The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log

Ed at Squidge magazine posts up a report (and plenty of photos) on the recent Thought Bubble comics gig in Leeds; I know we’ve posted up links to plenty of folks reporting on TB, but this one is a bit different as it is  from the point of view of a visitor who doesn’t know much about the comics scene. Lack of familiarity with the medium doesn’t seem to have been a problem for Ed (despite thinking it might be before going):

“For someone whose comic knowledge extends to the Beano and Viz, I found Thought Bubble really friendly and approachable. I was initially hesitant to go, mainly because to me (and from reading up on similar events) it seemed a bit of a closed world and the cosplay stuff could come across as a bit much. Once I got there though, there was enough for everyone at whatever level of interest. As Ken Johnson says above, it comes across as more of an arts festival with a lot of comics in it, and because it’s got a very broad spectrum with the likes of Marvel and DC through to small press work and individual artists, there’s something for everyone. If you’re planning to go next year, and it comes highly recommended that you do so, make sure you scrutinise the timetable on the Thought Bubble website and plan ahead.”

(Oli East manning the Blank Slate Books table at Thought Bubble, pic by Ed and borrowed from his Squidge mag article)

Its great to know that someone from outside the comics sphere enjoyed the event so much and I’m delighted at some of the descriptions of the gig as being much like an arts and crafts festival that just happens to be comics in nature (which seems a fair enough description), especially as its one thing to appeal to regular comics readers and fellow creators but like any medium comics also have to try and appeal to a wider audience. We’ve seen some evidence that they are these days, with increasing articles and reviews in mainstream press and graphic novels in mainstream bookstores, comics events at major literary festivals and so on, but its still nice to hear that someone from outside the comics world so enjoyed his visit to a great comics festival. (via Adam Cadwell’s Twitter)

(Marc Ellerby, Anna and and Adam Cadwell at Thought Bubble 09, the cover gang for Squidge’s TB coverage; pic borrowed again from Squidge’s coverage by Ed)