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MACC-POW Comic Art Festival lineup firmed up, includes BEANO artists and more

By John Freeman on March 30, 2023

The full guest line-up for this year’s MACC-POW Comic Art Festival, taking place in July, has just been confirmed, and includes creators such as Star Wars artist Nick Brokenshire, the award-winning Tor Freeman, BEANO’s Laura Howell and Lew Stringer, 2000AD’s Roger Langridge, and many more.

The main public event is on Saturday 1st July, with other happenings on Sunday 2nd July.

MACC-POW! takes place annually in the heart of Macclesfield in Cheshire, bringing you the very best in comic art from around the world.

This year’s comic creator guests are Sayra Begum (creator of the powerful graphic novel. Mongrel), Nick Brokenshire (Star Wars Adventures), illusrator Chris Chatterton (creator of the picture book, This is Gus, and more), illustrator Stanley Chow, illustrator and comic creator Genie Espinosa (creator of the graphic novel, Hoops), the team from Graphic Medicine, comic writer and illustrator Sarah Grayley, Tor Freeman, creator of Digby Dog, and winner of the Observer/Cape/Comica graphic short story prize in 2017; plus, BEANO artist Laura Howell, cartoonist and letterer Roger Langridge (2000AD, Doctor Who, The Muppet Show), comic writer, artist and editor David Leach (Psycho Gran, Monolith), Sonia Leong, comics writer and magazine editor Joel Meadows and Tripwire magazine, Anna Morozova (2000AD, Pandora), BEANO artist Nigel Parkinson & Nika, illustrator and comic creator Emmeline Pidgen, illustrator and comic creation Mollie Ray, whose graphic novel, Giant, debuts from Faber next year, cover artist and graphic novelist, Alison Sampson, Jim Smith (aka Waldo Pancake), Lew Stringer (BEANO, Doctor Who, Combat Colin) and Kev F. Sutherland (BEANO, VIZ, writer and performer of the award winning Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre).

“Over the course of our Festival weekend, and a couple of days before, too, these incredible creators from all around the world will descend on Macclesfield in a variety of different ways,” says organiser and comic creator Marc Jackson.

“From selling and signing their work, through to art exhibitions, instore appearances, library and school visits, and even a comics and coffee excursion across the town, this year’s MACC-POW! promises to be our best, and possibly most creatively eclectic one yet!”

Full details of the weekend and beyond, are coming soon.

• MACC-POW 2023 Saturday 1st – Sunday 2nd July 2023 Macclesfield, Cheshire |Latest Information: Facebook | Web: maccpow.co.uk

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.