The Leed-based comics festival Thought Bubble has just made a number of announcements – includinga remindert that this major comics event has been expanded over a week with a massive two day comic con.
“Since our biggest and most successful Thought Bubble festival in 2010 we have been busy making plans for the 2011 edition,” says Festival Director Lisa Wood, “and we think it’s going to be an unmissable event for comic book and graphic novel fans all over the country.”
The biggest celebration of comic books, graphic novels and animated storytelling in the UK returns to Leeds this November, as Thought Bubble presents its most exciting programme to date. Celebrating its fifth year, the festival has been extended over a week from 14th – 20th November 2011 with a jam-packed programme of events including a fantastic programme of free interactive workshops & masterclasses in venues across Leeds and West Yorkshire for both young people and adults – with activity for beginners as well as more experienced writers and artists.
The centrepiece to the Thought Bubble festival is the massive, annual comic convention and this year it will take place over two days instead of one.
“We’ll be using two of Leeds’ largest exhibition halls, Saviles Hall and Royal Armouries Hall in the Clarence Dock area of Leeds to present the spectacular event,” says Lisa. “The convention is now the largest in the UK and welcomes some of the biggest industry names in comics and graphic novels to Leeds to celebrate their work.”
In 2011, over 50 leading writers and artists will attend the convention and guests will include Tim Sale, an Eisner Award winning artist whose work, including concept drawings for the TV show Heroes, has received widespread acclaim and Adam Hughes, one of the most respected artists currently working in the medium and responsible for the most popular and well loved DC comic book covers.
The weekend long convention will also welcome hundreds of exhibitors from brilliant small press artists and writers, to major UK retailers offering something for all comic book fans, all spread across three hundred tables in two halls. Aspiring artists and writers in our region are also encouraged to bring along their art portfolios as representatives from Marvel, 2000 AD and Self Made Hero will be on hand to give advice, and be on the look-out for the next big thing in comics.
The full Thought Bubble festival programme, along with full guest line up and venue details will be announced in Ocotober 2011, but comic con tickets are on sale now and cost just £18.00 for a weekend pass. Day tickets which provide full access to the convention on either the Saturday or the Sunday cost £10.
As with previous Thought Bubble comic conventions the entire event is free for the under 12’s with tickets and passes availble on the day.
The official Thought Bubble hotel is the Leeds Marriott Hotel – the exclusive hotel partner of the Festival. The four star, 244-room hotel is located in the heart of Leeds City Centre, a stone’s throw from Leeds train station and just a ten minute walk from the Thought Bubble Comic Convention in Saviles Hall and Royal Armouries Hall.
• Tickets are available to purchase online at http://www.thoughtbubblefestival.com/ or in person and by phone at the City Centre Box Office in Leeds on Millennium Square, tel: 0113 2243801. The first 500 people to purchase a weekend pass will also gain entry to the VIP convention after party at the Alea Casino on Saturday 19 November.
• Join the Thought Bubble social networking communities for the latest information and discussion – http://twitter.com/thoughtbubbleuk and http://www.facebook.com/thoughtbubblefestival
• This is the 3000th post on the downthetubes blog. Yay us and thanks for reading!
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.
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