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Creating Comics: London’s Jam Bookshop to host Crime Comics workshop

By John Freeman on June 20, 2023

Hackney’s Jam Bookshop, run by comic creator Dave Ziggy Greene, is to host a workshop covering the basics of small-press comic-making and storytelling later this month, an event with a thrilling crime theme.

Sound Effects in Comics - cartoon by John Freeman, first published in the fanzine, SCAN, in the 1980s — We’re expecting better gags than this from the participants in this workshop! Sound Effects in Comics – cartoon by John Freeman, first published in the fanzine, SCAN, in the 1980s

Work created during the “Stripped Back Comic Making Workshop”, organised by the Tibkins art collective, will be considered for inclusion in an anthology due for release later this year, any profits from the publication going to Eastside – Hackney youth arts organisation.

During the course of the workshop, tickets available here, on Wednesday 28th June, participants will warm up by creating a three-panel comic to grasp the storytelling skill of middle – start- end, before moving on to create seven panel strips, in which a detective solves a crime.

You can then finalise and contribute your workshop comic to an anthology collecting the workshop comics.

The Tibkins art collective, whose members include Joey Jones, are active on the British comics scene, and have previously published two comic anthologies: the Horror Comedy Anthology, a collection of students Hallowe’en-themed comics, and Gareth hates Garfield, the title rather speaking for itself!

The Tibkins team are currently working on Bon Escapades, a story about a schoolgirl and her adventures, but will continue exploring her story as she gets older; and the adventures of Neaps, a space courier.

“We go to conventions and are interested in sparking people’s creative flair,” they say of their crime comics workshop and anthology plan.

“Profits from the the anthology will go to Eastside – Hackney youth arts organisation. We wanted to give back to that community in some way.”

The Jam Bookshop, which opened last year after a hugely successful crowdfunding campaign, is owned and run by acclaimed illustrator and journalist David Ziggy Greene. Along with new books, stock includes graphic novels and independent comics.

David’s work has been printed regularly in some of the most read publications in the world, including Private Eye. He’s also successfully published a number of sold-out books and had books released by small to huge publishers, in the UK and France.

David also created the UK and Ireland-wide event Small Press Day, launched in 2016, which takes place on one day a year, in dozens of shops to promote the next wave of small press publishing creators. This year’s event will take place on Saturday 5th August.

• Stripped Back: a comic making workshop, 5.30pm – 8.00, Wednesday 28th June 2023, The Jam Bookshop 61A Hackney Road, London E2 7NX | Tickets £12 – Book your place here on EventBrite

The Jam Bookshop is online at: jambookshop.co.uk | Instagram | Twitter

• Follow David Ziggy Greene on Twitter

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.