Filed under: About Thought Bubble, Programme 2018, Thought Bubble 2018 | Tags: art, comic con, comic festival, Comics, exhibitions, Graphic Novels, Leeds comic con, Leeds comic festival, Manga, Thought Bubble, Webcomics
Hey gang!
We’ve just sent some big updates live over on our website, so we wanted to go into a little more detail here on the blog as to what you can find!
Ahead of this year’s Thought Bubble, which takes place from 17th – 23rd September, with our centre-piece convention running in Leeds city centre on 22nd and 23rd September, we’ve added a new wave of guests to the website, including:
Paul Cornell;
Marc Ellerby;
Galaad;
Sebastian Girner;
Sarah Graley;
Ariela Kristantina;
John Lees;
Metaphrog;
Mike Norton;
Carey Pietsch;
Declan Shalvey;
Andrew Wildman;
and Steve Yeowell!
We’ll be updating the site throughout the year, so be sure to bookmark https://www.thoughtbubblefestival.com/guests and check back regularly!
We’ve also added our first wave of exhibitors to the site at https://www.thoughtbubblefestival.com/exhibitors-2018 so you can get an idea of who’ll be joining us for this year’s convention! We’ll be updating this page regularly, and then, once floor plans are finalised, we’ll be listing exhibitors by which of our convention spaces they’ll be appearing in, along with floor plans for the various venues.
We’re welcoming new creators and retailers to Thought Bubble with each festival, so be sure to have a click around and find some new favourites to track down when September rolls around.
Our charity art auction, in support of Barnardo’s, closes this Thursday 8th February, so if you want to try and get your hands on some amazing comic art, created at 2017’s Thought Bubble, don’t miss out!
You can see a preview of the artwork up for auction in the gallery above, and full listing details can be found on our eBay profile at http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/thoughtbubblefestival – all proceeds from the auctions will go to Barnardo’s, with the exception of postage and packaging costs.
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That’s it for now, we’ll be back soon with more updates on this year’s Bubbly events!
Filed under: About Thought Bubble, Art by Guests, Previous Thought Bubble Festivals, Thought Bubble 2018 | Tags: art, auction, Barnardos, Charity, comic art, Comics, Leeds comic festival, Original Art
Hey gang!
As part of last year’s Thought Bubble convention, we ran our regular Sketching Spotlight event, where some amazing comic artists came up on stage and discussed their approach to illustrating with Peter Doherty, while also sketching live for our excellent audience.
Because comic artists are the best people on the planet, they agreed to let us auction off the sketches they produced, and donate all the proceeds to The Barnardo’s Charity.
We’d like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to all those wonderful people who took part, both for their time and generosity, and (with your help) we hope to be able to raise a lot of money for a great cause.
You can see a preview of all the pieces below (click to embiggen), with full details of the sketches underneath, as well as a link to the individual items’ listing pages.
For archival videos from a selection of previous years’ Sketching Spotlights, please visit our YouTube channel.
The auction will take place on eBay and will run for 10 days from 12pm (GMT) on Monday 29th January, with bidding/delivery open to fans worldwide. We’d really appreciate it if as many as you could spread the word as possible, so we can raise a whole bunch of money for a good cause, and find some new homes for some awesome artwork!
(100% of proceeds from each auction (excluding P&P) will be donated to the Barnardo’s charity all artwork is A4 in size, full information available on individual item listing pages linked below, which will be live from 12pm (GMT) – Monday 29th January, or can be viewed at http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/thoughtbubblefestival – worldwide shipping is available, with full P&P details available on individual items’ listing pages.)
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Artwork by Charlie Adlard, pencils and inks on paper, September 2017
Please click here to visit item auction listing page (live from 12pm, Monday 29th January)
Artwork by Nick Derington, pencils on paper, September 2017
Please click here to visit item auction listing page (live from 12pm, Monday 29th January)
Artwork by Joëlle Jones, pencils and ink on paper, September 2017
Please click here to visit item auction listing page (live from 12pm, Monday 29th January)
Artwork by Sean Phillips, pencils and inks on paper, September 2017
Please click here to visit item auction listing page (live from 12pm, Monday 29th January)
Artwork by Sara Pichelli, pencils and inks on paper, September 2017
Please click here to visit item auction listing page (live from 12pm, Monday 29th January)
Artwork by James Stokoe, pencil and inks on paper, September 2017
Please note: these are auctioned as a pair and appear on different sides of the same sheet of paper.
Please click here to visit item auction listing page (live from 12pm, Monday 29th January)
Artwork by Garbiel H. Walta, pencils and inks on paper, September 2017
Please click here to visit item auction listing page (live from 12pm, Monday 29th January)
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Our special thanks to go out to Peter Doherty for all his help and for hosting the Sketching Spotlights, and to Jip and all our technical volunteers for making these sessions possible, as well as the wonderful audiences who attended on the day!
