WEBVTT
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Hello and welcome to Comic Boom, the Comics and Education podcast.
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If you're interested in hearing more about the crossover between comics and education, then this is the podcast for you.
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My name is Lucy Starbuck Braidley, and each week I'll be joined by a fellow educator, an academic, a librarian, or a creator of comics to discuss their journey into comics and provide some inspiration to influence your practice.
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And hopefully shine some light on some titles you can bring into your libraries, classrooms, and onto your bookshelves at home too.
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This episode of Comic Boom is sponsored by A LCS, the author's licensing and collecting society.
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And today on this episode, we have a pair, a brilliant pair of, people giving back to the comics community, providing something for children to promote the creation of comics and the reading of comics in their community.
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We have Helen Jones and Hannah Miller.
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Hannah Lee Miller has worked for many years in children's television production, including on shows like pepper Pig and hay Dougie.
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I have to say, I did not know about the hay Dougie thing before I interviewed her.
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In which case we would've spoken about hay Dougie.
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'cause I love hay Dougie.
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She is also an artist who creates her own comics and has organized multiple events including comic fairs.
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Hannah brings with her a large amount of knowledge, contacts, and experience in small press comics from making to selling and networking.
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And Helen Jones you may remember, has been on the podcast before.
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I will link to her previous episode in the show notes.
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Helen is a lecturer in primary education at UCL, the Institute of Education, very prestigious, and a PhD candidate at Goldsmiths.
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And we talk about her PhD work in detail in the previous episode and her journey into comics and how she became interested in their.
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Application in education.
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So that's definitely worth the listen if you haven't listened to it yet.
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alongside Lucy Starbeck Brady.
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That's me.
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she's written a book soon to be published about comics in the classroom.
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Really, really excited about that collaboration.
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Absolutely loved working with Helen on that book, and we talk about it a little bit at the end of this podcast, and I'm sure I'll come back to it again in the future.
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It was a real labor of love, and I'm very proud of it.
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Helen edited the book Children's Literature in Action and has published her work academically.
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And she's a co-director with Hannah Miller of Yo Comics, which is a comics fair for and by young people.
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It's a brilliant initiative.
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It's run in South Norwood in South London.
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We are gonna be talking all about.
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Your comics today, it's coming up soon, but really the point of the episode is What can we do to promote more?
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Of these kinds of comics fairs for children and young people to start happening around the country where we can learn from people who are doing it.
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And that's why Hannah and Helen are on the podcast today to talk about how they came about running your comics.
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Some of the things that they've learned.
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They did it last year, this is the second year coming up., And I found it just an absolutely fascinating conversation, and so much to learn.
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So inspiring.
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there are some moments in this episode where some of the sound quality slightly dips out, I have kept some of those elements in you can still hear, you can, it's very easy to make out what's being said and the value of what's being talked about is so important.
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So there are, be aware that there are a few dips and sound quality, but you should still be able to enjoy this episode.
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All the same.
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here's what Hannah and Helen have to say.
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Hello, Hannah and Helen.
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Welcome to Comic Boom.
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Hello.
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Welcome to the podcast.
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It is great to have you here.
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We've got, an interesting combo of one returning guest and one brand new person to two.
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So we're gonna start with our.
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fresh meat.
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Hannah, can you tell us a little bit about your sort of personal journey into comics?
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were they something you got into as a child?
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Was it more as an adult?
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tell us a bit about your reading journey.
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So, I was very lucky to have parents who loved, comics.
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Mainly the sort of strips, the, Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Garfield, Pogo Possum, which is a little less known in the uk.
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I never heard of Hogo possum.
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So it's just brilliant.
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And it was the meme of the household we were referred to as Tads, which is, it's short for tadpoles, which is, in Pogo as well.
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there was asterisk, Tintin.
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I think a lot of families had these, but, my dad invested the enthusiasm and I just.
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Carried on the journey.
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so, and we all had the beo.
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I had the beo, my brother had the dandy, my sister had Bunty, Mandy, and all the other girl ones.
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and we would, and we'd get, commando the little mini comics that used to get when you're going to the seaside and we'd get a little, and there was commando and you'd get mini, mini binos and mini, So it was definitely, definitely something that was, part of life at home.
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And, I'm just outraged that not everyone has this and it isn't in everybody's
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that sounds amazing.
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It sounds like it's a really part of your like family culture.
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Oh, very much.
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Did you, was it part of your school life as well?
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thinking about the audience being educators here, I'm always interested to know whether it felt very separate
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There was things that did cross over, so things like Garfield, you would find other kids at school that would like Garfield, but you, they wouldn't know.
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They, they might know Tintin or, I, I don't think it ever came across in primary school and, and definitely not in secondary school, completely vanished and I spent the rest from.
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Probably from secondary school onwards, searching for other people who liked comics, which was hard.
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And it was usually boys as well.
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I'd find boys and I went to an all girls school, so there's no, I couldn't find comic
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thin on the ground there boys.
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Yeah.
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And so when I, when I hung out with boys, I remember one guy's house just had a, a shelf full wall to wall of books of 2000 ad and I would just, I'd just ignore everyone.
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I'd sit down, grab one of them.
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Whatever else.
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I was a teen, early teen, then I was just devour with them, but yeah, not at school.
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And I think when you're like adults that are involved in comics and interested in comics, you surround yourself with lots of other adults, but actually it's not a mainstream thing really for, for adults to be, especially not women, I don't think to be really engaged with comics.
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Again, it's easy to think that they are,'cause I know so many women who are involved in comics.
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but in terms of something being in the mainstream, it's really not, I don't think at the moment part of.
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Typical adult reading culture why do you think you've, you've maintained that through, through to adulthood.
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What was the secret of keeping that in your life, do you think?
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I think, I think there was a bit of a culture thing there, like I identified with the sort of subculture element.
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and so that intrigued me.
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there was definitely, I remember the bridging the gap between children, comics, children friendly, all age comics to things that are really not for kids.
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I remember I started collecting furry freak brothers.
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That was my first, I'm going to intentionally collect my own.
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And I would, it was the way I would cope with comic shops, which were very male and very uncomfortable.
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I would be like, I'm here to get the next issue of furry freak brothers.
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And it helped me like just zone out everybody that, that made me feel uncomfortable there.
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I remember there were some.
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tween age comics out there, like Zit they were like, oh, vis Izzy Child friendly versions.
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it?
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I think it's still quite a difficult thing to.
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Support people once they've aged out of something, that they were reading.
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It's, it is not always simple to find them something new,
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I've definitely reverted back as an adult to all age comics.
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I realized that though the adult comics can sometimes be a little uncomfortable.
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Mm.
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and go into quite dark materials when actually what I want, what I want is escapism and, and relaxation.
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So all ages, comics, they're just joyful pretty much even in this ad.
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Yeah.
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And so how do, that's gives us a little bit of a clue, but how are comics, in the broadest sense, how do comics, how do they part of your life now?
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They fill my shelves, my shelves.
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I have like three bookshelves full of comics and, graphic novels, my, my interests.
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But, I, I tried to make my own.
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I don't think I'm ever as good as I'd like to be.
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and, uh, done tabling and sold my mini comics and now I try and arrange comic fairs, just'cause I think they need to happen.
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They, they have to happen and they don't seem to be happening in London at the minute, so it's, they have to,
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Yeah.
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yeah, so it's very present in my life.
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It's ev.
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Yeah, it's my jam.
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Amazing.
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Helen, we're gonna move on to you for a for a minute.
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Anyone interested in hearing about your early start as a comics reader?
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All of that sort of stuff can go back to your previous episode, which I'll link in the show notes.
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I hope that makes you feel fancy.
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so we're gonna ask you a slightly different question, which is just a little bit of an update since we've last, had you on the podcast.
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It's been a while.
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is there anything you've been adding to your reading diet?
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What can you share with us that's been, interesting you lately?
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yeah, I mean, you said what have I've been adding since I last was on the podcast, and it's loads loads, so I can't talk to you about it for an
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Yeah, don't list it all.
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Don't list it.
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all.
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No, just some highlights, please.
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so I think I've been really, I mean, I, I really liked the middle grade young adults.
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Comics, graphic novels, and particularly ones I've been reading recently, so Jen Wang Ashe's Cabin, which is just a really lovely story, sort of coming of age story and about sort of discovering herself and, and running into the mountains to do so.
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and also how it all ends by Emma Hung Singer.
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Which again, sort of coming of age, teenage story and sort of about both of them, about finding your identity really in your teenage years.
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but what I love both about'em is actually they're quite.
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Sort of experimental in their comics form.
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Oh, I love that.
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how it all ends.
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It's got absolutely no panels in it at all.
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and I often take it along to when I'm doing sessions about comics with, with students and sort of talking about what defines a comic.
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And people look at that one and they're like, well, wait a minute.
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There's no panels, so this can't be a comic.
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or it can't be, novel, but it is, it's marketed as and sold as one.
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so I think it's just really interesting the way it plays around with, with the art form.
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and I think I've been interested in that quite a lot as well.
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So looking at stuff, where comics are doing unusual or interesting things, so going along to comics, fairs, for example, you might pick out to comics or, or zines.
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so zines being.
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Self-published, it can be comics form, it can be more like a book.
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They can range across different ways.
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And some of the ones I've been really interested in are ones from, Colossus Press, who are local to us in cro and or Pen, I should say, for them.
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but
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Pen is a good word.
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pen is a lovely word, apparently the most trendy place to live now in London.
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But
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Not surprised.
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Sounds good.
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but they produce some really lovely ones called Colossal Cartographies, which sort of open up and you unfold them and you can play around with
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Yeah.
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That's so
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Um, and then also I think some of the work by Lizzie Stewart.
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So she's publishing and she publishes both for children and for adults.
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but some of her work for adults.
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So for example, walking distance by her, I would say.
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Again, it's to plays around with the genre.
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Is it a comic?
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Is it a picture book?
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I would call it a picture book for adults in a way.
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But it's really fascinating the way she sort of combines different art forms again within it and prose and the comic art form as well,
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Can you tell us about yo comics, a little bit of a potted history.
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When did it start and what is it and what can people find there if they come along?
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So we did it for the first time last year.
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Yo Comics, it's comic fair by kids and for kids.
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and it's a mixture.
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We have a mixture of tables.
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So when I say tables, it's like a market.
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Table is.
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So a mixture of professionals who make comics for kids and kids who make comics and kids groups that make comics, and also a few charities and schools.
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And we also have workshops and a little quiet library room.
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I ran that last year and I loved that little library.
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smashed it out the park in a very
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it's very easy to do.
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I basic just sat in the corner, read comics all day, and everyone else wanted to do that too.
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yeah, it sort of came about, I guess in, it started its life in 20, probably at the beginning of 2024, didn't it, Hannah?
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So I think both me and Hannah sort of had these ideas.
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And I'd previously been running comic fairs just in a school with children at a comics club that I had.
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of part of my PhD research.
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but the key thing about that was having comics fairs at the end of the comics making process.
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So the children really felt like publishers and they could share their work with others.
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they made some money out of it, which then went back into the comics club to buy resources for the following year.
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so also made the comic club sustainable.
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So I have been doing that and Hannah have been running sort of comic fairs.
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For a sort of adult or all ages audience, but we both really thought there'd be, there was really something missing in terms of having something specifically aimed at children and young people.
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And particularly at the moment when, comics have been, and graphic novels have been really taking off, in terms of the Phoenix, the Bino is still incredibly popular.
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but children really, really engaging with comics as a form.
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And that we felt that they needed something, a space for children to sort of, for that to be celebrated, to make it exciting and to have adult creators there.
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sometimes the children's heroes that they wanted to meet.
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but also having children alongside them, being able to sell and share their own comics was something that we felt was, was really needed.
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And, we wanted to create that space.
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For it.
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So yes, it starts off with an idea in 2024 and then came into reality in 2025,
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I mean, that's not bad turnaround for an idea, is it?
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Straight away.
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Got it.
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Got it.
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Going.
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Yeah, we just, we, we had the logistics sorted.
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and then it was just a case of, piecing it all together.
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I think for me it was important that kids fair needed to, to exist because of my experience tabling at other fairs where you would see parents and children and come, interested, wanting to engage.
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And I'd see them reach for a book and I'd be like, don't, don't read that.
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That's not suitable
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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just didn't seem to be, a space where you could say this anything and everything is safe for a kid to read.
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And I believe in the freedom of comics and zines to, be able to express what they want and talk and create about lots of topics and dark issues and dark comedy and whatever they need to.
