Julia Round

Dr Julia Round

  • Associate Professor of English and Comics Studies
  • Weymouth House W322, Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, BH12 5BB
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Biography

Julia Round (MA, PhD) is an award-winning writer and scholar. She is one of the founders and editors of the academic journal Studies in Comics (Intellect Books) and of the book series Encapsulations: Critical Comics Studies (University of Nebraska Press). She is Associate Professor of English and Comics Studies in the Faculty of Media and Communication at Bournemouth University, UK, and the Head of BU's Narrative, Culture and Community Research Centre. Julia also co-organises the annual International Graphic Novel and Comics Conference (www.IGNCC.com). She shares her work at her website www.juliaround.com.

Julia's research examines Gothic, comics, and children's literature, and she has published widely in these areas and spoken at lots of international conferences. Her books include the monographs Gothic for Girls: Misty and British Comics (University Press of Mississippi, 2019), Gothic in Comics and Graphic Novels: A Critical Approach (McFarland, 2014), the co-authored Readers' Guide to Essential Criticism: Comics and Graphic Novels (Bloomsbury, 2022), the co-edited collection Real Lives, Celebrity Stories (Bloomsbury, 2014), and the co-edited Companion to Literary Media (Routledge, 2023)...

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Favourites

Journal Articles

Books

Chapters

  • Round, J., 2023. ‘There’s no room for demons when you’re self-possessed’: Supernatural Possession in British Girls’ Comics. The Edinburgh History of Children's Periodicals. Edinburgh University Press.
  • Round, J., 2023. Mary Shelley and British Girls' Comics. In: Clare, D., ed. Conception. Methuen.
  • Round, J., 2023. Misty and British Comics: Introduction. In: Hicks, O., ed. Misty: 45 Years of Fear. Rebellion.
  • Frost, S., 2023. Readers, Markets and a Packet of Literary Media, please – efferent readers and their ordering of a new economics. In: Ensslin, A., Round, J. and Thomas, B., eds. Routledge Companion to Literary Media. Routledge.
  • Round, J., 2023. Picturing Girlhood. Sugar, Spice, and the Not So Nice Comics Picturing Girlhood. Leuven University Press.
  • Westling, C.E.I., 2023. IMMERSIVE THEATRE AND LIVE CINEMA: An aesthetic of the in-between. The Routledge Companion to Literary Media. 490-501.
  • Henesy, M., 2023. Contemporary Women's Writing and the Media Ecologies of Neoliberal Britain. In: Ensslin, A., Round, J. and Thomas, B., eds. The Routledge Companion to Literary Media. Routledge.
  • Ensslin, A., Round, J. and Thomas, B., 2023. INTRODUCTION: What is Literary Media? 1-14.
  • Murphy, J., 2023. THE EVOLUTION OF LITERARY JOURNALISM IN THE DIGITAL AGE. The Routledge Companion to Literary Media. 125-136.
  • Round, J., Platz Cortsen, R. and Ahmed, M., 2022. Historical approaches. Comics and Graphic Novels. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
  • Round, J., 2022. Misty, Mash-Ups and the Marginalized in British Girls' Comics. In: Neill, N., ed. Gothic Mash-Ups. Lexington.
  • Round, J., 2021. The Black Widow: Context and Girlhood. Misty Presents: The Art of Jaume Rumeu. Rebellion Publishing.
  • Round, J., 2020. From comic to graphic and from book to novel: Sandman’s invisible authors and the quest for literariness. In: Lanzendorfer, T. and Norrick-Ruhl, C., eds. The Novel as Network: Forms, Ideas, Commodities,. Palgrave.
  • Round, J., 2020. Horror Hosts in British Girls’ Comics. In: Bloom, C., ed. The Palgrave Handbook of Contemporary Gothic. Palgrave.
  • Round, J., 2019. Gothic and Comics: From The Haunt of Fear to a Haunted Medium. In: Punter, D., ed. EDINBURGH COMPANION TO GOTHIC AND THE ARTS.. Edinburgh University Press, 418-433.
  • Round, J., 2019. Gothic and Comics: From The Haunt of Fear to a Haunted Medium. In: Punter, D., ed. Edinburgh Companion to Gothic and the Arts. Edinburgh University Press, 418-433.
  • Round, J., 2019. Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's Locke & Key (2008-2013). Horror: A Companion. 53-59.
  • Round, J., 2019. Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's Locke & Key (2008-2013) - Horror Comics. In: Bacon, S., ed. Horror: A Companion. Peter Lang, 53-60.
  • Round, J., 2018. Grant Morrison, Dave McKean, and Gaspar Saladino's Arkham Asylum (1989). The Gothic. 161-168.
  • Round, J., 2018. Grant Morrison, Dave McKean, and Gaspar Saladino’s arkham asylum (1989). The Gothic: A Reader. 161-168.
  • Round, J. and Murray, C., 2017. The Conferences. In: Duncan, R. and Smith, M., eds. The Secret Origins of Comics Studies. Routledge, 246-261.
  • Round, J., 2017. Gothique et bande dessinée, des fantômes entre les cases [Gothic and Comics: Ghosts in the Gutter]. In: Ahmed, M., Delneste, S. and Tilleuil, J., eds. Le Statut Culturel de la Bande Dessinée: Ambiguïtés et Évolutions [The Cultural Standing of Comics: Ambiguities and Changes]. Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium: Academia-L'Harmattan, 75-96.
  • Round, J. and Murray, C., 2017. INTRODUCTION. 3-5.
  • Lilleker, D., 2014. Autobiography and Political Marketing: Narrative and the Obama Brand. Real Lives, Celebrity Stories. Bloomsbury.
  • Round, J., 2014. The transformations of Harvey Pekar's American Splendor: "Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff". Real Lives, Celebrity Stories: Narratives of Ordinary and Extraordinary People Across Media. 95-109.
