The Sunday Spotlight: The ‘Strive To Be A Champion Of Tolerance And Diversity’ Edition
by Richard Bruton
Another week, more news and views and comics things a-happening — it’s The Sunday Spotlight —
Beano launch a new graphic novel series (hopefully) from March 2025…
It’s long been a source of bemusement that DC Thomson, publishers of Beano (although we’re all, let’s face it, always going to be calling it The Beano) and home to an immense archive of Brit comics, doesn’t do more with what they’ve got. Surely there’s a market for archive editions of the old material and, given that kids today are very used to devouring graphic novels, a reprint and collection series of modern Beano strips is a must — surely?
Anyway, maybe we’re getting the first inkling that Beano are doing so, with Hugh Raine‘s very funny Betty and the Yeti strip getting a graphic novel release on 27 March. Will this lead to a hell of a lot more from Beano? Oh, I hope so. And given it’s listed with this tag line – ‘Book 1 of the new official Beano children’s illustrated funny graphic novel series’, I think that’s the case.
‘Betty and the Yeti: Friends at First Fart — Betty and the Yeti are the best of friends, but Yeti is, well … a yeti, and Betty isn’t supposed to have a yeti living in her room – not that she’s asked! What the groan-ups don’t know won’t hurt them, right? Well, just their house, their garden and their bank accounts! But shh! You wouldn’t tell them about Yeti, would you?
‘Join Betty and Yeti as they get to grips with being roommates and Yeti learns how to act like a human to blend in. Will it end in disaster or will they become friends at first fart? Find out in this epic new comic book series, which includes awesome activities for you to complete as you go.’
New events for Spring at London’s Cartoon Museum…
London’s excellent Cartoon Museum has announced a few very interesting events for Spring 2025, all kicking off with their Cartoon Conference 2025 on Monday 24 February (10am – 6pm).
The Cartoon Conference is their fourth annual conference, full of info about making comics and learning how to survive and thrive in comics. On the day, you’ll hear from Corinne Pearlman from the First Graphic Novel competition, on the importance of awards in expanding opportunities and networks for comics creators and de-mystifying the publishing process. David Shenton will be reflecting on his career as a pioneering Queer Cartoonist since the 1970s. Shane Melisse talks on the concept Road Knight exploring London life within a fantasy aesthetic. The Society of Authors will be there talking about the publishing and creative industries and wider cultural matters. Clive Goddard and Guy Venables, from The Professional Cartoonists Organisation (PCO), will talk about The Great British Colouring Book project and cartooning as a force for good. And finally, Thor Borgqvist from First Word will speak on working with cartoonists in the commercial corporate world.
The Cartoon Museum’s Young Cartoonist Awards 2024 now has an extended the submission date, now accepting entries up to Wednesday 26 February. Entries open to two categories – Under 18s and 18-30 year olds. To enter please send your hand-drawn cartoon to either The Cartoon Museum, 63 Wells Street, London, W1A 3AE, or your digital entries to hello@cartoonmuseum.org.
Finally, opening 5 April — Cats in Cartoons! It’s their latest exhibit, featuring the greatest cats to grace British comics, newspapers and magazines.
‘The exhibition will feature over 100 cartoons and comics featuring cats, including works by significant and well-known artists such as Louis Wain, Axel Scheffler, Ronald Searle, William Heath Robinson, Simon Tofield, Anthony Smith, Gemma Correll, and Hunt Emerson, and featuring favourite characters including Garfield and Bagpuss. Find out where the term ‘fat cat’ came from, see the crazy contraption Heath Robinson devised so his cat ‘Saturday Morning’ could feed himself, and discover the anarchic anthropomorphic influence of Louis Wain.’
Comix Experience’s Graphic Novel picks for February 2025…
A great shop running a great graphic novel club programme, San Francisco’s Comix Experience is a shining example of a comic shop doing it just right.
I like to highlight their graphic novel club selections for a couple of reasons – first, to keep showing you how great comic shops do things and, second, because their picks are well worth taking a good loook at – I don’t think they’ve missed the mark yet. In the past, Comix Experience livestreamed their graphic novel club interviews but they’re now going to a more edited and tidied-up version of things. Check out their socials for more details.
This month’s adult pick is a memoir ‘that asks a lot of smart questions about grief and trauma in very sensitive ways’ – Hugh D’Andrade‘s The Murder Next Door.
‘When Hugh was ten years old, he walked home from school to find his friends next door crying outside-they had just come home and discovered their mother’s body. She had been murdered. Now an adult, Hugh has a happy social life and a successful career as an artist in Oakland, California. But even so he is plagued by anxiety, anger, and panic attacks. As he attends therapy and looks back on his childhood, he comes to realize the trauma and stress that the murder next door had on his life, and how it still affects him today.’
