24 April 2007

BIFF! BAM!! CRIKEY!!! Comics go to College!

Dr Chris Murray is available for interview. His favourite comic characters are Spider-Man, Judge Dredd and Pa Broon.

Dundee, one of the world’s great homes of comics culture, is to host a major international conference looking at the role that comics have increasingly occupied in popular culture.

`Biff! Bam!! Crikey!!! - Comics as Design & Entertainment’ is being held at the University of Dundee on Friday May 25th and Saturday May 26th as part of the Scotland-wide Six Cities Design Festival.

The conference will celebrate the history of comics in Dundee - home to the D.C. Thomson comic empire - but will also explore wider themes, including the intersection of British and American comics, topical and controversial comics, comics as literature and/or art, defining comics, and comics and other media, notably computer games.

"Comics are an important and vital part of popular culture, shaping the early reading experiences of many children, as well as commanding an increasing number of adult readers," said conference organiser Dr Chris Murray, of the English Programme at the University of Dundee.

"They can offer slapstick fun or serious literary themes and have spread into every imaginable genre with huge influence. Comics therefore have the potential to be both popular entertainment and provocative design, and they continue to have a profound influence on various other media and art-forms, including film, animation, computer games, and television."

"With the effect they have on our culture and the standard of work that is being produced in the comic industry - both in design and in writing - they fully deserve very serious consideration. The best comics stand as excellent literature and brilliant design."

The conference represents an opportunity for Dundee to celebrate its long history at the forefront of comics production in Britain. The comics of city-based publisher DC Thomson are known all over the world, and 2007 marks the 70th anniversary of The Dandy, widely recognised as the world’s longest running comic.

The Dundee programme for Six Cities will also include the publication of a comic published by DC Thomson highlighting design and innovation in Dundee. This comic was commissioned by Donna Howell-Lovell of Six Cities, written by Chris Murray, with artwork by Lyall Bruce, Stuart Fallon and Victoria Bruce, all young artists and designers based in Dundee.

Leading comics historians Paul Gravett and Roger Sabin will present talks on the origins and importance of comics in Britain, while other sessions will explore the contribution of DC Thomson, the work of contemporary British comics writers and artists, and the interactions between comics and other media (film, computer games, etc). Other presentations will tackle political issues in comics, as well as the role of comics as design and entertainment. These lively and entertaining talks, spread over two days, are open to all, young and old, and entry is free.

To accompany the conference there will be an exhibition of comic artwork and a reading by Alan Bissett from his novel The Incredible Adam Spark. Forbidden Planet will also be setting up a comic stall at the University for the duration of the conference. www.six-cities.com

Information including the programme, booking form etc can be found at the conference web page.

Dr Murray can be contacted through the University of Dundee Press Office - tel 01382 384910, e-mail: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk