GENERAL INFORMATION

OVERVIEW:

One of few art forms pioneered in the United States, the comic book first gained widespread popularity with the publication of Action Comics #1 in 1938. The debut of Superman in that issue forever changed American iconography and popular culture, and arguably changed the way Americans think of themselves and their relationship to the rest of the world. Superman opened the floodgates of the imagination, and led a vanguard of costumed characters in a propaganda victory against the Axis powers in World War II; Captain America slugged Adolf Hitler on the cover of his comic book months before Pearl Harbor.

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the debut of Superman, the Center for Popular Culture Studies in the Department of Popular Culture at Bowling Green State University is hosting a conference, “The Comic Book in Popular Culture,” on October 24-25, 2008, and a K-16 educators’ workshop, ”The Comic Book in the Classroom,” on October 25, 2008. About twenty panel sessions composed of faculty, independent scholars and writers, and graduate students from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom will present research on a wide range of topics related to comic books (superheroic and non-superheroic) in particular and comic art in general. Scholarly presentations will focus on such topics as the hero, race and ethnicity, graphic novels, history, theology, and psychology, gender and sexuality, comic book audiences, criticisms of the superhero, politics and journalism, and more.

Limited seats are available for BGSU students to attend concurrent panel sessions in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union. They must check-in at the Conference Registration Table at 318 Bowen-Thompson Student Union before entering sessions.

Three plenary sessions will feature keynote addresses by cartoonist and theorist Scott McCloud, comic book artist and editor Jamal Y. Igle, and Professor Amy Kiste Nyberg. All plenary sessions are free and open to the public.

• Friday, October 24, 2008—6:30pm-7:30pm
  Plenary Session: Keynote Address, "Comics: A Medium in Transition”: Scott McCloud—206 Theater, Bowen-Thompson Student Union
• Saturday, October 25, 2008—11:00-12:30pm
  Plenary Session: Keynote Address, “Black in a Four Color World”: Jamal Y. Igle—204 Fine Arts Center, School of Art
• Saturday, October 25, 2008—5:00pm-6:00pm
  Plenary Session: Keynote Address, “The Death of the Comics Code”: Amy Kiste Nyberg—308 McMaster Meeting Room, Bowen-Thompson Student Union

LODGING AND ACCOMMODATIONS:

A block of rooms is reserved at these three hotels in Bowling Green: Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites, and Bowling Green Knight's Inn (formerly Bowling Green Day's Inn). Hotel guest rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Neither hotel room availability nor rate availability can be guaranteed after dates specified below. Hotel registration is only available by telephone. Mention the “Comic Book Conference” when placing your reservation. 

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS HOTEL AND SUITES

2150 East Wooster Street, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402

Telephone: +1-419-353-5500

Website: http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hotel/bwroh?rpb=hotel&crUrl=/h/d/6c/1/en/hotelsearchresults

Conference Group Rate: $85.00 + tax. Rate guaranteed through Friday, October 10, 2008. Note: You must call to make your reservations and to receive this special rate.

• Complimentary breakfast.
• High-speed Internet access.
• Check-In is 4:00pm. Check out is 12:00pm.

HAMPTON INN

142 Campbell Hill Road, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402

Telephone: +1-419-353-3464

Website: http://www.hamptoninn.com/en/hp/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=BGNOHHX

Conference Group Rate: $85.00 + tax. Rate guaranteed through Friday, October 10, 2008. Note: You must call to make your reservations and to receive this special rate.

• Complimentary “On the House” hot breakfast.
• Complimentary high-speed Internet access.
• Check-In is 3:00pm. Check out is 11:00am.

BOWLING GREEN KNIGHT'S INN (FORMERLY BOWLING GREEN DAY'S INN)

1550 East Wooster Street, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402

Telephone: +1-419-352-5211

Website: http://www.knightsinn.com/KnightsInn/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=04518&brandInfo=KG

Conference Group Rate: $59.95 + tax. Rate guaranteed through Thursday, October 16, 2008. Note: You must call to make your reservations and to receive this special rate.

• Complimentary continental breakfast.
• Free wireless high-speed Internet access.
• Free local calls.
• Check-In is 3:00pm. Check out is 11:00am.

BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY:

Bowling Green State University was established in 1910 to educate teachers. BGSU is the 14th largest producer of teachers in the country. BGSU is a residential campus in a park-like setting that enrolls more than 20,000 students, including 2,000 at BGSU Firelands in Huron, Ohio. Students come from 49 states and 75 countries. There are currently 918 full-time faculty (nearly 80 percent with the highest degree in their field). For more information about Bowling Green State University, go to: http://www.bgsu.edu/.

THE CITY OF BOWLING GREEN:

Bowling Green, Ohio, was founded in 1833 and became a city in 1901. It is the seat of Wood County and home of Bowling Green State University. Bowling Green, population 29,600, is within easy driving distance of major Midwest cities and the Toledo airport. For more information on the City of Bowling Green, including attractions, restaurants, and shopping, see: http://www.visitbgohio.org/.

TRANSPORTATION:

TRAVEL BY AIR

The Toledo Express Airport (TOL), http://www.toledoexpress.com/, is 25 minutes from Bowling Green, Ohio. The Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), http://www.metroairport.com/, is 90 minutes from Bowling Green, Ohio.

BG AIRPORT SHUTTLE SERVICE:

Transportation from Toledo airport to Bowling Green is $90 for 1-2 persons round-trip or $45/per person one-way through BG Airport Shuttle. Each additional person from/to Toledo Airport is $10. Transportation from Detroit airport to Bowling Green is $190 per person round-trip or $95/per person one-way through BG Airport Shuttle. Mention the “Comic Book Conference” when you contact Mr. Baer. He would appreciate receiving shuttle service requests as soon as you have made your flight arrangements.

BG Airport Shuttle
Contact: Tom Baer
Phone:  419-308-5952 
E-Mail: tomwbaer@yahoo.com

Airport Ground Transportation from Toledo Airport: http://www.toledoexpress.com/groundTransportation.html.

Airport Ground Transportation from Detroit Airport: http://www.metroairport.com/transportation/.

TRAVEL BY CAR:

Directions to Bowling Green, Ohio, and BGSU: http://www.bgsu.edu/map/page23944.html (from BGSU Visitors Information Center).

Directions to Bowling Green, Ohio, and BGSU: http://go2.bgsu.edu/choose/visit/directions/ (from BGSU Admissions Office website).

Directions to Bowen-Thompson Student Union: http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sa/union/page10314.html (from BGSU Student Union website).

CONFERENCE PARKING:

BGSU Shuttle Stops are within a short walking distance from all of the hotels. Please consult the Front Desk for details. BGSU Shuttle Service website: http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/safety/page25627.html.

Self-parking in the BGSU Visitor Information Center Parking Lot is free. From there, you can take a shuttle to the Bowen-Thompson Student Union. Also, you may obtain a visitors' parking permit at the Visitor Information Center (http://www.bgsu.edu/map/buildings/page14041.html) which will allow to you to park in the lots a few blocks down from the Popular Culture Building (Lot PX or Lot 15).

Metered parking is available at the Bowen-Thompson Student Union as well. Bowen-Thompson Student Union website: http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sa/union/page10432.html.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Conference Website: http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/popc/page13191.html.
Conference Coordinators:
Dr. Charles Coletta (ccolett@bgsu.edu) & Dr. Angela Nelson (anelson@bgsu.edu)
E-Mail: centerpopc@bgsu.edu; Phone: +1-419-372-0284; FAX: +1-419-372-2577

 
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