The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has confirmed its exhibition plans for this year’s Festival (Friday 29th September – Sunday 1st October 2023) in Bowness-on-Windermere – and announced some guest changes and additions to the previously announced line-up of over sixty international comic creators, including an appearance by Jenny Ryan from ITV’s The Chase.
Three exhibitions have been lined up for this year’s Festival, reflecting the wide appeal of the event in the choice of art on display.
First up is Amazing Fantasy #15 – The Comic That Changed Everything, on display at the Old Fire Station. Marvel Comics published Amazing Fantasy #15 in August 1962. Written by Stan Lee and drawn by Steve Ditko, it contained a story simply titled “Spider-Man” that was destined to change the world of American comicdom forever.
Ditko’s original ink art for this epoch-making comic is now stored safely in the Library of Congress, Washington DC. It consists of 24 boards, and as well as the actual ink, the boards are peppered with pencil comments from Stan the Man himself.
This year, LICAF is exhibiting facsimiles of those hallowed pages. They’ve never been seen before in the UK, so this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gaze upon one of the Holy Grails of comic art.
Last year, Comic Art Europe invited applications from young comic artists from across Europe. The successful artists spent time in Kendal, Barcelona, Lyon and Brussels, and created new comics on the theme of “Living Together”.
The visual storytelling created by the artists is a reflection of many of the complex, key issues of today… from Štěpánka Jislova’s description of the challenges for female creatives living and working with autism to Eva Pavlič’s journey into the heart of an apartment block and the lives of its residents, via James Albon’s exploration of how to grow a relationship without a common language, Bernard Hage’s study of achieving philosophical calm in the modern world; to Silvia Ballart’s exploration of discrimination across the generations.
Living Together is Comic Art Europe pilot project, co-financed by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
Collectives For Change: Comics From The Arab World introduces a variety of comics genres breaking the boundaries of social and political taboos from across the Arab world.
Throughout the 20th century, comics from the Arab world exclusively targeted children and were used by the ruling totalitarian authorities (military or religious) to control social morals and impose political and ideological agendas.
The Arab Revolutions of the past decade paved the way for the rise of independent collectives of artists from various Arab countries, seeking freedom of expression and creating a network of sharing experiences that has been and continues to shape the comics scene today.
Featuring some 120 artworks by over thirty artists and five collectives, this powerful exhibition of comic art introduces a variety of genres breaking the boundaries of social and political taboos with a leading role for women, these collectives and independent artists are becoming the voice of the youth across the region.
This exhibition is sponsored by The Rada and Mutaz Sawaf Center for Arab comics studies at the American University of Beirut.
“We’re delighted to be hosting such a range of comic art, putting internationally-created comic art, past and present, in the spotlight,” says Julie Tait. “These three exhibitions complement our aim of capturing a flavour international talent, through our guest line-up, amazing exhibitors, and live events.”
Festival Line-Up Additions and Changes
With just over a fortnight to go before the weekend-long Festival, joining the line-up are award-winning Canadian comic creators Francis Desharnais and Philippe Girard.
Jenny Ryan, star of ITV’s The Chase, has also been announced, replacing fellow comedian Lucy Porter as host of the Festival’s special Saturday night Pub Quiz.
Unfortunately, comic creators Steve and Annie Parkhouse have had to bow out of this year’s event for health reasons. “We wish them both well,” says Festival Director Julie Tait.
Fellow Resident Alien creator, writer Peter Hogan, will still be at the Festival, talking to British comics veteran John Freeman about the project and his long career.
FESTIVAL DATES: The Lakes International Comic Art Festival returns to Bowness-on-Windermere 29th September to 1st October 2023 | Buy your Festival tickets here
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Collectives For Change: Comics From The Arab World is curated by Lina Ghaibeh & George Khoury (JAD) and organised by the Rada And Mutaz Sawaf Center For Arab Comics Studies at the American University Of Beirut in partnership with The Lakes International Comic Art Festival.
