READERSVOICE.COM: Is there a growing mini comics scene in the U.K., even if not as big as in Toronto and the U.S., and can you recommend a few artists producing these home-made comics?
LISA WOOD: The UK mini comics scene is actually massive. I think we have the best creators of mini comics in the world!
There are loads of great artist writers out there. Matt Sheret, kristyna baczynski, Marc Ellerby, Lizz Lunney, Phillipa Rice, Julia Scheel, Jack Fallows, Hugh Rain, Steve Tillotson, Adam Cadwell, John Allison, Jack Tegal, Joe List and Luke Pearson are just a few, and I’m sure I’ve missed some really great names, too. I am constantly amazed by the talent within the UK mini comics scene; it’s really inspiring.
RV: Are autobiographical comics popular with U.K. artists, or what sorts of topics do minicomics and small press comics have?
LW: They really cover anything and everything. I would say the community is so large it is hard to define what they are about. I do seem to come across quite a lot that are autobiographical and or darkly comedic.
RV: What about the more mass produced comics? Which ones do you like that are about in the U.K.?
LW: We are lucky enough to have some really wonderful thriving UK publishers which have grown massively over the last few years. Nobrow and Self Made Hero are producing some of the most exciting graphic novels of recent years. I would say they are replacing big indie hitters of recent years such as Fantagraphics, and to some extent Drawn and Quarterly, in terms of quality of output. Blank Slate are also producing some really interesting books by former mini comics stars.
RV: What are some of the comics in your collection and who are your favorite comics artists and writers?
LW: I’m a big Daredevil fan and have been since childhood. It’s the only run I continually buy through good or bad. As I said I’m a sucker for old X-men stories. A God Somwhere was really great.
I really enjoy a lot of European comics especially the Humanoids titles also Blacksad, Bouncer, Torpedo. Elephantmen is great.
Artists and writers I love include Alex Maleev, Darwyn Cooke, any Dan Clowes, Chris Ware, Jock, Paul Pope, Tommy Lee Edwards, Becky Cloonan, Emma Rios, Pablo Rivera, Jack Kirby, James Jean, Jillian Tamaki, Joe Daly, there are so many. I spend far too much time with comics!
RV: Do you get comics artists from Europe, maybe Eastern Europe, using Thought Bubble to promote their work, or is it pretty much U.K. artists and writers at the moment?
LW: I think for the last few years it has been mainly UK based artists, however this is the first year we are seeing larger number of artists attending from various European cities. I think the two-day convention is making the event more appealing to travel to. We still do not seem to have many from Eastern Europe, although I know a few are coming from Hungary which is quite exciting. Mainly people are travelling from France and Italy.
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-copyright Simon Sandall.
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