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An evening with Comics Laureate Hannah Berry: gripping stories for our time…

By John Freeman on November 4, 2019

Hannah Berry. Photo Claire McNamee

Comics Laureate Hannah Berry will be in Lancaster next week, as a guest of Lancaster University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences talk series – a free event taking place at the Cavendish Colloquium on campus, that should prove an evening to remember on Monday 11th November.

Discussing her comics and graphic novel journeys with Lancaster University FASS staff and graphic novels and comics hub ReOPeN Directors Dr Natasa Lackovic (Educational Research) and Dr Andy Tate (English and Creative Writing), the talk includes gems related to Hannah’s books, which include Adamtine (2012), a mystery noir thriller, and Livestock (2017), a futuristic socio-political satire.

Also discussed will be women in illustration and art, Hannah’s role as comics ambassador, the role of graphic novels and graphic art in education, public life and communication.

A talk that will be of interest to a wide audience and open to all, book a free ticket as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Art from Britten & Brülightly by Hannah Berry

Hannah Berry is an award-winning graphic novelist, comics creator, writer, illustrator, editorial gun-for-hire and UK Comics Laureate 2019-21. In 2018 she was inducted as a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and became the slightly grander ‘Hannah Berry FRSL’.

Her first graphic novel Britten & Brülightly, begun while studying illustration at the University of Brighton, was published by Jonathan Cape in 2008. It has subsequently been published in the United States, Italy, Holland, France and Serbia, with the French edition chosen for the official selection of the 2010 Angoulême International Comics Festival. Her second graphic novel, Adamtine, was published in 2012 and her third, Livestock, in 2017, both by Jonathan Cape and both to a pleasing amount of critical acclaim. (Livestock was nominated in the Best Graphic Novel and Best Writer categories at the 2017 Broken Frontier Awards, winning the Best Writer Award).

Other credits include a monthly cartoon strip for Prospect and contributions to several comics publications and projects internationally, including We Shall Fight Until We Win (404 Ink & BHP Comic, UK 2018), 2000AD , Hoax: Psychosis Blues (Ziggy’s Wish, UK 2014), and wrote the Sentinels reboot as part of the 2017 Scream & Misty special.

A regular guest of art, literature and comics festivals in the UK and around the world, her artwork has been exhibited in solo and collective exhibitions worldwide.

• An Evening with Comics Laureate Hannah Berry: gripping stories for our time… 6.00 – 7.30pm Monday 11th November 2019 the Cavendish Colloquium, Lancaster University. Tickets are free – available here on Eventbrite – but registration is essential

• The UK Comics Laureate, sponsored by Lancaster University, is a staple award of the Lakes International Comics Art Festival. Learn more about this award and LICAF here

• For more about Lancaster University’s graphic novels and comics hub ReOPeN, visit: wp.lancs.ac.uk/reopen

• Hannah Berry graphic novels on AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

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.