Featival 2019 guests Laurence Campbell, Kate Charlesworth, Staz Johnson, Vojtěch Mašek, John McCrea, Declan Shalvey and Simon Spurrier
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival 2019 has announced further guests for its weekend-long event in Kendal in October, including a number of creators well known for their work on the top British SF weekly comic 2000AD and major US publishers such as Boom! Studios, Image, Marvel and DC.
Announced are British comic creators Laurence Campbell, Kate Charlesworth, Staz Johnson, John McCrea, Declan Shalvey and Simon Spurrier, who join a guest list that already features Comics Laureate Hannah Berry, Becky Cloonan, Garth Ennis, Duncan Fegredo, Junko Mizuno and Rob Williams.
Czech screenwriter and artist Vojtěch Mašek
Award-winning Czech comics creator and film maker Vojtěch Mašek has also been announced as a second Artist in Residence in Kendal later this year. His presence is just part of the Festival’s growing Comics Cultural Exchange and outreach programme to develop the comics form, this project a partnership with The Embassy of the Czech Republic and the Frame Festival which will also see artist Jacob Phillips heading to the Czech Republic in November.
Vojtěch is the award-winning author and illustrator of a dozen graphic novels, including Elephants in Marienbad, Look for Doc, Woman in Everything, Pandemonium, Sisters Dietl, The Dragon Never Sleeps, and more.
Most of these were awarded the Muriel Prize of the Czech comic festival KomiksFEST! for best story or best graphic novel, including, last year, the graphic novel Svatá Barbora (Saint Barbara), a graphic novel about a highly publicised child-abuse case, created with writer Marek Šindelka and illustrator Marek Pokorný.
Art from Svatá Barbora (Saint Barbara), a graphic novel about a highly publicised child-abuse case created by writer Marek Šindelka, screen writer Vojtěch Mašek and illustrator Marek Pokorný.
A contributor to the Words without Borders project, he has also written many screenplays, including the feature film Tomík (1999) and the short Fricassé (2003), which was selected as Quinzaine des réalisateurs in the International Film Festival in Cannes.
His residency comes hot on the heels of the announcement of a Comics Cultural Exchange that has enabled comic artist Mikiko to travel to Canada this April. It’s a project developed in partnership with Quebec BD, funded by the British Council, the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
The Exchange also brings Montreal-based Julie Rocheleau to Britain later this year.
“We’ve got a diverse range of both British and international guests – both writers and artists – at this year’s Festival,” notes Festival Director Julie Tait. “In fact, I think the number of international guests is possibly our widest yet, with creators from Australia, Belgium, Italy, Mexico and elsewhere yet to be announced!”
• The Lakes International Comic Art Festival returns to Kendal at various venues across the town 11th – 13th October 2019
• Early Bird Passes are on Sale Now until 31st March 2019 at www.comicartfestival.com/buy-tickets
- Web: www.comicartfestival.com| Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Podcast
MEET THE GUESTS
B.P.R.D.
Laurence Campbell
For the past six years, Laurence Campbell has been working on BPRD, a spin off from the Hellboy comic. Previously, he has worked at Marvel on titles such as Deadpool Pulp, Marvel Universe Vs Wolverine, Punisher Max, Wolverine, Moon Knight and Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. He has also drawn “Judge Dredd” for 2000AD.
Kate Charlesworth
Kate Charlesworth is a cartoonist and illustrator living and working in Edinburgh, though originally from Barnsley, South Yorkshire. After art college in Manchester she began work as a freelance illustrator in London where, along with fellow cartoonist David Shenton, accidentally documented L&G (as it was then known) life in the ‘golden age’ of Gay publishing.
Her work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, books, indie comics, exhibitions and electronic media. She’s drawn storyboards for Hot Animation and Aardman Animations; in 2014, Sally Heathcote: Suffragette was published by Cape, which she worked on in joint collaboration with LICAF patrons Mary and Bryan Talbot – 2012 Costa biography winners for their graphic novel Dotter of Her Father’s Eyes.
In 2018 Kate was artist in residence at Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton, as part of the National Trust’s Women and Power – A Room of One’s Own programme. She is currently drawing a graphic memoir which also charts the arc of LGBT history (emphasis on the ‘L’) in the UK from 1950 to the present – working title, A Girl’s Guide to Sensible Footwear , scheduled for publication by Myriad Editions, 2019. Kate has received funding from Creative Scotland to write and draw the book.
Staz Johnson
Working as a professional comic artist for more than 30 years Staz Johnson has worked for most of the main comic publishes in the UK and United States, initially working on licensed titles at Marvel UK and Fleetway in the late 1980s.
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, he worked mostly for the ‘Big Two’ American publishers, DC Comics & Marvel Comics. During this period his credits included stints on characters like Spiderman, Batman, Catwoman, Robin, Wolverine, Avengers X-Men and Deadpool.
In recent years he has worked on multiple “Judge Dredd” stories for 2000AD, Vikings for Titan Comics, Kings Road for Dark Horse Comics and Bloodshot for Valiant Comics.
One of four interconnecting covers for the new Death’s Head mini series by John McCrea
John McCrea
John McCrea has been drawing comics for 30 years. His most famous work is Hitman for DC, but his many other credits include, recently, Uncanny X-Men for Marvel, in addition to work on Wolverine, Deadpool, Spider-Man and the Hulk; Batman, Catwoman, Wonder Woman and Superman for DC; Mythic for Image Comics; and “Judge Dredd” for 2000AD.
Dead Man Logan #3 cover by Declan Shalvey
Declan Shalvey
Declan Shalvey is an artist/writer from Ireland. Over his career he has illustrated hit titles such as Moon Knight, Deadpool, All Star Batman and Return Of Wolverine. More recently he has been the writer of projects such as Deadpool vs Old Man Logan, James Bond: M and his original graphic novel Savage Town.
A prolific cover artist, Declan continues to illustrate the critically acclaimed graphic novel series Injection with writer Warren Ellis for Image Comics.
Simon Spurrier
Simon Spurrier is a writer of actual words. His comic book credits stretch from 2000AD and “Judge Dredd” to X-Men Legacy, The Sandman and Star Wars. His creator owned books include Cry Havoc, Angelic and Eisner Nominee The Spire.
He’s published several prose novels, the latest being Contract and A Serpent Uncoiled. His absurdist-noir novella Unusual Concentrations was shortlisted for the Shirley Jackson award and is available online.
He is currently working on new television and comic book projects.
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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.
Categories: British Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events
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