Autistic people in the UK are invited to take part in a new project looking at the powerful connection between autism and comics.
The results will lead to new guidance to make the comics industry a better, more inclusive place for neurodivergent comic fans and artists. The project begins with an open, online survey aimed at autistic comics fans and anyone involved in cultural activity concerning comics.
Christ’s Fellow, Professor Jenny Gibson and Dr Joe Sutliff Sanders from the Faculty of Education lead the project.
We caught up with them for a Q&A to find out more.
What is a comic?
Comics fans love to debate this definition, but as an easy shortcut, comics are one or more panels in a row, and they tend to use a combination of words and images to communicate an idea. There are countless examples of things that could be called comics, from editorial cartoons to The Beano, single issues of 2000 AD to stories that take an entire book to tell, like Fun Home.
Some masters of the form, like Posy Simmonds, work at different lengths, with different styles, and in different genres. If you’ve heard terms like comic strip, comic book, or graphic novel, those are all comics!
Who reads comics? Are they mainstream?
More people than you might think! Research from the University of Manchester suggests that least 30% of UK adults read comics. We think this proportion is much higher in neurodivergent communities.
Why are comics important to neurodivergent people?
Many neurodivergent people have told us that comics are special to them. Comics can spark a particular kind of passion in their fans and, for many, are an important outlet for self-expression.
Many autistic folk enjoy the richly detailed imaginative worlds created by comics and find meaning and community through sharing this with others. For those who may struggle with verbal communication the 'visual language' of comics is clear and engaging.
What barriers do neurodivergent people face accessing the comics community?
Many aspects of our society are not set up with neurodiversity and inclusion in mind. Talented autistic cartoonists have told us of struggles to navigate the comics publishing industry and finding appropriate professional mentoring and guidance. Fan spaces such as comics conventions or festivals can also be difficult to navigate for those with sensory difficulties.
What will the project explore?
Too often the question of how to support autistic folk is addressed from a deficit perspective, as if the problem is that they lack neurotypical skills. This project will flip that perspective. By learning more about how autistic fans connect with comics, we will begin to understand what we can do differently to make the most of their knowledge, talents and enthusiasm.
What impact do you hope the project will have?
We want to make comics a more inclusive place for autistic people. Our output will be a set of best practices that we will turn into a comic book that is published online, helping eager folks around the world who want to improve the experiences of autistic people in our community.
Read more about the project on the Faculty of Education website.
The project seeks the views of autistic adults who enjoy comics and from anyone involved in cultural activity concerning comics (e.g. librarians, comics festival organisers). Take part in the survey
The project is funded by an AHRC Impact Acceleration Award and is a collaboration between the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, the Association of Illustrators, the Comics Cultural Impact Collective, Dekko Comics, Lakes International Comic Art Festival and autistic artists Bex Ollerton and Eliza Fricker.