Filed under: About Thought Bubble, Programme 2018, Thought Bubble 2018 | Tags: comic con, comic festival, Comics, Leeds comic con, Leeds comic festival, Leeds Thought Bubble comic festival, Thought Bubble, Webcomics
Table registration for this year’s Thought Bubble convention is now open, and we wanted to put up some more information on the curation process, and how that will work for next year’s show, which takes place 22nd and 23rd September.
2018’s convention will be taking place in Leeds City Centre, and a map of the area of the city we’ll be taking over to share the world of comics with the UK can be seen below, with convention exhibition spaces marked on it. We’ve also got a google map of this area of the city, which can be found here.
![e4aacf_2ddf24880931426e90f73fb17372ed09~mv2_d_4961_3508_s_4_2[1]](https://thoughtbubblefestival.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/e4aacf_2ddf24880931426e90f73fb17372ed09mv2_d_4961_3508_s_4_21.png?w=420)
Thought Bubble’s convention will have four exhibition spaces, as seen above: Leeds Town Hall’s Victoria Hall, and three custom-built venues on Victoria Square (in front of Leeds Town Hall), Millenium Square, and Cookridge Street (in front of Radisson Blu Hotel / The Light), with surrounding venues hosting panels and live events taking place across the weekend.
We remain committed to being as inclusive a show as possible, and it’s one of the core values that makes the convention, and the festival as a whole, what it is. While we’d like to be able to include everyone who may wish to exhibit at the show, Thought Bubble has now reached the stage where the demand for exhibition space exceeds the venue space available to us, and the convention is curated.
As with previous years, this involves a simple online registration form which is now live on the website, and will remain open for four weeks until midnight (GMT) on Sunday 7th January 2018. In order that this process remains as fair as possible, after this time we won’t be able to accept any more exhibitor applications (including to the reserves list).
The registration form contains full terms and conditions of exhibiting, so please take the time to read these fully before submitting your application, and if you have any queries during the process, just drop us an email. Remember that all applications received during the window will be considered in full, so there’s no need to rush your entry. Terms and conditions can also be found on a dedicated web-page by clicking here.
Following the close of the registration window, we’ll contact all those who applied by late-January to confirm whether we’ll be able to accommodate them this year, and also to take payment for the table – and any changes to this schedule will be communicated ahead of time. If your email address, or primary contact reference, changes at any point during this time, please let us know as soon as possible.
Because of this curation, and the nature of the festival as a forum to promote comics and those who make them, we need to give priority to comic book publishers and retailers, and comic book artists and writers (either independent or publisher-affiliated). If you have exhibited with us in the past and do not fit into this category, please do still fill in the online form once it goes live, as we would love you to come if we do have room in one of our exhibition spaces.
Every year, we also have a small number of people who book tables and are then unable to attend, and so we’ll form a reserves list of unsuccessful applicants who will be offered tables should they become available. As these offers are based on previously confirmed exhibitors cancelling, we are unable to advise on the date at which they will become available, but as soon as we receive a cancellation we’ll contact the next person/group on the reserves list with first refusal.
The decision on who we can accept to the convention will be made by the organisational team as a whole, to ensure the process remains as fair as possible, but due to the number of applications we receive, we’re unfortunately not able to give feedback to unsuccessful exhibitors, as we’re only a small team. However, to give an idea of what we’re looking for, we’d like to see:
- Examples of your work, ideally online versions (including webcomics)/e-shop listings of comics/graphic novels/prints/illustrations you’ll have for sale at the show;
- If the above is unavailable, then a portfolio website such as DeviantArt or Tumblr will also be suitable;
- If your work is mostly print, as opposed to online, then we’d also be able to view scanned versions of documents via dropbox links (or similar);
- If you’re a creator with no online examples of your work, then please link to/provide a bibliography/list of credits if none of the options above are possible;
- If you’re a retailer with no formal online presence, then please give as full an idea as possible as to the range of merchandise/titles you’d be bringing to the convention;
- With regards to the above, please make sure your website link is correct, and that the website is currently live/active;
- If in doubt shout it out – tell us about what you think you can bring to Thought Bubble, even if it may seem obvious to you; if it’s not immediately apparent in the information you provide to us we may not know about it, and we don’t want anyone to miss out;
- Similarly, if you’d like to table next to/near other specific exhibitors please let us know in your application – after curation closes and table plans are drafted it becomes very difficult to move people around, so please make sure to be specific if you’d like to be close to someone at the show;
- Thought Bubble also loves sharing – we’re more than happy for exhibitors to share table space, so if you’d like to exhibit with friends or as a collective then please do send us a combined application, but remember to include relevant details (listed above) for all exhibitors who’d be utilising the table space;
- Finally, and perhaps most importantly, when filling out the application form, take your time – you’ve got a month to complete the form, and all applications received in that window are considered fully after the close of the registration period before a final decision is made, so make sure to fill it in correctly and with as much detail as possible to the answers.
Full details as to pricing, along with full tabling terms and conditions, are live on the website now along with the registration form, and the terms and conditions will remain in place for reference until after this year’s events. Please do make sure to read these carefully, as they contain very important information about attending the convention, should your application be successful.
