SelfMadeHero issues #DrawYourBookshop Challenge

By John Freeman on November 13, 2020

SelfMadeHero #DrawYourBookshop Challenge

Graphic-novel publisher SelfMadeHero has announced #DrawYourBookshop challenge to all artists and book lovers – a new social media campaign via Twitter, to take place next week, on Wednesday 18th November 2020.

#DrawYourBookshop is a callout for all artists to support our bookshops during lockdown with a quick sketch, drawing, or masterpiece of their local favourite store.

With theatres dark, concert venues closed, cinemas silenced, and galleries shut during lockdown, it is time to re-brand our bookshops as an essential service, and recognise the existential crisis they are facing. Now more than ever before, in the delayed run-up to Christmas, bookshops need to be seen and celebrated on social media, through all possible means – and the most possible means is through the unique combination of word, image, and print that is comics art.

At the same time, #DrawYourBookshop also gives the chance for artists to make their work known to the people who might one day publish it, for a reader who doesn’t yet know they love it, and who will one day find it in one of the bookshops we must now do everything we can to save.

So if you’re a first-time doodler-cartoonist or a dedicated artist – whether it’s a quaint second-hand bookshop or part of a coffee-fragrant chain you want to celebrate – Draw Your Bookshop – and help save the greatest ever human invention: The Book!

*Daunt Books, Hampstead #DrawYourBookshop art by Charlotte Corday and Dan Dare artist Keith Page*

An early contender in the challenge is Dan Dare comic artist Keith Page. Sadly, he tells us there are no bookshops near him, most locals being more interested in extending their million-pound houses and buying Bentleys than reading books. But he knows Daunt Books in Hampstead well.

#DrawYourBookshop Pages of Hackney by Adiós Lodge — *Pages of Hackney by Adiós Lodge*

“I went out to draw @DavesComics yesterday and it's sad to see the street empty of people for the whole time,” says Brighton-based Simon Russell. “I miss going in to that shop(s) a whole bunch.” — “I went out to draw @DavesComics yesterday and it’s sad to see the street empty of people for the whole time,” says Brighton-based Simon Russell. “I miss going in to that shop(s) a whole bunch.”

“This is great idea,” enthuses author Leah Moore. “I also saw a post from someone selling t-shirts and mugs with a load of the best Liverpool pubs on, where the proceeds go to that pub. There’s no reason why someone couldn’t put the bookshops on shirts too to raise some extra funds for them!”

Publisher SelfMadeHero is on a simple mission: to publish ground-breaking and beautiful work by authors and artists from across the globe, from the quirky and humorous to the political and profound. They’re determined to bring readers graphic novels and visual narratives that provoke, entertain, inspire and inform.

• SelfMadeHero is online at selfmadehero.com | Make sure you tag @selfmadehero in your #DrawYourBookshop posts

• Check out our Comic Shop Map here (updates always welcome)

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.