Posted in: Comics, Current News | Tagged: comica, london, posy simmonds, things to do, things to do in london

From Pub To Posy Simmonds- Things To Do In London If You Like Comics

From the Comica Events in the Century Club, to London Comic Con Spring, the Gerry and the Leytonstone Comic Fair in a pub, all in London, in March.

Published Tue, 28 Feb 2023 08:58:10 -0600

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Thu, 31 Aug 2023 13:24:40 -0500

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The new edition of Things To Do In London If You Like Comics for March 2023, with the Comica Events in the Century Club beginning with Posy Simmonds alongside the elusive Troopers in two days time, the London Comic Con Spring from Showmasters this weekend and the Gerry Anderson Century 21 exhibition launching at the Cartoon Museum, and the Leytonstone Comic Fair in a pub!

Thursday, 2nd of February

The Graphic Novel: Posy Simmonds In Conversation With Lizzy Stewart, Century Club, Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, 6.30 pm, £12.

Join Posy in conversation with graphic novelist Lizzy Stewart where they will discuss Posy's life as an artist, writer and observer of the world, revealing aspects about her childhood, friendships and artists that most inspired her work. At the end of the evening, Posy will be presented with The International Award for Excellence in Comic Art for 2022.

Troopers Soho, from 7pm. Those who know, know.

Friday, 3rd of March

Comic and Manga Creators Group London, Meltdown London, 342 Caledonian Road, 7.15-9.15pm.
Are you an Artist, Writer, Inker, Colorist who want to publish its own comic but do not know were to start or lack the skills to embark on this journey on your own? At the Comic and Manga Creators Group London we create spaces so that people wanting to jump into the Comic Business can meet together, share experiences, talk shop, and support each other on their journey. Whether you want to make daily comic stips, Graphic Novels, Superheor Stories or take the Shone approach, we are here to create space for you to find new possibilities.

Saturday, 4th of March

London Comic Con Spring 2023, Olympia, Hammersmith from Showmasters, 9am-6pm.

Fandorica Geek & Sci-Fi/Fantasy Meetup. The Mad Hatter 3-7 Stamford Street, 2pm

This will be our first proper In-Person meetup since 28th February 2020 when COVID paused our live venue events. So please do join us for what will hopefully be a day long remembered! We plan on being there till late. So if you can't pop along at the start, then join us when it's convenient for you! It'll all be very relaxed with a welcoming atmosphere. The idea is simply to bring people who have a shared love of all things geek together for a good time! It's all about meeting people and making new friends! Trust me, you won't need an encyclopedic knowledge! Ultimately, it's going to be you all that will make it what it is. Feel free to chat about anything you like! Be as silly or serious as you want! So whatever you're into… Doctor Who, Marvel, DC, Star Wars, The Last Of Us, Stranger Things, Cobra Kai, Disney, Supernatural, Comics, Films, Books, Board Games, D&D, etc, I'm sure we'll all have something in common to talk about! Chat about anything you fancy! Please do RSVP to confirm that you're coming along. If you RSVP to the meetup, you'll also get updated quickly if any details change.

Sunday, 5th of March

London Comic Con Spring 2023, Olympia, Hammersmith from Showmasters, 9am-6pm.

Tuesday, 7th of March

On The Money: The Life And Times Of Cartoon Investment Banker Alex Masterley, Century Club, Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, 6.30 pm, £12.

ALEX is the longest-running current daily British cartoon strip still produced by the original authors. It began life in 1987 as a satire on the short-lived social phenomenon of Yuppies (remember them?) in Robert Maxwell's London Daily News. The newspaper itself proved to be equally short-lived, but the character of Alex Masterley, an egotistical, snobbish and materialistic banker struck a chord with the public. The cartoon transferred to the Independent, where it remained for five years, before Alex defected shamelessly to the Daily Telegraph, where he appears to this day. Over the years the strip has developed into a satire on the corporate world and middle-class professional lifestyles and has ridden out more boom and bust cycles than Alex cares to remember. In this illustrated talk Alex's creators, Charles Peattie (artist and writer) and Russell Taylor (writer and luncher), will give the low-down on Britain's favourite investment banker (well, it's not like there's much competition from any of the real-life ones).

