law, pedagogy, and natural and social sciences. Some examples of appropriate subjects include: discussions of the nature of the comics medium; the science of a particular franchise; how to utilize pop culture in the classroom; analyses of particular works or authors; cross-cultural and cross-medium comparisons; etc. 

PAC talks are presented to a mixed audience of academics and fans, and take place in conjunction with DragonCon, a large multi-media, popular culture convention. Presentations should be prepared with a general audience in mind. Presenters must register for DragonCon if their paper is accepted in order to present. Presenters from out of town should make lodging arrangements far in advance.

Please note that PAC is an in-person conference. Applicants should make arrangements to be available to present on any of the conference’s four days. Due to the unique nature of PAC and its venue, organizers are generally not able to accommodate requests from presenters to select their presentation day(s).

Individual and group submissions should both be tailored to fit in one of the following tracks:

While there may be great intellectual merit in cross-track proposals, or proposals that include materials covered by various tracks, administratively, it can be very difficult to place such proposals. We prefer that you select one topic per proposal, though if your proposal would fully fit either track, you may select two.

We are interested in proposals for any of the above tracks, not only Comics.

Submission instructions: please follow the submission instructions for the kind of presentation as listed below. Prospective participants may submit multiple proposals, but only one per track.

For individual papers and presentations: please submit up to 500 word abstracts (not including preliminary bibliography) to the link below. While the conference is attended by a diverse audience, your abstract should be targeted towards academic peer reviewers.

For group panels and presentations: in addition to the up to 500 word abstract, you should submit a 1-2 page document that further explains the rationale for a group session and explains the format and the planned contributions of all panelists. Group panels should not be individual papers loosely organized around a theme, but genuinely collaborative presentations with a strong reason to be considered as a group as opposed to individually. While the conference is attended by a diverse audience, your abstract should be targeted towards academic peer reviewers.

For informal sessions such as roundtables, workshops, and book sessions: please submit an abstract of up to 500 words to the link below, plus a 1-2 page document that outlines the objective of the workshop or roundtable, or a brief description of the format of the book session including title and subject matter of the book (author meets critic, book discussion, etc).

For all proposals, because this is an interdisciplinary conference, and because the reviewers come from a variety of scholarly and intellectual backgrounds, it can be to your benefit to include explicit language describing your critical approach or references the literatures your work is drawing on and responding to.

Please submit your proposal via the following link:

• PAC 2024 Submissions

Submissions Deadline: To receive the fullest consideration, proposals will be submitted by December 31, 2023 (deadline extended!)

This submission process is open to everyone, but we are especially interested in receiving submissions from members of those groups traditionally underrepresented in academia, such as women, LGTBQIA+ academics, and academics of color.

Send any questions to: organizers@comicspopularartsconference.org

Click HERE for the 2024 Call for Proposals!

FRIDAY, 9/1

Title: Nature, Ecology, and Comics
Description: Comics scholars explore depictions of nature, ecology, and environmental activism in comics, including the ecohorror themes of recent YA Poison Ivy and Swamp Thing.
Talk title:
“Envisioning Monstrous Activism in Ecohorror Comics” by Brianna Anderson (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Panelists: Brianna Anderson (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Moderator: Matthew J. Brown (Southern Illinois University)
Time: Fri 08:30 pm
Location: Westin Chastain I-J (Length: 1 Hour)

