[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-lakes-international-comic-art-festival-2015":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"I love how the town of \u003Ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendal\">Kendal\u003C/a> in the Lakes District puts on a good display when it's time for its \u003Ca href=\"http://comicartfestival.com/\">Lakes International Comic Art Festival\u003C/a>! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_shop_zpstjj328yn-529965827a.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nOne of the highlights for me of comic festivals is when I see young comics creators publishing their own work and experimenting with fun ways to market it. Check out this great stand by \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thezoom.co.uk/\">Zoom Rockman\u003C/a>! (He's been publishing since he was eight years old.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_zoomstand_zpsdnnceinc-07c737e304.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's his Skanky Pigeon character and, hey, a few friends and I have little cameos in \u003Ci>\u003Cb>The Zoom\u003C/i>\u003C/b> comic!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_zoomcomic_zpsikdugcrx-5b789b975c.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for LOTS more under the cut!-->\\r\nWhen I first saw Zoom at LICAF, he was drawing grumpy faces onto the spuds he put into his Unhappy Meals (shown here). He's \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/The_ZoomComic\">@The_ZoomComic\u003C/a> on Twitter.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_zoommeals_zpswsspufhw-b133ba9cae.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd hey, two more familiar faces! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_jonnyjordan1_zpsyp7jrktt-e10fb2de92.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's Jordan Vigay, whom I first met at Animated Exeter festival, and then again at The Phoenix Comic festival in Oxford. He publishes \u003Ca href=\"http://www.redcrowcomic.com/\">The Red Crow\u003C/a> comic. (He's just joined Twitter as \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/JordanVigay\">@JordanVigay\u003C/a>.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_jordan_redcrow_zpsmvhzpn4l-46db5ff95f.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd here's Jonny Toons, whom I first met at Thought Bubble festival in Leeds. His comics magazine's called \u003Ci>\u003Cb>Crystal Orb\u003C/i>\u003C/b> and you can follow him on Twitter at \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/JonnyToons\">@JonnyToons\u003C/a>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_jonnytoons_zpszqc7ml6y-adf85b5e21.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd this week \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thebookseller.com/news/pullman-writes-comic-strip-phoenix-315155\">\u003Ci>The Bookseller\u003C/i> reported\u003C/a> that both Jordan and Jonny will be contributing to \u003Ci>The Phoenix Comic\u003C/i>, which is very exciting! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_jonnyjordansarah_zpsuwo1eyb9-9b5100cdbc.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThe other awesome thing about LICAF was being there when \u003Ca href=\"http://www.philip-reeve.com/\">Philip Reeve\u003C/a> and concept artist \u003Ca href=\"http://mcqueconcept.blogspot.co.uk/\">Ian McQue\u003C/a> met for the very first time! Ian's art is hugely inspired by Philip's Mortal Engines quartet, and I think Ian's artwork has helped shape how a lot of fans see that world now. (Here's an early image of the \u003Ca href=\"http://mcqueconcept.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/mortal-engines.html\">traction city of London\u003C/a>.) I had dinner with them and it was fun seeing them be such mutual fanboys. Philip's \u003Cb>\u003Ci>Railhead\u003C/i>\u003C/b> publisher, Oxford Univerity Press, commissioned Ian to do several book-related images, and here's his digital painting of a Hive Monk: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_ian_mcque_reeve_zpsy0aqecsk-0a848094b1.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI wasn't able to go to their \u003Ci>Railhead\u003C/i> event because I had an event at the same time (gah!!) but I hear it was packed-out and amazing, with Ian doing live drawing while Philip did readings from the book. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_ian_mcque_reeve2_zpsqh03cxdx-f9dc12b6ab.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cfont size=\"1\">Photo by Sofi Croft \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/croftdragon/status/655452259661316100\">on Twitter\u003C/a>\u003C/font>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nPhilp and I felt honoured to be asked to features our new book together, \u003Ci>\u003Cb>Pugs of the Frozen North\u003C/i>\u003C/b>, for the festival finale show. Here on the Reeve & McIntyre Sofa of Mystery are some top snow scientists we discovered in the audience. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/jodylawson_zpsqlwzyj1z-ad573de64c.