We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who supports Thought Bubble, and we look forward to seeing many of you next September!
Filed under: About Thought Bubble, Programme 2018, Thought Bubble 2018 | Tags: comic con, comic festival, Comics, leeds, Leeds comic festival, Leeds Events, Leeds Thought Bubble comic festival, Thought Bubble, Webcomics
Greetings, Bubblers!
We hope you’re having a good winter (in the northern hemisphere, at least), and are building up to a nice end to 2017 – we’ve been planning away for 2018’s Thought Bubble events, and we’ve got our first wave of updates below, including important information for people wanting to apply to exhibit at this year’s convention, festival dates, and our first wave of guests!
Thought Bubble 2018 will be taking place from 17th – 23rd September, with our centre-piece convention once again taking over Leeds City Centre on 22nd and 23rd September, as well as a number of fringe events around the festival week. If you’ve never been to Thought Bubble before, we’ll have full information on festival events going up online next summer, and we’ll have a number of info posts on the blog to help with planning your visit, so keep an eye on our feed!
Our website has undergone its yearly regeneration, and you can probably spot our brand new festival image at the top of this very blog! 2018’s image has been created for us by the excellent Stephanie Son, and will be making sure the stars align for next year’s Thought Bubble. You’ll be able to see the image below popping up on all our online media, and later this year once our posters and billboards start appearing all over the country!
We’ll be updating the website throughout the year as we confirm details for this year’s events, so be sure to check it regularly – and any time we have important information about the festival we’ll pop it up on here and our Twitter and Facebook accounts too, so however you like to get your bubbly news there’s an option for you.
Exhibitor applications for the convention will be opening on Monday 11th December and run for 4 weeks, until midnight (GMT) on Sunday 7th January. We’ll have another blog post coming on Monday with full information on how to apply, and the curation process, if you’ve never attended Thought Bubble as an exhibitor before. Don’t forget that this is a curated process, not first-come first-served, so there’s no need to rush your application when the system goes live.
Finally, we’re delighted to present our first wave of guests for this year’s Thought Bubble! We’ll be updating our guest list throughout the year, but early confirmations include:
Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead)
Saladin Ahmed (Black Bolt)
Jeff Dekal (Iron Fist)
Cully Hamner (RED)
Dustin Harbin (Diary Comics)
Leslie Hung (Snotgirl)
Janet Lee (Return of the Dapper Men)
Afua Richardson (Black Panther)
Greg Rucka (Wonder Woman)
Nicola Scott (Black Magick)
Ben Sears (Volcano Trash)
Brian Stelfreeze (Black Panther)
Magdalene Visaggio (Kim & Kim)
Victoria Ying (Frozen)
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That’s everything for the time being – we’ll be back on Monday with convention registration information, and we’ll be updating throughout the coming year as we build up to 2018’s events – thanks, as always, for supporting Thought Bubble!
Filed under: About Thought Bubble, News, Programme 2017, Thought Bubble 2017, Workshops
Hey gang!
We’re back in the office, following last month’s Thought Bubble, and we’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who came along to our biggest ever festival! We were so happy to be able to welcome so many comics-loving folks to Leeds city centre, and hope you enjoyed visiting us in the festival’s new home!
We’re just catching up with post-Festival admin, and we’ll be back soon with updates on 2018’s events, including festival dates, but in the meantime, we have competition results, an award shortlist, and some last Thought Bubble ’17 fringe events before we bid TB adieu for another year.
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The results for this year’s TB Comic Art Competition are now available to view on the website, and we’d like to say thank you to everyone who entered, and congratulations to the winners! You’ll be able to find this year’s winners in 2018’s issue of our charity anthology, and we’ll have details of 2018’s competition going live in the new year.
This year’s winners can be viewed by clicking here.
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The shortlist for 2017’s Young People’s Comic Award is now available online, and can be viewed by clicking here. The shortlisted books will now go before the discerning gaze of our reading groups from participating schools and public libraries, who will vote on the winners, with the final result to be announced in December.
We’d like to say a big thank you to our awards committee for this year, and all the young people who take part in the judging process, and good luck to all this year’s shortlisted authors and publishers!
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Finally, we’ve got two final Thought Bubble ’17 fringe events taking place this week, with the Lost Forest of Leeds opening its boughs to visitors on the 5th and 6th October at Leeds Town Hall, as part of Light Night celebrations.
As its strange secrets come to life around you, use a special flashlight and explorer’s map to help local artist, Jack Fallows, solve the cryptic messages of the mysterious forest before the portal closes up again!
Jack has worked with young people across Leeds to create characters and stories set against the backdrop of this hidden world.
For full details on the event, please click here.
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That’s all for now, we’d like to say another final (big) thank you to all our volunteers and panel hosts for this year’s Thought Bubble, for giving up their time and energy to help make our biggest Bubble yet so special.
We’ll be back soon with 2018 updates, but if you’d like to find out what we’re up to in the meantime (as we never really stop) then you can follow us on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.