SATURDAY, 9/2

Title: Comics in the College Classroom
Description: Comics scholars and college faculty explore uses of comics in the college classroom, from teaching writing to philosophy to medieval literature.
Talk Titles:
Dreaming of Inclusive Spaces: Using Comics for Undergraduate College Readers and Writers by Matthew Guzman and Buck Weiss (Chattanooga State Community College)
Comics in the College Philosophy Classroom by Matthew J Brown (Southern Illinois University)
Artists vs. Academics: The Battle for Beowulf by Richard Scott Nokes (Troy University)
Panelists: Matthew Guzman and Buck Weiss (Chattanooga State Community College); Matthew J Brown (Southern Illinois University) [attending pro]; Richard Scott Nokes (Troy University)
Moderator: Jillian Browning (University of Alabama, Birmingham)
Time: Sat 11:30 am
Location: Westin Chastain I-J (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: The Gloom, the Doom, and the Reworking of Loss
Description: An analysis of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and how it provides a look at the grief and loss process from the perspective of a community that has experienced a major loss together.
Panelists: Jillian Browning (University of Alabama, Birmingham) and Tasha Cherry, PhD, LMHC (The Healing Body Method)
Moderator: Erin Gordon (Art Institute of Chicago)
Time: Sat 04:00 pm
Location: Marriott M301 (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Gender, Sexuality, and Identity in Comics
Description: Comics scholars explore issues of gender, sexuality, and identity in comics from Golden Age Wonder Woman to Elfquest.
Talk Titles:
“Everyone Knows It Turns Ya Poly-Queer: Sexuality and Gender Identity and Express in Elfquest” by Don Unger (University of Mississippi)
“The Two Wonder Womans: Gender subversion and audience in the early Marston/Peter comic books and newspaper strips, 1941-1945” by Natalie Beglin (Indiana University, Bloomington)
“Not Your Female Sidekick: Empowered Female Superheroes, Their Mentors, and Their Sidekicks” by Margaret Robbins (The Mount Vernon School)
Panelists: Don Unger (University of Mississippi); Natalie Beglin (Indiana University, Bloomington); Margaret Robbins (The Mount Vernon School)
Moderator: Erin Gordon (Art Institute of Chicago)
Time: Sat 10:00 pm
Location: Westin Chastain I-J (Length: 1 Hour)

SUNDAY, 9/3

Title: History, Violence, and Philosophy in Video Games
Description: Scholars explore issues within video gaming, from mass violence to simulated war strategies, and the pedagogical opportunities offered by video games.
Talk Titles:
‘And then the humans slaughtered them.’ Mass Violence, Race, and High Fantasy Video Games by Anca Glont (University of Dayton)
“Simulating Clean Wars:” The Civil War and Second World War in Grand Strategy Video Games by James Frusetta (Hampden-Sydney College)*
Panelists: Anca Glont (University of Dayton), James Frusetta (Hampden-Sydney College)
Moderator: Richard Scott Nokes (Troy University)
Time: Sun 10:00am
Location: Westin Augusta A-B (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Representing Race
Description: Comics scholars explore problematic issues of racial representation in comics from superheroes to Belgian bande dessinée. Topics include: It’s Not All Black and White (Diverse vs. Non-diverse Marvel and DC Comics) and Taking Aim at the Racism of Lucky Luke.
Talk Titles:
“It’s Not All Black and White: A Text Analysis of Diverse versus Non-Diverse Marvel and DC Comics” by Neil Granitz and Steven Chen (California State University, Fullerton)
“Taking Aim At The Racism of Lucky Luke: An Analysis of Black Characters In The Popular Comic Series” by Marion Duval (The College of Wooster)
Panelists: Neil Granitz and Steven Chen (California State University, Fullerton); Marion Duval (The College of Wooster)
Moderator: Jillian Browning (University of Alabama, Birmingham)
Time: Sun 11:30 am
Location: Westin Chastain I-J (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Starstruck and Transmedia Storytelling
Description: Many comics exist not just as stories told within the confines of printed comic books, but as narratives that exist within a much wider web of transmedia storytelling. Transmedia storytelling differs from straightforward adaptation in that instead of each story in a new medium being a retelling of a previous one, stories build upon each other to expand a fictional world as opposed to continually re-interpret it.
The transmedia franchise Starstruck provides one such example of transmedia storytelling, one which reveals the radical possibilities of telling a continuous story across different media.
Talk Titles:
“‘The Fate of the Free Multiverse – In Your Hands!’ Starstruck and Transmedia Storytelling” by Spencer Chalifour (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Panelists: Spencer Chalifour (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Moderator: Matthew J. Brown (Southern Illinois University)
Time: Sun 7:00pm
Location: Hyatt Marrietta (Length: 1 hour)

MONDAY, 9/4

Title: Intersectional Approaches to Adaptation and Remediation 
Description: Professors from Spelman College, the nation’s foremost historically Black college, facilitate a conversation about the promises and challenges of “diversifying” popular cultural forms using works like The Vampire Diaries, Lovecraft Country, Kindred, and Ms. Marvel. Panelists will be analyzing traditional literature, graphic novels, film and television to interrogate the capacity of popular media to respond to the ongoing afterlives of world historical events.
Panelists: Deanna Koretsky, Rebecca Kumar, R. Nicole Smith and Cocoa Williams (Spelman College)
Moderator: Jillian Browning (University of Alabama, Birmingham)
Time: Mon 01:00 pm
Location: Hyatt Hanover A-B (Length: 1 Hour)

The Comics and Popular Arts Conference (CPAC) is an annual academic conference for the studies of comics and the popular arts, including science/speculative fiction and fantasy literature, film, and other media, comic books, manga, graphic novels, anime, gaming, etc. CPAC presentations are peer reviewed, based in scholarly research.

