Old Laundry Theatre
Sunday 29 September
11.45am - 12.45pm
Comics have the ability to provoke and challenge their readers through their combination of words and pictures. Some creators have used this to reveal truths which are not always easy to digest and which have sometimes put them in danger. Freedom of speech remains at the heart of comic art and this year we feature two artists who are working on its frontline - Victoria Lomasko from Russia (now based in Berlin) and Mohammed Sabaaneh from Palestine, living in the West Bank.
The Other Space
Sunday 29 September
1.30pm - 2.30pm
Sherlock Holmes famously said “I am a brain, Watson. The rest of me is merely an appendix” and in this innovative and spell-binding book, Inside the Mind of Sherlock Holmes. Cyril Lieron and Benoit Dahan take us on a journey into the mind of Mr Holmes.
Africomics was an exciting comics project in 2022 involving 17 countries in Subsaharan Africa. 17 participants participated in workshops in Ghana and from these 14 stories were created which tackle issues of colonialism in very different ways. It is now a 200-page comic in French, English and German.
The Other Space
Sunday 29 September
12.15pm - 1.15pm
Why National Treasure?
If you can get to your mid-1970s without ever wavering from your beliefs, no matter the obstacles; if you can inspire generations of readers to open their eyes to diversity and inclusivity; if you can produce art that never dips in quality across decades; if you can collaborate with others to produce works that are experimental, significant, rebellious and funny; if you can do all this, and still be producing new books in 2024 – you’ll be a National Treasure.
The Other Space
Sunday 29 September
10.00 - 10.45am
Each year we present artists from Europe who have grabbed our attention and who we want you to discover. This year is no exception, and we are excited to feature three artists: Karel Osoha, Nina Six and Reetta Niemensivu.
Karel is based in Prague, Czechia and studied animation before becoming a comic artist. He has won several awards for his distinctive illustration work.
2024 sees the centenary of the death of the literary giant, Franz Kafka. His impact on comics, particularly Czech comics, is vast and we are lucky to welcome the leading expert on this Kafka and his legacy, Pavel Korinek.
At the heart of this event will be the launch of a new comic by internationally-acclaimed artist, Fumio Obata. Fumio’s style and work are influenced by both Japanese and European aesthetics. In 2022 LICAF, supported by the Czech Literary Centre, sent him on a mission to Find Franz!
Paul Gravett is one of the leading lights in, and promoter of, the British comics industry. From promoting young artists in the 1980s, he went on to lead the Cartoon Art Trust, to run the London International Comics Festival, and to curate comics exhibitions internationally.
Juan Díaz Canales and Juan Guarnido redefined the standards for graphic storytelling in their Blacksad stories, carving striking characters that are both animalistic and intimately human. Guarnido’s sumptuously painted pages and rich cinematic style bring the world of 1950s America to life, earning high praise from comics legends like Will Eisner, Stan Lee, Jim Steranko, and Tim Sale. Stan Lee said of Blacksad: “As good as it gets”.
