The programme of events for this year’s Thought Bubble Festival in Leeds is now live.
From 17th – 24th November, in association with Leeds International Film Festival, Allied London, and Arts Council England the largest celebration of comics and animation in the UK will take over Yorkshire – a celebration of sequential art in all its forms, including everything from superhero comics to independent and small-press artists and writers.
The festival programme for this year’s Thought Bubble comprises 90 events, spread across more than a week of festival fun, and will feature free art and writing based workshops for young people and adults, a two-day academic conference, talks and masterclasses led by industry professionals, and a programme of sequential art related film screenings, all building up to a special two-day convention on 23rd & 24th November.
The Thought Bubble convention includes an incredible line-up of industry leading artists and writers, as well as independent creators from around the world, all spread out over 400 tables housed in three halls, showcasing the best that comics has to offer. The weekend will also feature portfolio viewings and competitions, as well as a huge cosplay parade. This year’s convention will be the festival’s biggest ever following the opening of a new third hall – thanks to the generous involvement of Allied London – due to increased demand from exhibitors and our audience.
Tickets for the convention can be bought online at this page, with special discounts for cosplayers, and under 12s entering the venue for free with an accompanying ticket holding parent/guardian. Tickets will also be available on the door for the same prices, and with the same discounts available.
Doug Braithwaite, Mark Buckingham, Paul Cornell, INJ Culbard and Rufus Dayglo are but a handful of great British creators attending the event this year.
Special guests include Matt Fraction (Hawkeye, Fantastic Four), Geof Darrow (The Shaolin Cowboy), Kelly Sue Deconnick (Captain Marvel), Fabio Ba and Gabriel Moon (Daytripper), and Fiona Staples (Saga) – with many more big names attending a UK show for the first time ever.
For a full line-up, please visit this page.
Other festival highlights include:
• Thought Bubble 2013 includes an exciting programme of film screenings, run in conjunction with the 27th annual Leeds International Film Festival. This year’s festival includes a showing of the new digital print of Akira celebrating the seminal anime’s 25th anniversary, a double bill of The Dark Knight Returns animated feature and a making-of documentary about the comic’s conception, and a retrospective of works by the renowned Polish animator Walerian Borowczyk. Leeds International Film Festival runs from 6th – 21st November at venues across the city.
• The second British Comics Awards ceremony will take place on 23rd November as part of this year’s Thought Bubble Festival, celebrating the best of the year’s stories told by writers, artists and illustrators in the UK. The judging panel for this year’s event includes Gareth David (lyricist and singer in the band Los Campesinos!), Lenny Henry (actor, writer and comedian), Stephen L Holland (co-owner and manager of Page 45 comic shop), Jamillah Knowles (writer and broadcaster), Graham Linehan (comedy writer and director), Josie Long (comedian, writer and actress) and Sarah McIntyre (cartoonist and children’s book illustrator).
The shortlists for the awards, announced earlier this year, can be viewed online and showcase what a wealth of comics talent there is currently making their home in the British isles.
• It’s Dragons’ Den meets the 2000AD Nerve Centre as Tharg the Mighty’s minions slide top talent unearthed from the Thought Bubble Convention weekend’s portfolio sessions beneath the searing gaze of his top-name art-droids.
Want to be the next great artist to draw Judge Dredd? Then come along to this year’s Thought Bubble, and take the opportunity to have your art seen by one of the world’s best known publishers by entering the 2000 AD portfolio challenge!
This year we have the ultimate prize – the winner of the portfolio session will get the chance to illustrate a Future Shock in 2000 AD! Join the ranks of the biggest names in British comic books by getting a paid strip from Tharg the Mighty!
Full details can be found at on the Thought Bubble website, and last year’s winning entry from Will Morris can currently be seen in Prog 1836 of The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic.
• Thought Bubble Online: http://thoughtbubblefestival.com
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.
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