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Sneak Peek: More “Playing for a Draw” Football Comics Exhibition Imagery Revealed

By John Freeman on July 2, 2018

More imagery for the ‘Playing for a Draw’ exhibition, showcasing the history and creativity of football comics and illustration across the world has been revealed, ahead of its opening this week at the National Football Museum in Manchester.

As we previously reported, it’s been curated by top comic artist Steve McGarry in collaboration with the Lakes International Comic Art Festival and the National Football Museum and will go on tour later this year.

Steve is one of the world’s most prolific and widely-published football comic artists. Based in California but born in Manchester, Steve is the most syndicated British cartoonist, a story artist on major Hollywood movies and a two-term President of the National Cartoonists Society. Over his four-decade career he has regularly graced the pages of soccer magazines Match, Match of the Day, Shoot! and created such daily strips as ‘World Soccer Diary’ in The Sun.

Central image by Steve McGarry

‘Playing for a Draw’ highlights the diversity of football art from illustration, comics and caricatures through to memorabilia and collectables. The exhibition includes artwork from the 19th century, through early classics such as ‘Roy of the Rovers’ and on to the modern day artists shaping the future of football artwork. Internationally, there is artwork from Japan, the USA, Europe and Scandinavia.

In addition to historical artwork, ‘Playing for a Draw’ also includes new work specifically created for the exhibition by Steve McGarry, including giant illustrations of Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero and the women’s football star, Lieke Martens of Barcelona and Holland.

Roy of the Rovers © and TM Rebellion Publishing Ltd

Steve McGarry will be in Manchester to oversee the launch of the exhibition, as well as hosting a series of family events within the museum. He will be joined by his son, award-winning cartoonist and MAD magazine regular Luke McGarry, whose football clients include the LA Galaxy, and by Graham Dury and Simon Thorpe of VIZ magazine, creators of the iconic “Billy The Fish”.

• Playing for a Draw Thursday 5th July – Sunday 2nd September 2018 The National Football Museum, Urbis building, Manchester, M4 3BG. The exhibition is free to attend, along with the wider programme

• More about the National Football Museum online at www.nationalfootballmuseum.com

• From September the exhibition will go on tour as well as being part of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (12th – 14th October 2018) | Web: www.comicartfestival.com

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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.