The monster has been a staple figure in story telling since its conception. But the monster is no longer ust a creature of the night, an alien invader, a neighbour with a dark secret, or a being of cold corporate creation. The monster has become us.

In this panel, hosted by Blake Sampson; Zara Slattery, Zoe Thorogood and Rachael Smith discuss ideas around ‘monster portraiture’ the act of exploring the self and its deep facets by using monstrous figures to represent aspects of ourselves which we can bicker and fight with. But importantly, how graphic novels in particular are spearheading this evolution in one of the core pieces of storytelling, the monster and its effect.

Art Credit to E.M. Carroll