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Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Launch New Comic

By John Freeman on August 27, 2023

A fab day was had earlier this week, as Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, in partnership with Liverpool Heartbeat, launched Zowie!, a brand new comic book designed to capture the imagination of all patients and take them on journeys across the universe.

The comic, edited by Tim Quinn, was first announced back in June. Zowie! leads with a special Doctor Who-inspired cover and content celebrating 60 years of the long-running SF TV series, and features a fantastic cover by Tim Keable while, inside, comics material is provided by by Lew Stringer and others.

Liverpool Heartbeat founder Robin Baynes and Tim walked round the Hospital’s wards along with Batman, Thor and Wolverine to hand out free copies to children.

Liverpool Heartbeat’s Robin Baynes and Tim Quinn, and superhero friends, launched Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital this week. Picture courtesy of Tim Quinn and used with permission — *Picture courtesy of Tim Quinn and used with permission*

Tim Quinn with a copy of Zowie!, a new comics project for patients of Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, which it's hoped will launch this August. Picture courtesy of Tim Quinn and used with permission — *Tim Quinn with a copy of Zowie!. Picture courtesy of Tim Quinn and used with permission*

“It was very moving to see their faces light up, especially in the cancer ward,” says Tim. “Bless ‘em all and the fabulous nursing staff. Heroes all.

“The head nurse told us that the comic book has created a huge buzz across the whole hospital with patients being inspired to create new comic book characters themselves. That’ll do for me.”

The hope is that the Zowie! model can be adapted and as rolled out to other hospitals across the country

Merseyside children’s charity Liverpool Heartbeatwas founded by Robin Baynes, who has created literacy projects for schools across the country, the organisation given Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award given to volunteer groups in the UK, last year.

The Liverpool Heartbeat web site features a number of previous comics they’ve published, some free to read online.

Fundraising print editions are also for sale in their webshop, including The Queen, Everest 2022 and the recently-published The Boat of Hope, the full astounding story of the attempt to row, single handed, across the Atlantic Ocean by Bernie Hollywood OBE, spotlighting his campaign to open a conversation on depression with early years children.

• Check out the work of Liverpool Heartbeat at liverpoolheartbeat.co.uk

• Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital is online at mft.nhs.uk/rmch

• You can find Tim Quinn online at mightyquinnmanagement.com

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.