Drawing (on) the Classics
3-4 October 2023 (Online)
The ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome have long had a great influence certainly, but not solely, on Western culture.
While various aspects of Classical Reception are researched and examined in multiple areas, such as literature, theatre and art. We note that the reception of classics on the medium of comics and graphic novels is less studied.
Apart from the seminal works, Classics and Comics (Oxford, 2011) and Son of Classics and Comics (Oxford, 2015), there lacks in-depth discussion of this distinctive medium in reference to the Classical world.
Furthermore, the discussion of Eastern comics, manga and manhwa in particular, has also been marginalized.
In this conference we offer, for the first time, the opportunity to illuminate comics, as well as manga media, under the academic spotlight.
The purpose of this conference is to explore the difference between Western and Eastern representations of the Classics as well as hosting a more comprehensive engagement with the unique art form of comics in conveying classical ideas and themes from Greece and Rome. In addition, as this conference shall hopefully demonstrate, the influence of the Classical world has stretched beyond its geographical boundaries, contributing to the exchange of ideas and thoughts around the world.
Contributions might include, but are not limited to:
- The construction and representation of the classical hero or heroine in comics/manga
- Gender fluidity and gender roles in comics/manga in comparison with classical models and theories
- Historical narratives in visual form (for example, Julius Caesar’s Bellum Gallicum Latin comics)
- Engagement with Greek mythological themes in manga/anime
- Classical themes in Chinese/ Indian comics
- Sophisticated Greeks, Imperial Romans? Representations of Greeks vs. Romans
- Hail Caesar: the representation of the Roman Emperors
Papers should be no more than 30 minutes in length to allow room for discussion. The conference language will be English. Direct any questions to the organizers, Ayelet Peer (ayelet.peer@biu.ac.il) and Borja Antela Bernárdez (borja.antela@uab.cat).
Please send your proposals with abstracts (not more than 300 words) and a CV (up to one page) by May 1, 2023, to Ayelet Peer (ayelet.peer@biu.ac.il).