The Department of English Language and Literature is one of several University of South Carolina sponsors for the 18th annual International Comic Arts Forum (ICAF) to be held at the Inn at USC Wyndham Garden on April 14-16, 2016
The Department of English Language and Literature is one of several University of South Carolina sponsors for the 18th annual International Comic Arts Forum (ICAF) to be held at the Inn at USC Wyndham Garden on April 14-16, 2016.
ICAF is a conference whose focus is the scholarly study of comics in all its forms, from newspaper strips to graphic novels to electronic media.
A number of comics scholars will present on their work at ICAF, including Mark Minett, Assistant Professor of English and Film and Media Studies, who will present "Origins/Stories: A Historical Poetics of the Origin in the 'Golden Age' of the Superhero Comic" at the conference on Thursday afternoon. Qiana Whitted, Associate Professor of English and African American Studies, is an ICAF executive committee member and serves as site liaison and host for the conference.
In addition to talks by comics scholars, ICAF will feature presentations from a number of comics creators: CeCe Bell, Howard Cruse, Dominique Goblet, Sanford Greene, Keith Knight, and Roy Thomas.
These presentations call attention to the wide variety and power of comics subjects and genres, from well-known superhero adventures (such as those created by Roy Thomas, a former Marvel editor-in-chief) to political satire or social commentary on race and police brutality (such as the work of Keith Knight, who has produced editorial comics with subjects including the Emanuel AME murders and recent presidential bids).
In addition, the opening night's events include a poetry reading from Gary Jackson (College of Charleston), whose work explores the social implications of superhero morality and ethos.