Thought Bubble is Go!

Delighted to confirm my attendance at this year's Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival :) 

It really is a special event and one that's grown and grown. I know that demand for exhibitor spaces is high so it must be such a difficult task to decide who is accepted, disappointing many others in the process. But for all comic fans the competition ensures that there is a great variety of tastes and talent to discover in the lovely historic Yorkshire town of Harrogate.

In addition to comic creating exhibitors, Thought Bubble also offers a diverse range of guests from around the world and a packed programme of talks and workshops to entertain, inform and inspire. These are normally announced periodically between now and the festival dates in November so its worth keeping an eye on their website and socials.

Don't delay too long though if you're thinking about going, tickets are already on sale and have come closing to selling out in recent years. Hopefully see you there!

I've also had news confirming a couple more appearances as this year's schedule take shape, so watch this space and I'd best get cracking to finish the projects I'm working on!

Thought Bubble Comic Festival 2025!

 

Yay Thought Bubble Comic Festival in this weekend in lovely Harrogate - let's hope the weather matches the surroundings! This year I'm in the same hall as last year, re-named 2000AD Hall, at Table B46. Please stop by if you can and say hi - I've a few new surprises!

Buxton Bonus!

A catch up at Sale led to joining the line up for the Sunday's Buxton Comic-Con! The event and others of organiser, Steven Howard, has been on my radar for a while but for various reasons dates or logistics didn't quite work out, so having a free day, was delighted to attend.

Buxton's only an hour or so from home so a delightful and scenic drive got me there in good time to set up with pleasant surprise of being next to actor Willie Coppen who's featured in many fine movies including Star Wars, Return of the Jedi, Willow, Snow White and the Witcher TV series amongst many he can't yet talk about! I've met Willie a couple of times in recent years and he's always great company.

It turned out to be a very enjoyable day, a slow start but the mild weather brought folk out and being free entry, there was a steady stream of visitors keen to chat and browse comics alongside the many other attractions and traders. 

My ZULU graphic novel generated a lot of interest and chats as it tends to do with folk who like me,  the movie had resonated with, and I ended up selling out of the hardback copies I'd taken which was encouraging, several being bought for gifts as 'hard to buy for' dads!

A fun day out and glad to finally get to one of Steven's events, hopefully I'll get to another before too long, unless that pesky dinosaur gets me - I don't think he Sawaurus!

Thought Bubble 2025!

Delighted to be confirmed for this year's Thought Bubble Comic Convention, the UK's premier (with Macc-Pow and Enniskillen!), pure comics festival. Follow their website for updates!

Thought Bubble Time!

Looking forward to returning to Thought Bubble next weekend, arguably the UK's biggest and best comics convention! Always a firm favourite from its humble beginnings in Leeds Town Hall's basement to its subsequent moves to larger premises at The Royal Armouries, Leeds City Centre before moving to it's present home of Harrogate's Conference Centre. 

It has grown and grown and now attracts comic creators from across the world, attracted by its reputation for showcasing a diverse range of talents and the capabilities of the comics medium. You'll find creators behind the latest polished superhero juggernauts to small press publications telling the most intimate personal stories and everything else in between!

This year I'll be in the DSTLRY Hall (one of an expanded four halls this year!) at Table C45 with my latest releases, art and prints. If you're around please stop by and say hello and if you've never been or not been recently, it's not too late to buy a ticket here!

Busy But Fab!

 Urgh! They got me! Actually it's all been fab recently with almost back to back events, the most recent been a busy day in Sale, Cheshire for its very first comic-con which certainly delivered. Thanks to all who popped along, chatted and bought some comics, very much appreciated. Lovely too to see a few familiar faces :)

Special thanks of course to John Webster and his team for their invite and our Stanley Square venue hosts for their hospitality. It was a fun and busy day and a delight to catch up with fellow comic creators and those pesky daleks!.

The Wow Events team have another local event coming soon when they return to Bury Comic-Con on Sunday 30th June which promises more fun and Dr Who connections with Sylvester McCoy appearing, following Colin Baker's triumph last year! Sadly I can't make it this time but hope it goes as well if not even better than last year!

Sale Comic-Con!

Happy to be confirmed as a guest comic artist at WOW Comix events new Sale Comic-Con on Saturday 8th June! One of my most local events after also attending WOW's events in nearby Wythenshawe a couple of years ago :)

Sale's line-up is shaping up very nicely with several other comic artists and actors already announced - check out their page links above for more details and if it's anyway as fun as last year's other WOW event, Bury Comic-Con it promises to be a great day out for everyone.

Col at attention at Bury Art Gallery!

Oh and as you'll see in the links to the right, I've had a few other events confirm recently both local(ish) and not so local as this year's calendar of events starts to take place, hope to see some of you around this year for a chat or two :)

Thought Bubble Beckons!

Always a delight to return to Thought Bubble, the UK's premier pure comics convention and a chance to catch up with seldom seen friends and discover new creators and inspirations.

This year I'm in the Bubbleboy Hall, the last of the three dedicated comics halls in Harrogate's convention centre but all are brimming with talent and temptations.

If you're there please say 'hi' and if not, check out their festival website here and exhibitors list here and consider visiting in the future :)

This year's avatar - a cropped ZULU panel

Look Out?

Look Out indeed as progress continue with a much cherished project! Things are happening and a number of 2023 comic shows and events, including a very unique one are confirmed, but I best get back to work, so thanks again for patience and interest - watch this space!