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But we also need to make sure that, younger people, Don't stumble upon, and I say stumble upon things that will upset and disturb them.
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And I say this because it's happened to me, because in my pleasure and enjoyment of comics, I've definitely come across things that have made me, uncomfortable and, spooked, freaked out in a, and, unsettling way at an age.
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I couldn't.
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Process it.
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And so I just feel that, to me, it was just very important to, to make a space that was completely safe for kids, where it was all accessible and fun.
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And so you could just share the love of comics without, causing a problem.
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I love that.
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And, and aside from the, kind of, from the content of the comics available, one of the things that struck me when you were talking at the start, Hannah, was that you were saying you were reflecting on times when you, within a space hadn't felt, Welcome or, comfortable.
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and how do you approach making Yo comics on the day and a kind of an accessible and inclusive space where, where young people feel a sense of ownership or belonging there?
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How do you approach that?
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It's not always easy to do for, for an, for adults to do that.
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I, I will, I will say the volunteers.
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make it happen.
00:16:17.635 --> 00:16:25.245
I think we've got some very welcoming and, positive and happy and joyful people that come and help us make it happen.
00:16:25.725 --> 00:16:35.731
And, in that, and, the kids come with their parents and watching the parents eyes light up and become like kids as well, engaging in all these things.
00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:35.931
yeah.
00:16:36.010 --> 00:16:41.392
I definitely observed some, a lot of parents in the library, a penny drop for some of them.
00:16:42.277 --> 00:16:45.756
Like, they're sat there, they're like, well, all right, my kid's reading now.
00:16:45.787 --> 00:16:46.506
What am I gonna do?
00:16:46.506 --> 00:16:50.917
Oh, I'll just pick this up and then be like, oh, oh, oh, this.
00:16:51.006 --> 00:16:51.966
This is why you read it.
00:16:51.996 --> 00:16:53.226
Oh, this is actually really funny.
00:16:53.226 --> 00:16:55.366
Or this is really, this has got great story.
00:16:55.366 --> 00:17:06.586
And just actually seeing some of them engage themself and realize that it is actually, there's some really good quality and worthwhile stuff out there to read.
00:17:06.797 --> 00:17:07.336
It was great.
00:17:07.364 --> 00:17:08.324
A bit of magic happening.
00:17:08.527 --> 00:17:12.576
And I think that's, that's part of it too, is creating all those different spaces.
00:17:12.576 --> 00:17:19.446
So that's something we thought really carefully about was that we know sort of comic fairs can be quite sort of busy and noisy places.
00:17:19.797 --> 00:17:21.747
and we wanted bits of it to be busy and noisy.
00:17:22.257 --> 00:17:26.846
we have the megaphone comic zone where there was lots of making and creating going on.
00:17:27.217 --> 00:17:37.267
we had the workshops, which again, very buzzy and lots of involvement, but then with having the, the reading room as well as that sort of quiet space to go and sit in and there's bean bags and you can relax.
00:17:37.626 --> 00:17:43.311
So there was something for everybody in terms of sort of, what they wanted to go to as well within the comics Fair.
00:17:43.508 --> 00:17:43.817
That's great.
00:17:44.347 --> 00:17:46.367
and it was a huge success.
00:17:46.823 --> 00:17:47.200
was it.
00:17:47.261 --> 00:17:48.551
As popular as you were expecting?
00:17:48.551 --> 00:17:49.301
More popular?
00:17:49.301 --> 00:17:50.862
Were you on the day?
00:17:50.862 --> 00:17:53.622
Were you like, they're coming, they're coming.
00:17:53.951 --> 00:17:54.537
What was that like?
00:17:55.314 --> 00:17:57.923
I think it was, it was quite terrifying, wasn't it, Hannah?
00:17:57.923 --> 00:18:02.213
Doing it for the first time because you're like, right, we're gonna do comics fair for children.
00:18:02.483 --> 00:18:04.239
And we're like, will anybody come?
00:18:04.568 --> 00:18:05.759
Who's gonna come to it?
00:18:06.378 --> 00:18:20.281
and I think the one thing we, I mean we've, last year we had, we have our, um, Instagram page and we put our workshop tickets on the Instagram page and all the workshops went within about sort of.
00:18:20.807 --> 00:18:22.757
10, 15 minutes.
00:18:23.037 --> 00:18:26.336
so at which point we kind of had an idea that yes, it
00:18:26.531 --> 00:18:27.461
It's gonna be popular.
00:18:28.632 --> 00:18:29.096
Yeah.
00:18:29.096 --> 00:18:34.501
some people are gonna be coming, because felt we got rid all the tickets, the workshops had gone.
00:18:34.551 --> 00:18:37.461
And I think then on the day it was just, it was just lovely, wasn't it?
00:18:37.461 --> 00:18:40.082
'cause people came, people stayed, for an hour.
00:18:40.082 --> 00:18:42.511
Some people stayed almost the whole day.
00:18:42.604 --> 00:18:47.884
But it was just amazing to see all the people and the, and the parents and people coming in engaging with it.
00:18:48.263 --> 00:18:51.122
and, hopefully as well, sort of reaching out the whole community.
00:18:51.122 --> 00:18:54.751
So it's based in safe London, but reaching out to the whole sort of community around.
00:18:54.751 --> 00:18:59.251
But we also have people coming from much further afield than safe London.
00:18:59.747 --> 00:19:01.987
Yeah, we, we had someone come all the way from Dublin,
00:19:02.666 --> 00:19:02.957
What.
00:19:03.057 --> 00:19:04.352
specifically for the fair.
00:19:05.547 --> 00:19:13.666
And I was pleased that they actually, we, we had a little raffle'cause we had, some really lovely signed posters, designed by Tol Freeman and
00:19:13.711 --> 00:19:14.311
looks great.
00:19:14.717 --> 00:19:15.557
she's amazing.
00:19:15.896 --> 00:19:18.757
and signed by, all the people that were, all the tables and stuff.
00:19:18.757 --> 00:19:26.136
So we had these three little raffles and the woman that came all the way from Dublin, won the, won one of those, which was, I just thought, yeah.
00:19:26.287 --> 00:19:27.126
as it should be.
00:19:29.797 --> 00:19:30.636
That's brilliant.
00:19:31.277 --> 00:19:32.626
Helen, I wanted to ask you a little bit more.
00:19:32.626 --> 00:19:35.317
You mentioned your PhD research, and having done.
00:19:35.737 --> 00:19:40.646
Some different format, comics, Faires, with children in the past.
00:19:40.646 --> 00:19:49.493
And I'm just wondering how that research built into this, were you able to draw things from that where you think like, these are, this is something that we definitely to include based on your research?
00:19:49.567 --> 00:19:50.406
yeah, absolutely.
00:19:50.406 --> 00:19:57.426
So I think as I was saying that I ran a comics fair 5, 5, 6 years on and off in a primary school.
00:19:57.457 --> 00:20:01.981
And, it was part of the comics club that I ran there and we were all.
00:20:02.632 --> 00:20:11.241
The children always worked together to create comics collaboratively and then sell those at the end of the comics club period, at a comics fair.
00:20:11.241 --> 00:20:20.819
And we sort of invited, you know, the, the other children in the school, we invited their family to come along and it was just a really lovely way of celebrating what they'd achieved.
00:20:20.894 --> 00:20:22.904
and one of the things I noticed was just actually.
00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:27.240
How important this comics fair was for the children in comics club.
00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:30.539
We could, we could have just used the club and there's your comic and you can take it home.
00:20:30.749 --> 00:20:41.439
but actually that celebration of being able to share your work and sell your work and seeing your work being valued, I mean, we only ever sold for probably just over the printing costs as it was, um.
00:20:42.161 --> 00:20:45.221
Seeing their work valued in that way was so important for them.
00:20:45.310 --> 00:20:49.691
And, you know, somebody saying, I, I felt like a professional comics maker from doing the fair.
00:20:50.050 --> 00:20:52.871
Um, you know, my favorite part was being able to share my work with other people.
00:20:53.256 --> 00:20:53.957
just these lovely elements.
00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:55.808
Um, so important.
00:20:55.987 --> 00:20:58.086
So important and it creates that sort of network.
00:20:58.146 --> 00:21:03.126
So, you know, you have the children coming the following year to Comics club who'd been in the audience last year.
00:21:03.126 --> 00:21:11.743
So it is to create that network of children writing for each other, creating and drawing for each other, which I think is so important.
00:21:11.743 --> 00:21:22.753
I always remember as a child loving reading and seeing things that other children had produced, but children, you know, children began to publish their own work is so, is so rare.
00:21:23.368 --> 00:21:26.249
Um, so that's something that has come out sort do my own research.
00:21:26.278 --> 00:21:29.398
And that's something I just, I could see it could be on a bigger scale.
00:21:29.398 --> 00:21:31.618
I was always like, well, we're doing, we're doing this fair in the playground.
00:21:31.679 --> 00:21:34.019
This could be happening somewhere else.
00:21:34.069 --> 00:21:42.997
And there was also a lovely project that happened for several years called Comic Swap, which was Run outta seven stories, in Newcastle.
00:21:43.537 --> 00:21:50.586
But the idea of Comic Swap was, it's different comics, clubs were swapping their comics with each other, and my comics club were involved one year.
00:21:50.653 --> 00:21:55.513
and we ended up getting these comics from all over the country and in fact, a comic from America that be made by other children.
00:21:55.903 --> 00:21:59.953
Um, and again, I just love looking at them and seeing them and seeing what other people have produced.
00:21:59.953 --> 00:22:13.003
So that's why, you know, I feel that creating these spaces where children can sort of work collaboratively together to create comics and then go and swap their comics with others or, or sell their comics.
00:22:13.003 --> 00:22:17.534
So that being seen as, as valued as well is really important.
00:22:18.179 --> 00:22:18.989
And what's the mechanism?
00:22:18.989 --> 00:22:24.711
How do, how can children get involved, on do they, can they just turn up with some comics they've made?
00:22:24.711 --> 00:22:26.541
How, how does it work on the day?
00:22:27.542 --> 00:22:30.182
it's, it's, it's always an organic beast, isn't it, Hannah?
00:22:30.182 --> 00:22:31.053
How people can be
00:22:31.147 --> 00:22:38.738
Well, we've just done it once so far, but this, this, this year we have, we're very excited.
00:22:39.097 --> 00:22:46.178
So we have 13, so we, we did a kids applied to table, which we didn't do last time, but we did this time.
00:22:46.251 --> 00:22:48.337
and we have 13.
00:22:48.490 --> 00:22:54.700
Individual or little collectives of kids, who with their parent are gonna come and share their work.
00:22:54.807 --> 00:22:55.207
so excited.
00:22:55.439 --> 00:23:00.058
it, yeah, I really, we, they, they were showing us some of the work and I was just giddy.
00:23:00.058 --> 00:23:01.979
I was like, this is why we do this.
00:23:03.868 --> 00:23:06.124
yeah, their little self portraits just amazing.
00:23:08.211 --> 00:23:14.602
We've touched a little bit on in terms of things that were successful and things that you want to definitely bring back.
00:23:14.701 --> 00:23:15.896
Hannah, do you wanna start us off?
00:23:16.066 --> 00:23:20.968
I was just thinking we, we have some new people doing the workshops this, this year.
00:23:20.968 --> 00:23:23.022
We got some really fun things happening.
00:23:23.045 --> 00:23:27.244
my favorite part is watching the adults get giddy with their kids.
00:23:27.454 --> 00:23:37.441
So I'm looking forward to, you know, when you see these family groups come and you see the adult, Get engaged as much as the kid that, that, that's, that's the win.
00:23:37.451 --> 00:23:47.171
I think the thing with Faires like this is at the moment we are built, we are continuing the legacy by doing it again, building the profile a bit.
00:23:47.441 --> 00:23:48.816
It's like doing it once is not enough.
00:23:49.705 --> 00:23:53.996
Probably you need to do it about three times before you've really nailed it.
00:23:54.266 --> 00:23:56.425
And then you can grow, then you can build on it.
00:23:57.326 --> 00:24:01.496
At the moment it's like, okay, let's do, we've done it once and it was a success.
00:24:01.826 --> 00:24:04.976
Let's do it again and see if we can do it as well.
00:24:05.425 --> 00:24:06.205
Do you know what I mean?
00:24:06.256 --> 00:24:09.546
So, I think at the minute it's like, let's just make it happen again.
00:24:09.546 --> 00:24:12.246
So it be more and more ingrained and becomes a fixture.
