With the well-received NICE 2023 convention now firmly in the rear view mirror, convention organiser and Northampton’s Panel Gallery owner Jeff Chahal is focusing on the NICE art auction, a fundraiser for next year’s event. With over 50 pieces for this years auction, there’s art a plenty.
Included in the auction are a magnificent Wolverine sketch by industry giant Alan Davis, Swamp Thing from horror maestro Dave Kendall, Judge Anderson and Barbarella from 2000AD new kid (well, not that new!) Anna Morozova – and pieces from lots more artists, including Ryan Brown, Mike Collins, DaNi, Liam Sharp, Guillermo Ortego, Jacob Phillips and John Watson.
For this year’s incredible auction, Jeff has decided to auction via the Panel Gallery website, a free to visit gallery based in Northampton.
The online auction begins on Thursday 28th September and will run until 22nd October 2023. All the auction art is available for viewing online, as well as in person at the Northampton gallery.
The Panel Gallery is the first art gallery in the UK to specialise in original comic art, showcasing comic art from Marvel, DC Comics, 2000AD and many more publishers. Opened to the public in 2021, Jeff Chahal, the owner and curator, has always felt that comic art doesn’t receive the respect that it should, which ultimately lead to the idea of starting Panel Gallery so that comic artwork might at last be showcased in a fitting environment.
Having worked in comic retail for 20 years, and with a background of running the hugely respected NICE Comic Con in Bedford for the past decade Jeff applies the same criteria to both his comic convention and the new Panel Gallery. For him, it is essential that the focus of both are on the art itself and also on all those that are involved in the creative process of producing comic books.
• For online viewing of the auction artworks head over to thepanelgallery.com and for in person viewing visit the gallery at 3 Abington Square, Northampton, NN14AE
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: Art and Illustration, Auctions, Comic Art, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events, Exhibitions, Other Worlds
Comics Abroad: A Visit to the Cartoon Art Museum, San Francisco