The 2000 AD And Thought Bubble Talent Search Is Back For 2023
by Richard Bruton
Thought Bubble, one of the UK’s biggest and best comics festivals happens 6th to 13th November 2023 – and 2000 AD are back with their artist and writer talent search contest!
Yep, in addition to having a packed guest list (including Zoe Thorogood, Jason Aaron, Lucy Sullivan, Dapo Adeola, and ND Stevenson) and a massive events list, Thought Bubble is also the place to go if you’re an aspiring comics writer or artist. There’s the chance to network, pitch, and get portfolios reviewed and, if you’ve always figured you’ve got the makings of a 2000 AD writer or artist, there’s the chance to try out with their artist and writer talent search.
Described as “‘Dragons’ Den meets the Nerve Centre as Tharg the Mighty’s droids sit in judgement on hopeful writers and artists looking to join their ranks,” it’s a way to get your work into the Prog and get paid for it!
Plus, a cursory look at previous winners of the talent search, including Tom Watts, Mike Walters, Lee Milmore, Honor Vincent, James Newell, Robin Henley, Paul Williams, Tom Foster, Daniel Dwyer, Will Morris, and Tilen Javornik, shows that winning gives you a great shot at getting more work in the pages of 2000 AD as well as a great springboard for a career in comics.
Writers have to pitch a two-minute Future Shock script live in front of an assembled panel of industry judges and the TB crowd, whilst artists have to produce a five-page Future Shock from Al Ewing’s script to ‘Gifts of the Magi’ (originally drawn by Lee Townsend for Prog 1499), and then that gets judged at the artist talent search panel in front of the judges and the crowd.
You can find full details of entry at the Thought Bubble site here.
