Thought Bubble Festival announces its programme for a week-long celebration of comic art across Yorkshire, featuring events in Harrogate, Leeds, and beyond.
- The festival includes exhibitions, talks, and workshops, with the comic convention taking place at Harrogate Convention Centre on November 16th.
- Highlights include the debut of ‘Secrets of the Majestic’ anthology and exhibitions by Tim Bird and Palestinian comic artists.
- A special screening celebrates the 40th anniversary of ‘The Terminator’ with exclusive artwork releases.
- Tickets for the comic convention are now on sale, with free options available for certain groups.
Thought Bubble, the acclaimed comic art festival based in Yorkshire, has unveiled the programme for its 2024 event. Spanning the week of 11th to 17th November, the festival encompasses various activities focusing on comic art and storytelling. It will conclude with the Thought Bubble Comic Convention, held at the Harrogate Convention Centre on 16th November.
A key feature of this year’s festival is the debut of ‘Secrets of the Majestic’, an anthology celebrating the iconic toilets of the Majestic Hotel, through a mix of short comics curated by Chris Mole and Gary Moloney. Attendees can also look forward to an exhibition featuring Tim Bird’s visual narrative ‘Adrift On A Painted Sea’, complemented by artworks from his mother, Sue Bird.
Additionally, the festival will host Joel Meadows’ photographic collection, ‘Face to Face: Creative Portraits’, which documents over three decades of the entwined worlds of comics, television, and film. Fans of manga will also find interest in two library exhibitions titled ‘Make Mine Manga’, designed to engage both newcomers and aficionados of Japanese manga.
Among the talks on offer, ‘Banned Books with The Bookish Type’ is set to explore the history and implications of literary censorship. Comic creators E. M. Carroll and Emma Ríos will engage with fans through a signing event at Gosh Comics, while Theo Parish will discuss his graphic novel ‘Homebody’ as part of the ‘Rainbow Age’ talks.
The festival is celebrating the 40th anniversary of James Cameron’s ‘The Terminator’ with a Vice Press collaboration, featuring a special screening and the release of limited edition posters by the artist Florey. Another notable event is an unprecedented exhibition titled ‘Enter the Mulberry Tree and Fly Free’. Curated by George Khoury, this exhibition showcases the work of 12 Palestinian artists and is a first of its kind event outside the MENA region, aiming to depict themes of personal identity and geopolitics.
Completing the festival’s lineup, Thought Bubble has announced over thirty new guests for the convention’s final weekend. Prominent figures such as Charlie Adlard and Becky Cloonan are expected to attend. Tickets, which provide access to the diverse array of panels, workshops, and exhibitions, range from family packages to individual passes, with certain categories offering free entry.
The 2023 event marked a milestone in terms of attendance at the Harrogate venue, with expectations for a repeat success in 2024. Participants are encouraged to book tickets early as a sell-out is anticipated.
The Thought Bubble Festival promises a rich tapestry of artistic and cultural experiences this November, poised to capture the imaginations of attendees across Yorkshire.
