Opinion
Ciaran Flanagan
Look 2D Future
Started by the Verbal Arts Centre in 2007 the 2d Northern Ireland Comics Festival has quickly become one of the most popular comic symposiums in The British Isles.
Despite its seemingly diminutive stature the 2d Festival has no problem attracting some of the industry’s biggest names right from the get go, and has quickly carved a niche as an insider favourite gathering of the year. Past guests have included David Lloyd (artist on the award winning V for Vendetta), Charlie Adlard (artist of the currently red hot Walking Dead), and Rufus Dayglo (one of the brains behind animated hip-hop/rock sensation Gorillaz). 2011 sees the festival (which was an integral part of Derry’s successful bid to become the first ever UK capital of culture) celebrating its 5th anniversary and promises to be the biggest and best event yet with more guests, activities and comics than ever before.
While there is no shortage of big name comics conventions all over the UK and Republic of Ireland The 2d festival has a number of key features that set it apart from other more conventional comics gathering.
Firstly, unlike other comic conventions which cater exclusively to comics fans and those deemed “differently pleasant to be around“ 2d is unique in that it attempts to cater to the general public; with people of all ages and from all walks of life being encouraged to attend . Certainly 2d features all the staples of more conventional comics conventions such as sketches, signings, and panel discussions, but what really sets 2d apart from the rest of the pack is its focus on schools and education with 3 days of activities, classes and opportunities to learn comic art, creative writing and interaction with experts that pupils would generally not have access to.
Secondly the setting of the festival in Derry-Londonderry adds a unique feel to the weekend’s activities and allows for an extremely relaxed atmosphere that you will not find at the larger conventions in Birmingham Bristol or London. Socialising with the big name comics creators is not only allowed but positively encouraged. As transformers Legend Simon Furman commented ‘It’s a classy event, with something for everyone. A more convivial atmosphere for a convention I can’t imagine.’ It’s not unusual over the course of the weekend to find members of the public engaged in heated debates with comic book legends, especially before, during and after the always entertaining panel discussions in Sandino’s café Bar .
Finally (and most importantly), because of the Verbal Arts Centre’s special remit of promoting and encouraging the verbal arts in the province, every aspect of the 2D Northern Ireland Comics festival is completely free of charge to participants . According to festival Director David Campbell ‘by making all parts of the event free of charge, the Centre is trying to make the festival as accessible and inclusive as possible, continuing its work in promoting comic book culture and celebrating the art form.’
Highlights of the festival each year include: the comics open day in the Verbal Arts Centre on Saturday afternoon ( freebies galore), the Panel Discussions held in Sandino’s on Friday and Saturday evenings (which invariably end in a good-natured shouting match) , and portfolio reviews which allow young hopefuls to have their work appraised by people who have ‘made it’.
As the festival continues to grow director David Campbell says he has big plans for upcoming years. ‘With 2013 and the City of Culture looming our aim is to develop and grow the festival .The theme of this year’s festival is ‘The Art of Storytelling’. At the heart of the comics medium is a desire to tell a story. These stories can be told in countless ways as creators have found many approaches to combining words and pictures. Writers and artists who choose to create comics can work commercially or simply as a form of creative expression. Sometimes they can manage to do both at the same time. Our aim is to allow people to view the medium as being on a par with the others,’
The 2d Northern Ireland comic’s festival runs from 2 – 4 June 2011.
This year’s guests include:
Garry Leach (Artist - Dan Dare, Miracle Man)
Mick McMahon (Artist/Comics Legend - Judge Dredd, Sláine, ABC Warriors, The Last American.)
Rufus Dayglo (Artist - Tank Girl, Judge Dredd, Metal Gear Solid, Gorillaz)
Stephen Mooney (Artist - Angel, The A-Team, CSI, The Mummy, Strangeland)
Glenn Fabry (Artist- Preacher, Slaine, The Authority)
Nick Roche (Artist/Writer - Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
Mark Chiarello (VP Art Direction & Design DC Comics).
