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WELCOME
I hope you will join me and enjoy exploring the worlds of comics, graphic novels and manga at the annual Comica Festival and other special Comica events held throughout the year.Paul Gravett, Comica Director
COMICA NEWS
Graphic Short Story Prize 2011
Posted: July 10, 2011
For its fifth year, The Observer/Cape/Comica Graphic Short Story Prize has just been announced, inviting UK residents to submit a four-page comic on any theme, with the winner receiving £1,000 (the runner-up £250) and getting their story published in The Observer Review and on the Guardian and Vintage websites. This Prize has really galvanised the creative comics scene in this country, stimulating more people to try their hand at sequential art to express themselves. It has also led to several fresh British voices having their debut graphic novels published by Jonathan Cape.
Regular jury members Observer literary critic Rachel Cooke, Random House Creative Director Suzanne Dean, Cape publisher Dan Franklin, and me, Paul Gravett, Comica Festival director, are joined this year by the pioneer of UK graphic novels Bryan Talbot, of Luther Arkwright, Alice In Sunderland and Grandville fame, and David Nicholls, acclaimed author of One Day and a writer for film, television and theatre.
You can see the stories of previous winners and entrants here and listen to my conversation with Stephen Collins, winner of last year’s Prize here. The winner and runner-up will be announced as part of this November’s Comica Festival and we’re hoping to exhibit both stories and some of those by shortlisted finalists as well. Further details to follow.
You’ve got about three months, till 14 October 2011, to send in your entry. Entry forms with the full rules and conditions can be downloaded here and you can see how your story will be laid out in The Observer here.
Best of luck to everyone who enters and be sure to send to me a weblink if you also post your entry online so that it can be listed on this website.
Comics & Conflicts: Mills, Ennis, Collier, Sommer & More
Posted: July 4, 2011
On Friday August 19th and Saturday August 20th 2011, the prestigious Imperial War Museum in London is hosting its first ever Conference and Activity Programme devoted entirely to representations of war in comics, strips and graphic novels, entitled Comics and Conflicts, in association with Comica Festival, Panel Borders on Resonance FM and Roehampton University.
The conference will be held on the Friday, 10am to 6pm, opening with experts Martin Barker and Roger Sabin examining Garry Trudeau’s portrayals of injured American soldiers returning home in his Guardian strip Doonesbury. After this will be two parallel sessions of presentations of fascinating papers, one on ‘Representing Trauma’, the other on ‘Ethnicity, Nationalism and Representation’. Lunch will be followed by superstar scribe Garth Ennis chairing four papers on ‘The Image and Reality of War’, and then two more parallel sessions, before a special ‘In Conversation’ from 4pm with celebrated British comics writer Pat Mills, with special emphasis on his remarkable collaboration with the late Joe Colqhoun on the First World War comics serial Charley’s War. Pat will be signing the new Titan Books compilations and original artwork will be on display in the foyer. There will also be prints on show from other related titles in the Cinema. You can come for just Pat’s chat of course for £6, but why not make a whole day of it? You can book all-inclusive Friday tickets here, which cost £30 or only £15 for students, and that includes the Pat Mills event.
The format changes for Saturday with a Programme of public activities talks, panels, workshops, signings and a film screening, all bookable separately. The morning kicks off at 10.30 with our special Canadian guest David Collier, whose latest graphic memoir Chimo recounts his experiences re-enlisting and joining the Canadian War Artists Programme. There will be two panel discussions as well with acclaimed, up-and-coming comics creators. First up, Mikkel Sommer from Denmark, whose powerful debut Obsolete was released from Nobrow, and Adrian Searle and Dave Turbitt, publisher and artist of the moving Dougie’s War, talk about their explorations of the aftereffects of warfare on veterans returning from Afghanistan. The second panel invites Eileen Cassavetti, whose daughter Francesca Cassavetti has published her revealing illustrated war-time diary, entitled ‘Phlilp and Helena’, and Sean Duffield, comic artist, editor and publisher of the 260-page anthology War: The Human Cost. He’ll be joined by some of the 67 contributors from 19 countries including Daniel Locke and Ben Naylor.
Reinhard Kleist: Castro
Posted: June 18, 2011
In October 1958, Karl Mertens, a young journalist, arrives in Havana, Cuba. Having read an interview with Fidel Castro in the New York Times, he sets out on behalf of a German newspaper to meet and interview the young leader. When he arrives, he finds himself in a country plunged into revolution. Quickly he becomes involved in its events. From the viewpoint of this young journalist, Castro presents a detailed look at the life and the political motivations of the Cuban ‘Máximo Lider’ Fidel Castro, from his childhood up until the present day.