On the road again?

The 2022 'season' convention table before it's 2023 revamp!

A chance to catch my breath a little after another wee trip North for happier reasons and now  recharged, to continue to attend to the creative year ahead. I'm pleased to say that things are progressing well behind the scenes with new material and the forthcoming events season.

There are already a number of confirmed shows and festivals with applications pending for others so all being well I'll return to 'the road' before too long and see how 2023 shapes up. I think, post covid, I've finally learnt not to go too mad with the number of events attended where you can actually dilute yourself by doing too many. Each one takes time to prepare for and recover from, creating specific art and leaving little time to work on your main projects.

A couple of my unique convention watercolours from last year

Last year I 'only' did 8 events when before I would average 14 or so a year - I think 18 was my record! While this can be a good way to get out there, raise your profile and generate some interest in yourself and your work, it can, as noted, distract from everything else. The interesting thing for me was not only was I able to better pace myself and take time to enjoy those 8 shows, I actually sold better overall for the year than I'd previously done!. 

There may be a number of reasons for that but I reckon the fact that I carefully curated which events to apply for was a big factor. The post covid comics convention scene is still finding its feet somewhat, so its more important than ever to select the events which most suite you and your work. It may be best to stick with a local event or a tried and tested larger or prestigious one rather than every one going or just to try something new or niche which looks fun! 

We're lucky that there is a lot of choice out there and while I don't feel comfortable returning overseas quite yet, I am quite excited about the UK events I've earmarked and applied for this year as the best ones to be involved with for me and my work, hopefully see you around!

Thought Bubble 2022 - a Return!

Yay, first time at Thought Bubble since their move to Harrogate, if you're there, please drop by and say hello - I'm exhibiting in the Comixology Hall, table 146 :) 

Thought Bubble Comics Art Festival

Yay! Very excited to return to Thought Bubble, arguably the UK's best pure comics focused event and one of our favourites. Our comics have been represented at almost every festival including its first Leeds Town Hall basement one way back in, was it really 2007? Gosh that seems so long ago now!

The Festival has evolved greatly over the years and grown into an internationally respected event always with comics and inclusivity at its heart. Much thanks and gratitude goes to retiring Festival Director Lisa Wood (artist Tula Lotay) and her able team who consistently deliver an event to be proud of.

This year will be its third time in Harrogate which from reports, appears to offer the event a natural home within a single venue after outgrowing it's various Leeds iterations. Being as it unfortunately clashed with previous re-arranged event commitments for me in 2019 (Art-Bubble in Copenhagen) and 2021, (Salute in London), this will actually be my first time at the Harrogate event, so I can't wait and am very excited for what new material I am planning to bring with me.

My excitement is only tempered by the fact that the event's popularity meant that several folks have missed out which is testament to the quality of comic work out there at the moment. Fingers-crossed that as many as can from the waiting list will find some joy.

Are We Nearly There Yet?

Sadly the world has changed again these last few weeks and it's hard perhaps to be optimistic about things, but try we must and surely the future will be brighter after these dark days.

On the comics front, I was hoping that events would more or less return to a 'normal' schedule but while some have already taken place, a few of our regulars have postponed to next year or cancelled altogether - including the much loved and respected Edinburgh Comic-Con, which will be greatly missed, thanks to James and his team for all they achieved.

At this time of writing, I think I've only two actual confirmed events for the year ahead with another 3 or 4 applied for, so it's likely to be similiar to last year with a much reduced calendar from the busy heights of 2019. That said, I think everyone is far more appreciative of any that safely do go ahead, as we all cautiously try to get our lives back but sparing thoughts for all those whose lives will no longer be the same again whether through conflict or covid.

Northwich Calling!

 

I had a fab time in space last weekend and hope to post a few pictures in due course to show but there's no rest as we have another event this weekend, locally in Northwhich!

A brand new Comic & Film Festival to help celebrate Northwich's old art deco cinema re-openning as an arts venue! There's going to be movie props, actors, comics, funkos, memorabilia and us!

Come and say hi, if you're in town ahead of the Christmas tree light switch on!

 

Salute to London!

"Comics Ahoy!" Yes, no sooner do we make our first trip to London in over two years, we return next weekend for our first ever wargaming event at SALUTE!

SALUTE is the annual showcase event from wargaming club, the South London Warlords and is now almost in it's 50th year and established as one of the largest, (if not the largest), wargaming event in the UK and possibly Europe!

Salute Salute!

It is therefore quite a thrill to attend for the first time with our comics and see if the crossover potential with gamers exists? If not, it still promises to be quite a spectacle.

We were due to attend the show's traditional April 2020 slot but well you know what happened to that.....The date then moved a couple of times before settling on November 13th, accommodated by the venue's availabilty and allowing a little distance before their next April 2022 event, fingers-crossed. 

The change in date was personally unfortunate as it now clashes with Thought Bubble, the UK's largest pure Comics Festival and one that we normally try to attend. Luckily though we have some flexibility so Accent UK's Dave and Gary will be in Harrogate while I'm in London and will be ably supported by guest attending creators' Kia Wordsmith's artist Ian Ashcroft and V2A Wasteland's co-creator, Drone!

I too will have my own guest star at Salute who I will not reveal quite yet!

So yes next weekend will see a return to the Excel at booth TE05 with a selection of Accent UK's finest Historical, Post-Apocalyptic, Steampunk & Western Horror comics, wish us luck!.