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Comic book industry calls on Chancellor to create hundreds of new creative industry jobs with extension of existing tax relief

By John Freeman on March 27, 2025

Comic Book UK, a new representative body for the UK’s comic book industry, is urging government to extend tax relief for the creative industries, which, it argues, will create hundreds of new jobs.

The call for new tax relief came in response to the Chancellor’s Spring Statement yesterday, and the revised Office for Budget Responsibility growth projections.

Mark Fuller, Chief Executive of Comic Book UK, a communications strategist, said: “The OBR figures are a sharp reminder of why the Government needs to back industries that have the most growth potential. The UK comics industry is a prime example of where relatively small measures can have a dramatic impact.

“Comics is an industry primed for growth,” Mark told downthetubes, “with the potential to create hundreds of new jobs in the creative industries – which the government is prioritising in the industrial strategy.

“For example, just one new monthly anthology book could bring new commissions for freelance writers, artists, colourists and letterers every month.

“But the upfront costs of developing a new title and investing in the marketing needed to make it a success are prohibitive to almost all publishers. Targeted tax reliefs, of the kind that are already available to other creative sectors, could make all of the difference. We’re encouraging the Chancellor to have a seriously look at this for the Autumn Budget.”

Creative industry corporation tax reliefs and expenditure credits are already in place for companies directly involved in the production and development of outputs including video games, high end television, films, animation and theatrical productions. (Full details are available here).

“Evaluations of the existing creative industries tax reliefs have found that they have made the UK a more attractive destination for investment in productions,” Mark also notes, “and allowed productions to happen that otherwise would not have happened at all.”

Over the coming months Comic Book UK will work with partners across the wider creative industries and continue constructive dialogue with the Government to develop fully detailed proposals for the extension of creative industries tax relief to comics.

As we previously reported, Comic Book UK is a new association working to make the UK the best place in the world to create, publish and sell comics and graphic novels. Its members, who include DC Thomson, publishers of BEANO and Commando, Rebellion Entertainment, publishers of 2000AD, and DFB The Phoenix, publishers of The Phoenix Comic, employ thousands of creative professionals who produce comics enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of readers every week and graphic novels enjoyed by millions more every year.

Their work ensures that the UK comics industry is recognised as a vital part of the UK’s creative industries, towards the goal of supporting UK comics to grow and add significant value to the UK economy.

Membership is not currently available to individual freelancers, employees or students, but publishers can find out how to join the association here

• Full Gov.UK Creative industry tax reliefs for Corporation Tax guidance

• Further details on the impact of existing creative industries tax reliefs are available here (PDF)

• The Chancellor’s Spring Statement for 2025, and the revised Office for Budget Responsibility growth projections

About the Author
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John Freeman

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.