Art Director: Haya El Bizri Exhibition Design: Haya El Bizri & Hana Hammour Editing & Translation: Safaa Ibrahim
Featured Artists (in alphabetical order) from Collectives: Comic 4 Syria (Syria), Diala Brisly, Salam Al Hassan, Lab 619 (Tunisia), Abir Gasmi, Kamal Zakkour, Moez Tabia, Noha Hbaieb, Salim Zerrouki, Sid Ali Dekar, Samanda L (Lebanon), Fouad Mezher, Joseph Kai, Lena Merhej, Nour Hiffaoui, Raphaelle Macaron, Tracy Chahwan, Skefkef (Morocco), Abid Ayoub / Normal, Mehdi Annassi (Machima), Mohamad Bellaoui (Rebel), Toktok (Egypt), Ahmed Toufig, Migo, Mohamad Salah, Mohamed Tawfik, Shennawy.
Independent Artists featured (in alphabetical order): Bernard Hage, Deena Mohamed, Mai Koraiem, Mazen Kerbaj, Mohamad Wahba, Othman Selmi, Seif Eddine Nechi, Zeinab Fasiki and Zineb Benjelloun.
Festival Guests
Francis Desharnais is a French-Canadian author now living on an island in the middle of the Saint-Lawrence River.
Sometimes writer, sometimes artist, sometimes both at the same time, his work is mainly published by Pow Pow Press.
Two of his books have been translated into English: Art Wars and Little Russia, the latter about Francis’s grand-parents who founded a cooperative village in Abitibi, located in the north of Quebec.
Little Russia won numerous awards, including the ACBD Quebec prize in 2019, given by an association of comics critics from Canada and Europe.
Philippe Girard was born in Québec City, Canada, in 1971. His comics have received the Joe Shuster, the Bédélys Québec and the Bédéis Causa Awards.He published his first comic strip around the age of nine and has since published more than 20 books.
During his studies, he drew in various school newspapers, before launching the fanzine Tabasko!, with Djief and Leif Tande.
After graduating in graphic design from Laval University in 1993, he completed a traineeship in Brussels at Spirou HeBDo in 1998 and participated in the founding of the Mécanique Générale structure. He spent the autumn of 2010 in Bordeaux for a writing residency and repeated the experience in Kraków in 2019, and again in Liège in 2022.
His work explores the themes of identity and death, notably with Tuer Vélasquez (Glénat Québec), recounting his disputes with a paedophile priest, and Leonard Cohen On a Wire (Drawn and Quarterly) devoted to Montreal singer Leonard Cohen.
Recently, his graphic novel Danger Public was adapted for the big screen by Alexis Chartrand. He had just launched Supercanon! (Casterman), a work of fiction around the life of Canadian engineer and arms dealer, Gerald Bull.
Jenny Ryan, aka “The Bolton Brainiac”, in reference to her beloved hometown, is a professional quizzer, broadcaster and singer, best known as “The Vixen”, in reference to her red hair and sharp brain, on ITV’s smash hit teatime quiz show The Chase and its primetime sister show, Beat the Chasers.
Before joining the show in 2015, Jenny was a serial quiz show contestant, who you might have seen on shows such as University Challenge, Mastermind, and Only Connect (as one-third of Series 3 champions The Gamblers).
Eagle-eyed quiz fans might also have spotted her name in the credits of shows including The Weakest Link and QI, having served her time on the other side of the cameras as a researcher and writer.
As one of the six Chasers on The Chase, Jenny spends her time intimidating contestants (members of the public and celebrities alike), showing off her general knowledge and exchanging barbs with Britain’s favourite host Bradley Walsh.
Away from quizzing and scaring people into taking the low offer, Jenny, a talented singer and musician, is passionate about music – in particular singing and playing ukulele.
Her fellow Chasers were thrilled to be the winners of BBC1’s Let’s Sing & Dance For Comic Relief, performing a medley from “The Wizard Of Oz”. In 2019, Jenny showed off her vocal ability as she took to the stage on The X Factor: Celebrity. She wowed both the judges and the audience and made it all the way to the final, finishing on a high note as runner-up with her rendition of “Edge of Glory”.
Jenny and her fellow quiz enthusiast Lucy Porter have their own hugely successful podcast on the topic, Fingers On Buzzers. Sharing their passion for quizzing in all its forms, Jenny and Lucy chat to guests ranging from enthusiastic amateurs to the people who make our favourite programmes.
