Comic book creator Becky Cloonan at the November 2008 Big Apple Convention in Manhattan. Photo: NightScream

The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has announced that the critically-acclaimed comic creator Becky Cloonan has joined the event’s line-up of guests.

By Chance or Providence, collecting Becky’s trilogy of mini comics in one hardcover graphic novel was released in February 2014 and is available via The Warehouse.

Born in Pisa, Italy, Becky Cloonan began her career self-publishing mini-comics in 1999. Since then she has gone on to work with publishers like DC, Vertigo, Dark Horse, Harper Collins and Marvel, winning an Eisner Award in 2013 for her comic The Mire, the second book in a trilogy of self-published short stories. Most recently she illustrated The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys with writers Shaun Simon and Gerard Way, as well as contributing art to series like Young Avengers, Batman Black and White, and American Vampire.

By Chance or Providence , which collects Becky’s critically acclaimed trilogy Wolves, The Mire and Demeter in one gorgeous, limited edition publication was released in February and is available from Lounak Distribution. These stories cast a hypnotic melancholy, weaving their way through a medieval landscape of ancient curses and terrible truths that will haunt you long after you’ve set them down. Think of it not as a comic, but as a magic tome waiting to cast its spell on you!

Becky Cloonan is the latest addition to the guest list that includes a huge range of British and overseas creators including The Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard, artist Mark Buckingham, Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons, Flemish cartoonist Peter van Heirseele, 2000AD artist Jock, self-taught Japanese artist Junko Mizuno, digital comics frontiersman Scott McCloud, leading US comics writer Gail Simone, the creator of the multi-award winning Bone Jeff Smith, Dutch underground comics artist Joost Swarte and Emma Vieceli will also join other comic creators for Kendal’s second comics extravaganza in the Lake District in October.

More overseas guest are set to be announced in the near future, as well as further top comic creators whose work spans not just comics but design and storyboards for film and television.

The Lakes International Comic Art Festival (17th – 19th October 2014) is a new kind of comic art event in the UK. Modelled on a European-style festival it aims to take over the market town of Kendal, on the edge of the Lake District, with comic art presenting the widest range of genres. Events include a 24 Hour Comic Marathon, children’s comic workshops, talks, signings, Great War in Comics art exhibition (including art from Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun’s Battle epic “Charley’s War”) and a Comics Fair.

• Tickets for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival go on sale from 25th April 2014. Sign up for the Festival’s newsletter here for the latest news! Web: www.comicartfestival.com

• More information on her career and current work can be found at http://estrigious.com/becky

• If you are a retailer and interested in wholesale options for By Chance or Providence,  check out Lounak Distribution

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.

Categories: Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, Events, Featured News

Tags: Becky Cloonan, Lakes International Comic Art Festival