00:24:12.816 --> 00:24:16.326
And you want people to be looking forward to it at the same time next year, kind of
00:24:16.701 --> 00:24:17.060
Yeah.
00:24:17.240 --> 00:24:19.131
And, and, and who knows what will come from it.
00:24:19.371 --> 00:24:23.292
I'm hoping that there'll be more, comics groups for young people happening locally.
00:24:23.502 --> 00:24:37.393
I'm hoping that more kids are gonna go, oh, I can do that because they did it, that that 7-year-old is who I'm seven and they have a table that, that 14-year-old, you know, it, it's that sort of representation.
00:24:37.429 --> 00:24:44.930
I'm hoping is contagious, for storytelling and creativity for the kids so that they can find their voice, in that field.
00:24:44.964 --> 00:24:47.694
so yeah, it's, this is like, this is like, okay, we did it once.
00:24:47.694 --> 00:24:48.414
Let's get it.
00:24:48.414 --> 00:24:52.959
Let's keep doing it and get it in Kids' heads like making comics is a cool thing.
00:24:52.982 --> 00:24:58.222
gives them something to work towards and something like in the same way that at the end of the comics club, you know that Helen was running.
00:24:58.222 --> 00:25:03.550
But if you're not lucky to be part of that at your school, which let's face it, most people want, it gives you, yeah.
00:25:03.730 --> 00:25:04.840
Something on your horizon.
00:25:04.840 --> 00:25:07.601
Or you can think, oh yeah, I could just do something for that.
00:25:07.601 --> 00:25:08.471
Give you a little kick
00:25:09.205 --> 00:25:13.346
And, and I also hope that other kids comic fairs will bloom.
00:25:13.766 --> 00:25:19.268
Like people will think, will think this is a thing like the Phoenix are doing, a kids comic fair again.
00:25:19.268 --> 00:25:19.974
I think that's great.
00:25:19.974 --> 00:25:21.565
I think we need more, more of them.
00:25:22.164 --> 00:25:24.204
It's, it's a really wonderful thing for kids.
00:25:24.204 --> 00:25:24.265
So.
00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:33.128
I think one of the things that me and Hannah are really mindful of when we're, you know, thinking about the event is trying to make it as inclusive as possible.
00:25:33.257 --> 00:25:38.747
and I think sort of going back to thinking about, you know, Hannah talking about those very male spaces of comics.
00:25:39.092 --> 00:25:41.461
Shops in the sort of eighties and nineties.
00:25:41.461 --> 00:25:46.801
And I think I, you know, that's something I really experienced as well and talked about when I was on the podcast last.
00:25:47.372 --> 00:25:50.311
We don't want it to be that experience for everybody.
00:25:50.571 --> 00:26:01.741
So we are always thinking in terms of representation, who we've got there about, you know, making sure it's very diverse as much as possible, just making it an inclusive space.
00:26:01.741 --> 00:26:03.211
And that's something we worked on last year.
00:26:03.211 --> 00:26:05.457
We've worked, I think, probably even harder on doing.
00:26:06.332 --> 00:26:07.862
This year as well.
00:26:07.875 --> 00:26:12.656
but yeah, I think otherwise we've tried to keep most of it the same as last year.
00:26:12.686 --> 00:26:20.336
'cause as you said, it was a success last year, you know, and as children grow up, they'll engage in different things at different points when they come to the fair.
00:26:21.086 --> 00:26:23.247
They were too young for workshops last year.
00:26:23.247 --> 00:26:25.017
They might be old enough for workshops now.
00:26:25.017 --> 00:26:32.195
So actually keeping it the same, but the children having different experiences, as they come along to it, is also also important.
00:26:32.580 --> 00:26:35.922
And are you aiming it more towards primary children?
00:26:35.922 --> 00:26:38.025
What's your approach to thinking about the, content?
00:26:38.075 --> 00:26:43.144
I think our age range we've always focused on is that seven to 14 years old.
00:26:43.176 --> 00:26:46.057
and particularly thinking about activities as well.
00:26:46.057 --> 00:26:56.059
I think sometimes that's a age range where perhaps, you know, events there's, there's less of them, particularly for sort of our older sort of group, 10 to 14.
00:26:56.059 --> 00:27:01.978
There isn't much going on unless you pay a huge amount of money to go to a, a sort of paid for activity or clubs.
00:27:02.127 --> 00:27:09.117
Actually creating something free for that age range was something that we felt was important as well to do.
00:27:09.345 --> 00:27:13.827
Making this, making this free and affordable was incredibly important.
00:27:13.827 --> 00:27:19.068
We live in a, a pretty poor borough, and, you know, the economy is terrible.
00:27:19.068 --> 00:27:26.050
if we can do it and make it for free, then it's absolutely paramount that it has to be accessible for all pockets.
00:27:26.921 --> 00:27:34.661
And so it is probably worth pointing out that you're not planning on becoming millionaires from this, from this activity.
00:27:35.006 --> 00:27:36.310
Oh, and they laughed and laughed.
00:27:39.381 --> 00:27:43.414
So what it, what it needs to do from that perspective is cover its costs, I guess from your side.
00:27:43.414 --> 00:27:46.768
And that's something for people to think about if they're thinking of doing their own thing.
00:27:46.768 --> 00:27:49.672
So we are, we're definitely not for profit at all.
00:27:49.672 --> 00:27:56.451
There is no profit made by me and Hannah, and anything that would be profit would go back into running the fair again.
00:27:56.486 --> 00:27:57.566
we've been very lucky.
00:27:57.566 --> 00:28:03.086
So where we, where we hold the event, they've been very, sort of generous in the discount they've given us the space.
00:28:03.086 --> 00:28:05.134
this year we're having to pay a bit more than we did.
00:28:05.134 --> 00:28:11.365
So we've, we've tried to go for funding as well from different places, but we've not been successful yet in getting funding.
00:28:11.365 --> 00:28:15.267
So we have to be really careful with, with how we manage the money side of it all.
00:28:17.666 --> 00:28:28.096
I'm hoping that people listening to this, we have public librarians, we have teachers, we have people running youth clubs, who might be thinking, oh, I could actually, this is something, this is a good idea.
00:28:28.096 --> 00:28:29.855
This is something we could do in our community.
00:28:29.855 --> 00:28:31.855
what were the key kind of pointers.
00:28:31.916 --> 00:28:39.666
that you, the tips, the things you wish you'd known, or thought about before, that must have been a big learning curve, that process of setting up the first one.
00:28:39.666 --> 00:28:41.467
what Kind of tips would you share, Hannah?
00:28:41.467 --> 00:28:42.101
We'll start with you.
00:28:42.104 --> 00:28:48.673
What I would say to anyone interested in doing it is go and volunteer with someone already doing it because that's how I
00:28:48.848 --> 00:28:49.929
That's such a good idea.
00:28:50.034 --> 00:28:59.848
And you will then meet people like I have who are willing to spare their time, volunteer on your project.
00:29:00.269 --> 00:29:05.075
So you create a network of helpers who are passionate and interested in comics.
00:29:05.105 --> 00:29:06.785
So, you know, I wouldn't.
00:29:07.515 --> 00:29:11.734
I do think sometimes there's a tendency for people to say, oh, I can do this on my own.
00:29:11.765 --> 00:29:18.214
It's like, you don't have to just ask people, you'll find people who, who value this,
00:29:18.470 --> 00:29:18.690
Hmm.
00:29:19.515 --> 00:29:21.734
enough to do it to volunteer.
00:29:22.065 --> 00:29:30.234
But, I think the key thing on a logistical, places find the space, find the building, and make sure it has tables.
00:29:30.805 --> 00:29:34.974
But sometimes people find the building and then they have to hire the table, and then that's an extra cost.
00:29:35.305 --> 00:29:40.615
So, yeah, I think if you have the passion, find the building, then find the people, then go from there.
00:29:40.695 --> 00:29:41.836
Yeah, that's great.
00:29:41.836 --> 00:29:43.066
Helen, what would you add to that?
00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:48.819
Yeah, I think just really be aware of all the sort of nitty gritty aspects of the logistics.
00:29:48.819 --> 00:29:55.750
Things like getting public liability, you know, in place and various things like that, which Hannah has been great at doing.
00:29:55.849 --> 00:30:00.470
and just sort of having an overview of all the things you need to think about in a very practical sense.
00:30:00.470 --> 00:30:03.319
You know, you can sort of have a say, oh, it'd be lovely, we'll just invite all these children along.
00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:07.009
And then you have to start thinking about it logistically, you know, again, safeguarding.
00:30:07.369 --> 00:30:10.940
So if you're working in a building, make sure you know they're safeguarding policy.
00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:16.920
and again, something that's something we just have to think really carefully about in terms of making sure we had somebody on the doors.
00:30:16.920 --> 00:30:22.019
So, you know, you had an idea of who was coming in and out of the building at all times.
00:30:22.470 --> 00:30:24.119
Social media as well.
00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:30.029
I think about how you're gonna publicize and get, get your fair out there and known about.
00:30:30.059 --> 00:30:32.670
So we started off last year with Instagram.
00:30:32.670 --> 00:30:35.789
We've got the fantastic Lauren who does our social media for us.
00:30:35.789 --> 00:30:39.509
So again, it's finding people with those skills that will help you.
00:30:39.509 --> 00:30:42.000
I think me and Hannah were just like, I don't know what to do.
00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:42.964
I'll just do an Instagram.
00:30:45.450 --> 00:30:49.890
Lauren's been really sort of, you know, brilliant at sort of bringing strategy to it.
00:30:49.890 --> 00:30:52.829
And we we're going, we're going to roll it out here and we're gonna have this event.
00:30:53.170 --> 00:31:02.660
and this year alongside, having the Instagram, we've now got just a webpage, which can be a landing place for people to come, and sort of find links from there as well.
00:31:02.660 --> 00:31:06.170
So just sort of trying to create a space, but also, going back.
00:31:06.190 --> 00:31:12.752
It doesn't have to social media, so it can be going back to simple things like getting flyers made and handing out flyers.
00:31:12.921 --> 00:31:16.588
there've been really successful ways, again, of sort of just advertising the event.
00:31:16.588 --> 00:31:18.387
Yeah, we learned about press packs.
00:31:18.768 --> 00:31:22.057
again, that was, Lauren gave us some good steers on that.
00:31:22.577 --> 00:31:26.998
yeah, reaching out to, local news outlets to, put the word out.
00:31:26.998 --> 00:31:37.281
As long as you've put together a strong press pack, they're grateful to have an article depending on which one, but you know, it, it's, it was quite an interesting, learning element.
00:31:37.375 --> 00:31:41.576
And that's the thing about finding people to work with when you wanna do things like this.
00:31:41.816 --> 00:31:46.226
Helen and I have definitely different skill sets and they compliment each other.
00:31:46.556 --> 00:31:48.625
Neither of us had the social media.
00:31:48.865 --> 00:31:52.496
We've got Lauren that compliments, you know, and covers the bases.
00:31:52.855 --> 00:31:58.890
So, you know, Helen's got this huge educational background and knowledge, that yeah, has definitely.
00:31:59.460 --> 00:32:02.640
Alleviate so many things I would not have done as well.
00:32:03.000 --> 00:32:08.435
So we all have our own skill sets and recognizing that and, and leaning into that, just makes the life a lot easier.
00:32:09.211 --> 00:32:10.142
Yeah, that's brilliant.
00:32:10.291 --> 00:32:11.192
Anything to add, Helen?
00:32:11.240 --> 00:32:13.070
I mean, I was gonna say create that team.
00:32:13.070 --> 00:32:17.240
That team is really important of having people to work together with on it.
00:32:17.240 --> 00:32:21.441
And that link set, it goes out then to your volunteers and people who are involved.
00:32:21.921 --> 00:32:23.540
and I think the other thing as well is.
00:32:24.050 --> 00:32:26.090
Is, you know, don't lose faith.
00:32:26.451 --> 00:32:30.471
You know, if something goes wrong or isn't quite right or you have to adapt and change.
00:32:30.500 --> 00:32:34.490
Just just do have other plans in place where something doesn't work.
00:32:34.490 --> 00:32:37.941
So again, you know, I said me and Hannah apply for funding this year.
00:32:37.941 --> 00:32:45.230
You have to wait a couple of months to find out if you've been successful, then, before you have to pay the hall, you find out you've not been successful.
00:32:45.230 --> 00:32:48.651
So we've had to change tax several times.
00:32:49.415 --> 00:32:59.715
You know, it's, it's about working as a team and knowing how to adapt and not letting that get you down, but actually let's go and find another way of doing this, which is really important too.