Wednesday, 8th of March

Look Back – Reads at Gosh Comics, Gosh Comics, Berwick Street, Soho 7pm.

From the creator of the mega-hit CHAINSAW MAN comes a more grounded story of creative competitiveness, growing up and the path not taken. The first in our Reads manga double-feature this Spring the beautiful and poignant LOOK BACK by Tatsuki Fujimoto is our pick for March. Overly confident Fujino and shut-in Kyomoto couldn't be more different, but it's their shared love of drawing that brings these two small-town girls together in a heart-wrenching single-volume story about the struggles of being an artist. A 142 page treat intriguingly described as "a perfect manga for those who say they don't really like manga". As always this book is available from our good friends at Gosh Comics with the discount code READSMARCH23. So be sure to bring yourselves, your hot takes and any snacks you want to share to our usual haunt on Wednesday March 8th from 19:00. Excelsior!

Friday, 10th of March

Cuckoo Launch Party With Joe Sparrow, Gosh Comics, Berwick Street, Soho, 7-9pm.

Joe Sparrow is an award winning animator who you may remember releasing the Eisner nominated comic, Homunculus, telling a sci-fi story entirely through the perspective of a newly built artificial intillegence, also from ShortBox. Cuckoo is a coming of age story that traverses the growing anxieties of today's youth. We're big fans of Homunculus at Gosh and can't wait to explore the vibrant, bewitching world of Joe's newest comic. Here's some words about Cuckoo from the publisher: Dorothy Weaver is an anxious 19-year old still living at home with her mother and failing a vocational art course when memories of a mysterious childhood event start resurfacing. Something about a meteor in the garden… Now, she and others have begun manifesting strange powers. Are these powers a gift or a curse? Psychic phenomenon or mass delusion? Either way, Dorothy is changing – but into what? You can pre-order a signed copy here.

London One Piece Anime & Manga Meetup Group, Meltdown London, 342 Caledonian Road, 7.15-8.45 pm.
Come join us to talk about the latests One Piece episodes, Chapters, Theories, Projects, Games and more at London Meltdown Bar. After you are invited to stay at Kareoke Night and have fun.

Saturday, 11th of March

Dave Gibbons Signing Confabulation: An Anecdotal Autobiography, Forbidden Planet London, Shaftesbury Avenue, Covent Garden, 1-2pm,

Sunday, 12th of March

Leytonstone Comic Fair, The Birds pub, 692 High Road, Leytonstone, Noon-5pm. Free entry.
The Return of Leytonstone Comic Fair is upon thee. On March 12th join us upstairs at the Birds pub High Street Leytonstone for some serious heavy inking. Gutter Lizardz presents a smorgasbord of small press and original comic art from some of the UK's most out there, edgy and colorful creators. There will be beer, there will be grub, there will be music… and there will be speech bubbles and heavy inking. Radical.
Behold the original artwork for the event by none other than legend Mark Stafford who will be selling his weird wares at the event. Also coming : the amazing Krent Able, the spectacular Robert Wells, the web of multimedia superpunk Michael Adebayo and the sensational Vik Deluca's mangafied fantasy riffs.
Something for everyone from UK manga to rabid satirical cartoons, a glut of horror comix from the underground to strange and zany superhero funny books, all ages catered for from immature to mature to immature again. Comic creators will be there to sign and doodle for you like performing mutant chimps at a mad bad circus of freaks. Yeah.
Spinning the tunes will be DJ New Wave Steve Poulacheris and Gino Koltz of Kali Discorporation. Hip hip…
All happening under the auspices of Alfred Hitchcock's plump ghost at The Birds pub, a mere stone's throw from Leytonstone tube station on the central line. The pub has a great selection of craft beer and a menu for carnivores, omnivores and vegans.

Manga Club! If you love manga then please join us for our weekly manga meetups, where we basically just sit, chat and read manga! We will not focus on one specific book/comic like a typical book club. In this meetup, you can BYOM (bring your own manga) or read one from the selection we will bring. See this as an opportunity to discover, recommend or simply enjoy Japanese comics with like-minded people! TCR Bar183 Tottenham Court Road, 1.30-3.30pm.

Tuesday, 14th of March

Designing Dystopia – An Evening With The Artists Behind Judge Dredd And Watchmen, Century Club, Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, 6.30 pm, £12.

