Comic-Con 2013

This panel examines the intersection of religion and comics in two ways: the presentation of religion in comics and comics' influence on religion and society. Toby Braden Johnson (University of California, Riverside) discusses depictions of Islam in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures, considering both the comics' creators and the analysis of the comics themselves and bringing to light comics' role as a source of social and religious commentary. Sean Sagan (University of California, Riverside) analyzes the True Komix religious tracts published by new religious movement Family International during the 1970s-1980s and asks how this group's sexualized theologies manifest in comic exegesis. Cori Knight (University of California, Riverside) considers acts of creation present in the webcomic Girl Genius. Set in a scientific world, the way the comic's characters create freely or undertake acts of self-creation merits investigation.