00:32:59.801 --> 00:33:03.952
And I suppose at those moments as well, not being on your own is really helpful.
00:33:03.952 --> 00:33:08.428
You've got a team, people, someone's gonna be like, you know, they, let's keep going.
00:33:08.567 --> 00:33:12.933
You know, you can, you can keep each other going when you have setbacks.
00:33:13.203 --> 00:33:18.171
And all of us, I think, are passionate about the project, which means the project leads us.
00:33:20.308 --> 00:33:32.838
From my own experience as someone leading a program with, children in schools, in my day job, it's easy for me in that setting to capture child feedback and so on, because I'm working the same group of children.
00:33:32.838 --> 00:33:33.469
I know where they're there.
00:33:33.469 --> 00:33:36.979
They're not coming into a space and then leaving at different times.
00:33:36.989 --> 00:33:37.828
did you manage to,.
00:33:37.929 --> 00:33:49.769
Capture some insights from children or young people before they wandered back out with armfuls of comics on the day, how did that kind of evaluation of it,, work, and feed into the the next version
00:33:49.769 --> 00:33:56.411
I think there was, Jean from the halls who was, Asking individuals for their experience while they were there.
00:33:57.040 --> 00:34:03.398
and Helen organized the feedback that we requested from the tablers.
00:34:03.878 --> 00:34:06.979
So we got huge amount of, information from that.
00:34:07.368 --> 00:34:08.903
I think one of the, the things that was.
00:34:09.634 --> 00:34:10.893
Very present on the day.
00:34:10.923 --> 00:34:15.153
Was people actively telling you, this is brilliant.
00:34:15.423 --> 00:34:16.114
Are you doing it next year?
00:34:16.653 --> 00:34:20.764
And so, because I sat on the, for a while, sat on the front desk.
00:34:20.864 --> 00:34:28.724
so I'd see people leaving and the amount of enthusiasm that would pass, was like quite, quite a buzz.
00:34:29.023 --> 00:34:33.393
Yeah, well you could definitely tell'em today that everyone was absolutely loving it.
00:34:33.876 --> 00:34:34.686
that's for sure.
00:34:34.802 --> 00:34:40.652
there were mistakes we made, though we didn't count foot, foot full, and I think this year we'll just need to have a clicker on the door.
00:34:40.652 --> 00:34:41.851
So we are counting people
00:34:42.001 --> 00:34:42.362
Yeah.
00:34:42.422 --> 00:34:43.922
Oh, I like, I want that job.
00:34:48.387 --> 00:34:49.699
Always wanted to be one of them people.
00:34:51.311 --> 00:34:51.641
Yeah.
00:34:51.641 --> 00:34:56.625
And that would've also, presumably, that would've been useful insight to have for the, for funding applications and so on
00:34:56.675 --> 00:35:01.804
I think you could, I, I would say we probably had 500 plus people on the day.
00:35:02.315 --> 00:35:02.945
You could.
00:35:03.454 --> 00:35:08.340
I have done fairs there before and it just, it was just full all the time.
00:35:08.389 --> 00:35:10.429
and a flow of people coming and going
00:35:10.610 --> 00:35:11.000
yeah,
00:35:11.150 --> 00:35:11.449
day.
00:35:11.478 --> 00:35:13.489
mean, it wasn't too crowded, which was also nice.
00:35:13.608 --> 00:35:14.809
It wasn't like, you know,
00:35:16.009 --> 00:35:18.858
No, it wasn't like the school Christmas Fair.
00:35:19.219 --> 00:35:21.708
Which is like the worst experience of my life.
00:35:21.798 --> 00:35:22.369
I hate that.
00:35:23.119 --> 00:35:25.849
It was, yeah, you could, you could breathe and you could walk.
00:35:25.909 --> 00:35:28.842
You weren't just Having to go wherever everyone else was going.
00:35:28.842 --> 00:35:29.503
It's very stressful.
00:35:29.532 --> 00:35:29.862
I hate that.
00:35:30.552 --> 00:35:31.092
brilliant.
00:35:31.092 --> 00:35:31.632
This has been so good.
00:35:31.632 --> 00:35:38.023
I think one thing we haven't actually said yet, which I will say in the intro as well, but is where, when, how can people come?
00:35:38.023 --> 00:35:38.623
Do you want to.
00:35:38.646 --> 00:35:46.369
Do a little shout out for, for anyone listening who wants to come along on the day where they have to go, what time, what day is this amazing thing happening?
00:35:46.402 --> 00:35:56.501
So it's, it's taking place on March the 22nd, which is a Sunday, and it's happening at Stanley Arts, which is in South Norwood.
00:35:56.501 --> 00:35:59.472
So it's really well connected by public transport.
00:35:59.501 --> 00:36:01.601
There's several buses that go there.
00:36:01.601 --> 00:36:04.802
It's is on the overground, and train lines.
00:36:05.192 --> 00:36:07.141
yeah, and it runs from 11 till five o'clock.
00:36:07.141 --> 00:36:08.641
So 11:00 AM till five.
00:36:08.641 --> 00:36:09.746
We will, we will be there.
00:36:10.876 --> 00:36:13.036
Yeah, nearest train station nor Junction.
00:36:13.036 --> 00:36:14.927
15 minutes from London Bridge.
00:36:15.632 --> 00:36:16.711
Excellent.
00:36:16.817 --> 00:36:17.507
One stop.
00:36:18.601 --> 00:36:19.052
Brilliant.
00:36:20.731 --> 00:36:21.572
Thank you so much.
00:36:21.572 --> 00:36:22.771
This has been really interesting.
00:36:22.771 --> 00:36:26.411
It's so exciting, just to hear about it and yeah, I can't wait to go again.
00:36:26.411 --> 00:36:27.492
I loved it last year.
00:36:27.822 --> 00:36:33.641
Helen, I've got one thing that I want to ask you about before we do our wrap up questions, which is a bit of a cheeky question.
00:36:34.192 --> 00:36:42.016
I've heard a rumor, that you've got a book coming out, which would you like to tell us about it?
00:36:42.795 --> 00:36:44.431
I heard you're writing it with someone really amazing.
00:36:45.460 --> 00:36:54.436
Yeah, I, I'm surprised you've heard that because we've been trying keep quiet, but apparently you and me have been writing a book together over the past.
00:36:55.273 --> 00:36:58.123
so yeah, it's called, it's called Comics in the classroom.
00:36:58.123 --> 00:36:58.903
It is just gone.
00:36:59.664 --> 00:37:02.784
to print and it's hopefully coming out in July
00:37:03.414 --> 00:37:04.764
In the summertime, hopefully.
00:37:04.764 --> 00:37:05.094
Yeah.
00:37:05.094 --> 00:37:05.574
sometime.
00:37:05.858 --> 00:37:07.539
and yeah, it's, it's, it's a book.
00:37:07.539 --> 00:37:09.969
I mean, you might always talk about it a bit, Lucy, but I can describe it.
00:37:09.969 --> 00:37:14.318
So it is a book that really looks at how comics can be used.
00:37:15.143 --> 00:37:19.643
Again, across the primary age, but into secondary school as well.
00:37:19.643 --> 00:37:25.443
So I think again, probably the focus would be about that seven to 14-year-old age group, for it.
00:37:25.449 --> 00:37:31.923
But it looks at comics in relationship to reading for pleasure, interrelation to visual literacy.
00:37:32.143 --> 00:37:39.083
there's lots of different chapters, comics and drawing and writing for pleasure, which draws some of my research.
00:37:39.193 --> 00:37:40.543
Comics and thinking.
00:37:40.543 --> 00:37:44.414
So thinking about how we can use comics, a way of thinking in the classroom.
00:37:44.773 --> 00:37:46.603
and also we can comics across the curriculum.
00:37:46.664 --> 00:37:58.963
And then some brilliant chapters on comics and representation and comics and inclusion and also comics and sustainability, which I think probably aren't thought about as as much as they should be.
00:37:59.063 --> 00:37:59.543
Yeah.
00:37:59.918 --> 00:38:03.909
so it's all about how teachers can use comics in a range of different ways in the classroom.
00:38:04.289 --> 00:38:07.168
and I think it really hopefully will be a first for the uk.
00:38:07.168 --> 00:38:14.248
We've had some publications in the uk, but mainly it's just really been American publications about how to use comics and education.
00:38:14.559 --> 00:38:16.628
so I think it's something we really desperately do need
00:38:16.914 --> 00:38:17.543
Yeah.
00:38:18.474 --> 00:38:24.043
Yeah, we were really keen, weren't we, to make sure that it's kind of rooted in, not solely, but it's talking about.
00:38:24.853 --> 00:38:37.963
UK based comic creators where possible and, and examples from UK based practice and, and link links to the curriculum, as it is currently, as well, which is really cool, I think, to have something that's got that kind of unique perspective.
00:38:38.023 --> 00:38:39.673
And I have really enjoyed writing it with you.
00:38:39.673 --> 00:38:42.403
It was really, well, not all the time, sometimes it was a bit stressful.
00:38:42.804 --> 00:38:46.778
but, but it was fun and it was great to have.
00:38:47.333 --> 00:38:48.534
Ourselves, quite a short deadline.
00:38:48.684 --> 00:38:49.818
We're gonna write this book in a year.
00:38:50.543 --> 00:38:51.264
Yeah, we did it though.
00:38:51.264 --> 00:38:53.333
Smashed it out the park.
00:38:54.534 --> 00:38:59.063
And I think what's been lovely about it as well is that each, each chapter does have a case study.
00:38:59.094 --> 00:39:04.434
So it is not just about, here are ideas about what you could do, but this is what people are actually doing.
00:39:04.943 --> 00:39:05.693
And that's been lovely.
00:39:05.693 --> 00:39:10.824
So some people are, some people who come to yo comics so are featured in some of the case studies.
00:39:11.134 --> 00:39:14.043
it really reflects the whole comics community across the uk.
00:39:14.434 --> 00:39:14.914
Yeah.
00:39:14.914 --> 00:39:17.793
And there's some, yeah, some form former guests from the podcast.
00:39:17.853 --> 00:39:18.273
on there.
00:39:18.724 --> 00:39:29.574
It is been great to pull all of those kind of experiences and connections, together to put something, hopefully it's really useful and practical as well as having some good insight into that.
00:39:29.634 --> 00:39:30.523
The research that.
00:39:30.523 --> 00:39:33.356
the evidence base for some of these things that we're talking about.
00:39:33.746 --> 00:39:35.306
So yeah, watch this space.
00:39:35.306 --> 00:39:36.387
We'll talk about it more, I'm sure.
00:39:38.905 --> 00:39:44.206
so before we end the podcast, we'd just like to do a few key takeaways.
00:39:44.485 --> 00:39:45.445
maybe we could just do one each.
00:39:45.496 --> 00:39:52.018
The, the one thing I want you to remember about the stuff I've been saying today on this podcast, who wants to go first?
00:39:52.619 --> 00:39:52.918
Hannah?
00:39:52.918 --> 00:39:54.119
Looks like the cogs are turning.
00:39:54.943 --> 00:39:56.264
Oh God, they're always turning.
00:39:56.896 --> 00:40:05.777
I think, um, not to undervalue the, the gift of communication that comics give to kids to express themselves.
00:40:06.266 --> 00:40:06.427
that.
00:40:07.226 --> 00:40:13.356
not to underestimate it and, not to devalue it because they're pictures.
00:40:13.956 --> 00:40:17.077
I'm dyslexic and I was diagnosed at 26.
00:40:17.257 --> 00:40:23.137
My dad was severely dyslexic, but we comics gave us so much joy.
00:40:23.726 --> 00:40:26.217
so, you know, and I, I hear it all the time.
00:40:26.217 --> 00:40:28.976
It gets devalued for young people in reading.
00:40:29.336 --> 00:40:32.336
I still read books and I also read
00:40:32.621 --> 00:40:33.161
exactly.
00:40:34.152 --> 00:40:34.391
Yeah.
00:40:34.391 --> 00:40:34.961
That's lovely.
00:40:34.961 --> 00:40:35.766
Thank you, Helen.
00:40:36.061 --> 00:40:47.190
yeah, I think just absolutely the importance of creating spaces for children to be able to share their own work and their own creations and see their own interests valued.
00:40:47.581 --> 00:40:50.070
I don't think schools always provide that environment.
00:40:50.070 --> 00:41:00.701
Currently, we've got a very sort of strict curriculum, English teaching, if you want to think of focus on literacy is often teaching children about sort of grammar forms rather than sort of how to express themselves.