  • Round, J., 2013. We share our mothers’ health: temporality and the gothic in comic-book landscapes. Comic Book Geographies. x.
  • Round, J., 2013. Anglo-American Graphic Narrative. In: Stein, D. and Thon, J., eds. From Comic Strips to Graphic Novels: Contributions to the Theory and History of Graphic Narrative. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter, 325-346.
  • Round, J., 2013. The Zombie Walk. In: McDougall, J. and Bennett, P., eds. Mythologies Today. Routledge.
  • Round, J., 2012. Fantastic alterities and The Sandman. In: Jakaitis, J. and Wurtz, J.F., eds. Crossing Boundaries in Graphic Narrative: Essays on Forms, Series and Genres. McFarland, 71-92.
  • Round, J., 2012. Gothic and the graphic novel. In: Punter, D., ed. A New Companion to the Gothic. Oxford, England: Wiley-Blackwell, 335-349.
  • Round, J., 2012. Medium, spirits and embodiment in voice of the fire. In: Green, M.J.A., ed. Alan Moore and the Gothic Tradition. Manchester University Press.
  • Round, J., 2012. The horror of humanity. The Walking Dead and Philosophy. Chicago: Open Court, 155-166.
  • Round, J., 2011. Naturalising the Fantastic: Comics archetypes in heroes. In: Simmons, D., ed. Investigating Heroes: Essays on Truth, Justice and Quality TV. Jefferson, CA, USA: McFarland, 51-65.
  • Round, J., 2011. Out of House and Holmes. In: Steiff, J., ed. Sherlock Holmes and Philosophy: The Footprints of a Gigantic Mind. Chicago, IL. USA: Open Court, 135-146.
  • Round, J., 2011. Zombies, absence and existentialism: 'We are the walking dead!'. In: Yuen, W., ed. The Walking Dead and Philosophy. Chicago, IL. USA: Open Court.
  • Round, J., 2010. ‘“Be vewy vewy quiet. We’re hunting Wippers.” A Barthesian analysis of the construction of fact and fiction in Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell’s From Hell. In: Goggin, J. and Hassler-Forest, D., eds. The Rise and Reason of Comics and Graphic Literature: Critical Essays on the Form. Jefferson, NC., USA: McFarland.
  • Round, J., 2010. ‘“Be vewy vewy quiet. We’re hunting Wippers.” A Barthesian analysis of the construction of fact and fiction in Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell’s From Hell. In: Goggin, J. and Hassler-Forest, D., eds. The Rise and Reason of Comics and Graphic Literature: Critical Essays on the Form. Jefferson, NC., USA: McFarland, 188-201.
  • Round, J., 2010. Millar, Mark (1969-). Encyclopedia of Comic Books and Graphic Novels. 417-418.
  • Round, J., 2010. Miller, Frank (1957-). Encyclopedia of Comic Books and Graphic Novels. 418-419.
  • Round, J., 2010. From hell. Encyclopedia of Comic Books and Graphic Novels. 229-232.
  • Round, J., 2010. Transforming Shakespeare: Neil Gaiman and The Sandman. In: Frus, P., ed. Beyond Adaptation: Essays on Radical Transformations of Original Works. Jefferson NC,USA: McFarland, 95-110.
  • Round, J., 2010. “The Apocalypse of Adolescence”: Use of the Bildungsroman and Superheroic Tropes in Mark Millar & Peter Gross’s Chosen. In: Lewis, A.D. and Hoff Kraemer, C., eds. Graven Images. Continuum.
  • Round, J., 2010. Haunted spaces: chronological illusion, From Hell and the gothic graphic novel. In: Punter, D., ed. A New Companion to the Gothic. Blackwells.
  • Round, J., 2010. 'Can I call you Mommy?' Myths of the feminine and superheroic in Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean 19s Black Orchid. Debating the difference: gender represntation and self regulation.. Dundee, Scotland.: Duncan of Jordanstone College, University of Dundee.
  • Round, J., 2010. “The Apocalypse of Adolescence”: Use of the Bildungsroman and Superheroic Tropes in Mark Millar & Peter Gross’s Chosen. In: Lewis, A.D. and Hoff Kraemer, C., eds. Graven images: religion in comic books and graphic novels. New York: Continuum, 188-202.
  • Round, J., 2010. Chapter One: “Is this a book?” DC Vertigo and the redefinition of comics in the 1990s. In: Williams, P. and Lyons, J., eds. Contemporary American Comics: Creators and their Contexts. University of Mississippi Press, 14-30.
  • Round, J., 2010. Can I call you Mommy? Myths of the feminine and superheroic in Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean's Black Orchid. Debating the difference: gender representation and self regulation. Dundee, Scotland.: Duncan of Jordanstone College, University of Dundee.
  • Round, J., 2009. Mutilation and Monsters: Transcending the Human in Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon’s Preacher. In: Coelsch-Foisner, S. and Morales, M.F., eds. The Human Body in Contemporary Literatures in English. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 109-128.
  • Round, J., 2009. Impersonating Hollywood: The Conflicting Identity Discourses of 'Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories'. In: Wisniewski, K.A., ed. The Comedy of Dave Chappelle: Critical Essays. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland, 86-101.
  • Round, J., 2009. Chapter One: “Is this a book?” DC Vertigo and the redefinition of comics in the 1990s. In: Williams, P. and Lyons, J., eds. Contemporary American Comics: Creators and their Contexts. University of Mississippi Press.
  • Round, J., 2008. Subverting Shakespeare? The Sandman #19. In: MacPherson, P., Murray, C., Spark, G. and Corstophine, K., eds. Sub/Versions: Cultural Status, Genre and Critique. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 18-33.

