Artist Gary Erskine chatting with fans in the Clock Tower at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. Far left: locally-based artist Kate Holden. In the background: artist Conor Boyle on the Disconnected Press stand
Buoyed by its undoubted success, the organisers of the first Lakes International Comic Art Festival have confirmed the event will return in October 2014, with some planning already being worked on for key threads to the event.
Thousands of comics fans mingled with at times bemused locals over the three day festival weekend to enjoy a huge rage of talks, free events for children, continuing exhibitions and more – and we’ll have further coverage on downthtubes over the next few days.
Many events, including an appearance by Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard were sell outs.
“This looks like a fantastic festival, it’s so nice to see the whole town doing bits for it and putting work in the windows,” Guardian newspaper artist Stephen Collins told Cumbria Live.
“Given a few years to get up its own steam, it could be one of the major comic events in Europe. I’m looking forward to coming back.”
Fans in costume mingled with locals and the more sedately dressed, many making locations like Kendal’s Clock Tower (a Batman flag flying overhead) a base of operations for the weekend, as did many comics publishers, retailers and artists.
A local sports shop was just one of many retailers who gave their shop window a comics theme for the weekend.
Many shop windows were given over to comics and cartoons from local school and colleges, while the local Hawkshead Brewery even created its own limited edition Tall Toad beer, which went down a storm with ale drinkers.
Kev F. Sutherland, Dave Windett and Tim Perkins were just three of the comic creators who ran comic creation events for children in Westmorland Shopping Centre, where Windermere-based cartoonist Colin Shelbourn also helped the public create a 124-metre cartoon strip.
In the town’s Waterstones, many comic creators engaged in signings through Saturday to promote their books including Garen Ewing and I.N.J Culbard.
The festival’s director, Julie Tait, told Cumbria Live the event’s first year has proved a huge success for comic artists, graphic novel enthusiasts, and the community of South Lakeland.
“Our first year has been everything we could have wished for,” she said.
“There was a huge buzz right through Kendal – from The Brewery Arts Centre right to The Box on Wildman Street, as well as at the shopping centre and the library.
“The town has really got involved and there has been art work on every street. It feels like the weekend has involved everyone – from adults following their passion for Viz humour to kids learning how Peppa Pig was created.
“We already have our date sorted for next year and we’re hoping to bring in big new names then – as a consequence of the success of our first festival.”
• The next Lakes International Comic Art Event will take over Kendal from 17th – 20th October 2014. Web: www.comicartfestival.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/comicartfest
Top Tweets about the Lakes International Comic Art Festival
• Bleeding Cool: One Day, all Comic shows will be like this
“LICAF [is] not a convention as most comic fans expect. You know show up at an enormous shed with lots of tables and the artists and writers sit and sign all day with areas allocated for talks. Hell no, the organisers took over the entire town.”
• The Guardian: Comic and graphic novel stars take over Kendal for new festival showcase
Thursday 17th October
• The Independent: Mary Talbot’s family run comic-book revolution
Sunday 13th October
• Cumbria Live: Comic Fans Come Dressed to Kill
Saturday 19th October
Check out this costume from comics enthusiast Maise Stevenson – it’s deadly!
• Cumbria Live: Cartoonist Steve Bell Praises Festival
Sunday 20th October
“Kendal has been great, the Brewery Arts Centre is a great centre and the organisers have been brilliant to us. The festival has gone very well and I hope it continues next year and beyond. We have a lot of conventions in this country but not any comic festivals so this is a first.”
• Cumbria Live: Festival Will Return
Monday 21st October
• Westmorland Gazette: Comic art lovers descend on Kendal
Saturday 19th October
- About the Author
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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: downthetubes Comics News, Events, Featured News
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