Thought Bubble Comics Art Festival returns for its highly anticipated 20th anniversary this November, taking place across Yorkshire from the 9th to the 15th of November, including a two-day convention in Harrogate to conclude the festivities. For those unfamiliar with the beloved event, Thought Bubble Comics Art Festival is one of the United Kingdom’s premier comics events, designed around spotlighting comics specifically as well as the creators who work within comic book spaces. It’s where much of the U.K comics scene unites once a year to celebrate the medium we all love so deeply.
Some of the earliest events as part of the Thought Bubble Comics Art Festival include a subCULTURE: on in-crowds & outliers signing with Phillip Bond, Shelly Bond, Peter Milligan and a veritable cavalcade of other collaborators, hosted at Gosh! Comics in London on the 7th November. Other events include a November 8th launch party for Out On The Prowl by Molly Pukes at Melodie 71 in Leeds, a November 9th Graphic Novel Reading Room event at The Treehouse Board Game Cafe in Sheffield, and a Doctor Strange: Endless Nightmare signing with Raul Allen on 11th November, also in London.
Leeds Central Libraryis running numerous events during the Festival, including a 9th November panel on GIGS by Si Smith and Mark Mosedale titled How To Make A Worryingly Prescient Graphic Novel. There’s also the Comics Out Loud! event on the 10th of November, which features live comics readings from artists such as April Newton, Bobbie Rae, and Hannah McCann. There is also the 11th November panel between Kristyna Baczynski and Darryl Cunningham, promoting their latest books Another Realm and John Of The Night, as well as a Comics Forum event on the 12th and 13th of November focused on welfare and comics.
The final set of pre-convention Thought Bubble Comics Art Festival events includes Thought Bubble Pints and Pencils, a November 12th drink-and-draw hosted by Leeds Comic Collective at The Brew Society, a November 13th launch event for brand new publisher Cosmic Lighthouse at Everyman Cinema in Harrogate, and a screening of James Cameron’s legendary Terminator 2: Judgment Day shortly afterward hosted by Cellar Door Gallery.Lastly, there is also a very special 20th-anniversary party for Phonogram, hosted by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie at Cold Bath Brewing Co in Harrogate on the 13th.
From 10 am on Saturday 14th November to 5 pm on Sunday 14th November, Thought Bubble Comic Convention will take place at Harrogate Convention Centre in North Yorkshire. It’s shaping up to be a big one, with numerous well-established and much-loved guests, including Charlie Adlard, Becky Cloonan, Al Ewing, Jock, Tula Lotay, Alice Oseman, Si Spurrier, Aaron Campbell, Sean Phillips, Alison Sampson, Emma Rios and Jacob Phillips. The convention is always one of my own personal favorites of the year, so I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in going attend. It’s a remarkable environment, warm and welcoming, consistently spotlighting the art form of comics in the most brilliant ways.
Events on the Saturday this year include a panel on Reimagining the Imagined with Trevor Fernandes-Lenkiewicz, Richard Fairgray, and Leah Moore, hosted by journalist Alex Fitch. There’s also SILENCE! To Astonish, hosted by Fraser Greesin, Al Kennedy and Dan White featuring the talents of Sarah Graley, John Allison and Becky Cloonan, as well as Love Stories In Panels: Romance Comics Today, hosted by Phoebe Hedges, and featuring Brandt&Stein, Renee Nault, Salomey Doku and Oliver Gerlach. As well as a Cosplay Parade and Artist Portfolio reviews running on both days of the event, there’s also a special panel on 20 Years of Thought Bubble, and The Best Thing I’ve Read In The Last 20 Years, presented by Gosh! Comics and featuring the talents of creators such as Jock, Michael D. Kennedy, Anna Readman, Hannah Chapman and Emma Rios.
After the Mid-Con Party at Mojo in Harrogate on Saturday night, the convention returns on Sunday with a variety of exciting and interesting panels to conclude the Thought Bubble weekend. These include an Alice Oseman spotlight hosted by Wren James, a panel on Comics, Mental Health and Healing hosted by Dr. Ian Williams and featuring Kay Medaglia, RubyEtc, Kim-Joy and Jaleel Hudson, a panel on painted comics titled Stroke of Genius, hosted by Alex Fitch and featuring Simon Bisley, Jessica Fong, Erin Connally, and Boo Cook, and a panel on Myths That Shaped Comics, hosted by Kofi Smiles and featuring Mohsen Ashraf, Kieron Gillen, Erica D’Urso and Emma Rios.
Whether you’re attending for the entire larger festival, just coming for the convention weekend, or still on the fence about attending, Thought Bubble truly has something for everyone, and continues to shine as one of the most meaningful and fulfilling comics festivals in the United Kingdom even after two decades. You’ll be treated to fun activities, brilliant and insightful panels, and the chance to meet exceptional and kind creators who are always wanting to spotlight comics as an art form. It really is one of a kind, a special moment every year for the U.K comics scene that it’s absolutely worth taking part in. Hope to see you there.