00:41:01.110 --> 00:41:07.740
and I think creating spaces where children are allowed to have their voices heard is just really, really important.
00:41:07.811 --> 00:41:08.771
and can't be undervalued.
00:41:09.208 --> 00:41:09.668
Yeah.
00:41:09.728 --> 00:41:20.228
And obviously in England our curriculum is being reviewed slightly disappointed to see the lack of diversity in the people that are gonna be rewriting the English curriculum.
00:41:20.768 --> 00:41:21.668
Just gonna put that out there.
00:41:22.248 --> 00:41:22.518
nothing.
00:41:22.518 --> 00:41:23.208
No, no, no.
00:41:23.208 --> 00:41:24.302
Reflection on the, those.
00:41:24.663 --> 00:41:27.393
Particular individuals and whether or not they're qualified.
00:41:27.393 --> 00:41:43.353
But I do think that we need a wide range of voices and experiences informing our curriculum, and that's how we get rich outcomes and success for, for, for children who have also lots of wide varieties of lived experience.
00:41:43.432 --> 00:41:44.693
so yeah.
00:41:44.762 --> 00:41:53.373
Yeah, and no discussion either in this new curriculum of multimodality and the way people are reading nowadays across different platforms.
00:41:53.882 --> 00:41:54.813
which again is a shame.
00:41:54.813 --> 00:41:58.682
It feels like a slightly old, old fashioned curriculum that misses that out.
00:41:59.152 --> 00:42:06.813
Yeah, I think even, yeah, even just our approach to like quite siloed subject areas just limits that multimodality, as you say.
00:42:06.824 --> 00:42:11.355
and I don't have huge hope that it's gonna be changed in this review curriculum review,
00:42:11.550 --> 00:42:16.998
Although on a, on a cheerful note, Create those spaces, but also go back to the idea of fun.
00:42:17.047 --> 00:42:17.887
Keep it fun.
00:42:18.068 --> 00:42:21.577
Making comics is fun, you know, swapping comics is fun.
00:42:22.068 --> 00:42:24.168
sharing and bringing a community together.
00:42:24.873 --> 00:42:25.773
Is fun.
00:42:25.773 --> 00:42:30.213
It is exciting, it is playful and you know, and keep it that way as well.
00:42:30.213 --> 00:42:32.463
This is, it should be enjoyable.
00:42:32.512 --> 00:42:33.172
Yeah.
00:42:33.713 --> 00:42:45.463
And that's why it's so important for these other spaces outside, outside of, you know, the curriculum to, to exist for people to be creative and express themselves and tell their stories and, and, and have a bit of fun.
00:42:45.822 --> 00:42:48.538
So it is amazing that you guys are doing that.
00:42:48.570 --> 00:42:58.559
The final, final, final thing is if we were to add one comic or book graphic novel or book about comics, two r two B red piles tomorrow, what?
00:42:59.204 --> 00:43:00.045
Should we add?
00:43:01.514 --> 00:43:02.445
Thank you for asking.
00:43:02.925 --> 00:43:10.565
I'd like to share my absolute favorite, comic that I have read multiple times is Spiral Bound by Aaron Rina.
00:43:10.894 --> 00:43:17.795
It's anamorphic, so it's all animal characters, but they're this little, it's about this, Little elephant making friends.
00:43:17.844 --> 00:43:22.164
it sounds much more cutesy because it's actually an adventure, and a mystery.
00:43:22.525 --> 00:43:23.605
I just love it.
00:43:23.605 --> 00:43:27.235
It's just so, such wonderful storytelling.
00:43:27.235 --> 00:43:32.545
It has such lovely nuances of friendship and, and it's so welcoming and warm.
00:43:32.545 --> 00:43:35.485
And it also has this mystery that's actually delightful.
00:43:35.875 --> 00:43:40.465
He is, he is written other, a couple of other books and he just needs to write more.
00:43:40.889 --> 00:43:41.902
Brilliant, Helen.
00:43:41.929 --> 00:43:49.719
I'm going to be very cheeky, Lucy and suggest people put on their to be red pile for the future comics in the classroom.
00:43:50.188 --> 00:43:53.759
Now, I don't normally allow that, but seen as seen as this our book.
00:43:54.929 --> 00:43:56.039
Yes, you definitely should
00:43:56.150 --> 00:43:56.840
yes.
00:43:56.981 --> 00:44:01.780
the whole back, back half of 2026 to be reading that book on over and over
00:44:01.956 --> 00:44:03.641
so to read and digest the
00:44:03.778 --> 00:44:04.108
Yeah.
00:44:04.168 --> 00:44:04.349
Yeah.
00:44:05.471 --> 00:44:05.920
Brilliant.
00:44:05.920 --> 00:44:10.501
I'm gonna suggest one something just really funny that just made me laugh so hard.
00:44:10.501 --> 00:44:11.550
I can't remember who it was.
00:44:11.550 --> 00:44:12.601
I'm gonna have to search it up.
00:44:12.650 --> 00:44:19.760
is detective be, detective beans is little, and the case of the missing hat, Lee Chen is who?
00:44:19.760 --> 00:44:24.141
It's, who it's by and it is just this little cat child.
00:44:24.237 --> 00:44:27.898
it wants to be a detective and it just really had me howling.
00:44:27.898 --> 00:44:33.177
And also the second, the second one, the second detective beans is also very just very, very funny.
00:44:33.237 --> 00:44:35.038
We just very witty, enjoyed it.
00:44:35.068 --> 00:44:36.958
Wasn't expecting it to be that funny, and it's great.
00:44:37.547 --> 00:44:38.838
I really, I really enjoyed it.
00:44:38.838 --> 00:44:45.478
I read it, on the train on the way back from a conference, that I went to and was just sat there laughing to myself on the train.
00:44:46.632 --> 00:44:47.172
It's very good.
00:44:47.172 --> 00:44:49.422
But thank you so much for coming onto the podcast.
00:44:49.422 --> 00:44:50.472
It's been great to have you.
00:44:50.472 --> 00:44:56.722
I've really enjoyed hearing about, some things that go on in the background to create, a really successful event.
00:44:56.722 --> 00:45:03.663
'cause I had just the pleasure of just turning up on the day and enjoying it, with, with my box of comics, last year.
00:45:03.663 --> 00:45:07.652
So yeah, it's been great to hear about all the thought and, and development that goes into it.
00:45:07.652 --> 00:45:08.947
So thank you so much for coming on.
00:45:09.021 --> 00:45:10.260
Thank you for having us.
00:45:12.565 --> 00:45:13.166
There we go.
00:45:13.226 --> 00:45:14.005
Great guests.
00:45:14.005 --> 00:45:22.856
Thanks so much to Hannah and to Helen for giving us their time and for sharing all of their experience on running a comics fair for and by children.
00:45:23.096 --> 00:45:32.853
Yo comics is coming up, if you're listening to this, as the episode comes out, it's coming up,, and hopefully will become, a fixture in the calendar this time of year, every year, second year now.
00:45:32.853 --> 00:45:34.893
So really, they're really establishing themselves.
00:45:34.974 --> 00:45:37.442
Thanks to a LCS for sponsoring today's episode.
00:45:37.472 --> 00:45:44.152
As you know, we often have writers on comic boom speaking about their work, and A LCS is a not-for-profit organization supporting.
00:45:44.152 --> 00:45:48.681
Its 120,000 plus members to collect money for all of the secondary uses of their work.
00:45:48.981 --> 00:45:54.248
That means things like photocopies, digital reproductions, and even the use Of texts in education.
00:45:54.248 --> 00:46:00.393
and they also produce some fantastic resources to support educators to explore topics like copyright and plagiarism in the classroom.
00:46:00.574 --> 00:46:02.974
You can check those out on the link in the show notes.
00:46:03.393 --> 00:46:11.434
There's a range of different free resources available for teachers and especially I think in the age of ai, something that we need to build children and young people's awareness of.
00:46:11.653 --> 00:46:15.344
And there's some really interesting, dedicated resources, on that topic as well.
00:46:15.427 --> 00:46:17.047
My book recommendation for the week.
00:46:17.047 --> 00:46:23.210
I was thinking about, one of the things that I started reading since, our last set of episodes is.
00:46:23.445 --> 00:46:25.425
A Manga Delicious in dungeon.
00:46:25.449 --> 00:46:26.349
It's a meshy manga.
00:46:26.349 --> 00:46:27.639
It's a manga about food.
00:46:27.668 --> 00:46:31.418
It's also an anime on Netflix if you want to watch it.
00:46:31.434 --> 00:46:39.463
It's very funny about, some people that are going into a dungeon, and they learn to eat the dungeon creatures to sustain themselves.
00:46:39.463 --> 00:46:44.643
So it's kind of part cooking, show, part adventure story, battling creatures in the dungeon.
00:46:44.704 --> 00:46:46.023
And it, it's very funny.
00:46:46.057 --> 00:46:52.793
So definitely recommend Delicious in Dungeon by Ku qui, Who is a female manga creator.
00:46:53.083 --> 00:46:55.393
very witty, brilliant drawings, great pace.
00:46:55.454 --> 00:46:56.353
And I really enjoyed it.
00:46:56.543 --> 00:47:05.673
It's 14 volumes, I always trust the age rating on the back of manga because the story really can develop and change over the course of the series and bring in content maybe less suitable.
00:47:05.673 --> 00:47:10.293
So the back age rating is for older teens and adults, and I trust that.
00:47:10.623 --> 00:47:12.094
Thanks so much for listening today.
00:47:12.143 --> 00:47:20.543
Hopefully that's planted some seeds of things that you would like to do and maybe in your school, in your library, in your community to promote comics with children and young people.
00:47:20.753 --> 00:47:22.043
There's such a buzz about comics.
00:47:22.043 --> 00:47:29.282
I think it's just brilliant to be able to harness that and, give young people a platform through which they can realize their creative dreams.
00:47:29.672 --> 00:47:31.532
So thank you for listening today.
00:47:31.532 --> 00:47:34.139
We'll be back with another episode next week.
00:47:34.139 --> 00:47:37.905
You've been listening to Comic Boom, which is produced by me, Lucy Star Braley.
00:47:37.996 --> 00:47:38.715
Thanks for listening.
00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:09.000
Hello and welcome to Comic Boom, the Comics and Education podcast.
00:00:09.060 --> 00:00:14.279
If you're interested in hearing more about the crossover between comics and education, then this is the podcast for you.
00:00:14.910 --> 00:00:26.760
My name is Lucy Starbuck Braidley, and each week I'll be joined by a fellow educator, an academic, a librarian, or a creator of comics to discuss their journey into comics and provide some inspiration to influence your practice.
00:00:27.149 --> 00:00:33.299
And hopefully shine some light on some titles you can bring into your libraries, classrooms, and onto your bookshelves at home too.
00:00:33.899 --> 00:00:39.060
This episode of Comic Boom is sponsored by A LCS, the author's licensing and collecting society.
00:00:39.215 --> 00:00:51.621
And today on this episode, we have a pair, a brilliant pair of, people giving back to the comics community, providing something for children to promote the creation of comics and the reading of comics in their community.
00:00:51.831 --> 00:00:54.807
We have Helen Jones and Hannah Miller.
00:00:54.905 --> 00:01:00.395
Hannah Lee Miller has worked for many years in children's television production, including on shows like pepper Pig and hay Dougie.
00:01:00.725 --> 00:01:04.864
I have to say, I did not know about the hay Dougie thing before I interviewed her.
00:01:04.864 --> 00:01:07.114
In which case we would've spoken about hay Dougie.
00:01:07.355 --> 00:01:08.314
'cause I love hay Dougie.
00:01:08.382 --> 00:01:13.691
She is also an artist who creates her own comics and has organized multiple events including comic fairs.
00:01:14.022 --> 00:01:21.822
Hannah brings with her a large amount of knowledge, contacts, and experience in small press comics from making to selling and networking.
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And Helen Jones you may remember, has been on the podcast before.
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I will link to her previous episode in the show notes.
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Helen is a lecturer in primary education at UCL, the Institute of Education, very prestigious, and a PhD candidate at Goldsmiths.
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And we talk about her PhD work in detail in the previous episode and her journey into comics and how she became interested in their.
00:01:43.665 --> 00:01:45.286
Application in education.
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So that's definitely worth the listen if you haven't listened to it yet.
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alongside Lucy Starbeck Brady.
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That's me.
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she's written a book soon to be published about comics in the classroom.
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Really, really excited about that collaboration.
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Absolutely loved working with Helen on that book, and we talk about it a little bit at the end of this podcast, and I'm sure I'll come back to it again in the future.
