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Two Weeks To Go: The Countdown to Wonderlands Continues

By John Freeman on May 13, 2015

With just over two weeks to go, expectations for Wonderlands, the UK’s first ever graphic novel expo are high. With a long list of guests that includes Posy Simmonds, Dave Gibbons, Hunt Emerson, Paul Gravett, Steve Bell and Dylan Horrocks, a full day of talks and panels on different aspects of the graphic novel form and an alternative schedule of workshops and master classes, this promises to be a unique event and Jeremy Briggs detailed the planned schedule here two weeks ago.

Wonderlands will take place on Saturday 30th May 2015 at the University of Sunderland’s Chester Road campus as part of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the first publication of Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland in 1865 – an edition so rare that only 23 copies are known to survive today.

The publisher’s hall, hosting a range of exhibitors and publishers from biggies to small press, the showing of the documentary The Graphic Novel Man, the giant graphic novel ‘She Lives” being presented throughout the day by creator Woodrow Phoenix and a “how to” forum on self-publishing are all icing on the cake.

Mary and Bryan Talbot. Image courtesy Bryan Talbot

Being a one-day event means that attendees don’t have to stop overnight and, to top it off, the whole event is free, even the panels and workshops, though booking in advance for the workshops, through the website, is advisable, as places are limited.

Schedule organizer, writer/artist Bryan Talbot, who is also one of the founders of the Lakes International Comics Art Festival, said “For any lovers of the comics medium, or for artists in search of a publisher, this will be an unmissable event.”

• For more information visit: www.wonderlands.org.uk

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.