LDComics Community has announced Lucy Bergonzi and Tor Freeman and as their special guests for a LDComics in person event at London’s Cartoon Museum next month, hosted by Rachael Bell.
Award winner at the National Learning Disabilities and Autism Awards 2021, Lucy Bergonzi is an artist and designer who has worked as a muralist, as a community artist, as a set designer and scenic artist in the theatre, and as a studio artist. She has worked for several years in the community and voluntary sector, and has wide experience of supporting people with learning disabilities.
Her first love is drawing, and she’s a huge fan of graphic novels and bande dessinée. Lucy has previously spoken about her illustration work at the Laydeez Do Comics forum in London and Birmingham, and at the Comics Forum of The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities at Oxford University.
The Covid resources that she illustrated for Books Beyond Words, “Love in Lockdown“, “Having a Test for Coronavirus” and “Beating the Virus“, won the Breaking Down Barriers team category award, celebrating work which promotes accessible communication.
Born and educated in London, and graduated from Kingston University with a BA in Illustration in 1999, the award-winning Tor Freeman has been working as a freelance illustrator, author and comics-maker ever since.
In 2012 she was awarded a Sendak Fellowship, and together with two other illustrators spent a month in Connecticut in September 2012. In November 2017 she was the winner of the Observer/Cape/Comica graphic short story prize; you can read her entry here.
Tor publishes a regular newsletter with writing about creativity and lots of drawing, you can sign up here.
Her recent books include The Animal Awards (with Martin Jenkins, 2019) and Sister Clawdetta: Murder at the Monastery (2022).
The Book No-One Wanted to Read, an illustrated story written by Richard Ayoade, was published just last week by Walker Books, to high acclaim. This whimsical adventure is filled with clever references to beloved stories and fables, providing readers of all ages with a joyful reading experience.
LDComics is the largest women-led comics forum in the UK, open to all. The organisation’s central principle is their belief in the transformative potential of the comics form to offer wellbeing through making and reading. The accessibility of the form as a storytelling medium has created fertile ground for a wealth of casual creators and minority voices.
The organisation values comics as a tool to question and challenge injustices and inequalities in society on a global scale.
• LDComics In Person Event London – Tor Freeman and Lucy Bergonzi 6.00 – 8.00pm Thursday 9th November 2023, The Cartoon Museum, London, hosted by Rachael Ball | Book your tickets here
With thanks to Paul Gravett
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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