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cfont size=\"1\">Photo by Jody Lawson \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/jodyrlawson/status/655791988667777024\">on Twitter\u003C/a>\u003C/font>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nIt was fun meeting people after the show; check out this beautiful crocheted pug! (Here's a \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/pugs-of-the-frozen-north/\">free pattern\u003C/a> if you want to try knitting a pug!)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_crochet_pug_zpsm4ut8uig-79c8d4c258.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd we even had our portraits drawn by a couple member of the audience! (Thanks to \u003Ca href=\"https://forbiddenplanet.com/\">Forbidden Planet\u003C/a> for hosting that signing.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_drawingsofus_zpswrzifa1j-fa8eff37b0.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nOther exciting things: seeing Skipton-based comics collective \u003Ca href=\"http://jodylawson.co.uk/Teamketchup.html\">Team Ketchup\u003C/a> and their second comic anthology. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_teamketchup2_zpsxasyk4f7-ee5dac9e70.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cfont size=\"1\">I think Jody Lawson took this photo, too!\u003C/font>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nHey, spot the yeti from when I illustrated the Summer Reading Challenge! So fab!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_teamketchup1_zpseqjfnq87-58d6345d33.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI didn't have a lot of time to run around buying comics, but I really, REALLY wanted to get copies of the \u003Cb>24-Hour Comic Marathon\u003C/b> publications. I took part in the 24-Hour Comic Marathon last year (you can \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/668539.html\">read my comic here\u003C/a>) and it was a gruelling thing to do - make a 24-page comic book in 24 hours - but a lot of fun, too, and sort of therapeutic to pump out a book that fast, and then have it printed and ready to sell the very next day. (Publishing can feel so SLOW sometimes!) And here are all six comics from this year, completed the day before I bought them! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_24hc_covers_zpscc6i2bms-d1881c2118.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://www.emmavieceli.com/\">Emma Vieceli\u003C/a> was one of the artists who took part (and she's also a LICAF Patron):\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_24hc_emma_zpsmnzszirx-8096e190ca.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's \u003Ca href=\"http://scarygoround.com/\">John Allison\u003C/a>'s comic:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_24hc_john_zpsicvspowf-cacc53a702.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd \u003Ca href=\"http://teahermit.co.uk/\">Jade Sarson\u003C/a>'s! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_24hc_jade_zpsgxoqdbof-16e3cca420.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere you can get a peek of some of the interiors... \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_24hc_interiors_zpsuvs51eve-059c49af12.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nCheck out this page of \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jonathan-e.com/\">Jonathan Edwards\u003C/a> (Jontofski)'s 24-Hour Comic, and its pencil rough! He painted the pink tones first, then drew the black ink on top. Such beautiful compositions. Hopefully all six comics will be collected into a book, like the \u003Ca href=\"http://comicartfestival.com/index.php/shop/books/product/56-fanfare-presents-24-by-7\">\u003Ci>24 by 7\u003C/i> book\u003C/a> that Fanfare published of our comics last year.  \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_jontofski_pages_zpsqnz82ge2-d0ac3c7f0c.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://www.thingsbydan.co.uk/\">Dan Berry\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/R_T_Short\">Richard Short\u003C/a> also made 24-Hour Comics. But not all the comics that weekend were drawn on paper; \u003Ca href=\"http://www.joedecie.com/\">Joe Decie\u003C/a> (who took part in the 24-Hour Comic Marathon with me last year) painted a comic with acrylic pant on a wall in the walkway between two pubs. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_joemural_zpsdvu9hzlq-4a161543eb.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nYou can see more photos here on \u003Ca href=\"http://joedecie.tumblr.com/post/131612614518/this-last-weekend-i-was-in-kendal-for-the-lakes\">Joe's Tumblr page\u003C/a>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_sarah_joemural_zpsycb68hlc-034bc7317a.