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Things To Do In London If You Like Comics in October 2021

Another month, another Things To Do In London If You Like Comics. As we are starting to return to normality, we are starting to get a few new in-person events. And eyes are on New York the week, London is ramping up for the end of the month with MCM London Comic Con.

Exhibitions

• BLACK is a special exhibition to celebrate Black History Month, exploring the story and world of the graphic novel of the same name – an unflinching but uplifting graphic memoir by Tobias Taitt and Anthony Smith. BLACK is the true story of Tobias's life, growing from a child raised in social care in 1970s and 1980s Britain to a young man pursuing a life of crime before becoming a writer. The graphic novel, which has previously been serialized across several volumes of the acclaimed digital anthology Aces Weekly, is a tale of a dysfunctional family life and a childhood spent mostly in care. It touches on themes of class and race as the adolescent Tobias gravitates from care to crime.  The exhibition will present a selection of original artwork from the graphic novel alongside a showcase of iconic everyday items from 1980s Britain which provided artistic inspiration for the world of BLACK, as well as thoughts from the creators. The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, London, from Sunday, the 14th of October to 8th February 2022.
• Beano: The Art of Breaking the Rules, Somerset House, Aldwych, London. Curated by artist and lifelong 'Beano' lover Andy Holden, this major new exhibition collects original comic book artwork and fascinating artefacts from the magazine's archive. As well as exploring how characters including Dennis and Gnasher, Minnie the Minx and the Bash Street Kids encouraged several generations of Brits to become playful rule-breakers – with contributions from Sarah Lucas, Hardeep Pandhal, and more – the exhibition includes several new works celebrating the 'Beano''s mischievous spirit. It promises to offer a massive 'splat!' (as the 'Beano' might put it) of comic book nostalgia and creative inspiration. Octover 21st until March 2022.
• Ralph Steadman: Hidden Treasures, three never-before-seen artworks by British satirist, artist, cartoonist, illustrator and writer Ralph Steadman. These hidden treasures were uncovered as part of curatorial research completed in 2020. The works will be on display in a small intimate space where one household at a time will be invited in for their own exclusive private view. Reflection and sketching encouraged. Photography is not permitted. The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, London, until Sunday, the 10th of October
• The Cartoon Museum: Drawing Life until December 31st. A new display showcasing the very best of the Cartoon Museum collection of cartoon art, curated by Cartoonist and Cartoon Museum Trustee Steve Bell.  The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, London.
• V for Vendetta: Behind The Mask exhibition, Cartoon Museum, until 14th of November. Presenting 36 original comic artworks alongside storyboards and costume designs from the hit Warner Bros movie, V for Vendetta: Behind the Mask charts the rise from comic to the graphic novel, Hollywood film to an iconic symbol of protest. The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, London.
• My Head is a Jungle by Manjit Thapp at NOW Gallery, The Gateway Pavillions, London SE10 0SQ, through October. Free. My Head Is A Jungle will see Thapp transform the gallery space into a three-dimensional maze-like structure adorned with large-scale murals and sculptures for visitors to explore, with a large fluorescent red sun hanging above. This symbol is an integral theme of the young illustrators' renderings, as well as snakes, tigers, tropical flora and a young Asian protagonist, which feature regularly to represent empowerment, particularly for women, within today's modern, cultural landscape. As guests meander through this created jungle with an abundance of greenery, weaving amongst the artist's physical scrapbook of collected emotions, they are invited to explore experiences that gather within everyone's own minds. From overgrowing thoughts, tangled feelings, suppressed fears and wild growth, Thapp's work creates a fragmented narrative, acting like pages in a diary and documenting the contemporary female experience.

Events:

Friday, 8th of October

Surprisingly Political Comics – Asterix & Obelix, The Calder Bookshop & Theatre, 51 The Cut, London, SE1 8LF. £8. We will look into how Julius Ceasar tried to defeat the Gauls by the introduction of the Free Market. Don't miss out if you love politics or Asterix & Obelix, or both.

Thursday, 14th of October

French Comics Drink & Draw,  Institut français du Royaume-Uni, 17th Queensberry Place, London. Unleash the artist within, learn a thing or two about drawing and enjoy a tipple on this inspiring sketching social. Meet France's best graphic novelists Jul' Maroh (Blue is the Warmest Colour), Boulet (Notes, Donjon) and Sébastien Verdier (Orwell with Pierre Christin) before they steal the show at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. Join them for a unique Drink and Draw, where they will draw, where you will draw, where everybody will drink. All levels welcome. In English and French | £7 non-members, £5 members (incl. a drink)

Thursday, 21st of October

Thursday Late Special – A celebration of Sydney Jordan: creator of Jeff Hawke, 6.30pm-8pm £8.50, The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, London.

