Kickstarting Comics: A Tale Of Spectacular Toilets In ‘Secrets Of The Majestic Anthology’
by Richard Bruton
‘Have you seen the toilets at the Majestic?’ – that’s the lead-off line for this new anthology, Secrets of the Majestic, currently funding through Kickstarter here. And believe me, this is one comic about toilets you’re going to want to read.
The toilets at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate are quite the thing (the whole hotel’s pretty darned nice, but we’re talking toilets here). Beautiful, opulent, amazing, and also a key part of the mid-con party at recent Thought Bubble comic festivals in Harrogate.
But there’s a big leap, surely, from people talking about how unbelievable the toilets are and someone deciding to set up a Kickstarter full of comics about it all.
This one’s all organised by Chris Mole, editing the anthology with Gary Moloney. As he says in his intro to the Kickstarter, it all began, ‘as so many things do, with a drunken thought and a tweet.’ This tweet in fact…
Yes, after a day of comics everyone had descended on the Majestic for the mid-con party and everyone had fallen under the spell of the majesty of the Majestic’s toilets.
These toilets… complete with the editor and a few friends…
So, Mole had the idea of tapping into the comic talent of Thought Bubble, all of whom were under the spell of the toilets, and turn it all into this Secrets of the Majestic anthology – trying to tease out just what it was about these particular toilets that so entranced everyone.
Here’s some of Mole’s intro to this one…
“Have you seen the men’s toilets at the Majestic?”
Uttered in hushed tones to all first-time attendees of Thought Bubble Festival, these words form part of an initiation – a rite of passage. Truly, the wonders of the toilets are a sight to behold – the checkerboard marble floors! The gilded washbasins! The bench(?!)
But why is this room so unnecessarily opulent and palatial? Why does the women’s toilet pale in comparison? Was it the meeting place of a secretive Masonic lodge? A liminal space marked by past demonic sacrifices? The brainchild of a Victorian architect and his internalised misogyny? We can only guess at the answer to these questions. Presented here, for your enjoyment, are some theories: some Secrets of the Majestic.
Secrets of the Majestic will be a 76-page anthology of comic stories, in full-colour and presented in an A5 format; 19 stories, 3 pin-ups, and all enclosed in a wraparound cover by Laura Helsby and Dearbhla Kelly.
Co-edited by Mole and Moloney, the comic gathers together an exciting mix of established and emerging talent in comics, all sandwiched between a framing story by Kieron Gillen and Benjamin AE Filby.
There’s a full list below, but just some of the names to show you how great this one could be are Tula Lotay, Laura Helsby, Rik Worth, Jordan Collver, Chris Wildgoose, Fraser Campbell, and many more. Plus, there’s pin-ups by Liana Kangas, Matt Simmons, and Erika Price.
The Kickstarter is a nice and simple one – books and prints from Liana Kangas, Erika Price, Matt Simmons, and the cover print by Laura Helsby.
The Kickstarter campaign to fund this tale of toilets runs until 1 December 2023.
Now, here’s the contents list and just who’s doing what…
“Welcome to the Majestic” by Kieron Gillen and Benjamin A.E Filby
“Majestic” by Laura Jones & Tula Lotay
“The Interstice” by Dave Cook, Laura Helsby & JP Jordan
“The Tour” by Rik Worth, Jordan Collver & Owen Watts
“Hael’toon” by Rob Jones & Sam Chase
“The Floor Plan” by Aaron Thompson & Dan Bell
“The Harrowing Gates” by Ria Grix
“The Royal Flush” by Aaron Eamer & David Cousens
“Stalled” by Rob Burton, Sarah Peploe & George Joy
“A Desperate Attempt” by Asa Wheatley & Sammy Ward
“The Order of Majestic Awe” by Paul Carroll & Lane Lloyd
“Needing the Toilet” by Fraser Campbell & Craig Munro
“The Smiling Man” by Adlai McCook & Gavin Mitchell
“Portal Loo” by Mark Granger & Liam ‘Pais’ Hill
“The Fool’s Mate” by Gary Moloney & Colin Craker
“Inky Scribuls” by Umar Ditta & Paul Tonner
“Wee Fellas” by Rob Luckett & James Lawrence
“Future Mock” by Matthew Hardy, Jonathan Scott & Rob Jones
“Please Wash Your Hands” by Chris Mole & Chris Wildgoose