Filed under: Festival Spotlight 2017, Programme 2017, Thought Bubble 2017 | Tags: comic con, comic festival, Comics, Leeds comic con, Leeds comic festival
We’re just 10 days away from the start of 2017’s Thought Bubble, and our convention’s return to Leeds City Centre, and we’re continuing with our selected highlights from this year’s programme here on the blog – helping you get the most out of the festival week, and beyond!
Taking place from 18th to 24th September at venues across Leeds (and beyond), 2017’s Thought Bubble will be a celebration of all comics has to offer – comprising a huge range of events for fans of all ages, and will include free art & writing based workshops for young people & adults, talks & masterclasses lead by industry professionals, free exhibitions, & our massive two-day comic convention on 23rd and 24th September in the heart of Leeds City Centre!
The full festival programme can be found on this page, with full information on events available by clicking their titles, and a map of venues for this year’s festival can be found here. We’ve also got a digital version of this year’s festival guide up online here, with provisional convention floor plans available here, and free print copies of all of these will be available at our events for attendees.
Don’t forget to check out all the guests and exhibitors who’ll be joining us for this year’s convention, and make sure to get your convention tickets (although more will be available on the door)!
We’ve also updated our visitor’s guide for the festival, including travel advice for getting to/around Leeds, which can be found here.
Today we’re looking at this year’s free mid-con party!
2017’s party will be taking place Saturday 23rd September, and will be held at the excellent Trinity Kitchen from 7pm until 1am! The perfect way to unwind after a hectic day on the con floor.
Thanks to our amazing pals at comiXology, and to celebrate their 10th anniversary, this year’s mid-con party will be free entry! There’ll be a wide range of gourmet and street food vendors to choose from, and we’ll have the drinks and music flowing until late, so help us celebrate another Thought Bubble in style, with special guest DJs spinning tunes until the early hours (and some surprises too!).
Space is strictly limited and you’ll need your weekend wristband, exhibitor wristband, or guest pass to gain entry. We expect it will be busy, so come early. Entry will be on a first-come-first-served basis and there may be queues.
It’s also important to note that this event is strictly over-18s only, so please remember to bring photo ID with you along with your wristband/guest/exhibitor pass.
Venue information for this year’s festival can be found by clicking here.
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Don’t forget that you can get live updates on all the current Thought Bubble action, please follow us on Twitter, or like us on Facebook, and we hope we’ll see you for this year’s festival in just over a week!
Filed under: Festival Spotlight 2017, Programme 2017, Thought Bubble 2017 | Tags: comic con, comic festival, Comics, Leeds comic con, Leeds comic festival
We’re just over 10 days away from the start of 2017’s Thought Bubble, and our convention’s return to Leeds City Centre, and we’re continuing with our selected highlights from this year’s programme here on the blog – helping you get the most out of the festival week, and beyond!
Taking place from 18th to 24th September at venues across Leeds (and beyond), 2017’s Thought Bubble will be a celebration of all comics has to offer – comprising a huge range of events for fans of all ages, and will include free art & writing based workshops for young people & adults, talks & masterclasses lead by industry professionals, free exhibitions, & our massive two-day comic convention on 23rd and 24th September in the heart of Leeds City Centre!
The full festival programme can be found on this page, with full information on events available by clicking their titles, and a map of venues for this year’s festival can be found here. We’ve also got a digital version of this year’s festival guide up online here, with provisional convention floor plans available here, and free print copies of all of these will be available at our events for attendees.
Don’t forget to check out all the guests and exhibitors who’ll be joining us for this year’s convention, and make sure to get your convention tickets (although more will be available on the door)!
We’ve also updated our visitor’s guide for the festival, including travel advice for getting to/around Leeds, which can be found here.
Today we’re looking at 2017’s expanded cosplay programme, with some great events for those attending our convention in costume!
![cosplayheader2017[1]](https://thoughtbubblefestival.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/cosplayheader20171.jpg?w=420)
As our festival and convention grows, so too does our cosplay programme, making it bigger and better than ever! We’ve got reduced price convention entry for all attending in cosplay, with tickets available for pre-booking from our website, by clicking here.
There’s even a changing room and cloakroom in our panel venue on Millennium Square at the Carriageworks Theatre and Heroes Alliance return for another year to host a cosplay masquerade in Leeds City Museum with some excellent prizes up for grabs!
Details on this year’s cosplay masquerade and competition can be found in the below, and for more information on cosplaying at Thought Bubble, including rules on props and acceptable attire, please click here.
Cosplay Masquerade and Competition
Sun 24 Sept, Brodrick Hall, Leeds City Museum, Millennium Square, Leeds LS2 8BH, 14:45-16:45, All ages but please note: Thought Bubble does not control panel content, Free
Thought Bubble’s massive cosplay event is back! Whether you’re in costume or not, come along and experience a cavalcade of crazy characters as we decide who’s best dressed enough to impress our judges!