00:02:04.841 --> 00:02:06.882
It was a real labor of love, and I'm very proud of it.
00:02:07.762 --> 00:02:12.051
Helen edited the book Children's Literature in Action and has published her work academically.
00:02:12.051 --> 00:02:19.149
And she's a co-director with Hannah Miller of Yo Comics, which is a comics fair for and by young people.
00:02:19.149 --> 00:02:20.468
It's a brilliant initiative.
00:02:20.498 --> 00:02:22.899
It's run in South Norwood in South London.
00:02:23.149 --> 00:02:24.324
We are gonna be talking all about.
00:02:24.644 --> 00:02:31.264
Your comics today, it's coming up soon, but really the point of the episode is What can we do to promote more?
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Of these kinds of comics fairs for children and young people to start happening around the country where we can learn from people who are doing it.
00:02:38.128 --> 00:02:44.338
And that's why Hannah and Helen are on the podcast today to talk about how they came about running your comics.
00:02:44.338 --> 00:02:45.568
Some of the things that they've learned.
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They did it last year, this is the second year coming up., And I found it just an absolutely fascinating conversation, and so much to learn.
00:02:53.014 --> 00:02:54.033
So inspiring.
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there are some moments in this episode where some of the sound quality slightly dips out, I have kept some of those elements in you can still hear, you can, it's very easy to make out what's being said and the value of what's being talked about is so important.
00:03:06.908 --> 00:03:13.257
So there are, be aware that there are a few dips and sound quality, but you should still be able to enjoy this episode.
00:03:13.287 --> 00:03:14.067
All the same.
00:03:14.156 --> 00:03:16.286
here's what Hannah and Helen have to say.
00:03:22.426 --> 00:03:23.473
Hello, Hannah and Helen.
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Welcome to Comic Boom.
00:03:24.475 --> 00:03:24.825
Hello.
00:03:25.530 --> 00:03:26.829
Welcome to the podcast.
00:03:26.829 --> 00:03:28.179
It is great to have you here.
00:03:28.179 --> 00:03:32.534
We've got, an interesting combo of one returning guest and one brand new person to two.
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So we're gonna start with our.
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fresh meat.
00:03:35.110 --> 00:03:39.680
Hannah, can you tell us a little bit about your sort of personal journey into comics?
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were they something you got into as a child?
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Was it more as an adult?
00:03:42.819 --> 00:03:44.289
tell us a bit about your reading journey.
00:03:44.314 --> 00:03:48.685
So, I was very lucky to have parents who loved, comics.
00:03:48.685 --> 00:03:59.020
Mainly the sort of strips, the, Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Garfield, Pogo Possum, which is a little less known in the uk.
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I never heard of Hogo possum.
00:04:01.264 --> 00:04:03.310
So it's just brilliant.
00:04:03.400 --> 00:04:11.611
And it was the meme of the household we were referred to as Tads, which is, it's short for tadpoles, which is, in Pogo as well.
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there was asterisk, Tintin.
00:04:13.812 --> 00:04:21.627
I think a lot of families had these, but, my dad invested the enthusiasm and I just.
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Carried on the journey.
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so, and we all had the beo.
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I had the beo, my brother had the dandy, my sister had Bunty, Mandy, and all the other girl ones.
00:04:30.762 --> 00:04:46.622
and we would, and we'd get, commando the little mini comics that used to get when you're going to the seaside and we'd get a little, and there was commando and you'd get mini, mini binos and mini, So it was definitely, definitely something that was, part of life at home.
00:04:47.132 --> 00:04:52.454
And, I'm just outraged that not everyone has this and it isn't in everybody's
00:04:52.829 --> 00:04:53.550
that sounds amazing.
00:04:53.550 --> 00:04:55.769
It sounds like it's a really part of your like family culture.
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Oh, very much.
00:04:57.101 --> 00:04:59.041
Did you, was it part of your school life as well?
00:04:59.091 --> 00:05:04.649
thinking about the audience being educators here, I'm always interested to know whether it felt very separate
00:05:04.651 --> 00:05:12.982
There was things that did cross over, so things like Garfield, you would find other kids at school that would like Garfield, but you, they wouldn't know.
00:05:13.432 --> 00:05:27.065
They, they might know Tintin or, I, I don't think it ever came across in primary school and, and definitely not in secondary school, completely vanished and I spent the rest from.
00:05:27.831 --> 00:05:32.901
Probably from secondary school onwards, searching for other people who liked comics, which was hard.
00:05:32.901 --> 00:05:34.581
And it was usually boys as well.
00:05:35.091 --> 00:05:39.500
I'd find boys and I went to an all girls school, so there's no, I couldn't find comic
00:05:39.500 --> 00:05:40.745
thin on the ground there boys.
00:05:41.511 --> 00:05:41.961
Yeah.
00:05:42.021 --> 00:05:54.500
And so when I, when I hung out with boys, I remember one guy's house just had a, a shelf full wall to wall of books of 2000 ad and I would just, I'd just ignore everyone.
00:05:54.500 --> 00:05:56.300
I'd sit down, grab one of them.
00:05:57.170 --> 00:05:57.800
Whatever else.
00:05:57.800 --> 00:06:02.805
I was a teen, early teen, then I was just devour with them, but yeah, not at school.
00:06:03.189 --> 00:06:15.369
And I think when you're like adults that are involved in comics and interested in comics, you surround yourself with lots of other adults, but actually it's not a mainstream thing really for, for adults to be, especially not women, I don't think to be really engaged with comics.
00:06:15.699 --> 00:06:19.598
Again, it's easy to think that they are,'cause I know so many women who are involved in comics.
00:06:19.927 --> 00:06:25.552
but in terms of something being in the mainstream, it's really not, I don't think at the moment part of.
00:06:25.608 --> 00:06:30.894
Typical adult reading culture why do you think you've, you've maintained that through, through to adulthood.
00:06:30.954 --> 00:06:34.291
What was the secret of keeping that in your life, do you think?
00:06:34.471 --> 00:06:42.031
I think, I think there was a bit of a culture thing there, like I identified with the sort of subculture element.
00:06:42.867 --> 00:06:45.651
and so that intrigued me.
00:06:46.204 --> 00:06:54.468
there was definitely, I remember the bridging the gap between children, comics, children friendly, all age comics to things that are really not for kids.
00:06:55.223 --> 00:06:57.750
I remember I started collecting furry freak brothers.
00:06:57.750 --> 00:07:02.305
That was my first, I'm going to intentionally collect my own.
00:07:02.694 --> 00:07:07.345
And I would, it was the way I would cope with comic shops, which were very male and very uncomfortable.
00:07:08.035 --> 00:07:10.944
I would be like, I'm here to get the next issue of furry freak brothers.
00:07:11.725 --> 00:07:16.285
And it helped me like just zone out everybody that, that made me feel uncomfortable there.
00:07:16.461 --> 00:07:17.512
I remember there were some.
00:07:18.892 --> 00:07:26.353
tween age comics out there, like Zit they were like, oh, vis Izzy Child friendly versions.
00:07:27.574 --> 00:07:27.814
it?
00:07:28.113 --> 00:07:31.353
I think it's still quite a difficult thing to.
00:07:31.637 --> 00:07:34.997
Support people once they've aged out of something, that they were reading.
00:07:34.997 --> 00:07:38.237
It's, it is not always simple to find them something new,
00:07:38.290 --> 00:07:41.767
I've definitely reverted back as an adult to all age comics.
00:07:42.127 --> 00:07:46.117
I realized that though the adult comics can sometimes be a little uncomfortable.
00:07:46.798 --> 00:07:47.017
Mm.
00:07:47.273 --> 00:07:53.483
and go into quite dark materials when actually what I want, what I want is escapism and, and relaxation.
00:07:53.483 --> 00:07:59.377
So all ages, comics, they're just joyful pretty much even in this ad.
00:08:00.603 --> 00:08:01.112
Yeah.
00:08:01.322 --> 00:08:07.927
And so how do, that's gives us a little bit of a clue, but how are comics, in the broadest sense, how do comics, how do they part of your life now?
00:08:08.410 --> 00:08:12.295
They fill my shelves, my shelves.
00:08:12.740 --> 00:08:19.228
I have like three bookshelves full of comics and, graphic novels, my, my interests.
00:08:19.468 --> 00:08:21.574
But, I, I tried to make my own.
00:08:21.574 --> 00:08:23.584
I don't think I'm ever as good as I'd like to be.
00:08:24.064 --> 00:08:33.274
and, uh, done tabling and sold my mini comics and now I try and arrange comic fairs, just'cause I think they need to happen.
00:08:33.619 --> 00:08:39.543
They, they have to happen and they don't seem to be happening in London at the minute, so it's, they have to,
00:08:40.443 --> 00:08:41.163
Yeah.
00:08:41.494 --> 00:08:43.624
yeah, so it's very present in my life.
00:08:43.624 --> 00:08:43.953
It's ev.
00:08:44.823 --> 00:08:45.903
Yeah, it's my jam.
00:08:46.474 --> 00:08:47.134
Amazing.
00:08:47.673 --> 00:08:49.923
Helen, we're gonna move on to you for a for a minute.
00:08:49.923 --> 00:08:53.062
Anyone interested in hearing about your early start as a comics reader?
00:08:53.062 --> 00:08:56.842
All of that sort of stuff can go back to your previous episode, which I'll link in the show notes.
00:08:57.052 --> 00:08:57.967
I hope that makes you feel fancy.
00:08:58.471 --> 00:09:04.780
so we're gonna ask you a slightly different question, which is just a little bit of an update since we've last, had you on the podcast.
00:09:04.780 --> 00:09:05.620
It's been a while.
00:09:06.041 --> 00:09:08.171
is there anything you've been adding to your reading diet?
00:09:08.201 --> 00:09:12.061
What can you share with us that's been, interesting you lately?
00:09:12.253 --> 00:09:19.513
yeah, I mean, you said what have I've been adding since I last was on the podcast, and it's loads loads, so I can't talk to you about it for an
00:09:19.648 --> 00:09:20.607
Yeah, don't list it all.
00:09:20.607 --> 00:09:21.118
Don't list it.
00:09:21.118 --> 00:09:21.357
all.
00:09:21.447 --> 00:09:23.152
No, just some highlights, please.
00:09:23.270 --> 00:09:27.591
so I think I've been really, I mean, I, I really liked the middle grade young adults.
00:09:28.100 --> 00:09:42.490
Comics, graphic novels, and particularly ones I've been reading recently, so Jen Wang Ashe's Cabin, which is just a really lovely story, sort of coming of age story and about sort of discovering herself and, and running into the mountains to do so.
00:09:43.301 --> 00:09:46.270
and also how it all ends by Emma Hung Singer.
00:09:46.691 --> 00:09:52.721
Which again, sort of coming of age, teenage story and sort of about both of them, about finding your identity really in your teenage years.
00:09:53.071 --> 00:09:55.350
but what I love both about'em is actually they're quite.
00:09:56.280 --> 00:09:58.831
Sort of experimental in their comics form.
00:09:58.916 --> 00:09:59.696
Oh, I love that.
00:09:59.905 --> 00:10:00.775
how it all ends.
00:10:00.775 --> 00:10:03.431
It's got absolutely no panels in it at all.
00:10:04.265 --> 00:10:10.385
and I often take it along to when I'm doing sessions about comics with, with students and sort of talking about what defines a comic.
00:10:10.385 --> 00:10:12.426
And people look at that one and they're like, well, wait a minute.
00:10:12.426 --> 00:10:14.615
There's no panels, so this can't be a comic.
00:10:15.015 --> 00:10:18.966
or it can't be, novel, but it is, it's marketed as and sold as one.
00:10:19.186 --> 00:10:22.515
so I think it's just really interesting the way it plays around with, with the art form.
00:10:23.221 --> 00:10:25.291
and I think I've been interested in that quite a lot as well.
00:10:25.291 --> 00:10:35.096
So looking at stuff, where comics are doing unusual or interesting things, so going along to comics, fairs, for example, you might pick out to comics or, or zines.
00:10:35.755 --> 00:10:36.485
so zines being.
00:10:37.811 --> 00:10:41.681
Self-published, it can be comics form, it can be more like a book.
00:10:41.681 --> 00:10:43.451
They can range across different ways.
00:10:43.451 --> 00:10:52.895
And some of the ones I've been really interested in are ones from, Colossus Press, who are local to us in cro and or Pen, I should say, for them.
