The book offers a thorough cultural history of the British girls' comic Misty, highlighting its bold visuals and complex narratives that continue to resonate with fans. Julia Round explores the comic's inception and evolution, providing detailed discussions of its stories while addressing the lack of critical attention it has received. This work aims to preserve the significance of Misty in the landscape of comics, shedding light on its unique contributions to the genre.
Providing an overview of the dynamic field of comics and graphic novels for students and researchers, this Essential Guide contextualises the major research trends, debates and ideas that have emerged in Comics Studies over the past decades. Interdisciplinary and international in its scope, the critical approaches on offer spread across a wide range of strands, from the formal and the ideological to the historical, literary and cultural. Its concise chapters provide accessible introductions to comics methodologies, comics histories and cultures across the world, high-profile creators and titles, insights from audience and fan studies, and important themes and genres, such as autobiography and superheroes. It also surveys the alternative and small press alongside general reference works and textbooks on comics. Each chapter is complemented by list of key reference works.