CCIC, the Comics Cultural Impact Collective have just launched their report on the state of comics in the UK, the result of consultation via a roundtable meeting involving stakeholders from every area of the industry.
Comics creators, academics, and representatives from unions, publishers, museums and festivals were all invited to input on what they see as the biggest barriers to a thriving comics culture in the UK, and the potential solutions to removing them.
The report finds that the UK comics scene enjoys a healthy and useful network of self-organised grassroots support, but that the resources they offer are not easy to find.
And while tens of thousands of people enjoy creating comics in this country, the frameworks are not in place for the vast majority of them to sustain a career in the artform.
Several opportunities were identified for developing a stronger comics industry, including educating both creators and potential clients on the benefits of placing comics in contexts beyond the usual bookstores, with opportunities ranging from corporate uses to medical or academic settings. Schools and mainstream media were seen as areas to promote comics and through which new audiences might be fostered.
Current pay and conditions for comics artists, and the difficulties around securing funding, were highlighted as substantial barriers, worsened by the emergence of AI-generated imagery.
The comics community is also asked to look to itself, with more effort needing to be directed towards inclusion of more diverse creators, spokespeople and readers in all aspects of the field.
The Comics Cultural Impact Collective (CCIC) was founded in 2023 with the aim of raising awareness of the cultural potential of comics in the UK. CCIC is a Community Interest Company, led by an independent group of professionals within the British comics community, with extensive experience in change-making and activism in arts, heritage and science: Hannah Berry FRSL, Karrie Fransman, Rhiannon Griffiths MBE, Sara Kenney, Zara Slattery and Myfanwy Tristram.
CCIC co-director Myfanwy Tristram said, “Conditions are difficult for everyone in comics, but the outlook is far from hopeless. The report is an invaluable blueprint for action, both confirming what all of us in the comics community had suspected — that the enthusiasm and outputs of comics creators far exceed the opportunities available to them — and setting out a clear plan for how to address these issues.”
Co-director Karrie Fransman added, “We only need to look across the Channel to Belgium or France understand what a thriving comics industry could look like. We’re hearing of the difficulties experienced from all sides of the comics community and we’re committed to channelling these frustrations into forging a better landscape here in the UK”.
The full report can be read on CCIC’s website at thecomicsculturalimpactcollective.org. Their next community-wide meeting will discuss progressing the actions identified at the roundtable.
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, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News
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