Publisher SelfMadeHero invites you to celebrate the publication of the graphic biography Castro by Reinhard Kleist. Come and meet the author at the Folyles bookshop in Charing Cross Road, London, where Reinhard Kleist will be in conversation with Comica Festival director, Paul Gravett. Reinhard will sketch and dedicate copies of Castro and an exclusive print will be provided free with each copy purchased. Cuban refreshments will be served at the reception. More details…
Tickets: Free, but RSVP essential to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Where: Foyles Gallery, Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0EB
When: Monday, July 4, 2011 - 6.30pm to 8.30pm
David B: Black Paths
Posted: June 7, 2011
“...a gripping romantic psychodrama set in a forgotten but unforgettable slice of history.”
Paul Gravett
1919 - the defeated Austro-Hungarian Empire is losing control of the city port of Fiume to pirates. A self-styled Pirate King, Gabriele d’Annunzio (poet, Italian war hero and Dadaist) storms the city with 3000 loyal Italian footsoldiers. He declares Fiume a free Republic: a utopian city-state, with himself as Commander. The city soon descends into looting and surreal decadence, reminiscent of the last days of Rome. Amid this chaos, the beautiful Mina, a black-haired young singer, is lost in this city gone mad, consumed by a love affair with a young soldier. Haunted by the horror of the trenches, a soldier, Lauriano, hunts Fiume’s alleys in vain for the ghost that haunts his dreams.
Publisher SelfMadeHero invites you to celebrate the publication of the graphic novel Black Paths by David B. Come and meet the author at Clerkenwell Tales, Exmouth Market, London where David B will be in conversation with Comica Festival Director, Paul Gravett. Food and drinks will be served and David B will be sketching copies of Black Paths. More details…
Tickets: Free, but RSVP essential to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Where: Clerkenwell Tales, Exmouth Market, London EC1 4QE
When: Thursday, June 30, 2011 - 6.30 to 8.30pm
Comica Symposium 2011: Transitions 2
Posted: March 22, 2011
Comica Festival presents Transitions 2, the second, free, one-day Comica Symposium promoting new research and multi-disciplinary academic study of comics/comix/manga/bandedessinée and other forms of sequential art on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at the School of Arts, Birkbeck, University of London, London WC1E 7HX.
Comics studies occupy a unique multi-disciplinary middle-space, one that encourages cross-disciplinary pollination and a convergence of distinct knowledges: literary and cultural studies, visual arts and media, modern languages, geography and more. Transitions 2 is a one-day symposium devoted to promoting new research into comics in all their forms. Rather than restricting itself to a specific theme, the symposium will highlight research from postgraduate students and early career lecturers bringing together different perspectives and methodoogies, whether cultural, historical, or formal, thereby mapping new trends and providing a space for dialogue and further collaboration to emerge. By thinking about comics across different disciplines, the intention is to spark debate and address a wide spectrum of questions.
The first Transitions symposium was the successful opening event of Comica 2010 Festival. Transitions 2 is part of Comica 2011, the London International Comics Festival and is organised in association with Birkbeck, University of London, Studies in Comics, European Comic Art, the Contemporary Fiction Seminar and The Comics Grid. Dr. Roger Sabin, Reader in Popular Culture at Central St.Martins will once again act as respondent. Please download our Call for Papers - the deadline for abstracts is July 31. For further information contact Tony, Paul and Zara at transitions.symposium[at]gmail.com Remember, remember, the Fifth of November!
Comica Review: Mattotti / McKean
Posted: March 20, 2011
The Mattotti / McKean Comica Conversation was a great success last weekend and many thanks to everyone who attended. Joel Meadows, the editor-in-chief of Tripwire Magazine, was in the audience and has written about the event on his blog:
Last Saturday, I went to Goldsmiths College in New Cross to see Dave McKean talking to Lorenzo Mattotti. Part of Comica, this was tied in with the release of Mattotti’s new Stigmata book and the pair just spoke about the Italian master’s varied career, from his book Fires, his wonderful New Yorker covers and the forthcoming The Raven, written by Lou Reed and published by Fantagraphics. Turnout was very encouraging with a full room and it made me realize that, as well as being a genius at colour work, his line art is magnificent. It kicked off a little bit late but made for a very interesting couple of hours. Mattotti is exactly the sort of comic artist who should be getting wider exposure outside of Europe and this is the sort of talk that may start to help this. McKean, obviously familiar with Mattotti’s canon, made for a good interviewer. Comica continues to offer a mixed range of comics and comic-related events and it has now built up to be one of the cultural highlights in London’s graphic novel calendar.