00:10:53.296 --> 00:10:53.446
but
00:10:53.586 --> 00:10:54.395
Pen is a good word.
00:10:55.336 --> 00:11:00.255
pen is a lovely word, apparently the most trendy place to live now in London.
00:11:00.255 --> 00:11:00.346
But
00:11:00.456 --> 00:11:01.145
Not surprised.
00:11:01.176 --> 00:11:01.660
Sounds good.
00:11:01.842 --> 00:11:08.143
but they produce some really lovely ones called Colossal Cartographies, which sort of open up and you unfold them and you can play around with
00:11:08.288 --> 00:11:08.678
Yeah.
00:11:08.678 --> 00:11:09.099
That's so
00:11:09.227 --> 00:11:12.190
Um, and then also I think some of the work by Lizzie Stewart.
00:11:12.190 --> 00:11:15.519
So she's publishing and she publishes both for children and for adults.
00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:17.870
but some of her work for adults.
00:11:17.870 --> 00:11:21.259
So for example, walking distance by her, I would say.
00:11:21.830 --> 00:11:24.139
Again, it's to plays around with the genre.
00:11:24.139 --> 00:11:24.889
Is it a comic?
00:11:24.889 --> 00:11:25.669
Is it a picture book?
00:11:25.669 --> 00:11:28.759
I would call it a picture book for adults in a way.
00:11:28.789 --> 00:11:37.009
But it's really fascinating the way she sort of combines different art forms again within it and prose and the comic art form as well,
00:11:39.475 --> 00:11:43.655
Can you tell us about yo comics, a little bit of a potted history.
00:11:43.655 --> 00:11:48.005
When did it start and what is it and what can people find there if they come along?
00:11:48.107 --> 00:11:50.778
So we did it for the first time last year.
00:11:51.347 --> 00:11:55.668
Yo Comics, it's comic fair by kids and for kids.
00:11:56.197 --> 00:11:57.607
and it's a mixture.
00:11:57.607 --> 00:11:59.107
We have a mixture of tables.
00:11:59.107 --> 00:12:01.118
So when I say tables, it's like a market.
00:12:01.687 --> 00:12:02.258
Table is.
00:12:02.258 --> 00:12:12.607
So a mixture of professionals who make comics for kids and kids who make comics and kids groups that make comics, and also a few charities and schools.
00:12:13.087 --> 00:12:19.268
And we also have workshops and a little quiet library room.
00:12:19.618 --> 00:12:22.347
I ran that last year and I loved that little library.
00:12:22.898 --> 00:12:24.548
smashed it out the park in a very
00:12:24.717 --> 00:12:25.857
it's very easy to do.
00:12:27.658 --> 00:12:32.457
I basic just sat in the corner, read comics all day, and everyone else wanted to do that too.
00:12:34.197 --> 00:12:41.326
yeah, it sort of came about, I guess in, it started its life in 20, probably at the beginning of 2024, didn't it, Hannah?
00:12:41.326 --> 00:12:45.855
So I think both me and Hannah sort of had these ideas.
00:12:47.255 --> 00:12:52.160
And I'd previously been running comic fairs just in a school with children at a comics club that I had.
00:12:52.441 --> 00:12:54.181
of part of my PhD research.
00:12:54.500 --> 00:12:59.270
but the key thing about that was having comics fairs at the end of the comics making process.
00:12:59.270 --> 00:13:03.110
So the children really felt like publishers and they could share their work with others.
00:13:03.421 --> 00:13:08.910
they made some money out of it, which then went back into the comics club to buy resources for the following year.
00:13:09.221 --> 00:13:10.990
so also made the comic club sustainable.
00:13:11.230 --> 00:13:14.681
So I have been doing that and Hannah have been running sort of comic fairs.
00:13:15.490 --> 00:13:27.041
For a sort of adult or all ages audience, but we both really thought there'd be, there was really something missing in terms of having something specifically aimed at children and young people.
00:13:27.431 --> 00:13:36.201
And particularly at the moment when, comics have been, and graphic novels have been really taking off, in terms of the Phoenix, the Bino is still incredibly popular.
00:13:36.750 --> 00:13:39.811
but children really, really engaging with comics as a form.
00:13:40.350 --> 00:13:49.350
And that we felt that they needed something, a space for children to sort of, for that to be celebrated, to make it exciting and to have adult creators there.
00:13:49.770 --> 00:13:52.321
sometimes the children's heroes that they wanted to meet.
00:13:52.711 --> 00:14:00.541
but also having children alongside them, being able to sell and share their own comics was something that we felt was, was really needed.
00:14:00.571 --> 00:14:02.336
And, we wanted to create that space.
00:14:02.966 --> 00:14:03.566
For it.
00:14:03.566 --> 00:14:09.823
So yes, it starts off with an idea in 2024 and then came into reality in 2025,
00:14:09.833 --> 00:14:12.114
I mean, that's not bad turnaround for an idea, is it?
00:14:12.354 --> 00:14:13.043
Straight away.
00:14:13.104 --> 00:14:13.553
Got it.
00:14:13.558 --> 00:14:13.778
Got it.
00:14:13.783 --> 00:14:13.823
Going.
00:14:14.398 --> 00:14:17.770
Yeah, we just, we, we had the logistics sorted.
00:14:18.028 --> 00:14:20.857
and then it was just a case of, piecing it all together.
00:14:20.951 --> 00:14:36.099
I think for me it was important that kids fair needed to, to exist because of my experience tabling at other fairs where you would see parents and children and come, interested, wanting to engage.
00:14:36.099 --> 00:14:39.578
And I'd see them reach for a book and I'd be like, don't, don't read that.
00:14:39.879 --> 00:14:40.778
That's not suitable
00:14:40.813 --> 00:14:41.104
Yeah.
00:14:41.254 --> 00:14:41.543
Yeah.
00:14:41.543 --> 00:14:41.823
Yeah.
00:14:41.933 --> 00:14:48.254
just didn't seem to be, a space where you could say this anything and everything is safe for a kid to read.
00:14:48.974 --> 00:15:03.053
And I believe in the freedom of comics and zines to, be able to express what they want and talk and create about lots of topics and dark issues and dark comedy and whatever they need to.
00:15:03.083 --> 00:15:11.703
But we also need to make sure that, younger people, Don't stumble upon, and I say stumble upon things that will upset and disturb them.
00:15:11.734 --> 00:15:25.033
And I say this because it's happened to me, because in my pleasure and enjoyment of comics, I've definitely come across things that have made me, uncomfortable and, spooked, freaked out in a, and, unsettling way at an age.
00:15:25.104 --> 00:15:25.494
I couldn't.
00:15:25.913 --> 00:15:26.604
Process it.
00:15:26.604 --> 00:15:37.193
And so I just feel that, to me, it was just very important to, to make a space that was completely safe for kids, where it was all accessible and fun.
00:15:37.344 --> 00:15:40.649
And so you could just share the love of comics without, causing a problem.
00:15:41.938 --> 00:15:42.448
I love that.
00:15:42.448 --> 00:15:57.586
And, and aside from the, kind of, from the content of the comics available, one of the things that struck me when you were talking at the start, Hannah, was that you were saying you were reflecting on times when you, within a space hadn't felt, Welcome or, comfortable.
00:15:58.006 --> 00:16:08.386
and how do you approach making Yo comics on the day and a kind of an accessible and inclusive space where, where young people feel a sense of ownership or belonging there?
00:16:09.407 --> 00:16:10.307
How do you approach that?
00:16:10.636 --> 00:16:13.402
It's not always easy to do for, for an, for adults to do that.
00:16:13.456 --> 00:16:15.841
I, I will, I will say the volunteers.
00:16:16.605 --> 00:16:17.505
make it happen.
00:16:17.635 --> 00:16:25.245
I think we've got some very welcoming and, positive and happy and joyful people that come and help us make it happen.
00:16:25.725 --> 00:16:35.731
And, in that, and, the kids come with their parents and watching the parents eyes light up and become like kids as well, engaging in all these things.
00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:35.931
yeah.
00:16:36.010 --> 00:16:41.392
I definitely observed some, a lot of parents in the library, a penny drop for some of them.
00:16:42.277 --> 00:16:45.756
Like, they're sat there, they're like, well, all right, my kid's reading now.
00:16:45.787 --> 00:16:46.506
What am I gonna do?
00:16:46.506 --> 00:16:50.917
Oh, I'll just pick this up and then be like, oh, oh, oh, this.
00:16:51.006 --> 00:16:51.966
This is why you read it.
00:16:51.996 --> 00:16:53.226
Oh, this is actually really funny.
00:16:53.226 --> 00:16:55.366
Or this is really, this has got great story.
00:16:55.366 --> 00:17:06.586
And just actually seeing some of them engage themself and realize that it is actually, there's some really good quality and worthwhile stuff out there to read.
00:17:06.797 --> 00:17:07.336
It was great.
00:17:07.364 --> 00:17:08.324
A bit of magic happening.
00:17:08.527 --> 00:17:12.576
And I think that's, that's part of it too, is creating all those different spaces.
00:17:12.576 --> 00:17:19.446
So that's something we thought really carefully about was that we know sort of comic fairs can be quite sort of busy and noisy places.
00:17:19.797 --> 00:17:21.747
and we wanted bits of it to be busy and noisy.
00:17:22.257 --> 00:17:26.846
we have the megaphone comic zone where there was lots of making and creating going on.
00:17:27.217 --> 00:17:37.267
we had the workshops, which again, very buzzy and lots of involvement, but then with having the, the reading room as well as that sort of quiet space to go and sit in and there's bean bags and you can relax.
00:17:37.626 --> 00:17:43.311
So there was something for everybody in terms of sort of, what they wanted to go to as well within the comics Fair.
00:17:43.508 --> 00:17:43.817
That's great.
00:17:44.347 --> 00:17:46.367
and it was a huge success.
00:17:46.823 --> 00:17:47.200
was it.
00:17:47.261 --> 00:17:48.551
As popular as you were expecting?
00:17:48.551 --> 00:17:49.301
More popular?
00:17:49.301 --> 00:17:50.862
Were you on the day?
00:17:50.862 --> 00:17:53.622
Were you like, they're coming, they're coming.
00:17:53.951 --> 00:17:54.537
What was that like?
00:17:55.314 --> 00:17:57.923
I think it was, it was quite terrifying, wasn't it, Hannah?
00:17:57.923 --> 00:18:02.213
Doing it for the first time because you're like, right, we're gonna do comics fair for children.
00:18:02.483 --> 00:18:04.239
And we're like, will anybody come?
00:18:04.568 --> 00:18:05.759
Who's gonna come to it?
00:18:06.378 --> 00:18:20.281
and I think the one thing we, I mean we've, last year we had, we have our, um, Instagram page and we put our workshop tickets on the Instagram page and all the workshops went within about sort of.
00:18:20.807 --> 00:18:22.757
10, 15 minutes.
00:18:23.037 --> 00:18:26.336
so at which point we kind of had an idea that yes, it
00:18:26.531 --> 00:18:27.461
It's gonna be popular.
00:18:28.632 --> 00:18:29.096
Yeah.
00:18:29.096 --> 00:18:34.501
some people are gonna be coming, because felt we got rid all the tickets, the workshops had gone.
00:18:34.551 --> 00:18:37.461
And I think then on the day it was just, it was just lovely, wasn't it?
00:18:37.461 --> 00:18:40.082
'cause people came, people stayed, for an hour.
00:18:40.082 --> 00:18:42.511
Some people stayed almost the whole day.
00:18:42.604 --> 00:18:47.884
But it was just amazing to see all the people and the, and the parents and people coming in engaging with it.
00:18:48.263 --> 00:18:51.122
and, hopefully as well, sort of reaching out the whole community.
00:18:51.122 --> 00:18:54.751
So it's based in safe London, but reaching out to the whole sort of community around.
00:18:54.751 --> 00:18:59.251
But we also have people coming from much further afield than safe London.
00:18:59.747 --> 00:19:01.987
Yeah, we, we had someone come all the way from Dublin,
00:19:02.666 --> 00:19:02.957
What.
00:19:03.057 --> 00:19:04.352
specifically for the fair.
00:19:05.547 --> 00:19:13.666
And I was pleased that they actually, we, we had a little raffle'cause we had, some really lovely signed posters, designed by Tol Freeman and
00:19:13.711 --> 00:19:14.311
looks great.
00:19:14.717 --> 00:19:15.557
she's amazing.
00:19:15.896 --> 00:19:18.757
and signed by, all the people that were, all the tables and stuff.