Hugh will be in store on Sunday, March 2nd at 10am for an interview in front of an audience (that would be you!) followed by a signing session about noon.
The Kids club pick is Mr Muffin: Defender of the Stars by Ben Kahn and Georgeo Brooks.
‘Defender of the cosmos! Vanquisher of evil! Failure at frisbee?? Corgi shenanigans, epic space battles, and intergalactic heroes abound in this uplifting, action-packed adventure about the powerful connection between humans and their pets from GLAAD Media Award nominee Ben Kahn and illustrator Georgeo Brooks. Eleven-year-old Reuben Mahmoud just wants a break. When he takes his pet corgi, Mr. Muffins, to the park, he expects to get just that-a break. But what he gets instead is an alien invasion right smack dab in the middle of his neighborhood! Oh! And apparently Mr. Muffins is the chosen one destined to save the galaxy? This should be interesting… Dragged into the middle of an epic space war, Reuben learns that the fate of the entire galaxy rests in Mr. Muffins’s adorable corgi paws. It’s going to take a lot more than tail wagging and butt waddling to end this war. To turn the tide of the conflict, intergalactic soldier Cassara must show Mr. Muffins how to tap into his cosmic power and be the hero the galaxy needs him to be. But when Mr. Muffins is separated from Reuben and a formidable giant mech-corgi arrives to conquer the world, Mr. Muffins’s powers are put to the test. Will Reuben be able to rise to the occasion to help his fluffy best friend? Do Cassara, Reuben, and Mr. Muffins have what it takes to end this war once and for all?’
Ben and Georgeo are also going to be interviewed, but no dates as yet – again, check the Comix Experience socials for more details.
Comics Cultural Impact Collective present a collaboration for Comics & Autism…
The new campaigning group for comics in the UK, the Comics Cultural Impact Collective (CCIC), are assisting academics at the University of Cambridge as they research the intersection of comics & autism, beginning with a Best Practice Guide to help make comics communities as inclusive and accessible as possible for autistic people.
They’re looking for austistic comic fans and creators and those involved in comics organisations, events, projects, and community groups, over 18 and based in the UK, to take part in an anonymous survey to share your experiences to help shape the comics scene and kickstart a wider conversation about accessibility. Click here to take part in the survey.
LDCmics presents an Arts Council Funding Workshop – Tuesday 18th February…
As part of their professional development series, the excellent comics collective, LDComics [a women-led comics forum, open to all] are running a practical online workshop to help you progress your Arts Council England Project Grant or Develop Your Creative Practice application.
Dr Nicola Streeten, graphic novelist and comics scholar, not to mention someone who knows just how to get money out of the arts council, will guide you through a series of simple and entertaining exercises to refine your approach and plan, showing you how to construct budgets and timelines with examples that you can then use as templates for your own project, helping you develop confidence on the way.
‘Do you have a brilliant idea that you think should be funded by Arts Council England, but feel overwhelmed by the application form and process? This practical online workshop is for you! Bring your laptop or ipad, and/or paper and something to write with. Dr Nicola Streeten will guide you through a series of simple and entertaining exercises to refine your approach and plan. This will be the basis for any successful funding application. Nicola will use the Arts Council England form and take you through it, distinguishing between the Developing Your Creative Practice and the project Grant. She will show you how to construct example budgets and timelines that you can then use as templates for your own project. The workshop will allow time for your questions and by the end you will have developed a confidence in your path to realising your idea.’
More details and booking here.
Thought Bubble, one of the greatest comic festivals in the world, happening 10-16 November 2025…
Yep, I reckon it’s right up there with the best comics festivals in the world. All comics, lots and lots of comics, so many comic creators, so much to see. And not a single ‘celeb’ pop culture appearance to be seen. Frankly, if you want to get the signature of the fourth Ewok from the left in Return of the Jedi, you’ll have to go elsewhere.
More news as it comes of course, but just to let you know well in advance that you need to mark your diaries for the festival from 10-16 November 2025 in Harrogate, UK. The two-day comics convention happens on 15-16 November.
Tickets available right now… www.thoughtbubblefestival.com
Marvel – FF trailer looks good — and then they drop the ball…
Well, we had a great looking trailer for Fantastic Four…
And then we had this promo image…
Oh dear. As various people have pointed out, there appears to be a lot of AI being used here —
Sure, Marvel have denied the use of AI in the poster (see this CNN article) but, well… oh, if only Marvel had some talented artists they could use for this sort of thing. Ho-hum.
