Posted in: Comics, Current News | Tagged: harrogate, thought bubble

Walking Round Thought Bubble Show Floor On A Sunday Afternoon

The doors of Thought Bubble at Harrogate have just closed for the final day of the show... so what did it look like?

Published Sun, 17 Nov 2024 10:57:08 -0600

Article Summary

Thought Bubble's final day in Harrogate was calmer, allowing for capturing the show's vibrant atmosphere.
Saturday's record attendance showed insatiable demand, selling out before doors opened for the first time.
Founded by Lisa Wood, Thought Bubble champions comic artists and small press since its 2007 inception.
Once spread across Leeds, the festival now thrives in Harrogate, offering a unique comic arts experience.

The doors of Thought Bubble at Harrogate have just closed for the final day of the show. Saturday was packed; I am told that for the first time, the show actually sold all their tickets for Saturday before the show opened. Sunday was a little more relaxed and not quite as full, which enabled me to take the photos below… I had done the "taking photos of every stall at the show" bit before and was planning to do it again, but a) it takes about four hours to do, b) I am getting older, and c) last night at the Mojo hit hard! So I took a few showfloor shots to give you the general feel and vibe of the show as it is already preparing for next year. Whose lines will match Chip Zdarsky and James Tynion IV for this year? But major congratulations to the organisers and staff who put on such a smooth show, which significantly lacks the kind of cock-ups common to… other shows. Vendors at the end of Bubbleboy Hall were delighted to discover that they were no longer a "dead zone" while the new Travelling Man fourth hall inherited a little of that, it was offset by Tynion IV and Kieron Gillen's presence and a whole second entrance and exit just for them. But with attendance so full on the Sunday, there may be reason to extend even further in future years….

Thought Bubble is the UK's largest comic art festival, a week-long celebration of comics, illustration, animation, and more that culminates in this weekend's comic convention. Focused on those who create comic books, specifically the artists, and the writers, it is especially supportive of small press. The festival was founded in 2007 by Yorkshire artist Lisa Wood, also known as Tula Lotay, and was organised as part of the Leeds International Film Festival to raise the profile of comics in the area. The first Thought Bubble was held on Saturday, 10 November 2007, in the basement of Leeds Town Hall and was attended by a couple of hundred people, but has grown a little since then. The convention originally ran throughout Leeds, but in 2019, due to issues with Leeds City Council and the need for more space, the convention moved to the nearby Harrogate.

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