POTSDAM — Professor Dr. James J. Donahue, assistant chair of SUNY Potsdam’s Department of English and Communication, is set to release a new book, “Indigenous Comics and Graphic Novels: Studies in Genre.”
The title will be published by the University Press of Mississippi and is available for pre-order in hardcover or paperback now. An eBook edition is also available.
In recent years, studios like Marvel and DC have seen enormous success transforming comics into major motion pictures. At the same time, bookstores such as Barnes & Noble in the U.S. and Indigo in Canada have made more room for comic books and graphic novels on their shelves. Yet despite the sustained popular appeal and the heightened availability of these media, Indigenous artists continue to find their work given little attention by mainstream publishers, booksellers, production houses and academics. Nevertheless, Indigenous artists are increasingly turning to graphic narratives, with publishers like Native Realities LLC and Highwater Press carving out ever more space for Indigenous creators.
In “Indigenous Comics and Graphic Novels: Studies in Genre,” Donahue aims to interrogate and unravel the disparities of representation in the fields of comics studies and comics publishing. Donahue documents and analyzes the works of several Indigenous artists, including Theo Tso, Todd Houseman and Arigon Starr. Through topically arranged chapters, the faculty member explores a wide array of content produced by Indigenous creators, from superhero and science fiction comics to graphic novels and experimental narratives. While noting the importance of examining how Indigenous works are analyzed, Donahue emphasizes that the creation of artistic and critical spaces for Indigenous comics and graphic novels should be an essential concern for the comics studies field.
Donahue is a professor at SUNY Potsdam. He is primarily interested in the study of narrative form, particularly with how authors construct their…
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