Virginia Quarterly Review

A literary journal with a storied history, the Virginia Quarterly Review ventured into comics for a 21-issue run beginning in the 2010s, published by the University of Virginia. Under the editorial guidance of Ted Genoways and later Weston Cutter, the series brought together a diverse roster of cartoonists—including Lilli Carré, John Porcellino, and Chris Ware—to blend graphic narrative with the journal's tradition of thoughtful, long-form nonfiction and fiction. These comics offered a distinctive, visually-driven space for reportage and personal essay, expanding the boundaries of what a university quarterly could be. The series matters as a key moment in the legitimization of comics within the literary and academic worlds, showcasing the form's capacity for sophisticated, substantive storytelling.