Bad Signals: Collected Essays on the Work of Warren Ellis
Papers are invited for the first academic collection dedicated to the work of comics writer, novelist, and pop culture commentator Warren Ellis. Ellis’ renowned comics career stretches back to anthology comic Deadline, but he has also published two novels. He has written comics for Marvel and DC, as well as a number of independent publishers. He has written for well-known comics such as X-Men, Iron Man, and Hellblazer, he transformed Stormwatch into the post-Watchmen epic The Authority, as well as creating idiosyncratic work such as Transmetropolitan, Planetary, FreakAngels,and Ministry of Space. His two prose novels, Crooked Little Vein and Gun Machine, leans toward noir and were both well received. He maintains an active online presence and is well known for his cultural commentary.
Despite much commercial and critical acclaim, there has been little scholarly work on Ellis. We are seeking proposals for an edited volume as part of the SF Storyworlds: Critical Studies in Science Fiction series at Gylphi (series editor: Dr. Paul March-Russell). We welcome papers on any topic related to Ellis’ writing which might include, but are not limited to:
Formal approaches to comics/graphic novels – case studies of specific texts – science fiction – dystopia/utopia – extropia – post/transhumanism – cyberpunk/post-cyberpunk – superheroes – the influence of pulp fiction – conspiracy theories – noir – accelerationism – steampunk – the ‘British Invasion’ – the city – media technologies – new media – postmodernism/post-
We welcome proposals from any discipline and theoretical perspective. Submissions are welcome from both research students and academics. Essays should be 6,000-8,000 words. Referencing should follow the Chicago style for author-date citation. Please send a title and 300 word abstract along with your name, affiliation and 100 word professional biography in a word document toellis.2014book@gmail.com by 13 December 2013.
Selected authors will be notified by 6 January 2014. Submission of final full essays will be by 21 March 2014. Queries welcome. Please note that invitation to submit a full essay does not guarantee inclusion in the volume.
Editors Hallvard Haug (Birkbeck, University of London) and Tony Venezia (Birkbeck, University of London).
