South London Comic and Zine Fair returns to Stanley Arts, London, this weekend (11.00 until 5.00pm Sunday 19th July 2026) for its fifth year, showcasing some of the finest established and fresh talent in the small press publishing scene.
Organised by Eisner nominated graphic novelist Gareth Brookes, the return of South London’s favourite comic event offers an incredible day to inspire fans and creators alike: bringing together fans and creators of small press, comics and zines from across the UK.
Supporting and celebrating independent creatives, it’s a great opportunity to meet creators, buy exclusive comics, zines, prints, makery and more.
Guest panels through the day include appearances by veteran comic creators such as Paul Gravett, Ed Pinsent and Bob Lynch, leading a celebration of the famous “Fast Fiction” comics distribution service that helped launch many comic creator careers (including mine!). Plus, Joe Stone leads a panel focused on modern comic collectives, featuring the talented Daniel Locke, Hannah Chapman, Geoff Coupland and Keiron Baroutchi.
A celebratory day of comics and zines in the heart of South Norwood, only 12 minutes from London Bridge, featuring some of your favourite creators including Sean Azzopardi, Rachael Ball, Ross Hopkins, Will Humberstone and ILYA, and independent publishers such as Avery Hill, Breakdown Press and SelfMadeHero, prepare to be bombarded with copious amounts of art from all corners of the country. The event will showcase self published books brimming with stunning artwork, fantasy, factual, autobiographix, poetry, comedy and tragedy – all original!
In addition to offering two halls of comics, the main hall and a ‘new discoveries’ hall, for creatives, the event includes a “communal table” room for people to drop off their work, where SLCZF volunteers will sell creatives’ work for you, while you enjoy the fair, rather than sitting behind a table all day, unable to engage with others.
Or you could join in, perhaps, with one of four workshops planned through the day on Collectives, Political Comics, Kids Comics and Fairs, Comics Academia and more (limited space available, some paid, details below); or attend the six, free panel talks, alongside fans.
If you’re an independent comic fan, then the South London Comic and Zine Fair is surely is an event tailored completely for you; and for comic creators and others, what an amazing lineup and gathering, offering a veritable melting pot to share ideas and carve new ideas!
South London Comic and Zine Fair 2026 | A Comics and Zine Fair for All | 11.00 – 5.00pm Sunday 19th July 2026 | Stanley Arts, 12 South Norwood Hill London SE25 6AB | Panel Talks throughout the day. Free to attend, limited space
You can keep up with all the announcements on the SLCZF Instagram @slczfair | Any queries: slczfair@gmail.com
Exhibitors include: Adam Falp; Anna Corfa Isehayek; Anna Readman; Alan Harding; Armaan Latif; Avery Hill; Breakdown Press; Blue Funnel Books; Bungaroosh Comics; Chris Shepherd; Colossive Press; Dark and Golden Books; Deadly Knitshade; Decadence; Donya Todd; Ed Pinsent; Esther McManus; Emix Regulus; Finn Jones; Fran; Glue the Zine; Hannah K. Chapman; Holly Casio; ILYA; Immeuble; Ivy Kan; Jack Brougham; Jade King; Jasmine Hewitt; Jessica Teare; Julian Payne; Kat Chapman; Leo Fox; Lethargic Margin Comics; Long Covid Superheroes; Maddie Metrycka; Miranda Smart; Nanasometimesdraws; Nuala Murphy; Peter Morey; Rachael Ball; Rachael House; Rancidmiless; Rebecca K Jones; Ross Hopkins; Rumbidzai Savanhu; Sakiki; Sean Azzopardi; Self Made Hero; Shazleen Khan; Slowerorbit; Stefan Alexander; The Ex Zine Editor; The Last Straw Magazine; TinyBaer; Umbra Press; Vicious Collective; WIP Comics; Will Humberstone; Yetunde Ekuntuyi; Yu-Ching Chiu; and Zhenyi Zheng
Free Drop-In Talks
THE PERIODICAL PROJECT | 12pm – 12.45pm
Panelists: Rebecca K. Jones, Rachael Ball, Nuala Murphy
In conversation with Nora Goldberg
A COLLECTIVE: how to start your own, anthologies, publishing small press | 1pm – 1.45pm
Panelists: Daniel Locke, Hannah Chapman, Geoff Coupland, Keiron Baroutchi.
In conversation with Joe Stone
HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD WITH COMICS!
Panelists Holly Casio, Darren Cullen, Rachael House and Kate Evans | 2.00pm – 2.45pm
In conversation with Myfanwy Tristram
RAISING UP THE YOUNG COMICS READERS
Panelists: Helen Jones, Alex Barrow, Mark Hibbett, Lauren O’Farrell | 3.00pm – 3.45pm
In conversation with Alex Fitch
COMIC STUDIES WTF?
Panelists John Miers, Helen Jones, Ian Horton and Esther McManus | 4pm – 4.45pm
In conversation with Alex Fitch
FAST FICTION, FAST FACTS
Panelists: Paul Gravett, Ed Hillyer, Harley Richardson, Bob Lynch | 5.00pm – 5.45pm
In conversation with Ed Pinsent
Workshops
Book Tickets Here: billetto.co.uk/users/south-london-comic-zine-fair-2026
• PAGE LAYOUT: COMPELLING COMPOSURE | Led by Chris Geary | 12.30pm – 1.30pm (£5)
• FROM MEMORY + WHAT IFS: CREATE COMIC STORIES with Rachael Ball | 1.45pm – 2.45pm (£5)
(A highlight new release at last weekend’s ARC Festival Comics and Art Fair was Periodical, a highly recommended anthology co-edited by Rachael Ball, Nuala C Murphy and Rebecca K Jones. A gorgeous, hilarious, sometimes informative and definitely no holds barred comic about periods, this anthology also features comics by some award-winning comic artists including Jenny Robins, Hannah Miller, Lara Callaghan, Lauren Knitshade, Chie Hosaka and Rebecca Lightbody. All profits will go to a period poverty-related charity. Copies should be on sale at SLCZF, too)
• FREE CREATE YOUR OWN COMICS COMMUNITY | A CCIC Workshop run by Myfanwy Tristram | 3.00pm – 4.00pm (Free)
• DRAWING YOUR WAY OUT OF DESPAIR: Practical cartoon drawing exercises for overcoming “stuck-ness” | Led by Jack Brougham | 4.15pm – 5.15pm (£5)
Accessibility Information
Stanley Arts has excellent inclusive accessibility | All toilets are gender neutral. The workshops will be in the ‘living room’ which is wheelchair accessible from the front of the building, through the alley entrance, which is the second entrance on your right as you are coming up the hill. The route to the living room is down a slope. Access into the living room, accessible toilet and indoor space is all on one level through the doors on your second right.
Wheelchair access to the Main Hall is the fifth and final entrance on your right as you are coming up the hill. This entrance is accessed via a ramp with a push button for a power assisted door which leads to a lobby. The accessible toilet is on the left as you come through this entrance.
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as 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: British Comics, Comic Art, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events
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