After over a year of hard work, independent comic creator Jon Lock, the creator of Afterlife Inc., has announced a very special free exhibition taking place next month at Jolt Studios, Gloucester, from 15th – 21st March 2025.
To celebrate the completion of the latest collection of his much-praised Afterlife Inc. series, Volume 7, fans are invited to a free exhibition showcasing artwork from the new book and an incredible team of comic creators.
Featuring work by comic artists Raffaele Ricciardi, JP Jordan, V.V. Glass and Will Tempest, along with an amazing selection of emerging talent, this exhibition presents a cross-section of some of the best UK comic creators working in the industry today.
This exhibition was made possible thanks to a National Lottery Project Grant from Arts Council England, one of the reasons Jon has been so busy this past year.
“In addition to the production of the new book, I’ve also been delivering free comic-making workshops for children and young adults in Gloucester,” Jon, a writer with over ten years’ experience of creating amazing worlds and stories, explains, “an area that often gets overlooked when it comes to weird bits of culture like this.
“It’s been a busy year but I’m immensely proud of everything we’ve achieved, and I hope you’ll join us in seeing the project off in style!”
You can book tickets for the exhibition in advance here on EventBrite.
Jon Lock is a Cheltenham-based writer who’s been making comics and games for over ten years. He’s perhaps best known as the writer and creator of Afterlife Inc. – one of the UK’s most acclaimed independent comics. On top of this, he’s also the writer of Tiny Hercules, a series of graphic novels from Macmillan Children’s Books, illustrated by his creative partner in crime Nich Angell.
Jon is also the creator of the Comic Writer’s Journal, a customisable journal designed to help comic writers of all skill levels bring their stories to life; and one fourth of Big Punch Studios, which he co-founded in 2015 along with his wife Lucy, and friends Nich and Ali. Together they created Sandwich Masters, the hit card game about strategy, sabotage and (you guessed it) sandwiches. As part of Big Punch Studios, Jon’s written and edited titles such as Cuckoos, Orb and 99 Swords, and hosted multiple podcasts.
In 2023, he received a National Lottery Project Grant from Arts Council England to produce an original 110-page graphic novel and deliver free comic-making workshops for 8-11s in deprived areas of Gloucester.
Outside of Big Punch Studios, Jon has written comics for 2000AD and video games for clients such as LEGO, Retroware and Nicalis. He’s also the writer on the Toxic Crusaders video game based on the long-running Toxic Avenger franchise from Troma Entertainment.
His current projects include the pilot script for an Afterlife Inc. TV series, currently in development with Neon Picturehouse, and a collaboration with Nich’s award-winning solo TTRPG, Colostle.
Afterlife Inc.
Launched in 2011, Afterlife Inc. Is the story of Jack Fortune, a con-artist who dies, discovers an afterlife in chaos, and decides to take over and run it like a business. The series has gone on to become one of the most acclaimed independent titles of the UK comics industry – and the series for which Jon Lock is best known.
The ongoing series is available to read online on subscription on Patreon, and earlier episodes of the much-praise series, over 800 pages and six volumes’ worth of content, has been re-released as two luxury hardbacks: the Book of Life and the Book of Death.
Incubated by Gloucester Culture Trust, a charity making things happen for the creative industry in Gloucester, Jolt is Gloucester’s creative accelerator. They provide easy space and the tools to build freelance carers, creative organisations and businesses.
• Afterlife Inc. Exhibition 15th – 21st March 2025, Jolt Studios, First Floor, Kings Square, Jolt Studios, 27 St Aldate Street, Gloucester GL1 1RP | Book tickets for the exhibition in advance here on EventBrite | Web: joltgloucester.com | Facebook | Instagram
• Jon Lock is online at jonlock.com | Patreon | Afterlife Inc. | Afterlife Inc. Podcast | Instagram | X | Big Punch Studios
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as 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.
Categories: British Comics, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events, Exhibitions
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