CPAC Coordinating Board:

• Kari Neely (Middle Tennessee State University) – Coordinator and Program Chair
• Johnathan Flowers (California State University, Northridge) – Co-coordinator
• Matthew J. Brown (Southern Illinois University Carbondale) – Founder, Program Co-Chair
• Richard Scott Nokes (Troy University), Program Co-Chair
• Daniel Amrhein (Independent Scholar)
• Jillian Marie Browning (University of Alabama, Birmingham)
• Erin Gordon (Art Institute of Chicago)

CPAC takes place at DragonCon each year thanks to the generosity of the DragonCon track heads and other organizers. CPAC is not affiliated with the DragonCon organization. CPAC is an all-volunteer group aimed at bringing peer-reviewed academic content to DragonCon. It is supported by the Center for Values in Medicine, Science, and Technology at the University of Texas at Dallas. We hope you enjoy our programming! Please ask us how to get involved.

The Comics and Popular Arts Conference (CPAC) invites submissions for our 16th Annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, September 1-4, 2023.

CPAC is an annual academic conference for the studies of comics and the popular arts, including science/speculative fiction and fantasy literature, film, and other media; comic books; manga; graphic novels; anime; gaming; etc., presented to a mixed audience of scholars and fans. The mission of CPAC is to promote scholarship on popular culture and to encourage the engagement between scholars and fans in order to deepen our understanding of comics and other popular arts. CPAC presentations are peer reviewed, based in scholarly research.

Please submit a proposal that engages in substantial scholarly examinations of comic books/graphic novels, anime, manga, science/speculative fiction, fantasy, or other parts of popular culture.

A broad range of disciplinary and theoretical perspectives is being sought, including, but not limited to, proposals pertaining to literary and art criticism, philosophy, linguistics, history, communications, law, pedagogy, and natural and social sciences. Some examples of appropriate subjects include: discussions of the nature of the comics medium; the science of a particular franchise; how to utilize pop culture in the classroom; analyses of particular works or authors; cross-cultural and cross-medium comparisons; etc. 

CPAC talks are presented to a mixed audience of academics and fans, and take place in conjunction with DragonCon. Presentations should be prepared with a general audience in mind. Presenters must register for DragonCon if their paper is accepted in order to present. Presenters from out of town should make lodging arrangements far in advance.

Please note that CPAC is an in-person conference. Applicants should make arrangements to be available to present on any of the conference’s four days. Due to the unique nature of CPAC and its venue, organizers are generally not able to accommodate requests from presenters to select their presentation day(s).

Individual and group submissions should both be tailored to fit in one of the following tracks:

While there may be great intellectual merit in cross-track proposals, or proposals that include materials covered by various tracks, administratively, it can be very difficult to place such proposals. We prefer that you select one topic per proposal, though if your proposal would fully fit either track, you may select two.

We are interested in proposals for any of the above tracks, not only Comics.

Submission instructions: please follow the submission instructions for the kind of presentation as listed below. Prospective participants may submit multiple proposals, but only one per track.

For individual papers and presentations: please submit up to 500 word abstracts (not including preliminary bibliography) to the link below. While the conference is attended by a diverse audience, your abstract should be targeted towards academic peer reviewers.

For group panels and presentations: in addition to the up to 500 word abstract, you should submit a 1-2 page document that further explains the rationale for a group session and explains the format and the planned contributions of all panelists. Group panels should not be individual papers loosely organized around a theme, but genuinely collaborative presentations with a strong reason to be considered as a group as opposed to individually. While the conference is attended by a diverse audience, your abstract should be targeted towards academic peer reviewers.

For informal sessions such as roundtables, workshops, and book sessions: please submit an abstract of up to 500 words to the link below, plus a 1-2 page document that outlines the objective of the workshop or roundtable, or a brief description of the format of the book session including title and subject matter of the book (author meets critic, book discussion, etc).

