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Occultz, an Oxford Comic, Cult and Zine Fair, launches in May

By John Freeman on March 7, 2024 • ( 1 )

Occultz: Oxford Comic, Cult and Zine Fair 2024

A new comics event, OCCULTZ, comes to Oxford in May. The one-day fair, held at The Star public house on Rectory Road in Oxford’s Cowley area, seeks to prioritise bridging arts communities and sharing a passion for the Cult arts.

Oxford Comic Cult and Zine Fair 2024 will feature independent artists selling self-published comics, zines, prints and merchandise, vintage comics stalls, and a small but thoughtfully-curated series of zine-making and comic art workshops.

Locally-sourced coffee and OCCULTZ beer will be available to visitors who can buy comics and enjoy battle jacket sewing classes. Aspiring artists can buy art supplies if making comics and zines is new for them.

The one-day event will close out with a screening of a movie selected by grass-roots Oxford cult film club, Cinema Under The Stairs.

OCCULTZ is organised by Jason Atomic, creator of London’s quarterly Dark Art Fair, the Satanic Flea Market, and writer/cartoonist Owen Michael Johnson, both of whom are Oxfordshire-based. The event is sponsored by local businesses including The Missing Bean coffee roastery.

• OCCULTZ: The Oxford Comic, Cult and Zine Fair runs 10.00am – 4.30pm on 4th May 2024 at The Star, 21 Rectory Road, Oxford. Entry is £5 with an exclusive zine/programme showcasing the work of artists in attendance or £3 without

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.