When you think of comics, do you instantly think of children’s classic, The Beano? Or perhaps Marvel’s superheroes? The world of comics is, of course, far wider ranging than this.
Now, the Lakes International Comic Art Festival is hosting a thought-provoking Thinking Comics programme, promising an eclectic variety of lively presentations by some of comics’ leading thinkers.
The comic festival is running in a virtual format this year, so anyone can join in with the LICAF Live events from the comfort and safety of their homes.
The Thinking Comics programme will aim to challenge, inspire and educate audiences; exploring many fascinating aspects of the ‘Ninth Art’.
For Thinking Comics, there will be the opportunity to hear from Comics Laureate Hannah Berry, Elyon’s, Paul Gravett, Bobby Joseph, Pavel Korinek, John McShane, Benoît Peeters and Pierre Lungheretti, courtesy of the French Institute.
And the presentations will cover a wide range of subjects such as Diversity and Representation in Comics, the Future of Comics, Being an African Artist in Africa, and examinations and celebrations of comics history, some general, some specific.
Alongside the Thinking Comics programme will be A Different View, offering a challenging range of virtual exhibitions.
The exhibitions will include a virtual retrospective of Toy_Box. One of Europe’s most innovative and challenging comic artists, and one of few Czech female comics authors, Toy_Box’s work ranges across comics, paintings, installation and protest art.
Other exhibition’s in the virtual programme will include a collection of the most bizarre, disturbing, accidentally hilarious and just plain wrong comic panels of all time.
More on this year’s festival events can be found here.
When: From 9th October 2020 at 7pm
Where: Watch online via www.comicartfestival.com
£: Free, but donations greatly appreciated to keep the festival running