Comics Talks is the Pop Culture Cluster’s public lecture series on comics and comics studies. The series brings together scholars, cartoonists, educators, and community partners to explore comics as a form of cultural expression, critical inquiry, and social engagement. Through talks, panels, and conversations, Comics Talks highlights comics as both a creative medium and a site of research, public dialogue, and knowledge mobilization.
Comics Talks Events
Sep 14, 2026
Homalco Heroes: Tribal Journey graphic novel project takes to the water
This summer, Xwémalhkwu (Homalco) Heroes: Tribal Journey moved from the drawing board to the water (and back again!). The second Indigenous Comics Initiative project with the Xwémalhkwu (Homalco) First Nation is taking shape through a very different kind of research process: participation. Over the summer, lead comics artist Valen Onstine and co-artist Waylon Asp, joined […]Comics Studies, Indigenous Comics Initiatives, News
UBC Comics Studies Cluster Documentary Selected for Miccosukee Indigenous Film Festival
A documentary film produced through the UBC Comics Studies Cluster’s Turtle Island Research Cluster has been selected for the inaugural Miccosukee Indigenous Film Festival, taking place October 9–12, 2026, in Miami, Florida. Kokum Dorothy’s Story: We Can Still Sing and Dance, directed by Andy Rutter, documents the development of a graphic novel created by Cree […]Comics Studies, News, Turtle Island Cluster
What Does Safe Care Look Like? The Trauma-Informed Care Comics Take Shape
Earlier this year, the UBC Comics Studies Cluster introduced the three local comics artists selected to bring youth perspectives on trauma-informed care to life: Kristina Luu, James Lloyd, and Ivana Filipovich. Now, the project has moved from research and consultation into the next stage of visual storytelling. Each artist has selected two of the six […]Comics Studies, News
Sep 11, 2026
Teaching Science Through Story: Comics Bring Microbiology Concepts to Life
A conversation with Karen Smith and Kabir Bhalla about using comics to support learning in MICB 211. As part of its commitment to highlighting the many ways comics are being used in research and teaching, the UBC Comics Studies Cluster is pleased to share this project from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. The project […]Comics Studies, News