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThe other terrific thing I saw at the festival was \u003Ci>The Three Rooms in Valerie's Head\u003C/i>, a performance by writer \u003Ca href=\"http://www.davidgaffney.org/the-three-rooms-in-valeries-head---a-graphic-novel-with-dan-berry.html\">David Gaffney\u003C/a>, comics creator \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thingsbydan.co.uk/\">Dan Berry\u003C/a> and musician \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/saralowesmusic\">Sara Lowes\u003C/a>. I had no idea what to expect - Dan gave me the tickets on the street - and it was FASCINATING. Dan, David and Sara were like a band, immersing us, the theatre audience, into their weird and wonderful story. We could see them looking to each other for the timing, and it was fun watching Dan's face as he could see and hear people's immediate response to each panel of his comic on the screen while David Gaffney gave a dramatic reading of the text. There weren't any speech bubbles in the artwork, David supplied all the words, which made it almost like watching a rough animated film. The story was, in turns, creepy, mysterious and very funny. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_valerieshead1_zpsviu4jagd-6cc4985d63.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nLike last year, Dan had been in charge of this year's 24-Hour Comic Marathon and taken part himself again. He also teaches, and hosts the incredible \u003Ca href=\"http://makeitthentelleverybody.com/\">Make It Then Tell Everybody\u003C/a> podcasts, and I don't know where he found the time to make SO MANY images for this peformance, but it was wonderful. I really hope they take it on tour, to places such as the Edinburgh Book Festival; people will love this show. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_valerieshead2_zps0fdvpmf3-42de83043f.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nOh, and another highlight was meeting \u003Cb>Nev the Pug\u003C/b>, together with his devotee \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/thalestral?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author\">Laura Sneddon\u003C/a>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_laura_nev_pug_zpsbsa2zlj5-6f46f60bef.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThere wasn't a lot of dressing up at this particular festival, but I did spot a few ace costumes, including this Batgirl in my signing queue in the \u003Ca href=\"http://www.page45.com/\">Page 45\u003C/a> room. (Spot my \u003Ci>Jampires\u003C/i> book with \u003Ca href=\"http://davidoconnell.uk/\">David O'Connell\u003C/a> - which \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jampires.com/the-story/\">started with a Comic Jam\u003C/a>! - and my picture book \u003Ci>There's a Shark in the Bath\u003C/i>.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_batgirl_zpsetyaq4b4-e187bbbaa0.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nPage 45 is a terrific Nottingham-based bookshop, hosted by the hugely knowledgeable \u003Cb>Stephen Holland\u003C/b> and \u003Cb>Jonathan Rigby\u003C/b>. And Stephen was having a big birthday! Philip and I drew him a card with lots of cuddles from pugs and Sea Monkeys. (You can read \u003Ca href=\"http://www.page45.com/store/Pugs-From-The-Frozen-North.html\">Stephen's highly illustrated review of \u003Ci>Pugs of the Frozen North\u003C/i> on the shop website\u003C/a>. They ship internationally!)  \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_page45stephen_zps51iqpicq-3b7649febf.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nBut I wasn't just doing Pugs events, I also hosted a \u003Ci>Dinosaur Police\u003C/i> event, along with a handy local police officer.  \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_police_zpsmodozjlx-65c2ce0b50.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nCheck out the T-Rex drawings kids made! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_dinopics1_zps5rttoplw-357a013a8f.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI wasn't sure what age the audience was going to be, but we had five-year-olds, teenagers, adults, and it was good fun. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_dinopics2_zpsx9ctc9zr-cd1e35d922.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nOo, there's one by a mum, on the right. I love it when the adults get involved and draw, too. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_dinopics4_zpsanyk9par-3fb2212a95.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI had everyone create a profession for their dinosaur: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_dinopics3_zpsxalcai1m-fd58b065ec.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd this guy started turning his Football Dinosaur into a comic. I hope he kept going with it! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_dinopics3b_zpsruplqvxx-96a83eaf18.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nPhilip Reeve and I also led a Comics Jam session in Kendal Libary. (Here's a selfie with the people who took part in the background.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_comicjam_group_zpsnme1wguv-9137385adf.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThe great thing about a Comics Jam is that everyone comes away with a comic, and they all take exactly the same amount of time to create! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_comicjam_ninja_zps18uh21on-e4889efde6.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere are a couple of the comics people made. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_comicjam_train_zpswlsifvzt-460c39c57e.