Conferences

  • Round, J., 2024. Supernatural Possession in British Girls’ Comics (Keynote address). In: Comics Picturing Girlhood 22-23 April 2021 Universite de Louvain, Belgium.
  • Round, J., 2023. Creativity and Community in Letters Pages of British Girls' Comics. In: International Graphic Novel and Comics Conference 10-14 July 2023 Cambridge.
  • Round, J., 2022. Gothic and Comics (Keynote address). In: 50+ Shades of Gothic: The Gothic Across Genre and Media in US Popular Culture, PopMec annual conference 1 March-30 April 2021 Online.
  • Round, J., 2020. From Misty Memories to Digital Databases (Keynote address). In: EdD Creative and Media Conference 4-5 June 2020 Bournemouth University.
  • Round, J., 2019. Gothic, Girls, and Comics (Keynote address). In: Gothic Realities 24-25 October 2019 Stirling University.
  • Round, J., 2018. ‘Anonymous Authors, Invisible Illustrators, and Collaborative Creation: Misty and British Girls’ Comics.’ (Keynote address). In: Creating Comics, Creative Comics 1-2 June 2018 University of South Wales.
  • Round, J., 2018. Zombie Rebirth (Keynote address). In: School of Humanities Annual Postgraduate Conference 12-13 May 2016 University of Dundee, Scotland.
  • Round, J., 2017. Canon or Common? Sandman, aesthetics and literariness (Keynote address). In: ComFor 1-3 December 2017 Bonn, Germany.
  • Thomas, B., 2017. Moderating Readers and Reading Online. In: Internet Rules! Association of Internet Researchers Conference 5-8 October 2016 Berlin, Germany.
  • Round, J., 2017. Spaces of Horror in Locke and Key. In: Comics Forum 21-22 September 2017 Leeds.
  • Round, J. and Murray, C., 2017. The conferences. , 246-261.
  • Round, J., 2017. Graphic Gothic: Reading the Comics Page. In: Graphic Reading 19 May 2017 University of Birmingham.
  • Round, J., 2017. Mixing Visual Media in Sandman. In: ‘Mixing Visual Media in Comics' symposium 14-16 October 2016 St Johns University, Newfoundland, Canada.
  • Round, J., 2016. Make Misty for Me: Letters Pages in Girls Comics. In: Femorabilia 22 October 2016 John Moores University, Liverpool, UK. To form part of future book.
  • Round, J., 2016. Sandman, Aesthetics and Canonisation. In: Novel-Seeming-Goods 23-24 September 2016 Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany. Proposed edited collection in 2017.
  • Round, J. and Thomas, B., 2016. Moderating readers and readers online. In: Digital Reading Network 19 June 2014 EBC, Bournemouth University. Published in Language and Literature, 25 (3).
  • Round, J., 2016. Letters Pages in Comics. In: Comic Arts Conference 21-24 July 2016 San Diego, California. Part of future book.
  • Round, J., 2016. Misty and Gothic for Girls. In: International Conference of Graphic Novels and Comics 2016 - Graphic Gothic 11-13 July 2016 Manchester Metropolitan University. To be published in Studies in Comics 2017, 8 (2).
  • Round, J., 2016. Embedded Meta/Fictions in DC Comics. In: Popular Culture Association Conference 22-25 March 2016 Seattle, USA. Already published as part of my book Gothic in Comics and Graphic Novels.
  • Round, J., 2015. Cain and Abel and DC Comics. In: Illuminations 4 December 2015 Birkbeck, London.
  • Round, J., 2015. Revenant Landscapes in The Walking Dead. In: Popular Culture Association 30 March-3 April 2015 New Orleans, USA. International Journal of Comic Art.
  • Round, J., 2015. Misty and Gothic for Girls in British Comics. In: Comics Forum 12-13 November 2015 Leeds Public Library.
  • Round, J., 2015. Adaptation and The Walking Dead. In: Sixth International Graphic Novel and Comics Conference / Ninth International Bande Dessinée Society Conference 22-27 June 2015 ULIP, Paris.
  • Round, J. and Pope, J., 2014. Children’s Responses to Heroism in Roald Dahl’s Matilda. In: Devils and Dolls 14-15 March 2013 Bristol University. Children's Literature in Education: an international quarterly, 46 (3) Springer Verlag (Germany).
