The True Believers Comic-Con is a new UK based convention that will be held at Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire on Saturday 7th February 2015, with the goal of bringing fans a comic-con that puts its focus back onto the comic books and their creators first and foremost.
Guests announced so far include 7 String and The Heavenly Chord creator Nich Angell, Young Avengers and Spider Moon artist Kate Brown, 2000AD artist Lawrence Campbell, Doctor Who comic artist and TV series storyboard artist Mike Collins, 2000AD writer and artist Lee Garbett, Afterlife Inc. creator Jon Lock, Judge Dredd and Batman artist Dylan Teague, Spider-Man and Judge Dredd artist Lee Townsend, Vampire Academy artist Emma Vieceli, artist and writer Jackademus, and actor and comic creator Jessica Martin.
With over 170 tables, the event will also play host to a huge range of independent comic publishers, retailers and others for the day – the full list so far is here.
“You’re probably wondering why you should care about yet another comic-con,” say the organisers. “It’s a valid question, and lord knows you can pretty much throw a stone and hit a comic-con these days. But True Believers is more than just a convention, it’s a celebration! Unlike a lot of conventions, we don’t have a comic village; our event is the comic village. Actually, with over 170 tables of comic book creators and traders, we’re more like a small city!
“For all of us involved, comic books are our passion – with nearly 25 years of fandom behind us – and we wanted to bring that passion together in an event that would celebrate the thing we love. We wanted to bring together fans both new and old at an event that offers a place to meet creators from within the industry and the small press indie circuit. A place where you can hunt through comic boxes to try and find those elusive titles you need to fill your collection. A place where you can even pick up the first appearance of Spider-Man if you wanted to (one of our traders has that very issue and more!).
“Our goal isn’t to reinvent the comic-con,” they continue. “in fact, our goal is to take the comic-con back to the feel and spirit of those early shows. The kind of cons you still hear fans who remember them talk about, with nostalgia and joy in their voices, even now. We want to create a con that is about comics, providing a platform for new and established creators to have their work seen, appreciated and loved.”
Aiming to deliver a great day out, a day where you can discover something new and rediscover something you’ve been looking for, it sounds as though the team on this project are determined to make this an event you can enjoy with fellow fans and friends.
“There are a lot of folks out there who have been vocal in their support for the True Believers Comic Festival, sharing their excitement and enthusiasm for the event both online and in person,” say the team.” Without them, all of this is pointless. True Believers is for everyone who has ever found solace and enjoyment in a comic book. True Believers is for all of us.
• True Believers Comic-Con, Saturday 7th February 2015, Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire. Web: http://oktruebelievers.com
• Social Media Links | Twitter | Facebook | | Instagram | Flickr | YouTube
• The Nerds Who Haunted Themselves is the official podcast of The True Believers Comic Festival. You can listen to it here or by downloading the newest episodes on iTunes (where you can also subscribe and give us a rating).
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
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: Audio, Doctor Who, downthetubes Comics News, Events