Laura Antola
PhD
lahean@utu.fi +358 29 450 3096 +358 50 562 6877 Arcanuminkuja 1 Turku Office: E302 ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7838-9030 |
Comics studies; Popular culture; Superheroes; Adaptation studies
I am a research coordinator and university teacher at media studies, and I recently defended my dissertation on superhero comics. My research is focused on the Finnish adaptations of Marvel’s superhero comics, and I am especially interested in the strategies used to make the American superheroes more accessible to the Finnish readers. In my dissertation I analyzed the changes that have been made in the stories, how the adapted stories were chosen, and what could be the role of a dedicated readership in this process. I combine comics studies, popular culture studies, adaptation studies and fan studies in my research. For several years I coordinated a network for comics scholars and artists in the Nordic and Baltic area, which included organising conferences and symposia in different Nordic countries. My current teaching includes courses for first-year students in Media Studies, Musicology and Art History, as well as teaching and supervising the Bachelor seminar.
In addition to comics, my interests include a broad spectrum of popular culture topics. Especially questions related to adaptations, transmediality and franchise productions interest me.
My teaching experience includes courses in media analysis and comics studies. I also teach and supervise the Bachelor's seminar in Media Studies.
- The Translation and Adaptation of American Superhero Comics (2025) The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Young Audiences Antola, Laura
(A3 Refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book) - Creating transnational superheroes: The adaptation of American superhero comics in Finland in the late twentieth century (2024) Antola Laura
(G5 Article dissertation ) - Holy transmedia! - the many faces of Batman in 1960s Finland (2024)
- Continuum
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - MAI: FEMINISM & VISUAL CULTURE: Feminist Discourse in Comics & Graphic Novels (2023)
- Mai: feminism & visual culture
(C2 Editorial work for a scientific compilation book) - Transnational Adaptation of a Marvel comic book event: the case of X-Men: ‘fatal attractions’ in Finland (2021)
- Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Adaptaatiot ”korkean” ja ”matalan” kulttuurin sillanrakentajina. (2020)
- Lähikuva
(B1 Non-refereed article in a scientific journal) - Hämähäkkimiehen seikkailut ”totuuden jälkeisessä” ajassa. Supersankarielokuvan genrepiirteet diskurssia rakentamassa. (2020)
- Lähikuva
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - ‘It is nice that you want to improve this comic book together with us.’ The letters page’s significance in the transnational adaptation of Marvel comics in Finland (2020)
- Participations
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Strategies of Adaptation in the Finnish Publications of Marvel's Superhero Comics (2019)
- Journal of Popular Culture
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Book review: Superhero Comics (2018)
- Fafnir
(B1 Non-refereed article in a scientific journal)