Home › Comics › British Comics › What Makes A Cult Comic? Rob Davis, Ilya and others ponder That Question Tonight

What Makes A Cult Comic? Rob Davis, Ilya and others ponder That Question Tonight

By John Freeman on November 7, 2014

Comica Festival 2014, the London International Comics Festival, continues its season of events and exhibitions across London with two special Comica Conversations at Foyles’ new bookstore of the future at 107 Charing Cross Road.

Tonight, Friday November 7th 7-8.30pm, Andy Oliver from Broken Frontier chairs a panel with four individualistic innovators who are making uncompromising comics their own way:

Rob Davis, co-editor of Nelson (Blank Slate), adaptor of Don Quixote (SelfMadeHero), and author of The Motherless Oven, his extraordinary solo graphic novel debut (SelfMadeHero);
Ilya, comics creator published in the UK, US, Europe and Japan, editor of the brand new Mammoth Book of Cult Comics, and author of Room For Love (SelfMadeHero);
Paul Rainey, self-publisher of Memory Man, Book of Lists and There’s No Time Like The Present, now compiled into an enhanced, deluxe hardback graphic novel (Escape Books), and contributor to Viz.
Carol Swain, writer-artist of Way Out Strips, Food Boy, Giraffes in My Hair (with Bruce Paley), and her latest Gast (all Fantagraphics), one of the most distinctive lyrical voices in British comics making her first ever festival appearance.

• For more details on tonight’s event and booking link click here

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.