Comic lovers, scholars, and creators alike will gather to explore the connections between law, comics, and justice at the Graphic Justice Discussions Conference on October 20, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. at St. Francis College.

Presented by the Graphic Justice Research Alliance and the Center for Crime and Popular Culture at SFC, this one-day interdisciplinary conference is designed to be accessible and relevant to scholars, creators, practitioners, policy-makers, writers and the general public.

"The purpose of our conference is to explore the cultural significance of comics at the intersection of law and justice," said Dr. Nickie Phillips, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at SFC. "We are providing a unique opportunity to bring together scholars, creators, students, and laypersons to discuss ways that comics inform our cultural imaginations around the broadly defined concept of 'justice.'"

Graphic Justice Discussions examines this topic through the lens of theory and practice across cultural, institutional, public and private domains in a mix of panel sessions intended to explore new trajectories and avenues of inquiry.

The multi-talented editor, journalist, and filmmaker Ann Nocenti will deliver the keynote speech at 1:30 p.m. in Founders Hall. Nocenti is no stranger to tackling criminal versus vigilante justice issues. In the 1980s, she was an editor at Marvel Comics in charge of X-Men and New Mutant. Her other comic works include Daredevil, Catwoman, and most recently The Seeds (Dark Horse Comics).

As a journalist, her work has appeared in Details, PRINT, Filmmaker, Stop Smiling and more. Her falcon tale, The Most Expensive Road Trip in the World, appears in Anthony Bourdain's Best Travel Writing 2008.

"Nocenti is the perfect choice for this conference because throughout her career, she adroitly taps into cultural currents pertaining to justice and the law," said Phillips. "Her legendary run on Daredevil in the 1980s is among the most exceptional deconstructions of superhero vigilante justice in the medium."

This one-day conference will end with a book launch and reception in the Callahan Center.

Graphic Justice Discussions: Law, Comics, Justice is free and open to the public. For more information, visit sfc.edu/popculture or contact Dr. Nickie Phillips at [email protected].