Prizes will be awarded for Best in Show (Adult), Best Under 16, Best Beginner/First Cosplay, Best Group, Best Tailoring/Sewn Costume (Adult), Best Armour/Non Sewing Based (Adult)
Costumes must be handmade, or altered by at least 50% to have a chance of winning the competition, but all cosplayers are welcome to attend the masquerade.
For full information on the competition and masquerade, including how to pre-register to take part, please click here.
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We’ll be back tomorrow with another festival spotlight, but in the meantime, don’t forget that you can get live updates on all the current Thought Bubble action, please follow us on Twitter, or like us on Facebook!
Filed under: Festival Spotlight 2017, Programme 2017, Thought Bubble 2017 | Tags: comic con, comic festival, Comics, Leeds comic con, Leeds comic festival
We’re less than 2 weeks away from the start of 2017’s Thought Bubble, and our convention’s return to Leeds City Centre, and we’re continuing with our selected highlights from this year’s programme here on the blog – helping you get the most out of the festival week, and beyond!
Taking place from 18th to 24th September at venues across Leeds (and beyond), 2017’s Thought Bubble will be a celebration of all comics has to offer – comprising a huge range of events for fans of all ages, and will include free art & writing based workshops for young people & adults, talks & masterclasses lead by industry professionals, free exhibitions, & our massive two-day comic convention on 23rd and 24th September in the heart of Leeds City Centre!
The full festival programme can be found on this page, with full information on events available by clicking their titles, and a map of venues for this year’s festival can be found here. We’ve also got a digital version of this year’s festival guide up online here, with provisional convention floor plans available here, and free print copies of all of these will be available at our events for attendees.
Don’t forget to check out all the guests and exhibitors who’ll be joining us for this year’s convention, and make sure to get your convention tickets (although more will be available on the door)!
We’ve also updated our visitor’s guide for the festival, including travel advice for getting to/around Leeds, which can be found here.
Today we’re looking at 2017’s signing tour – bringing guests of the festival to a comic shop near you, both during the festival week and following this year’s Thought Bubble!
Travelling Man Signing Tour: Charlie Adlard in Manchester
Fri 22nd Sept, 4 Dale St, Manchester M1 1JW, 12:00-14:00, All Ages, Free
Now in its 26th year, Travelling Man has firmly established itself as the place to go in the North of England for all kinds of comics goodness with its awesome vibe and friendly staff.
As a proud sponsor of Thought Bubble from its inception, each year we host amazing events with some of the greatest names in comics. This year is no exception!
Charlie Adlard is one of the grooviest gentlemen in comics, and the magnificent artist on The Walking Dead which continues to absorb and astound legions of comic fans the world over.
Come along to this event to meet Charlie ahead of Thought Bubble’s convention!
Travelling Man Signing Tour: Brian K. Vaughan in York
Fri 22nd Sept, 74 Goodramgate, York, YO1 7LF, 16:30-18:00, All Ages, Free
Brian K Vaughan has revolutionised comics with his work on such titles as Runaways, Y the Last Man, Saga, Paper Girls, and many more.
Come along to this event to say hi to a master of the medium ahead of Thought Bubble’s convention!
Travelling Man Signing Tour: Katie Skelly in Leeds
Fri 22nd Sept, 32 Central Road, Leeds LS1 6DE, 18:00-20:00, All Ages, Free
Katie Skelly’s My Pretty Vampire is a helter-skelter trip through the altered states/tastes of vampiric hunger and desire. Combining stark, unsettling colours and an elegant shojo style, it’s without doubt one of our books of the year.
Join us for the My Pretty Vampire signing at Travelling Man Leeds with Katie Skelly. Exclusive Bookplate available!
Thought Bubble + Gosh! Comics Present…James Stokoe and Marley Zarcone Signing
Fri 22 Sept, Gosh! Comics, Berwick Street, Soho, London, W1F 0DR, 18:00-19:00. All Ages, Free
Join your friends at Gosh! Comics in Soho, London, for a signing with the super talented creators James Stokoe (Aliens: Dead Orbit, Orc Stain) and Marley Zarcone (Shade the Changing Girl).
Please visit goshlondon.com for more information.
Travelling Man Signing Tour: The Redlands and Savage Town tour
Travelling Man Manchester 30th Sept 12:00 to 14:00, Travelling Man Leeds 30th Sept 16:00 to 18:00, Travelling Man Newcastle 1st Oct 12:00 to 14:00, Travelling Man York 1st Oct 16:00 to 18:00, All ages, Free
With Declan Shalvey, Jordie Bellaire, Vanesa R. Del Rey and Philip Barrett.
We are super-excited to host these magnificent creators who have delivered two epics for Image Comics. Redlands is a beautiful horror tale centred around three witches settling some scores in the Florida back-waters and Savage Town is a wee tale about a gangster set in a Limerick City with a blood stain on every page!
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We’ll be back tomorrow with another festival spotlight, but in the meantime, don’t forget that you can get live updates on all the current Thought Bubble action, please follow us on Twitter, or like us on Facebook!
