Graphic Girlhood

In recent years, the scope of girlhood studies has included the investigation of a wide range of cultural artifacts and media that shape, reflect, and challenge society's prescriptive notions of girlhood. These artifacts include podcasts, girlfestos, fan fiction and, as this special issue highlights, comics. As Nicoletta Mandolini, Lisa Maya Quaianni Manuzzato, and Eva Van de Wiele, the guest editors of this special issue demonstrate, comics have emerged as a particularly rich and multifaceted medium in which to explore the complexities of girl culture, identity formation, and representation. In this special issue of Girlhood Studies Mel Gibson from the United Kingdom focuses on New Zealand, Lan Dong from the United States considers the work of a first-generation Filipino Egyptian American, Italian Simona di Martino looks at an Italian franchise while American Brianna Anderson focuses on Vietnamese graphic novels and Katlin Sweeney Romero from the United States considers the work of a Latina born in America. Then Charlotte Fabricius from Denmark looks at Danish publishing while Italian Nicoletta Mandolini interviews a Portuguese author. Also from Portugal, Ana Matilde Sousa focuses on girls in general in her visual essay while Eva Van de Wiele from Belgium considers the work of a German comics author.