Visualities of Gender in German-language Comics

The images and narratives of gender which comics always produce and challenge are diverse and substantial regarding cultural, historical, and political dimensions. Influential characters such as Superman, Jerry Siegels and Joe Shusters virile Man of Steel, and Wonder Woman or Catwoman, DC Comics hyper-sexualized depictions of femininity, immediately come to mind; but also examples for critiques on gendered bodies in German-language comics such as Ulli Lusts Heute ist der letzte Tag vom Rest deines Lebens or Anke Feuchtenbergers and Katrin de Vries Hure H. Across the board, comics reference and exhaust established registers of gender, body norms, and ideals of beauty. Yet, comics studies have never before structurally analyzed these visualities of gender in order to fully account for their performative power and productivity. Thus, the project at hand is designed as fundamental research examining the conditions, properties, and structures of visualities of gender, being the first systematic analysis of German- language comics to that scope. This fills a gap within the underrepresented field of German-language comics studies in general and within an Austrian scene in specific (shedding light on Austrian comics production as well as research). The theoretical framework consists of image theory, visual culture as well as gender studies; central questions are: In German-language comics, how is gender depicted? Which possibilities do these comics have to visualize and narrate bodies, desire, gender, and sexualities? Which theoretical, political or aesthetic traditions do they draw from or abolish? How do they (re)produce and stabilize binary gender norms? Which opportunities for subversion do they offer? Susanne Hochreiter, Marina Rauchenbacher, and Katharina Serles conduct the research over the course of four years and in three phases corresponding to three main objectives: First, German- language comics with explicit gender-references are compiled, indexed, annotated, and published as an open access database for a wide, international audience. Secondly, exemplary thematic cuts through relevant comics literature are made, providing in-depth, qualitative analyses both individually as well as comparatively and by means of discourse analysis, deconstruction, and intersectional readings. These cuts establish interdisciplinary subject-clusters, further differentiating and expanding the corpus. Finally, a meta- and self-referential approach reconnects the analytical findings to the respective theories, which it aims to update and advance. As such, the project can redefine the corresponding areas of comics studies as well as comics place and performative influence for theory.

"Visualities of Gender in German-language Comics" is a basic research project that examines the conditions, characteristics and structures of visualities of gender. It is the first systematic analysis of German-language comics on this scale. Representations of gender in comics are diverse and demonstrate the substantial importance of gender as a structural category. The project is dedicated to the numerous examples from the German-speaking world: from Feuchtenberger's/de Vries' constantly (de)forming bodies in "Hure H" (1996-2007), to U. Lust's critique of gender roles in "Heute ist der letzte Tag vom Rest deines Lebens" (2009), to R. Hofer's abstracting and alienated body forms in "Blad" (2018), for example. Comics work with established concepts of gender or work through them and identify bodies as carriers of cultural inscriptions. Comics research is now intensively examining this topic on the basis of individual representations; however, a structured collection and investigation of the 'visualities of gender', also in order to be able to precisely grasp their socio-cultural productivity, was lacking. The present project provides key groundwork in this regard by investigating the conditions, characteristics and structures of visualities of gender in German-language comics and, through its location at the University of Vienna and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, contributes to the development of Austrian comics research. The theoretical frame of reference includes literary and visual studies, visual culture studies and gender, queer and intersectionality/interdependence research investigating how comics narrate gender, corporeality, sexuality and desire. Which theoretical, political and aesthetic traditions do comics follow or deconstruct? How do they (re)produce and stabilize binary gender norms? Susanne Hochreiter, Marina Rauchenbacher, Katharina Serles and Naomi Lobnig addressed these questions in line with the three central aims of the project: German-language comics with an explicit reference to gender were collected and indexed. Firstly, the results were annotated and made available to a broad, international public as an open access database. Interdisciplinary topic clusters were developped and a glossary of important terms was compiled. Secondly, qualitative, theoretically guided individual analyses were used to evaluate the material on an exemplary basis. A meta- and self-referential level was introduced in order to offer an in-depth and updated theory of the comic medium and to critically reflect on previous comic research. Thirdly, theoretical and artistic contributions are brought together in a book publication in order to present innovative approaches to German-language comics research for discussion in terms of content and form. The approach of the volume corresponds to the close interweaving of academic and artistic work in comics studies and offers an innovative handbook concept that aims to attract interested readers beyond academia.