Dave Gibbons and Brian Bolland have a fifty year friendship having met at a comic convention in 1972. Both artists joined the fledgling science fiction title 2000 AD in 1977. Brian was one of the artists who drew Judge Dredd, creating several of its key characters, while Dave went on to collaborate with Alan Moore on Watchmen, one of the best-selling graphic novels of all time. Between them they have worked on franchises such as Dan Dare, Superman, Batman, Dr Who and Star Wars. In conversation with the comic historian Tim Pilcher, Dave and Brian will take you on a journey of their lives as artists, writers and observers of the world. Each will explore their childhood, friendships, careers and the comics that most inspired their own works. Expect a creative cocktail of the many influences that shaped their trajectories into becoming two of the most outstanding comic artists of their time. The event will also serve as a launch for their autobiographies: Gibbons' 'Confabulation' with Pilcher (Dark Horse) and Bolland's It's About Time (Book Palace). Signed copies will be available for purchase.

Sunday, 19th of March

Wednesday, 22nd of March

They Shoot Comics Don't They: A Panel Discussion About Turning Graphic Novels Into Films, Century Club, Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, 6.30 pm, £12.

The artist Salvador Dali believed that "comics will be the culture of the year 3794". In fact, this tongue in cheek prediction appears to have come true rather quicker than the great surrealist predicted, especially in the world of cinema. Four of the top ten highest grossing films of all time started their lives as comics showing that graphic novels have crossed the borders of fringe pop culture into the domain of Hollywood's leading genre. Join us at the Century for a panel discussion with some of London's top producers discussing their experience in adapting comics to screen. After the talks, there will be an opportunity to meet the panel informally for a drink. Panellists include: Armando Iannucci for The Death Of Stalin, Michael Lake for Violent Cases, Tim Searle for Dennis & Gnasher and Patrick Walters for Heartstopper. Chaired by Ivanka Hahnenberger of VIP Brands Ltd, a rights and consulting company focusing on expanding graphic novel horizons. Wednesday, 22nd of March, 6,30pm £12.

Thursday, 23rd of March

Turning Your Life Into Comics With Lucie Arnoux And Lucy Sullivan, Century Club, Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, 6.30 pm, £12.

Autobiography has become a central genre in contemporary comics with notable exponents being Robert Crumb (Fritz the Cat), Art Spiegelman (Maus), and Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis). But what does it really take to transform your personal, sometimes private experiences into pictures and words for all to see and read? Lucie Arnoux and Lucy Sullivan are two of the most distinctive voices from the current generation of comics memoirists. In this illustrated talk they will share their paths and processes in an enlightening and inspiring conversation. Lucie is a French comic artist and writer. Her autobiographical graphic novel Je Ne Sais Quoi was published in 2022 by Jonathan Cape. She is also the author of the "Enola Holmes" comic series. She has travelled the world with her sketchbook, but is happiest in her adoptive home town of London, where she has lived for the last 10 years. Lucy Sullivan is best known for her critically acclaimed debut "Barking", a stark black & white graphic novel about grief, madness and the ghosts that haunt us. She creates short comics for Collusive Press and has collaborated on a variety of comics including Ind-Xed, Razorblades, Skrawl, Yoshin and Metallic Dynamite. Thursday, 23rd of March, 6,30pm £12.

This Party is a Work Event!, 3.30-10pm, The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, Noho.
'This Exhibition is a Work Event: The Tale of Boris Johnson' will climax with a party (*ahem* work event) held on the anniversary of the first lockdown Boris called. In commemoration of the auspicious occasion, the Cartoon Museum invites you to visit the exhibition after-hours. A tour hosted by contributing cartoonist Zoom Rockman. "Have I Got Cartoons For You" panel with cartoonist Martin Rowson, comedian Mark Thomas and special guests. Live performance from rap sensation Peaky Saku of "F*** Boris" fame and photo oppurtunities with corporate puppet Boris Johnson. We'll also have discounted drinks from the bar (for the full Westminster experience!) and follow our tour through Boris's legacy.

