Kate Evans next guest speaker for London’s Laydeez Do Comics next week

By John Freeman on May 3, 2017

Threads by Kate Evans - Sample Page. © Kate Evans

The opening page of Threads by Kate Evans, a powerful graphic story from the creator of the recently-published Red Rosa

Graphic novelist, cartoonist and activist Kate Evans and Gemma Seltzer, Relationship Manager at Arts Council England, are the speakers at the next Laydeez Do Comics event in London next week.

Kate’s book Red Rosa, the graphic biography of Rosa Luxemburg, released by Verso in the UK and New York in 2015, was selected as a ‘graphic book of the year’ choice by both the Independent and Observer newspapers, it has been so successful that it sold out here in the UK on the day of its official launch.

She also created Bump: how to make grow and birth a baby, described as a truly groundbreaking ‘choose your own adventure’ approach to fertility, pregnancy and birth, as well as British breastfeeding bestseller The Food of Love.

You might also know her for Threads, a piece of cartoon reportage you can read on her official site, from what Kate describes as a very brief stint volunteering at the Calais ‘refugee camp’, but which she hopes help raise awareness of a truly devastating humanitarian catastrophe.

Launched in July 2009 by Nicola Streeten and Sarah Lightman, Laydeez do comics is the first UK graphic novel forum led by women. Its focus is on comics work based on life narrative and the drama of the everyday.

Streeten and Lightman shared an interest in comics and graphic novels that were not about superheroes but were focused on the domestic and autobiographical. They felt that they couldn’t be alone and they were right.

LDC now has a worldwide presence with meetings held in San Francisco, New York, Toronto, as well as closer to home in Bristol and Leeds.

Artists, academics, publishers and fans from around the world are invited to speak at LDC and their evenings are a platform for people to test new works and ideas, where emerging artists present their work alongside more established practitioners, in an inspiring and friendly atmosphere.

LDC London meetings are currently run by Wallis Eates and Rachael Ball. Everyone is welcome, including those with no knowledge of comics and those already immersed. Home-baked cakes are served too!

• Laydeez Do Comics 7.00 – 9.00pm, Monday 8th May, House of Illustration 2 Granary Square, King’s Cross, London N1C 4BH. Places are free but need to be booked using Eventbrite

• Laydeez do comics: http://laydeezdocomics.com

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.