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
May 20, 2026
UBC Comics Studies Cluster Director Hosts Honorary Degree Recipient Diana Schutz
Dr. Elizabeth “Biz” Nijdam was invited to serve as program host for Diana Schutz, who received an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of British Columbia at the Spring 2026 Congregation ceremony on May 20, 2026. A Canadian-born writer, editor, teacher, and mentor, Schutz is one of the most influential figures in North American […]Comics Studies, News
May 06, 2026
How Comics Make Climate Change Legible with Artist Yumeng Chen
At the sold-out Climate Talks: Connecting Food, Health, and Biodiversity in a Changing Climate symposium at the UBC Botanical Garden last October, artist Yumeng Chen–the selected artist from a call in our comics-to-research program–transformed conversations about insect decline, food systems, and environmental change into a compelling comics narrative. Drawing on her background in Food Science, organic […]Comics Studies, News
Apr 18, 2026
UBC Comics Studies Cluster Launches “Seabird Island Stories” with Stó:lō Shxweli
On Thursday, April 16th, the UBC Comics Studies Cluster Project Team joined artists and the Stó:lō Editorial Committee in Harrison Hot Springs and on Seabird Island to launch its newest Indigenous Comics Initiative, “Seabird Island Stories”. Sq’éwqel (Seabird Island) is home to stories that carry the spirit, history, and lived experiences of the Stó:lō […]Comics Studies, Indigenous Comics Initiatives, News
Apr 15, 2026
Call for Indigenous Cartoonists: Re-Storying Franz Boas through Indigenous Visual Narratives
UBC Comics Studies Cluster | Indigenous Comics Initiatives About the Project The UBC Comics Studies Cluster invites applications from six Indigenous comics artists to participate in a new collaborative project that critically and creatively recontextualizes the legacy of Franz Boas through Indigenous-led visual storytelling. Franz Boas profoundly shaped North American anthropology through his work on the Northwest Coast amongst Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw Nations and Coast […]Announcements, Call for Artists, Comics Studies, Indigenous Comics Initiatives, News