Filed under: Festival Spotlight 2017, Programme 2017, Thought Bubble 2017 | Tags: comic con, comic festival, Comics, Leeds comic con, Leeds comic festival
Hello Bubblers!
We’re less than 2 weeks away from the start of 2017’s Thought Bubble, and our return to Leeds City Centre, and as this year’s Bubble approaches, we’re looking at some selected highlights from this year’s programme here on the blog – helping you get the most out of the festival week!
Taking place from 18th to 24th September at venues across Leeds (and beyond), 2017’s Thought Bubble will be a celebration of all comics has to offer – comprising a huge range of events for fans of all ages, and will include free art & writing based workshops for young people & adults, talks & masterclasses lead by industry professionals, free exhibitions, & our massive two-day comic convention on 23rd and 24th September in the heart of Leeds City Centre!
The full festival programme can be found on this page, with full information on events available by clicking their titles, and a map of venues for this year’s festival can be found here. We’ve also got a digital version of this year’s festival guide up online here, with provisional convention floor plans available here, and free print copies of all of these will be available at our events for attendees.
Don’t forget to check out all the guests and exhibitors who’ll be joining us for this year’s convention, and make sure to get your convention tickets (although more will be available on the door)!
We’ve also updated our visitor’s guide for the festival, including travel advice for getting to/around Leeds, which can be found here.
Continuing our festival highlights, we’re looking at the live events taking place during the festival week, and in the festival fringe before and after this year’s Thought Bubble!
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Community Comics Power Workshop for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Weds 13 Sept, One Community Centre, Cromwell St, Leeds, LS9 7SG, 10:00-15:00, 18+, Free
Community Comics Power UK facilitate workshops to teach groups how to use comic strips to tell their stories, often for the first time. The process is very cathartic and enables the participant, who may have never shared their experience before, to become the star of their own story. The comics created at these workshops are then exhibited in public spaces to promote discussion, debate and social change. The original idea was developed by Sharad Sharma who set up World Comics India. Community Comics Power UK are the sister organisation. They use the medium of the comic strip as a powerful way of getting a message across which is recognised the world over.
This is a free two-day workshop for asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants to make a comic on the theme of immigration and religious tolerance. All materials, lunch and £5 travel costs will be provided for attendees each day. Attendees will be given free entry to all events during the Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival. The comics made will be displayed at Leeds City Museum on 23rd and 24th September during the festival.
To book a place please contact info@leedsrefugeeforum.org.uk. Places will be offered on a first come-first served basis.
Create a Superhero at the Merrion Centre
Sat 16 Sept, Merrion Centre, Leeds, LS2 8NG, 11:00-16:00, All Ages, Free
Dress up and join in with Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival at the Merrion Centre! Come dressed as your favourite superhero and have a go at drawing your own comic! Create a new character, draw them in an awesome costume and tell us all about their super powers! We can’t wait to see how your superhero will save the world on this exciting day of comic-themed fun!
Doctor Simpo Presents…1 Day Luxury Spa Treatment Styled Around Creating Your Very Own Character, Story And World
Sat 16 Sept, City Library, 9 Aldermanbury, Centenary Square, Bradford BD1 1SD, 11:00-16:30, All Ages, Free
…combinations of words and pictures in a sequential visual format are otherwise known as a Comic Book. This one-day course combines different techniques, devices and tools used throughout the world of professional Comic Book artists and writers.
At the end of the session you will have been guided through a well-practiced sequence of events which will enable you, as a young creative, to produce your very own page of finished Comic Book styled artwork.
Plus a FREE comic!
Leeds Art University Presents…Best of British Poster Show Exhibition Launch Party
Mon 18th Sept, Travelling Man, 32 Central Road, Leeds, LS1 6DE, 18:00-19:00, All Ages, Free
Exhibition of fan art posters hung at Travelling Man comic shop, in the city centre. The posters have been made by the college’s third year Illustration students in response to their favourite British TV, comics and film. The posters will be on display for the duration of the festival and available to buy in store.
Presented in association with Travelling Man
The Rainbow Age: LGBTQIA* Comic-book Club
Tues 19 Sept, The Portal at Leeds Central Library, 17:00-19:00, 16+, Free
Join us for a celebration of LGBTQIA* comics & creators with an informal book club evening!
Bring along your favourite LGBTQIA* comics, or come and discover something new from our collection, kindly supplied by Travelling Man. Meet like-minded fans and make new friends over comics.
After our previous Rainbow Age events, Travelling Man donated all the books to Leeds Libraries to create a completely unique collection for the whole of Leeds to enjoy; the first of its kind in the country. This year, they’ll be adding to the collection with some incredible new LGBTQIA* comics from 2017. All are welcome, so come along for a relaxed atmosphere and to read some amazing, life-changing comics!
Presented in association with Travelling Man.