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHey look, it's \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/dr_mel_comics\">Dr Mel Gibson\u003C/a>, a genuine comics doctor! And she's brought her suitcase of recommended comics for her own workshop.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_melgibson_zps4yr91vcr-2f99a6b5cc.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI could tell a lot of these kids in our sessions had comic-creator parents; the level of drawing was very high! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_cartoonwkshop_zpsyrjfiefc-ef7baf4379.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd it was great to catch up a bit with people I hadn't seen for ages, including the small-but-very-remarkable \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/FeltMistress\">Felt Mistress, Louise Evans\u003C/a>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_feltmistress_zpsmmr37v8n-6785603dc3.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nFelt Mistress and Jontofski are such a power couple: Jonathan draws creatures, Felt Mistress sews them, and we all get to enjoy them.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_jontfeltie_zpsnwoq5lzd-7350d474ed.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIt's \u003Ci>Supercrash\u003C/i> author \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/AcmeDarryl\">Darryl Cunningham\u003C/a>! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_sarahdarryl_zps6ahvpmp1-0f0c8c460e.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd Canadian artist \u003Ca href=\"http://www.harkavagrant.com/\">Kate Beaton\u003C/a>! I love her history comics SO much and she has two new books out: a picture book called \u003Ci>The Princess and the Pony\u003C/i> and a collection of comics called \u003Ci>Step Aside Pops!\u003C/i>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_kate_beaton_zps0jvniv34-0ee0be31b2.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIt's \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/asiaalfasi\">Asia Alfasi\u003C/a>! I first met her at Hi-Ex festival in Inverness, but I hadn't seen her in years, and I wish I'd had more time to catch up with her. (Can someone remind me of the name of her tablemate? I used to know and I've blanked!)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_asia_alfasi_zps8yaxpkwa-65902d8715.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nGreat to see \u003Ca href=\"http://www.sallykindberg.co.uk/\">Sally Kindberg\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"http://www.stevenappleby.com/\">Steven Appleby\u003C/a>:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_sallysteven_zpsrphuhgqg-14698765c3.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIn the pub, it's French creator \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Bouletcorp"\">Boulet\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ExLibrisNora\">Nora Goldberg\u003C/a>, Joe Decie, \u003Ca href=\"http://warwickjohnsoncadwell.blogspot.co.uk/\">Warwick Johnson Cadwell\u003C/a> and John Allison:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_bouletnora_zps0i6xipgd-cf16a9e439.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nMy former studio mate \u003Ca href=\"http://littlewhitebird.com/\">Ellen Lindner\u003C/a>, over from New York City with her husband \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/stephenbetts\">Stephen Betts\u003C/a>: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_ellenstephen_zpsos8qgxmp-fc2d9fd04c.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/VonPud\">Andrew Ruddick\u003C/a> (aka Pud) and Emma Vieceli (who often has a hard time getting all her books at comics festivals, and Page 45 had ALL THE BOOKS. Wahey!)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_emma_vieceli_books_zpsl4clu27j-5c7fe13bcb.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://www.myriadeditions.com/creator/ed-hillyer/\">Ed Hillyer\u003C/a> (aka ILYA) and Jontofski:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_ed_jon_zpsakujlhjm-2a045f9c49.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nStephen Holland and Jonathan Rigby:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/page45_tam_zpszzabk6q4-1fa3d38233.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd, of course, a HUGE THANKS to the red-shirted team who ran the festival so beautifully! \u003Cb>Julie Tait, Carole Tait, Angela Diggle, Phil Welch, Katie White\u003C/b> and everyone who helped out! And my wonderful hosts at \u003Ca href=\"http://www.ashmeadowsguesthouse.co.uk/\">Ash Meadows Guest House\u003C/a>, \u003Cb>Philippa\u003C/b> and \u003Cb>Peter\u003C/b>! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_redshirts2_zpsnrcbqfwr-80b92a12dc.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nYou guys were amazing. Follow LICAF on Twitter at \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/comicartfest\">@comicartfest\u003C/a>!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/licaf15_redshirts_zpspdmkeiih-8d2f867df4.jpg\">","2015-10-28T07:19:00.000Z","lakes-international-comic-art-festival-2015",[],"lakes international comic art festival 2015",1776628730090]