The Sunday Spotlight: The ‘Zombies Rule Belgium’ Edition
by Richard Bruton
It’s Sunday, so that means it’s time for me to take you round a bit of comics news in the feature we creatively christened The Sunday Spotlight…
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival keeps on promoting comics…
It’s been a month and more since the Lakes International Comic Art Festival wrapped up, but like all the best comics events, they’re not just about the actual festival but also spend the year between festivals promoting comics to all.
The latest is the publication of a report on research at Abraham Moss Community School, Manchester, part of LICAF’s involvement in Comic Art Europe to demonstrate the importance of comics in societies across Europe. The report is based on the question, “How Far Does Engagement with Comics positively affect children’s enjoyment of Reading and Wellbeing?” Its key findings indicate that ‘engagement with comics led to children’s reading ages increasing at a faster rate and inspired an appreciation for reading more widely.’
Which is something that long-time readers of comics, me included, would know from our own experiences. I know that reading comics through childhood made me a better reader, increased my vocabulary, helped me learn, and, most importantly, made me a reader for life. But there are still those out there, including, shockingly, educators, who continue to see comics as a second-class reading experience and actively discourage comics for their students, pushing them towards what they say is ‘real’ reading.
So, anything like this, obviously to us as it is, is vital to educating those who would do comics down.
The full report can be downloaded here on the Lakes International Comic Art Festival web site, or here from the Comics Can Change the World web. Congratulations to LICAF for carrying this out.
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McSweeney’s Illustoria hits a 25th issue with ‘the Comics issue’… perfect for kids and their grown-ups this winter…
McSweeney’s Illustoria is their kids mag, designed for ages 6-12 (and their young at heart adults). Incredibly, it’s got to its 25th issue before doing an all comics issue! But it’s coming… although, weirdly, no idea when. All there is on the site is ‘All Illustoria subscriptions purchased before January 30, 2025, will include this issue.’ So, presumably it’s coming after 30 January?
72-pages of comics all-in, with McSweeney’s having this to say…
‘In our twenty-fifth issue, we dip into the immersive world of panel-format storytelling and all the world-building, character-developing, plot-twisting details. Check out interviews with our cover artist, Jillian Tamaki, and other series artists who share how they get ideas (and keep getting ideas) over time. Discover wordless comics, DIY comics, and autobiographical comics about real life. Feeling brave? Gather friends and try performing your own comic. Find all this and much more as you tear through this unforgettable unputdownable issue panel-by-panel.’
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2000 AD Annual signing – Jake Lynch, Alex Paknadel, Si Spurrier, Phil Winslade – Gosh London, 30 November, 1-2pm…
The first 2000 AD annual in three decades is out 27 November, a mix of classic reprints and new strips, guaranteed to make fans across the UK and beyond very happy come Christmas morning as they unwrap their pressies under the tree. It’s a fine, fine collection, previewed here.
And Gosh Comics London is having their own little pre-festive signing session…
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Luke Pearson’s Hilda And Twig signing – Gosh London, 30 November…
More Gosh London signings you should really try to make it to… 30 November at 2-3 sees Hilda creator Luke Pearson making an appearance at Gosh for the release and signing of his new Hilda and Twig: Hide From The Rain book, which gets described this way…
“Hilda and Twig would never let a bit of rain get in the way of an adventure, but it’s different when your forest exploration is interrupted by a BIG storm.
Sheltering in a mysterious mound in the earth, Twig quickly realises that trouble is afoot, and that his best blue-haired friend is in danger. Unfortunately, he’s never really thought of himself as the brave one, but it looks like he’s going to have to step up and save Hilda from a whole load of big, scaly trouble! Dive into this magical comic as we follow our lovable pair on a soggy adventure.”
If you know Hilda already, whether through the Flying Eye Books series or the adorable animated series on Netflix, or if you have a youngster as entranced by the world of Hilda as we are, this one’s a must visit.
More info here.
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Into Battle Action with Garth Ennis, Keith Burns, Torunn Gronbekk, Steve White, Rob Williams, John McCrea – FP London – 14 December…
The new ten-issue Battle Action series is a hell of a lot of fun, classic war comics and much more from the Treasury of British Comics. And the famous Forbidden Planet store in London is having a signing…
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It’s bigger boat time at the 2000 AD Thrill-Cast – Battle Action with Hookjaw and Steve White and John McCrea…
The latest 2000 AD Thrill-Cast podcast has Mike Molcher of 2000 AD chat to Steve White and John McCrea, responsible for the new Hookjaw strip in the third issue of the new Battle Action comic. (Previewed here)
The Thrill-Cast is here.
