Comics @ Wigtown Book Festival

By John Freeman on September 16, 2009

Wigtown in Dumfries and Galloway is Scotland’s National Book Town and advertises itself as “a book lover’s haven” with over a quarter of a million books in twenty book-related businesses. It is not surprising therefore that it has its own book festival.

This year the Wigtown Book Festival programme has more than 170 events over 10 days at the end of September and the start of October with authors such as Iain Banks, Roddy Doyle and Nick Nairn appearing. Also in the programme are two comics related events featuring writers Alan Grant and David Donaldson.

On Saturday 3 October at 1:30 pm Alan Grant will be interviewed by Stuart Kelly on the subject of his work on Batman and Judge Dredd as well as adapting Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped for the One Book-One Edinburgh reading campaign. The event will take place in the Stena Line Marquee in the town’s main square and tickets cost £8 for adults and £4 for children.

The next day on Sunday 4 October, DC Thomson editor and writer David Donaldson will give An Audience with the Broons at 3 pm. Donaldson has been the scriptwriter for the Sunday Post’s comic strips The Broons and Oor Wullie on and off since 1962, during which time he’s been party to all the Broon family secrets, such as Pa Broon’s flutters on the horses and his need for ample supplies of baccy. The event will also take place in the Stena Line Marquee and all tickets cost £8.

More details of the Wigtown Book Festival and its events including on-line ticket purchasing can be found on the festival website.

About the Author
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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.

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