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Comics Laureate Bobby Joseph to speak at Diversity and Inclusion event

By John Freeman on October 22, 2024 • ( 1 )

Bobby Joseph, Comic Creator and Comics Laureate 2023

Comics Laureate and acclaimed comic creator Bobby Joseph will discuss the representation of black and minority characters over the decades at an event at the Idea Store Watney Market tomorrow, Wednesday 23rd October 2024. He’ll be talking about how their stories have evolved and why is it important.

Idea Stores are more than just a library or a place for learning. As well as library services, they offer a wide range of adult learning courses and an extensive activities and events programme.

Bobby Joseph is a writer, publisher and the first UK Comics Laureate of colour. An acclaimed comic writer, artist, tutor and editor, his work has often challenged and inspired its readers. His early work includes the creation of Skank magazine, where his best-known strip, ‘Scotland Yardie’, first featured, and was later published by Knockabout Press.

Bobby has written for The Guardian newspaper, Dazed and Confused and Vice.com. His comic work was a prominent feature at the Anarchy in the UK comic exhibition at the British Library in 2015 and was seen by over 60,000 visitors. He is also a vocal advocate for diversity and BAME representation in comic books and is credited on the BBC website as instrumental in featuring some of the “first comics by black creators featuring black characters.”

Scotland Yardie, published by Knockabout Comics in 2017, was the first BAME graphic novel to be studied as a module on an English Literature MA course at King’s College, London.

• Author Event: Bobby Joseph Diversity & Inclusion event | 6.30 – 7.30pm Wednesday 23rd October 2024, Idea Store Watney Market, 260 Commercial Roadd, London E1 2FB | Free but booking required – book here

• Find out more about the work of the UK Comics Laureate here on the Festival web site

• The Idea Store Watney Market is online at ideastore.co.uk/visit-us/idea-store-watney-market

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.