Intermedial Narratives: Conversations with Comics Authors

Comics are a form of material art embedded in wider cultural processes. They usually appear in print form, but they have also populated the virtual world using social media to channel creativity and reach wider audiences. Comics are part and parcel of contemporary museum exhibitions, TV series, films, music videos and, generally, consumer products within the circuit of culture. The endless possibilities of comics to narrate and their capacity to adapt and intersect with other media (photography, music, literature, theatre, poetry, illustration, games) make them an apt example of contemporary cultural production as cross-medial. Currently, comics are experiencing a great creative moment, with new aesthetic trends that broaden their horizon and strengthen their intermedial character. In both Spain and Latin America, new generations of authors are creating comics breathing new life into them and a desire to experiment. In this series of online seminars titled Intermedial Narratives: Conversations with Comics Authors, Jorge Catalá and Gerardo Vilches explore the multifaceted landscape of contemporary comics through conversations with comics artists, in which we will delve into their creative processes, their themes, and their references.

Jorge Catalá is Reader in Hispanic Studies at Newcastle University. He researches on cultural studies, popular culture and cultural history in periods of societal crisis, with a focus on Spanish and Latin American comics. 

Gerardo Vilches holds a PhD in Contemporary History at Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia and has completed a doctoral thesis on the politics of the Spanish Transition in the satirical press. He teaches at Universidad Europea (Madrid).