Friday, 22nd of October

MCM London Comic Con, ExCel Centre, London. £20.

Saturday, 23rd of October

MCM London Comic Con, ExCel Centre, London. £25.

Sunday, 24th of October

MCM London Comic Con, ExCel Centre, London. £22.

Monday, 25th of October

October Half Term Multi One Week Comic Course Club Age 7-15, £86. Tetherdown, London, N10 1NE. 9am-3pm. Overview of comics and cartoon history and how they been used as tools for storytelling and communication over the years. Showing how the human body works and is designed to move. How to work up designs for different types of characters and how they fit into the stories you want to tell. Overview of comics storytelling, layout and structure. A look at the basics of comics scriptwriting and how to produce clear lettering by hand for comics. An exploration of different colouring techniques (including, if possible, computer colouring). Using the skills gathered so far, students will work on their own comic stories. By the end of the course each student will produce their own complete 8 – 12 page comic strip.

Tuesday, 26th of October

• October Half Term Multi One Week Comic Course Club Age 7-15, £86. Tetherdown, London, N10 1NE. 9am-3pm.
• Workshop – Create a Comic Strip – 11am-12.30pm £12, The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, London. All workshops are for children aged 8-14. Learn how to design your own cartoon characters and then draw them in a one-page comic strip story. Study best ways and bad ways to draw pictures for comics, and how to do proper speech bubbles. Great for beginners, and fun for those with a little more experience.

Happy Here Book Signing, 2.30pm £8.50, The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, London.

Wednesday, 27th of October

• October Half Term Multi One Week Comic Course Club Age 7-15, £86. Tetherdown, London, N10 1NE. 9am-3pm.
• Workshop – Young Cartoonists of the Year – October 27th – 11am-12.30pm £12, The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, London. All workshops are for children aged 8-14. Every Autumn, the British Cartoonists Association hold a competition to find the best under 18-year-old cartoonist. Fame and fortune (well, £250) go to the winner, so bring along your ideas for funny cartoons and we'll show you how to draw them in the best ways possible, and you'll be able to leave them with us to be judged a few weeks later.

Thursday, 28th of October

• October Half Term Multi One Week Comic Course Club Age 7-15, £86. Tetherdown, London, N10 1NE. 9am-3pm.
• Workshop – Manga Beginners – 11am-12.30pm £12. The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, London. All workshops are for children aged 8-14. If you're new to the world of Japanese comics, or if you love manga and anime characters and would like to create your own, here's where you'll learn how to draw faces, expressions, bodies and clothing, and then feature your character in a page of artwork.
• State of Mind… What would you do? Redbridge Central Library and Museum, Clements Road, Ilford. 2-4pm, Free. Through their shared vision to encourage young people to realise their full potential, Penificent and Thirtyone2526 have joined forces to provide a creative workshop that combines art, film and acting. Through the medium of film and comic book mentoring, this workshop uses a diverse set of characters to explore a range of difficult topics such as mental health, knife crime, gang culture and much more. The inspiration for the stories comes from real life scenarios that young people face growing up in London. The workshop will address thought provoking questions such as "what do you think you should do if someone tempts you to do something bad like this character was?" And "what would you have done if you were in this character's shoes and why?" Included: Your own State of Mind comic book for you to personalis,  Film screening of 'WAKE UP' a short film made by 8 young men who were mentored whilst in HM YOI Feltham, The opportunity to be a part of an honest discussion about social issues and the limited expectations and labels society places upon us, The opportunity for your drawing to be displayed on the @penificent Instagram account,
•  'V' Late Night Event – The Cartoon Museum Late: V for Vendetta – 6.30pm – 10.30pm £10. The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, London. Join us for a 'V' late evening and explore the galleries after hours to find out more about one of the most influential graphic novels: V for Vendetta. Tickets include a V mask (collect on arrival) and dressing up is most definitely encouraged! Come and get your book signed by David Lloyd. Plus enjoy talks, themed drinks, drop-in workshops, DJ set with LuSinda and a protest art installation by Marcus Orlandi.

Friday, 29th of October

• October Half Term Multi One Week Comic Course Club Age 7-15, £86. Tetherdown, London, N10 1NE. 9am-3pm.
• Workshop – Beano 2021 – 11am-12.30pm £12. The Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, London. All workshops are for children aged 8-14. Over the last few years, Beano has introduced some popular new characters. Learn how to draw Dangerous Dan and other new favourites, and then design your own Beano front cover. And there's a free Beano comic for all taking part.

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