Sunday, 26th of March

George Takei Signing They Called Us Enemy, Forbidden Planet London, Shaftesbury Avenue, Covent Garden, 1-2pm,

Tuesday, 28th of March

Children's Literature/Children's Lives Research Seminar Environmental Futures & Children's Publishing: A Presentation and Q&A with Sam Arthur, David Sizer LT, Bancroft Building, Queen Mary University of London, 327 Mile End Road, 5.30-7pm, Free.
Sam Arthur is a founding partner and Creative Director of Nobrow and Flying Eye Books. Since 2008 they have been publishing award winning illustrated books from their East London headquarters. Children's books include winners of the UK's prestigious Children's Book prizes the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal and the Waterstones Picture Book Prize. Amongst their most successful projects are the Hilda comics by Luke Pearson, now a BAFTA and Emmy winning animated series on Netflix. In this seminar, we'll hear from Sam about the company's publishing approach to environmental issues with reference non-fiction illustrated books series. This will be followed by a Q&A exploring wider trends in publishing in the face of the climate crisis and finally questions from the audience. This seminar is part of the ongoing activities of the QMUL IHSS Centre for Childhood Cultures

But Is It Art? AI And The Visual Media With Dave Mckean And Iain Sinclair, Century Club, Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, 6.30 pm, £12.

Ever wanted to know how Hieronymus Bosch would have depicted Strictly Come Dancing? Or to see Batman as a guest in the Last Supper? AI can now generate exquisite renditions of almost anything you wish for in a matter of seconds. It can produce realistic selfies of non-existent people (as if the world really needed any more selfies..) and Cosmopolitan recently trumpeted the world's first AI-generated magazine cover. All of which has caused the human creative industries to ponder their future. Illustrator Dave McKean was one such person. After reading about the implication of generative AI he decided he could either retire or respond. He chose the latter option and produced a 96-page book of short graphic stories exploring and conversing with AI. For this special event, McKean is joined with his collaborator and friend, the multi award writer and countercultural poet Iain Sinclair for a conversation exploring the question, "when AI can make art – what does it mean for creativity?"

Tuesday, 30th of March

Giving Offence: A Talk And Live Draw With Cartoonist Martin Rowson, Century Club, Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, 6.30 pm, £12.

To finish up our Comica month, join cartoonist Martin Rowson as he takes us on a rumbunctious, rollicking ride through his 40 years of ankle-biting, satirical-savaging attempts to hold the great and good to account. During an action-packed – and possibly very messy – evening, he will be depicting (with commentary) the nine prime ministers who have been in office during his career – using ketchup, mustard, mayo, peanut butter, toilet duck and various other household condiments. The evening will include a private view of Martin's 'Naked Attraction' paintings of various prime ministers which will be exhibited alongside his 'Gluttony' series in the Century's cocktail lounge during March.

Ongoing Exhibitions

Gerry Anderson's Century 21, 3rd of March to 4th of June, The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, Noho.

Gerry Anderson revolutionised the world of puppetry with his advanced technique of Supermarionation in the 60s but his innovation didn't stop there. To capitalise on the nationwide obsession with this new and interesting style of television, the weekly comic in a newspaper format TV Century 21 was launched! This exhibition at the Cartoon Museum will take visitors back in time to a more magical period of retro-futuristic glitz, glamour and adventure, showcasing classic comic artwork based on the worlds of Gerry Anderson. It's an opportunity to relive the nostalgia of crowding around worn-out comics and dodgy TV sets, and to pay homage to the man who raised generations of children from the 60s to the 2000s on tales of science fiction and intrigue.

This Exhibition is a WORK EVENT! until April 16th 2023, The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, Noho.
Since taking office, Boris has been THE MOST cartooned politician in the history of our country. To celebrate – or mourn that fact depending on where you fall – The Cartoon Museum has collected a diverse selection of political cartoons detailing the different phases of his career and the wider societal impact on Britain over the last four years. From the 2019 Election to Brexit to Covid (and Partygate) to Ukraine and finally his early exit from office. The nation's favourite newspaper cartoonists have provided excellent work the Museum is excited to add to their collection. But a public call-out was also made to try and contact some of the more marginalised voices in cartoon and comic art. No matter the race, orientation or political affiliation, cartoonists of all creeds have had LOTS to say about Boris – good and bad – these last few years and The Cartoon Museum wants to show it all.

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