Community Comics Power Workshop for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Weds 20th Sept, One Community Centre, Cromwell St, Leeds, LS9 7SG, 10:00-15:00, 18+, Free
Community Comics Power UK facilitate workshops to teach groups how to use comic strips to tell their stories, often for the first time. The process is very cathartic and enables the participant, who may have never shared their experience before, to become the star of their own story. The comics created at these workshops are then exhibited in public spaces to promote discussion, debate and social change. The original idea was developed by Sharad Sharma who set up World Comics India. Community Comics Power UK are the sister organisation. They use the medium of the comic strip as a powerful way of getting a message across which is recognised the world over.
This is a free two-day workshop for asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants to make a comic on the theme of immigration and religious tolerance. All materials, lunch and £5 travel costs will be provided for attendees each day. Attendees will be given free entry to all events during the Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival. The comics made will be displayed at Leeds City Museum on 23rd and 24th September during the festival.
To book a place please contact info@leedsrefugeeforum.org.uk
Places will be offered on a first come-first served basis.
A Day In The Life – Comics as Life Writing
Weds 20 Sept, Room 2 at The Carriageworks Theatre, The Electric Press, 3 Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 3AD, 18:00-20:30, Ages 14+, Free
A workshop with comics artist and writer Una, author of On Sanity: One Day In Two Lives and Becoming/Unbecoming.
Draw out a sequential story from your own life in this friendly workshop, suitable for all abilities. With a focus on mental well-being this session aims to help you invent a simple character and let it talk through one day in your life. What makes you feel good (or at least a little better)? Going for a walk? Taking a long bath? Playing your favourite music?
Basic drawing materials provided. In partnership with Arts and Minds Leeds. This event is aimed at adults and young adults aged 14+.
To book a place, please click here.
In partnership with Arts and Minds Leeds.
Comics Forum Academic Conference Day 1
Thur 21 Sept, 09:00-16:45, recommended for 16+ (some talks unsuitable for under 18s)
The ninth annual Comics Forum academic conference will feature a fantastic lineup of top academics and other great speakers, talking about the ways space works in comics, and how comics can make spaces in culture. Check out comicsforum.org/comics-forum-2017 for the details as they’re announced!
Tickets are priced as follows:
1 day (21st or 22nd September): £12
2 days (21st & 22nd September): £24
4 days (2 day Comics Forum pass + 2 day Thought Bubble pass): £48 (this is a saving of £5 on the cost of Thought Bubble tickets if bought separately)
Please visit comicsforum.org for full details and to book tickets.
Travelling Man and Leeds University Comic Book Society Present…Pints and Pencils
Thur 21 Sept, The Social, 21 Merrion Street, Leeds, LS2 8JG, 19:30-late, 18+ (please bring a valid form of photo ID), Free
Proudly presented by the team at Travelling Man and the Leeds University Comic Book Society, Pints and Pencils is the social drawing competition featuring plenty of prizes, laughs and beverages.
Artistic ability is not required to win top prizes and drawing equipment will be provided!
Comics Forum Academic Conference Day 2
Fri 22 Sept, 09:00-16:45, recommended for 16+ (some talks unsuitable for under 18s)
The ninth annual Comics Forum academic conference will feature a fantastic lineup of top academics and other great speakers, talking about the ways space works in comics, and how comics can make spaces in culture. Check out comicsforum.org/comics-forum-2017 for the details as they’re announced!
Tickets are priced as follows:
1 day (21st or 22nd September): £12
2 days (21st & 22nd September): £24
4 days (2 day Comics Forum pass + 2 day Thought Bubble pass): £48 (this is a saving of £5 on the cost of Thought Bubble tickets if bought separately)
Please visit comicsforum.org for full details and to book tickets.
Thought Bubble Book Crossing 2017
Fri 22 Sept, Various libraries across Yorkshire (please see below for details), from 10:00, All Ages, Free
Thought Bubble is once again teaming up with Diamond Comics, Travelling Man, and Viz Media to give away free all-ages graphic novels and comics to everyone! Just pop into one on the libraries listed below on Friday 4th November, and help us to achieve our aim to get everyone reading more!
Libraries taking part are: Armley, Baildon, Bingley, Burley, City Bradford, Clayton, Eccleshill, Ilkley, Keighley, Laisterdyke, Leeds Central, Manningham, Moor Allerton, Pudsey, Shipley, Wibsey and Wyke.
Just pop along to any of the libraries participating, and pick-up some great comics for free, to take home and read, or give to a friend!
Presented in association with Diamond Comics and Travelling Man.
Design Your Own… with Gary Erskine
Fri 22 Sept, Moor Allerton Library, 15:30-16:30, Drop-in after school workshop – everyone welcome, Free
Join Marvel and DC Comics artist Gary Erskine for a Design Your Own… workshop.
The single session will give you the tips and creative building blocks needed to design your own character during the class and beyond! Is it going to be a hero or villain? Monster or alien? Or the Next Big Comic Movie character? Discover what your imagination can create with just a few short lessons and only a pen and paper. Who knows where it will lead?
Work with friends to create your own stories and characters and be part of a larger world!
