Comics Practice and Theory:
Roundtable and Exhibition
Comics Practice and Theory:
Roundtable and Exhibition
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Roundtable and Exhibition
Exploring the Future of Comics Research
Based at the University of Leeds, this project aims to bridge the gap between academic research and creative practice in the field of comics studies. We are exploring the emerging questions at the forefront of this discipline: What does it mean to conduct research as comics? How can we build equitable collaborations between university researchers and comics creators? And how can the language of comics be used to communicate complex ideas to a wider public?
The project is led by Dr Miriam Kent and Dr Eirini Boukla (both University of Leeds). This site documents our pilot event, Comics Practice and Theory, a public roundtable discussion and accompanying exhibition, which was made possible by the generous support of the Leeds Arts and Humanities Research Institute (LAHRI) and the School of Media and Communication.
Public Roundtable
Public Roundtable
On Wednesday 12 November 2025, in collaboration with the Thought Bubble Comic Arts Festival, we brought together an expert panel of comics creators to discuss the core themes of the project. The discussion explored the methodologies of practice-led research, the challenges and rewards of academic-creator partnerships, and the power of the comics form for public engagement.
About the Speakers:
Karrie Fransman is an acclaimed comic creator whose work has been published in the Guardian, the Times, the New Statesman, and by the Arts Council and the BBC. She is the author of two graphic novels with Penguin Random House: The House That Groaned and Death of the Artist. Karrie has developed an award-winning comic for the British Red Cross, and created an installation for the British Council and the Southbank Centre. She has presented her work worldwide for organisations including TEDx, the Guardian Masterclasses, the Hay Festival, and Oxford University.
Paul Fisher Davies is a leading scholar on the language and form of comics. He is the author of the monograph Comics as Communication: A Functional Approach and has published widely in key academic journals including Studies in Comics and the Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, with some of his academic work appearing in comics form. His research explores the unique communicative properties of graphic narrative. Alongside his scholarship, he has also written a collection of graphic short stories. He gained his PhD from the University of Sussex and currently teaches at East Sussex College.
Rik Worth is a comics writer and journalist from the north of England. He is the co-creator of the Eisner-nominated comic Hocus Pocus, which explores the history of science, the paranormal, and illusion. He is also the author of The Creators of Batman: Bob, Bill and the Dark Knight. As a journalist, his work has appeared in the Independent, Prospect, and the Fortean Times. His most recent work is the children's comic book Pets Tell Tales: Ancient Egypt with artist Jordan Collver. He currently works at the University of Leeds.
Live Illustration
Live Illustration
The roundtable conversation was captured through live illustration by Hannah Hunter-Kelm. See more at hannahhunterkelm.co.uk.
Exhibition
Exhibition
Artwork by Jordan Collver (left) and Nick Sousanis (right)
The roundtable was held in tandem with a public exhibition in the School of Design (10-16 November 2025). This curated display featured a range of materials from an international network of artists and scholars, including process sketches and finished artwork and published graphic novels. It featured work from contributors who previously participated in our successful Sadler Seminar Series, Expanding Narratives: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Comics, including Kate Evans, Harriet Earle, Neil Cohn, Nick Sousanis, Rik Worth, Jordan Collver, Kay Sohini and Jared Gardner.
The exhibition served as a focal point for the discussion, grounding the conversation in examples of practice and showcasing the intellectual and creative labour behind comics creation.
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