This symposium continued the productive association between the University of Technology, Sydney and Supanova of co-staging comics related research events. In this case topics were not confined to the study of comics in general nor Australian alternative comics in particular. Rather, the papers reflected  a more wide-ranging list of subjects that included connections between comics and fashion, film, animation, literature, calligraphy and computer games. There was also a presentation on the design of comics for young readers with vision impairment. This range of topics reflected the a broad scope of the university’s teaching and research areas. This had resonance with Supanova’s own broadening interests that had spread from an initial focus on comics (it was originally known as ComicFest) to a wider pop culture spread.

Page from the SUPANOVA program listing the event.

In this symposium researchers focused on the use of the design elements image and space and the manipulation of these in the creation of fantasy worlds in various media forms. Co-curated by Dr. Vicki Karaminas and I, the symposium was staged at the UTS city campus in the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building on 14th October 2005 and opened by the Dean of the faculty.

This is the twelth in a series of posts called Archives of Australian Comics History that document moments in the recent history of Australian comics, particularly alternative comics and the Australian Small Press, however, as stated above, this post has a broader orientation. I began researching this subject in the late 1990s and it eventually led to my PhD thesis and doctorate: Ph.D. Macquarie University, Division of Society, Culture, Media and Philosophy,  A Study Of Contemporary Australian Alternative Comics 1992-2000 With Particular Reference To The Work Of Naylor, Smith, Danko And Ord, 2003. On completion of the research I donated the materials and comics I had collected to the National Library of Australia: Michael Hill Collection of Australian Comics.

(All text, photos and artwork-©2014 Dr. Michael Hill a.k.a. Doctor Comics).