  • Round, J., 2014. Gothic in British Comics. In: Comic Arts Conference 24-27 July 2014 San Diego, USA.
  • Round, J., 2014. Misty: Echoes of EC Horror. In: Fifth International Graphic Novel and Comics Conference 18-20 July 2014 British Library, London.
  • Round, J., 2013. Comics Forum. In: Comics Forum 21-24 November 2013 Leeds.
  • Round, J., 2013. Gothic and Comics: Excess, Embodiment and Artifice. In: International Comics and Graphic Novel and International Bande Dessinée Society Joint Conference 24-28 June 2013 Glasgow University. Part of my book Gothic in Graphic Novels and Comics.
  • Round, J., 2013. Gothic, Comics and Ghosts in the Gutter. In: The Cultural Standing of Comics 2-3 May 2013 Universite Catholique de Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Some material published as part of my book Gothic in Comics and Graphic Novels. Complete article translated into French and published 2017..
  • Round, J., 2013. Adapting Real Life in Harvey Pekar's American Splendor. In: thomas, B., ed. Adventures in Textuality 3-4 April 2013 Unversity of Sunderland. Published in edited collection Real Lives, Celebrity Stories.
  • Round, J. and Murray, C., 2012. In The Batcave Beneath The Ivory Towers - Keynote Talk. In: Transitions 3 November 2012 Birkbeck, London.
  • Round, J. and Thomas, B., 2012. Researching Readers Online. In: Digital Humanities Congress 6-8 September 2012 Sheffield. Research formed part of article for Language and Literature journal in 2016.
  • Round, J., 2010. ‘The Grandest Guignol!’ Reconstructing Alice Cooper in The Last Temptation (Neil Gaiman/Michael Zulli). In: International Graphic Novel and Comic Conference. Comics: cultures & genres 13-14 April 2010 Manchester Metropolitan University, England.
  • Round, J., 2010. Haunted spaces: chronological illusion, From Hell and the gothic graphic novel. In: Comic-Con International: Comic Arts Conference 22-25 July 2010 San Diego, CA, USA.
  • Round, J., 2009. Redefining time in Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean’s Signal to Noise. In: Timeframes - The 3rd Dundee Comics Conference 28 June 2009 Dundee University, Scotland.
  • Round, J., 2009. It’s all relative: breaking barriers and binaries in Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon’s Preacher. In: International Conference on Narrative 2009 4-6 June 2009 University of Birmingham, England.
  • Round, J., 2008. Mobility of voice and view in comics: propositions for a new taxonomy. In: Paraliterary Narratives: Reassessing the 'Graphic Novel' 6-7 June 2008 The School of Arts, Northampton University, England.
  • Round, J. and Hipple, D., 2008. Naturalising the fantastic: comics archetypes and Heroes. In: ‘Reality, Reliability and Access’: Journeys Across Media 2008 11 April 2008 Reading University, England.
  • Hipple, D. and Round, J., 2008. Naturalising the fantastic: science fiction and the uncanny realism of Heroes. In: ‘Reality, Reliability and Access’: Journeys Across Media 2008 11 April 2008 Reading University, England.
  • Round, J., 2008. Contrariwise! Breaking rules in Alice in Sunderland. In: The Rules of the Game: Structures, Signs and Play in Word and Image. The Annual Scottish Word & Image Group Conference 5-6 September 2008 Dundee University, Scotland.
  • Round, J., 2007. Apocatastasis: redefining tropes of the apocalypse in Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean’s Signal to Noise. In: Millennial Fictions 6-7 July 2007 Brunel University, London.
  • Round, J., 2007. ‘Can I call you “Mommy”?’ Myths of the female and superheroic in Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean’s Black Orchid. In: Debating the Difference: Gender, Representation and Self-Representation: The Annual Scottish Word & Image Group Conference 5-6 September 2007 Dundee University, Scotland.

