Reading ‘Whoopee!’, 1977 © Acme Museum Services

Woking’s award-winning museum and gallery, Lightbox, has announced it will host a British comics-themed exhibition later this year, titled The Story of British Comics So Far: Cor! By Gum! Zarjaz!

What are your favourite comics? Do you know how they are made? And where they came from? Join The Lightbox’s comic characters in August on an interactive journey through the past, present and future of this ever-changing medium of sequential art.

Travel back to 3000 year-old hieroglyphics, Britain’s pioneer William Hogarth and our first comic magazine in 1825. Enjoy The Beano, Eagle and 2000AD and explore today’s manga, graphic novels and digital comics. Step inside artists’ studios, marvel at their original artwork and have a bash at making comics yourself. Something for Menaces and Minxes of all ages!

Lightbox, a venue that’s home to various art collections and offers a wide range of activities on its programme, is also preparing for its ‘Out of This World’ family fun week in May half term which celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of the famous Woking former resident – H.G. Wells. Also part of this programme are two talks on the science-fiction writer and a free exhibition ‘Wells’ War of the Worlds: A Visual Celebration’ (26 March – 1 May).

Lightbox, Woking

• The Story of British Comics So Far: Cor! By Gum! Zarjaz! will run from 6th August 2016 – 31st December 2016. Admission £5 Annual Pass | Under 18s Free

• The Lightbox is at Chobham Road, Woking, Surrey, GU21 4AA. Open Tuesday to Saturday: 10.30am – 5.00pm; Sunday: 11.00am – 4.00pm.Closed Mondays and Bank Holidays. Tel: 01483 737800. Web: http://www.thelightbox.org.uk

• Follow Lightbox on Twitter @https://TheLightbox | Facebook | Vimeo

With thanks to Norman Boyd

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: British Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events, Exhibitions

Tags: British Comics, British Newspaper Strips, downthetubes News, H.G. Wells, Lightbox, Woking