LICAF LIVE:
Thinking Comics

Comics Up Close

Our Thinking Comics programme promises a host of lively presentations by some of comics' leading thinkers.

Deep dive into new perspectives!

Explore our programme below!

Watch the presentations now!

Time, Space and Narration, from Winsor McCay to Richard McGuire

Benoît Peeters presents new ways to explore the language of comics, highlighting experimental comics and visual novels from across the last century. He suggests these works are as innovative and groundbreaking as 20th century film and challenge our perception of time, space and narration in unique ways.

Change Will Happen, Once We Make It Happen: Diversity and Representation in UK comics

Bobby Joseph presents a personal perspective on the current situation in BAME inspired comics and for their creators. His passionate presentation includes a call to action for BAME comic creatives across the UK.

Being an African Artist in Africa

Elyon's is one of Africa’s most innovative comic creators as well as a stand-up comedian, comic festival Director and curator. In her lively and very personal presentation Elyon's explores what it takes to be a successful African artist in the unique circumstances of the African continent.

Everybody’s Making Peanuts: What we learnt from the first UK Comics Creator Survey, and where we go from here

During her term as UK Comics Laureate, Hannah Berry has spearheaded a project to survey the current state of the UK comics industry. In this presentation Hannah presents the findings of the research and suggest how this might support the development of the sector in the future.

A History of American War Comics

John McShane explores the range of comics created in the USA during World War II and beyond. He highlights the range of responses these conflicts generated, from Captain America punching Hitler out of the park in 1940 to the Nam, a Marvel title that explored the realities for GI’s during the Vietnam War.

Futures of Comics

These extraordinarily difficult times give us a vital chance to reappraise the medium and its problems and potentials, local and global, technological and personal. Paul Gravett explores some of the issues and innovations, looking ahead at what ’The World That’s Coming’ may have in store.

Comfy, Putzi, Punta – On the Necessity of Global and Transnational Comics History

Focusing on the case of Dolly Dimples and Bobby Bounce by Grace Gebbie Drayton, Pavel Kořínek explores the journey some comics take across national borders and how meanings and significance can change with a new national context.

2020 Year of the Comic

BD 2020 is a programme of the French Ministry of Culture, the Centre national du livre and the Cité internationale de la bande-dessinée et de l’image. Pierre Lungheretti’s presentation celebrates the exceptional creativity of the sector, the innovative aspects of BD 2020 and the recent translations of French comics by British publishers.