For all proposals, because this is an interdisciplinary conference, and because the reviewers come from a variety of scholarly and intellectual backgrounds, it can be to your benefit to include explicit language describing your critical approach or references the literatures your work is drawing on and responding to.

Please submit your proposal via the following link:

• https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=cpac2023 

Submissions Deadline: To receive the fullest consideration, proposals will be submitted by February 1, 2023. 

This submission process is open to everyone, but we are especially interested in receiving submissions from members of those groups traditionally underrepresented in academia, such as women, LGTBQIA+ academics, and academics of color.

Send any questions to: organizers@comicspopularartsconference.org

15th Annual Comics and Popular Arts Conference

FRIDAY

Fri 04:00 pm: Happy Together: TTRPG Actual Play Shows and Euphoria in Community Building

Location: Augusta 3 Westin(Length: 1 Hour)

Description: Grey Mangan of Univ Tennessee-Knoxville presents research on TTRPG actual play shows and podcasts, examining why this genre, which defies so many expectations of modern media, has been so successful. Using affect theory and fan studies, Mangan explains this success via the euphoria of togetherness.

Moderator:  Daniel Amrhein (Independent Scholar)

SATURDAY

Sat 05:30 pm: Language and Identity

Location: Chastain I-J Westin(Length: 1 Hour)

Description: Scholars analyze the intersection of language, culture, nationality, race, and identity in superhero and independent comics, looking at how linguistic and representational choices help craft narratives, mark identities, and make meaning.

Panelists: William Norris (Florida Atlantic University) & Donna Tong (Fu Jen Catholic University)

Moderator: Matthew Brown (UT Dallas/Southern Illinois University) or Johnathan Flowers 

Sat 07:00 pm: From the Bigtop to the Museum: Critical Studies in Comics

Location: Chastain I-J Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

Description: Comics historians explore the historical influences on and contexts for the creation of comic books, specifically the influence of circus performers on “Golden Age” superheroes.

Presenters: Madeline Steiner (University of South Carolina)

Moderator: Matthew Brown (UT Dallas/Southern Illinois University)

SUNDAY

Sun 10:00: Comics Storytelling Across Media

Location: Chastain I-J Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

Description: Superhero comics have driven storytelling across multiple media, including animation, television, film, and video games. Comics scholars look at how these narratives are adapted across multiple media.

Presenters: Margaret Ann Robbins (Mount Vernon School) & Anthony Dannar (Georgia State University) 

Moderator: Richard Scott Nokes (Troy University)

Sun 01:00 pm: Social, Political, and Judicial Issues in Marvel TV 

Location: M301 Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

Description: Academics share different perspectives on how Marvel explores contemporary social issues on both their films and streaming platforms.

Presenters: Amit Gupta (Independent Scholar) & Tiernan Cole (Independent Scholar)

Moderator: Daniel Amrhein (Independent Scholar)

Sun 02:30 pm: Queer History and Theory in Comics

Location: Chastain I-J Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

Description: Comics scholars explore the use of graphic narratives in both comix zines and mainstream superhero comics to document queer histories and explore the queer imagination.

Presenters: Rachael Ryerson (Eastern Illinois University) & Kyler Campbell (Charleston Southern University)

Moderator: Jillian Browning (University of Alabama-Birmingham)

Sun 04:00 pm: Issues of Diversity in Hamilton and Latinx comics/graphic novels

Location: Vinings Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Description: Scholars discuss contemporary issues related to the insection of theater, hip-hop, and Broadway as well as the intersection of spirituality, race, and culture in comics/graphic novels.

Presenters: Courtney Bliss (Bowling Green State University) & Gabrielle Lyle (Texas A&M University)

Moderators: Jillian Browning (University of Alabama-Birmingham) & Erin Gordon (Art Institute of Chicago)

Title: CPAC Board Meeting 

Description: Organization meeting of the executive board

Time: Sun 05:30 pm

Location: Vinings Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

The Comics and Popular Arts Conference (CPAC) is an annual academic conference for the studies of comics and the popular arts, including science/speculative fiction and fantasy literature, film, and other media, comic books, manga, graphic novels, anime, gaming, etc. CPAC presentations are peer reviewed, based in scholarly research.

