British Comics Now! Promo Video: ‘This Is The True Face Of Comics As An Art Form In The UK’

More from the Lakes International Comic Arts Festival now… the British Comics Now! promo video.

.

I highlighted the excellent work LICAF are doing with British Comics Now! back in January here, but I’ve been remiss in reporting their latest promotional efforts in pushing all things Brit comics around the world. It’s a new video, scripted by Andy Oliver of the always essential Broken Frontier, that spotlights LICAF’s selected six cartoonists: Jason Chuang, B. Mure, Bex Ollerton, Clio Isadora, Isabel Greenberg, and Martin Simpson.

All six recently went over to Totonto Comics Art Festival (TCAF) as part of LICAF’s promotion of all things British comics, something I can definitely get behind.

These six were the first set of artists to have their work exhibited abroad in support of the Brit comics industry. Another six specially selected artists will be heading to Festival International de la Bande Dessinée d’Angoulême in 2025.

“Both the Comic Rights Market and British Comics Now are about increasing the profile and readership of British comics on the international stage.’
Julie Tait, LICAF

‘This is a hugely exciting development for British comic creators and publishers, and the British comic industry. I’m excited to see what new comic partnerships emerge from this fantastic project.”
Charlie Adlard, artist and former UK Comics Laureate

So, here’s the video…

.

Here’s a little PR from LICAF about British Comics Now!…

‘Traditionally, British comics are often thought of in terms of genre fiction and all-ages work. But dive into the independent UK comics scene and you will find an expansive ocean of sequential art, remarkable in its dazzling diversity of styles and approaches.
From abstract and experimental comics to socially relevant comics; autobiographical work to graphic journalism and biography; through to alternative and underground-style self-publishing… our comics output in the UK has never been as vibrant and wide-ranging in scope as it is today. British Comics Now looks to celebrate these exceptional levels of creativity by spotlighting some of our finest creators and their comics. The next generation of exciting creative voices.

This is the true face of comics as an art form in the UK. This is British Comics Now!’

And here’s a breakdown of those first LICAF six…

.

Jason Chuang forges an intimate connection between reader and page with abstract and surreal illustrations.

.

B. Mure tackles profound social issues and emotive themes through gorgeous fantasy imagery and allegory.

.

Bex Ollerton communicates the realities of lived personal experiences with an expressive and accessible cartooning style.

.

Clio Isadora uses raw candour to reveal emotional truths in powerful and incisive slice-of-life narratives.

.

Isabel Greenberg is one of the key figures in the new wave of Brit graphic novelists, blending classic mythology with a modern sensibility.

.

Martin Simpson entrances the reader with striking and detailed artwork that has a genuinely unique aesthetic.