Visual storytelling that punches above its weight

Storytelling through medium of comics explored in new initiative

A new cross-city initiative aims to put Cardiff on the map as a centre for the study and creation of comics, by bringing together practitioners, scholars and fans in the area for events, discussions and possible joint research projects.

The Cardiff Comics Storytelling Network is a collaboration between scholars at Cardiff University (School of English, Communication and Philosophy and the School of Modern Languages), and the University of South Wales .

Co-founder, Language and Communication expert Dr Lisa El Refaie explains:

“Comics and graphic novels are able to tell stories of great depth and sophistication, using both words and images. This is increasingly being recognised not only by visual artists and illustrators but by academics, too. Cardiff University has much expertise in this field, especially in the School of English, Communication and Philosophy and the School of Modern Languages, which hosts the unique Santander collection of comics written in Spanish or about the Hispanic world.”

The network launch event featured Welsh graphic novelist Carol Swain speaking about her latest publication Gast. Set in a remote rural Walsh community, the book explores blurred boundaries in relation to identity, place and language.

The Cardiff Comics Storytelling Network launched on 21 October at Chapter Arts Centre.

Dr Lisa El Refaie (Reader in English Language and Communication) is author of Autobiographical Comics: Life Writing in Pictures and Visual Metaphor and Embodiment in Graphic Illness Narratives .