This March, Stanley Arts are hosting Yo Comics!, the first South London Comics & Zine Fair for kids and by kids.
A free entry, family friendly event, Yo! Comics will be a day full of free workshops, free giveaways and the chance to meet some of your favourite kids comic book creators.
Comic creator stars from The Phoenix and published authors of your favourite comics will be at this special new event, including Gary Northfield, creator of “Derek the Sheep”, Neill Cameron (Mega Robo Bros, Donut High), Tor Freeman Marc Jackson, Woodrow Phoenix, and many more. Also at the event is The Cartoon Museum, Comics Youth and other brilliant comics educators.
In a first for comics fairs, young people will also be joining in with these fine creators to sell their comics, with local schools and youth groups taking part.
The day’s workshops are hosted by the professionals themselves and will be for the 7-14 age range. The workshops will allow kids to make their own comics and cartoons which they can trade with other young comics creators.
Workshops are free, and tickets will be available to book now via Eventbrite.
There will be an all ages, chill-out library reading space for exploring comics and graphic novels, connect with like-minded comics readers or just sit and relax.
The organisers of Yo! Comics are…
Helen Jones, a lecturer in education at the IOE, UCL’s faculty of Education and Society and a former primary school teacher with 25 years of experience working in education and academia. Helen is currently working on a PhD about children’s comics making. She runs an after-school comics club and leads workshops on the role of comics in education.
Hannah Lee Miller has worked many years in children’s television production, including on shows like Peppa Pig and Hey Duggee. She also is an artist who creates her own comics and has organised multiple events including comic fairs. Hannah brings with her a large amount of knowledge, contacts and experience in small press comics from making to selling to networking.
Lauren O’Farrell (Deadly Knitshade) is London-based queer, crafty artist and author, making comics, artworks, books, and sneaky graffiti. Her playful creations feature strange creatures, odd animals and wild tales, and have been featured in Tate Britain, Natural History Museum, and on the BBC. She also co-runs inQ!, London’s Queer Comics Fair. She apologises in advance if any of her art tries to eat you!
• Yo! Comics 2025 – A Comics and Zine Fair for Kids and by Kids 11.00 – 5.00pm Sunday 23rd March 2025 Stanley Arts, 12 South Norwood Hill London SE25 6AB | Sign up for reminders on EventBrite for the event’s free workshops
• Follow Yo! Comics on BlueSky and Instagram
Accessibility information: Stanley Arts has excellent inclusive accessibility. All toilets are gender neutral. The library space will be in the ‘living room’ which is wheelchair accessible from the front of the building. This is an intentionally quiet space to read and decompress from the noise of the main hall.
Wheelchair access to the Main Hall is separate from the main entrance; it is the fifth and final entrance on your right as you are coming up the hill, below the clock tower. 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. Wheelchair access to the Library Space in The Living Room is through the alley entrance, the second entrance on your right as you are coming up the hill. The route down 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.
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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, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events
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