Lakes International Comic Art Festival Main Events: Saturday 27th September 2025
Day by Day Program links for this year's Festival
• Saturday 27th September 2025
Zorah – Live Performance featuring Abdel de Bruxelles & Mailka El Barkani
10.00 – 11.00am, Old Laundry Theatre
Set in the spellbinding atmosphere of Tangier the live-drawn spin-off of Tanger sous la pluie by Fabien Grolleau and Abdel de Bruxelles takes you on a captivating visual and musical journey. Through the expressive strokes of world-renowned Abdel de Bruxelle’s drawings and an original live soundtrack by Malika El Barkani, the story focuses on Zorah’s difficult daily life and her longing for elsewhere.
In association with Belgian Comic Art Museum
Being Human – Simone Lia and Matthew Dooley
10.00 – 11.00am, The Other Space (marquee alongside the Lakeside Comics Marketplace)
Simone’s ongoing investigation into what it is to be human graces the pages of The Observer each week and is at the heart of her new graphic novel How to Make Life Better When It Feels Like It's Getting Worse. Her new book also sees the return of her beloved character Fluffy, the sardonic bunny.
Meanwhile Matthew Dooley, whose debut graphic novel Flake won numerous prizes, brings us his new book,Aristotle’s Cuttlefish, a witty portrait of a close-knit Northern town and the lost and found characters who live in it. Alex Fitch delves deeper into their new work and the human stories which lie within them.
Craig Thompson: Back to his Roots
11.30am – 12.30pm, The Old Laundry Theatre
From the multi-award-winning creator of Blankets, Habibi and more comes Ginseng Roots, a memoir which explores the class divide, agriculture, holistic healing, the 300-year-long trade relationship between China and North America, childhood labour, and the bond between two brothers. It is soulful, funny, and exquisitely drawn. We are delighted that Craig will make a return visit to LICAF to draw live and be in conversation with Keli Lark.
The Making of a Great Partnership: Chris Condon & Jake Phillips
11.30am – 12.30pm, The Other Space
Chris Condon is the writer of the smash hit Ultimate Wolverine from Marvel Comics and Green Arrow from DC Comics and the writer of the acclaimed Image Comics series That Texas Blood and The Enfield Gang Massacre with artist Jacob Phillips. Jacob and Chris have created an exciting partnership which may well soon rival that of Jacob’s father, Sean Phillips, and his collaborator, Ed Brubaker. Join Chris and Jacob and hear more about how their partnership goes from strength-to-strength and more too about their exciting individual projects. Chaired by John McShane.
Phoenix Fest @ LICAF presents Jamie Smart’s Intergalactic Monkey Business
1.00 – 2.00pm, The Old Laundry Theatre
Join Jamie Smart, award-winning creator of Bunny vs Monkey as ventures into the world of his latest book, Bunny vs Monkey Intergalactic Monkey Business! Learn to create comics like a pro in this draw-along event.
To Boldly Go – Cartooning Courage from around the world
1.00 – 2.00pm, The Other Space
Political cartoons are not just for fun. They are a serious business with a long and glorious history of challenging the status quo and speaking truth to power. It’s an increasingly dangerous profession with freedom of speech being undermined or simply thrown in the bin. We are proud to welcome Terry Anderson of the international organisation Cartoonists’ Rights to chair a lively discussion about the current state of play and what the future holds.
He will be joined by Martin Rowson (UK), Mohammad Sabaaneh (Palestine), Bill Morrison (USA) and Zehra Omeroglu (Turkey)
The Maestro : Lorenzo Mattotti
2.30 – 3.30pm, The Old Laundry Theatre
Lorenzo Mattotti – where does one start? A world-renowned illustrator, comic artist, animator and more Mattotti has graced the pages and covers of publications such as The New Yorker, Vanity Fair and Vogue. He illustrated “The Raven” by Lou Reed and his comics, from Fires in 1986 to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, which won an Eisner Award in 2003, demonstrate a highly distinctive style with every page being a work of art.
To celebrate the publication of the graphic novel version of A New York Trilogy in which Lorenzo illustrates the second story, Alex Fitch takes us on a journey to discover and celebrate the life and work of this Italian genius.