CPAC Coordinating Board:

• Kari Neely (Middle Tennessee State University) – Coordinator and Program Chair
• Johnathan Flowers (California State University, Northridge) – Co-coordinator
• Matthew J. Brown (University of Texas at Dallas) – Founder, Program Co-Chair
• Richard Scott Nokes (Troy University), Program Co-Chair
• Daniel Amrhein (Independent Scholar)
• Jillian Marie Browning (University of Alabama, Birmingham)
• Erin Gordon (Art Institute of Chicago)
• Vickie Navarra (Georgia State University)
• Damien Williams (Virginia Tech)

Keep an eye on our website and social media for our Call for Papers for CPAC 2023!

CPAC takes place at DragonCon each year thanks to the generosity of the DragonCon track heads and other organizers. CPAC is not affiliated with the DragonCon organization. CPAC is an all-volunteer group aimed at bringing peer-reviewed academic content to DragonCon. It is supported by the Center for Values in Medicine, Science, and Technology at the University of Texas at Dallas. We hope you enjoy our programming! Please ask us how to get involved.

The Comics and Popular Arts Conference (CPAC) invites submissions for our 15th Annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, September 1-5, 2022.

CPAC is an annual academic conference for the studies of comics and the popular arts, including science/speculative fiction and fantasy literature, film, and other media, comic books, manga, graphic novels, anime, gaming, etc., presented to a mixed audience of scholars and fans. The mission of CPAC is to promote scholarship on popular culture and to encourage the engagement between scholars and fans in order to deepen our understanding of comics and other popular arts. CPAC presentations are peer reviewed, based in scholarly research.

Please submit a proposal that engages in substantial scholarly examinations of comic books/graphic novels, anime, manga, science/speculative fiction, fantasy, or other parts of popular culture.

A broad range of disciplinary and theoretical perspectives is being sought, including, but not limited to, proposals pertaining to literary and art criticism, philosophy, linguistics, history, communications, law, pedagogy, and natural and social sciences. Some examples of appropriate subjects include: discussions of the nature of the comics medium; the science of a particular franchise; how to utilize pop culture in the classroom; analyses of particular works or authors; cross-cultural and cross-medium comparisons; etc. 

CPAC talks are presented to a mixed audience of academics and fans, and take place in conjunction with DragonCon. Presentations should be prepared with a general audience in mind. Presenters must register for DragonCon if their paper is accepted in order to present. Presenters from out of town should make lodging arrangements far in advance.

Individual and group submissions should both be tailored to fit in one of the following tracks:

While there may be great intellectual merit in cross-track proposals, or proposals that include materials covered by various tracks, administratively, it can be very difficult to place such proposals. We prefer that you select one topic per proposal, though if your proposal would fully fit either track, you may select two.

We are interested in proposals for any of the above tracks, not only Comics.

Submission instructions: please follow the submission instructions for the kind of presentation as listed below. Prospective participants may submit multiple proposals, but only one per track.

For individual papers and presentations: please submit up to 500 word abstracts (not including preliminary bibliography) to the link below. While the conference is attended by a diverse audience, your abstract should be targeted towards academic peer reviewers.

For group panels and presentations: in addition to the up to 500 word abstract, you should submit a 1-2 page document that further explains the rationale for a group session and explains the format and the planned contributions of all panelists. Group panels should not be individual papers loosely organized around a theme, but genuinely collaborative presentations with a strong reason to be considered as a group as opposed to individually. While the conference is attended by a diverse audience, your abstract should be targeted towards academic peer reviewers.

For informal sessions such as roundtables, workshops, and book sessions: please submit an abstract of up to 500 words to the link below, plus a 1-2 page document that outlines the objective of the workshop or roundtable, or a brief description of the format of the book session including title and subject matter of the book (author meets critic, book discussion, etc).

For all proposals, because this is an interdisciplinary conference, and because the reviewers come from a variety of scholarly and intellectual backgrounds, it can be to your benefit to include explicit language describing your critical approach or references the literatures your work is drawing on and responding to.

Please submit your proposal via the following link:

• https://easychair.org/my/conference?conf=cpac2022 

Submissions Deadline:
To receive the fullest consideration, proposals will be submitted by March 7, 2022. 

This submission process is open to everyone, but we are especially interested in receiving submissions from members of those groups traditionally underrepresented in academia, such as women, LGTBQIA+ academics, and academics of color.

Send any questions to: organizers@comicspopularartsconference.org