Lorenzo Mattotti & Dave McKean
Posted: February 12, 2011
On Saturday March 12th, mesmerising Italian maestro Lorenzo Mattotti makes a rare visit to London to discuss his career in comics and beyond, including his latest graphic novel Stigmata, translated by Fantagraphics, and his collaborations, from his animated terrors in the movie Fear(s) of the Dark to illustrating Lou Reed’s concept album The Raven. Joining Mattotti in conversation will be his friend and fellow artist Dave McKean, famed for his multi-media solo projects, most recently the erotic graphic novel Celluloid, and his works with Neil Gaiman notably on The Sandman. Introduced and hosted by Comica Director, Paul Gravett, don’t miss this opportunity to witness a unique encounter between two of the world’s greatest contemporary visionaries from 6pm to 7.30pm followed by book signings at Goldsmiths University in South-East London.
Big, big thanks are due to the London Comic & Small Press Expo being held all day Saturday for providing the brilliant venue. And this special event would also not be possible without the support of the Falmouth University Open Illustration Forum taking place on Friday March 11th, which has brought Lorenzo Mattotti over and also invited John Vernon Lord, Orly Orbach and George Hardie for what promises to be a fascinating day of exchanging ideas and which I will be chairing.
Tickets: £3
Where: Great Hall, Goldsmiths University, New Cross, London
When: Saturday, March 12, 2011 - 6pm to 7.30pm
Adventures In Comics
Posted: January 24, 2011
Between the 4 and 20 February, The Marine Studio in Margate, Kent, is hosting an exhibition that looks at comics, graphic novels and sequential art. The Adventures In Comics exhibition will reshow some work from the That’s Novel alongside new local artists. I’ll be attending and speaking at the opening on the 4 February (the show opens at 6.30pm, the talk begins at 7pm) and I hope to see you there.
Comics & Conflicts Conference: Call For Papers
Posted: January 5, 2011
The Comics & Conflicts Conference will be held on 19-20 August, 2011 at the Imperial War Museum in London, and is aimed at comics scholars, practitioners, and enthusiasts. Invited conference speakers and guests will include: Pat Mills (Charley’s War); Martin Barker and Roger Sabin on Doonesbury; Garth Ennis (Troubled Souls, War Story); Jacques Tardi (It Was The War Of The Trenches) and Jean-Pierre Verney (Putain de Guerre), the latter two subject to confirmation.
Papers for the conference are welcomed that explore the ways in which comics around the world represent and articulate the experience and impact of war and conflict. For example, topics may include:
- Depictions of conflict in comics created for children.
- Representations of trauma in comic books, graphic novels, manga & other forms of international comics.
- Visual representations of conflict in such places as Afghanistan, Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, The Middle East, Northern Ireland, and Vietnam.
- Journalism, biography, and memoir in comics on conflict.
- Focus on key practitioners such as Guibert, Kubert, Mills, Sacco, Satrapi, Spiegelman, Tardi & Trudeau.
- Comics as a space to depict/critique national ideology.
- Comics as tools of propaganda, both of the state and of protest organisations.
In the first instance please email abstracts of 250 words, with a brief author biography, to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), including ‘Comics & Conflicts 2011’ in the subject heading. The deadline for submissions is 31 March, 2011.
The Comics & Conflicts Conference is organised by Ariel Kahn (Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Roehampton University), Alex Fitch (presenter of Panel Borders, the UK’s only weekly broadcast radio show about comics) and Paul Gravett (Comica Director).
The Comics & Conflicts Conference will form part of a literary festival being held from 13-21 August 2011, which accompanies the Imperial War Museum’s new exhibition Once Upon A Wartime: Classic War Stories for Children. For more information about the exhibition and the festival visit the Imperial War Museum web site.
Further details of this very special event (including details on the keynote speakers, special guests and registration) will be announced right here on the Comica News Blog.
Happy New Year from Comica Festival!
Posted: December 29, 2010
Huge thanks to everyone who made 2010’s Comica Festival and Events throughout the year such a success. Our esteemed guests included American best-sellers Daniel Clowes and Chris Ware and from Argentina Carlos Nine. Plans are already afoot for Comica Events early in 2011 and among the superstars who we will hopefully be welcoming to London in association with various sponsors and supporters will be: Lorenzo Mattotti (Fires, Stigmata), Randall C. (Sleepyheads), Amruta Patil (Kari), James Kochalka (American Elf), Winshluss (Pinocchio) and Garth Ennis (Preacher, The Boys). And that is just for starters. Be sure to sign up now for the Newsletter to get the earliest advance news and booking info on these and other Comica Festival happenings next year!