A Trip down Anfield Road with Chris Shepherd & Andrew Sumner
2.30 – 3.30pm, The Other Space
Chris Shepherd is an artist, writer, filmmaker, and British comedy legend. Chris’ first graphic novel Anfield Road has put him firmly on the map as a great comics storyteller. Here he joins forces with fellow Merseysider Andrew Sumner of Forbidden Planet to talk about life growing up in Liverpool, his inspirations, his films and how he got the book off the ground. Chris will also read excerpts from the book in what promises to be an evocative and uplifting event.
Filth & Grammar – The Life & Times of Shelly Bond
4.00 – 5.00pm, The Old Laundry Theatre
Over the past three years, Shelly has created an unprecedented graphic memoir trilogy on editing comics and original graphic novels, and navigating the industry. It begins with Filth & Grammar: The Comic Book Editor’s (Secret) Handbook and ends with i-Doppelgänger: Portrait of the Comic Book Editor in the 21st Century, which is the final part of the autobiographical trilogy that debuts in September 2025.
Andy Oliver of Broken Frontier takes us on a journey through Shelly’s incredible career with the occasional (!) contribution from Shelly herself.
A Tour de Force: Serge Bloch
3.45 – 4.45pm, The Other Space
It may be best to start with what Serge Bloch hasn’t done –although that might not be a very long list! Serge is a master illustrator, designer, animator and more. His children’s comic books have sold in their millions (SamSam and Max and Lili) and he is highly sought after the world over for his exciting, humorous and interactive indoor and outdoor installations including at the Shanghai Botanical Gardens and the Musee Chagall. He’s even animated potatoes for Nickelodeon!
Hosted by his close friend and collaborator Mathieu Diez, he will draw live and talk about how he has achieved success in so many arenas and what inspires him the most.
In association with the Institut Francais
Data and Dr Doom – Live Performance
5.00 – 5.45pm, The Other Space
Indie legend MJ Hibbett – the world's leading (and only) academic expert on Doctor Doom – uses songs, jokes, slides and a unified catalogue of transmedia character components to explain how all fictional characters can be understood with stats and why on earth you'd want to do that.
MYSTERY GUEST!
5.30 – 6.30pm, Old Laundry Theatre
Who is this year’s internationally famous Mystery Guest? They have worked for 2000AD and many other publishers, and on both creator-owned projects, too. Stay tuned for a special announcement closer to the Festival!
VIZ Big Prize Quiz!
6.30 – 7.45pm, The Ro Hotel, Helm Road, Bowness-on-Windermere, Windermere LA23 3BA
Lamborghini Gallardos! Ferrari Testarossas! Bugatti Centodiecis! If you’re good at spelling (and in the unlikely event that we do a round where you have to spell the names of vastly expensive sports cars), you might win one of the thoroughly unimpressive prizes (eg. a box of After Eights) on offer at the Big VIZ Quiz.
Kev F presents Scottish Falsetto Socks do Shakespeare
8.00 – 9.00pm, The Ro Hotel, Helm Road, Bowness-on-Windermere, Windermere LA23 3BA
The return of the award-winning Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre (the creation of Beano, Marvel and Shakespeare comic creator Kev F. Sutherland), presenting their hit show all about the works of Shakespeare. From Hamlet to Othello, Romeo and Juliet to Richard III and all in between. A ridiculous hour of songs, sketches, socks and violence, from Earth's funniest footwear.
By Popular Demand – Dagsson
9.15 – 9.45pm, The Ro Hotel, Helm Road, Bowness-on-Windermere, Windermere LA23 3BA
A massive hit at LICAF 2024 Dagsson creates consternation, admiration and cries of “you can’t draw that!” Wherever he goes. This evening he’ll remind us all why by presenting some of his best (?!) work in a live comedic presentation – not for the faint-hearted!
The Variant Covers
10.00 – 11.00pm, The Ro Hotel, Helm Road, Bowness-on-Windermere, Windermere LA23 3BA
LICAF’s resident band returns with its most varied and ambitious set yet. Featuring Charlie Adlard, Dan Berry, Michael Lark and Emma Vieceli – with a special appearance by Will Potter of CUD.
• For more information on our Guests for 2025 head to this dedicated page
Day by Day Program links for this year's Festival
• Saturday 27th September 2025