Reports

Grants

  • Digital Reading Network (Arts and Humanities Research Council, 01 Jul 2013). Completed
  • Researching Readers Online (Arts and Humanities Research Council, 01 Feb 2012). Completed

Public Engagement & Outreach Activities

  • Publication of short comics story 'Borrowed Time' in SECTOR 13 fanzine (01 Jan 2020)
  • Comics Jam: Preserving British Comics (02 Nov 2019)
  • Publication of feature article 'Horror Hosts in British Comics' in mainstream comics journalism magazine (01 Jan 2019)
  • Publication of feature article in mainstream comics journalism magazine (01 Oct 2018)
  • Publication of short comics story 'The Haunting of Julia Round' in comics anthoogy RETRO (25 Jun 2018)
  • The Horrible Hidden History of British Comics (16 Jun 2018)
  • Women in Comics Day at Dundee Literary Festival (18 Oct 2017)
  • Interview for feature on 'A Mist Opportunity' on British Comics in 2000AD (01 Jan 2017)
  • Publication of short comics story 'Doll Parts' in the anthology WILMA (01 Oct 2016)
  • Comics 101: A Public Talk (30 Aug 2014)

Qualifications

  • PGCE in Research Supervision (Bournemouth University, 2012)
  • PGCE in Education (Bournemouth University, 2010)
  • PhD in From Comic Book to Graphic Novel: Writing, Reading (Bristol University, 2006)
  • MA in Teaching and Practice of Creative Writing (Cardiff University, 2001)
  • BA (Hons) in English Literature (Cardiff University, 1998)

Honours

  • Best Book on Comics (Broken Frontier http://www.brokenfrontier.com/broken-frontier-awards-2019-announcing-winners/, 2019)
  • You're Brilliant Award (Students' Union Bournemouth University, 2017)
  • M. Thomas Inge Award for Comics Scholarship (Popular Culture Association, 2015)
  • You're Brilliant Award (Students' Union Bournemouth University, 2012)
  • Vice Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (Bournemouth University, 2010)

Memberships

  • Comics Studies Society, Member (2017-),
  • MeCCSA, Member (2010-),
  • International Society for the Study of Narrative, Member,

External Media and Press

Broadcast Interview

  • BBC News Worldwide, Marvel Comics, Unknown, , 05 Oct 2015