Thought Bubble Pre-Convention Reception at Fire Lake Grill House and Cocktail Bar, Radisson Blu Leeds
Fri 22 Sept, Radisson Blu, 1 The Light, The Headrow, Leeds, LS1 8TL, 19:00 until late, Free, 18+, Fire Lake Grill House will be serving food from 18:00-22:00
A chance for guests, exhibitors and attendees to relax and chat in the lovely surroundings of the Radisson Blu before our huge comic convention starts on Saturday!
Gosh! Comics Presents… Process with Joëlle Jones
Tuesday 26th Sept, Gosh! Comics, Berwick Street, Soho, London, W1F 0DR, 19:30-21:00, All ages, Free
Hosted by Ramsey Hassan, learn about Joëlle Jones’ comics-making process in this panel discussion and audience Q+A
Light Night & Thought Bubble Present….The Lost Forest of Leeds
Thurs 5th Oct & Fri 6th Oct, Leeds Town Hall Crypts, The Headrow, Leeds, LS1 3AD, 18:00-23:00, All ages, Free
A portal to a lost and forgotten world has opened up, right here in Leeds! As its strange secrets come to life around you, use a special flashlight and explorer’s map to help local artist Jack Fallows solve the cryptic messages of the mysterious forest before the portal closes up again!
Jack has worked with young people across Leeds to create characters and stories set against the backdrop of this hidden world.
For more information, please click here.
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We’ll be back tomorrow with another festival spotlight, but in the meantime, don’t forget that you can get live updates on all the current Thought Bubble action, please follow us on Twitter, or like us on Facebook!
Filed under: About Thought Bubble, Festival Spotlight 2017, Programme 2017, Thought Bubble 2017 | Tags: comic con, comic festival, Comics, Leeds Thought Bubble comic festival, Leeds Town Hall comic festival.
Hey gang!
We’re now just 2 weeks away from the start of 2017’s Thought Bubble, and our return to Leeds City Centre, and as the festival gets ever closer, we’re marking the run-up to this year’s events by cherry-picking some selected highlights from this year’s programme here on the blog – helping you get the most out of the festival week!
Taking place from 18th to 24th September at venues across Leeds (and beyond), 2017’s Thought Bubble will be a celebration of all comics has to offer – comprising a huge range of events for fans of all ages, and will include free art & writing based workshops for young people & adults, talks & masterclasses lead by industry professionals, free exhibitions, & our massive two-day comic convention on 23rd and 24th September in the heart of Leeds City Centre!
The full festival programme can be found on this page, with full information on events available by clicking their titles, and a map of venues for this year’s festival can be found here. We’ve also got a digital version of this year’s festival guide up online here, with provisional convention floor plans available here, and free print copies of all of these will be available at our events for attendees.
Don’t forget to check out all the guests and exhibitors who’ll be joining us for this year’s convention, and make sure to get your convention tickets (although more will be available on the door)!
We’ve also updated our visitor’s guide for the festival, including travel advice for getting to/around Leeds, which can be found here.
Today, in the first of our series of festival highlights, we’re looking at the free Zarjaz! exhibition, open now, celebrating 40 years of the galaxy’s greatest comic – 2000 AD!
![zarjaz-flyer[1]](https://thoughtbubblefestival.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/zarjaz-flyer1.jpg?w=420)
Presented in association with Vice Press, and free to view at The Gallery at Munro House for the whole of September, the exhibition brings together a host of amazing artists to create some spectacular original tribute art to celebrate 40 years of 2000 AD.
Artists involved include: Charlie Adlard, David Aja, Mark Chilcott, Michael Cho, Mike Collins, Boo Cook, Rufus Dayglo, Nick Derington, Tom Eglington, Jason Edmiston, Brett Ewins, Carlos Ezquerra, Glenn Fabry, Matt Ferguson, Florey, Tom Foster, Godmachine, Matt Griffin, John Higgins, Dan Hipp, Jock, Clint Langley, Tula Lotay, Jake Lynch, John McCrea, Mick McMahon, Tom J Newell, John Pearson, Luke Preece, Raid71, Arthur Ranson, Alex Roland, Henrik Sahlstrom, Greg Staples, Chris Weston, and Kei Zama.
Ahead of this year’s Thought Bubble Comic Convention, on Friday 22nd September from 7pm onwards, Vice Press and 2000 AD will be hosting a special Thought Bubble Exhibition Event at The Gallery at Munro House, which will be followed by The 2000 AD Juve Cube – a riotous night of celebration featuring Live music, DJs and live art from super-star VIP droids featured in the accompanying exhibition.
Full information on the exhibition and Juve Cube event can be found here, including previews of the exhibition pieces, all of which are available for purchase from the gallery.
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We’ll be back tomorrow with another festival spotlight, but in the meantime, don’t forget that you can get live updates on all the current Thought Bubble action, please follow us on Twitter, or like us on Facebook!
Thought Bubble 2018 runs 17th - 23rd September! 