From the Bullseye contestant who explains how to share the star prize when it’s a car, to celebrity quiz fans and experts such as Michael Sheen, Richard Osman and Les Dennis, there’s nostalgia and tips for everyone.
Festival Guests in 2023
Announced guests for 2023 in alphabetical order are: Charlie Adlard, Mari Ahokoivu, James Albon, Alice VDM, Mehdi Annassi, aka Machima, Lucie Arnoux, Nancy ArtMusic, Silvia L. Ballart, Sayra Begum, Frankie Boyle, Gigi Cavenago, Amy Chu, Darryl Cunningham, Francis Desharnais , Gustavo Duarte, Wallis Eates, Hunt Emerson, Massimo Fenati, David Gaffney, Gerhard, Lina Ghaibeh, Dave Gibbons, Philippe Girard, Anabelle Gormand, Bernard Hage (The Art of Boo), Peter Hogan, Stephen L. Holland, Marc Jackson, Jad (George Khoury), Štěpánka Jislová, Mai Koraiem, Michael Lark, Lucie Lomová, Josie Long, Dave McKean, Lena Merhej, Fouad Mezher, Bill Morrison, Seif Eddine Nechi, Eva Pavlič, Jacob Phillips, Sean Phillips, Pieter de Poortere, Kevin Eric Raymundo, Tom Richmond, Peter Rogiers, Marek Rubec, Jenny Ryan, Mohamed Salah, David Shenton, Shennawy, Václav Šlajch, Caroline Soucy, Dr. Nicola Streeten, Rachael Smith, “Awkward Yeti” creator Nick Sulek, Bryan and Mary Talbot, VIZ, and Eldo Yoshimizu and Nicolas Wild.
Lakeside Comics Marketplace Exhibitors 2023
Creators in the Lakeside Comics Marketplace include: Chris Askham, Yomi Ayeni, Bardic Illustration, Sayra Begum, Clark Bint, Tim Bird, Tori Cat, Jon Davis, Doctor Geof, Pete Doree, Jonathan Edwards & Felt Mistress, Emma Evans, Ed Firth, Simon Furman, Steven Fraser, Warwick Fraser-Coombe, Jessika Green, Lyndsey Green, Katie Handley, Isabel Hatherall, Jack Harvey, Luke Hyde, Jenika Ioffreda, Owen Michael Johnson, Roger Langridge, Joe Latham, Russell Mark Olson, Shaun Martland, Drew Marr, Chris Mole, Alex Moore, Beatrice Mossman, Nigel Parkinson, Markus Pattern, Mollie Ray, Reabault, Emma Reynolds, Schnumn, Paul Shinn, Martin Simpson, Matt Simmons, Zara Slattery, Cam Smith, Matt Smith, Rachael Smith, Mark Stafford, Lucy Sullivan, Kev F Sutherland, David Taylor, Tom Ward, Kevin Wells, Lyndon White, Kate-Mia White, Steve White, Dan Whitehead, Andrew Wildman, Manon Wright & Tal Brosh
Independent Publishers, and other Exhibitors in the Lakeside Comics Marketplace include: 1826, The77 Publications, After the Robot Apocalypse, Art-Bubble, B7 Comics, The Cartoon Museum, Catfood Comics, Centrala, CoCo Comics, Colossive Press, Comics Youth CIC, Conundrum Press, Fanfare UK, First Graphic Novel Competition, Foxhat, Galaxia Prince, I&M Illustration, Indie Novella, Iqbal A. Comics, Kannter Art, Knockabout Comics, LDComics, Meraki Comics, MoonSquid INK, Nevercity Creations, Nona Gallery, Parable Games, Peak Hare Collective, Playstation Studios, Power Comics Studios, RAWHEAD, Scratch Comics, Sector 13 Comics, SelfMadeHero and Sloth Comics
FESTIVAL DATES: The Lakes International Comic Art Festival returns to Bowness-on-Windermere 29th September to 1st October 2023 | Buy your Festival tickets here
• The Lakes International Comic Art Festival is online at: www.comicartfestival.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Little LICAF on Facebook | Little LICAF on Instagram
• Sign up for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival Newsletter
- About the Author
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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.
Categories: Comic Art, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events, Exhibitions
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