00:19:18.757 --> 00:19:26.136
So we had these three little raffles and the woman that came all the way from Dublin, won the, won one of those, which was, I just thought, yeah.
00:19:26.287 --> 00:19:27.126
as it should be.
00:19:29.797 --> 00:19:30.636
That's brilliant.
00:19:31.277 --> 00:19:32.626
Helen, I wanted to ask you a little bit more.
00:19:32.626 --> 00:19:35.317
You mentioned your PhD research, and having done.
00:19:35.737 --> 00:19:40.646
Some different format, comics, Faires, with children in the past.
00:19:40.646 --> 00:19:49.493
And I'm just wondering how that research built into this, were you able to draw things from that where you think like, these are, this is something that we definitely to include based on your research?
00:19:49.567 --> 00:19:50.406
yeah, absolutely.
00:19:50.406 --> 00:19:57.426
So I think as I was saying that I ran a comics fair 5, 5, 6 years on and off in a primary school.
00:19:57.457 --> 00:20:01.981
And, it was part of the comics club that I ran there and we were all.
00:20:02.632 --> 00:20:11.241
The children always worked together to create comics collaboratively and then sell those at the end of the comics club period, at a comics fair.
00:20:11.241 --> 00:20:20.819
And we sort of invited, you know, the, the other children in the school, we invited their family to come along and it was just a really lovely way of celebrating what they'd achieved.
00:20:20.894 --> 00:20:22.904
and one of the things I noticed was just actually.
00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:27.240
How important this comics fair was for the children in comics club.
00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:30.539
We could, we could have just used the club and there's your comic and you can take it home.
00:20:30.749 --> 00:20:41.439
but actually that celebration of being able to share your work and sell your work and seeing your work being valued, I mean, we only ever sold for probably just over the printing costs as it was, um.
00:20:42.161 --> 00:20:45.221
Seeing their work valued in that way was so important for them.
00:20:45.310 --> 00:20:49.691
And, you know, somebody saying, I, I felt like a professional comics maker from doing the fair.
00:20:50.050 --> 00:20:52.871
Um, you know, my favorite part was being able to share my work with other people.
00:20:53.256 --> 00:20:53.957
just these lovely elements.
00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:55.808
Um, so important.
00:20:55.987 --> 00:20:58.086
So important and it creates that sort of network.
00:20:58.146 --> 00:21:03.126
So, you know, you have the children coming the following year to Comics club who'd been in the audience last year.
00:21:03.126 --> 00:21:11.743
So it is to create that network of children writing for each other, creating and drawing for each other, which I think is so important.
00:21:11.743 --> 00:21:22.753
I always remember as a child loving reading and seeing things that other children had produced, but children, you know, children began to publish their own work is so, is so rare.
00:21:23.368 --> 00:21:26.249
Um, so that's something that has come out sort do my own research.
00:21:26.278 --> 00:21:29.398
And that's something I just, I could see it could be on a bigger scale.
00:21:29.398 --> 00:21:31.618
I was always like, well, we're doing, we're doing this fair in the playground.
00:21:31.679 --> 00:21:34.019
This could be happening somewhere else.
00:21:34.069 --> 00:21:42.997
And there was also a lovely project that happened for several years called Comic Swap, which was Run outta seven stories, in Newcastle.
00:21:43.537 --> 00:21:50.586
But the idea of Comic Swap was, it's different comics, clubs were swapping their comics with each other, and my comics club were involved one year.
00:21:50.653 --> 00:21:55.513
and we ended up getting these comics from all over the country and in fact, a comic from America that be made by other children.
00:21:55.903 --> 00:21:59.953
Um, and again, I just love looking at them and seeing them and seeing what other people have produced.
00:21:59.953 --> 00:22:13.003
So that's why, you know, I feel that creating these spaces where children can sort of work collaboratively together to create comics and then go and swap their comics with others or, or sell their comics.
00:22:13.003 --> 00:22:17.534
So that being seen as, as valued as well is really important.
00:22:18.179 --> 00:22:18.989
And what's the mechanism?
00:22:18.989 --> 00:22:24.711
How do, how can children get involved, on do they, can they just turn up with some comics they've made?
00:22:24.711 --> 00:22:26.541
How, how does it work on the day?
00:22:27.542 --> 00:22:30.182
it's, it's, it's always an organic beast, isn't it, Hannah?
00:22:30.182 --> 00:22:31.053
How people can be
00:22:31.147 --> 00:22:38.738
Well, we've just done it once so far, but this, this, this year we have, we're very excited.
00:22:39.097 --> 00:22:46.178
So we have 13, so we, we did a kids applied to table, which we didn't do last time, but we did this time.
00:22:46.251 --> 00:22:48.337
and we have 13.
00:22:48.490 --> 00:22:54.700
Individual or little collectives of kids, who with their parent are gonna come and share their work.
00:22:54.807 --> 00:22:55.207
so excited.
00:22:55.439 --> 00:23:00.058
it, yeah, I really, we, they, they were showing us some of the work and I was just giddy.
00:23:00.058 --> 00:23:01.979
I was like, this is why we do this.
00:23:03.868 --> 00:23:06.124
yeah, their little self portraits just amazing.
00:23:08.211 --> 00:23:14.602
We've touched a little bit on in terms of things that were successful and things that you want to definitely bring back.
00:23:14.701 --> 00:23:15.896
Hannah, do you wanna start us off?
00:23:16.066 --> 00:23:20.968
I was just thinking we, we have some new people doing the workshops this, this year.
00:23:20.968 --> 00:23:23.022
We got some really fun things happening.
00:23:23.045 --> 00:23:27.244
my favorite part is watching the adults get giddy with their kids.
00:23:27.454 --> 00:23:37.441
So I'm looking forward to, you know, when you see these family groups come and you see the adult, Get engaged as much as the kid that, that, that's, that's the win.
00:23:37.451 --> 00:23:47.171
I think the thing with Faires like this is at the moment we are built, we are continuing the legacy by doing it again, building the profile a bit.
00:23:47.441 --> 00:23:48.816
It's like doing it once is not enough.
00:23:49.705 --> 00:23:53.996
Probably you need to do it about three times before you've really nailed it.
00:23:54.266 --> 00:23:56.425
And then you can grow, then you can build on it.
00:23:57.326 --> 00:24:01.496
At the moment it's like, okay, let's do, we've done it once and it was a success.
00:24:01.826 --> 00:24:04.976
Let's do it again and see if we can do it as well.
00:24:05.425 --> 00:24:06.205
Do you know what I mean?
00:24:06.256 --> 00:24:09.546
So, I think at the minute it's like, let's just make it happen again.
00:24:09.546 --> 00:24:12.246
So it be more and more ingrained and becomes a fixture.
00:24:12.816 --> 00:24:16.326
And you want people to be looking forward to it at the same time next year, kind of
00:24:16.701 --> 00:24:17.060
Yeah.
00:24:17.240 --> 00:24:19.131
And, and, and who knows what will come from it.
00:24:19.371 --> 00:24:23.292
I'm hoping that there'll be more, comics groups for young people happening locally.
00:24:23.502 --> 00:24:37.393
I'm hoping that more kids are gonna go, oh, I can do that because they did it, that that 7-year-old is who I'm seven and they have a table that, that 14-year-old, you know, it, it's that sort of representation.
00:24:37.429 --> 00:24:44.930
I'm hoping is contagious, for storytelling and creativity for the kids so that they can find their voice, in that field.
00:24:44.964 --> 00:24:47.694
so yeah, it's, this is like, this is like, okay, we did it once.
00:24:47.694 --> 00:24:48.414
Let's get it.
00:24:48.414 --> 00:24:52.959
Let's keep doing it and get it in Kids' heads like making comics is a cool thing.
00:24:52.982 --> 00:24:58.222
gives them something to work towards and something like in the same way that at the end of the comics club, you know that Helen was running.
00:24:58.222 --> 00:25:03.550
But if you're not lucky to be part of that at your school, which let's face it, most people want, it gives you, yeah.
00:25:03.730 --> 00:25:04.840
Something on your horizon.
00:25:04.840 --> 00:25:07.601
Or you can think, oh yeah, I could just do something for that.
00:25:07.601 --> 00:25:08.471
Give you a little kick
00:25:09.205 --> 00:25:13.346
And, and I also hope that other kids comic fairs will bloom.
00:25:13.766 --> 00:25:19.268
Like people will think, will think this is a thing like the Phoenix are doing, a kids comic fair again.
00:25:19.268 --> 00:25:19.974
I think that's great.
00:25:19.974 --> 00:25:21.565
I think we need more, more of them.
00:25:22.164 --> 00:25:24.204
It's, it's a really wonderful thing for kids.
00:25:24.204 --> 00:25:24.265
So.
00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:33.128
I think one of the things that me and Hannah are really mindful of when we're, you know, thinking about the event is trying to make it as inclusive as possible.
00:25:33.257 --> 00:25:38.747
and I think sort of going back to thinking about, you know, Hannah talking about those very male spaces of comics.
00:25:39.092 --> 00:25:41.461
Shops in the sort of eighties and nineties.
00:25:41.461 --> 00:25:46.801
And I think I, you know, that's something I really experienced as well and talked about when I was on the podcast last.
00:25:47.372 --> 00:25:50.311
We don't want it to be that experience for everybody.
00:25:50.571 --> 00:26:01.741
So we are always thinking in terms of representation, who we've got there about, you know, making sure it's very diverse as much as possible, just making it an inclusive space.
00:26:01.741 --> 00:26:03.211
And that's something we worked on last year.
00:26:03.211 --> 00:26:05.457
We've worked, I think, probably even harder on doing.
00:26:06.332 --> 00:26:07.862
This year as well.
00:26:07.875 --> 00:26:12.656
but yeah, I think otherwise we've tried to keep most of it the same as last year.
00:26:12.686 --> 00:26:20.336
'cause as you said, it was a success last year, you know, and as children grow up, they'll engage in different things at different points when they come to the fair.
00:26:21.086 --> 00:26:23.247
They were too young for workshops last year.
00:26:23.247 --> 00:26:25.017
They might be old enough for workshops now.
00:26:25.017 --> 00:26:32.195
So actually keeping it the same, but the children having different experiences, as they come along to it, is also also important.
00:26:32.580 --> 00:26:35.922
And are you aiming it more towards primary children?
00:26:35.922 --> 00:26:38.025
What's your approach to thinking about the, content?
00:26:38.075 --> 00:26:43.144
I think our age range we've always focused on is that seven to 14 years old.
00:26:43.176 --> 00:26:46.057
and particularly thinking about activities as well.
00:26:46.057 --> 00:26:56.059
I think sometimes that's a age range where perhaps, you know, events there's, there's less of them, particularly for sort of our older sort of group, 10 to 14.
00:26:56.059 --> 00:27:01.978
There isn't much going on unless you pay a huge amount of money to go to a, a sort of paid for activity or clubs.
00:27:02.127 --> 00:27:09.117
Actually creating something free for that age range was something that we felt was important as well to do.
00:27:09.345 --> 00:27:13.827
Making this, making this free and affordable was incredibly important.
00:27:13.827 --> 00:27:19.068
We live in a, a pretty poor borough, and, you know, the economy is terrible.
00:27:19.068 --> 00:27:26.050
if we can do it and make it for free, then it's absolutely paramount that it has to be accessible for all pockets.
00:27:26.921 --> 00:27:34.661
And so it is probably worth pointing out that you're not planning on becoming millionaires from this, from this activity.
00:27:35.006 --> 00:27:36.310
Oh, and they laughed and laughed.
00:27:39.381 --> 00:27:43.414
So what it, what it needs to do from that perspective is cover its costs, I guess from your side.
00:27:43.414 --> 00:27:46.768
And that's something for people to think about if they're thinking of doing their own thing.
00:27:46.768 --> 00:27:49.672
So we are, we're definitely not for profit at all.
00:27:49.672 --> 00:27:56.451
There is no profit made by me and Hannah, and anything that would be profit would go back into running the fair again.
00:27:56.486 --> 00:27:57.566
we've been very lucky.
00:27:57.566 --> 00:28:03.086
So where we, where we hold the event, they've been very, sort of generous in the discount they've given us the space.
00:28:03.086 --> 00:28:05.134
this year we're having to pay a bit more than we did.
00:28:05.134 --> 00:28:11.365
So we've, we've tried to go for funding as well from different places, but we've not been successful yet in getting funding.
00:28:11.365 --> 00:28:15.267
So we have to be really careful with, with how we manage the money side of it all.
00:28:17.666 --> 00:28:28.096
I'm hoping that people listening to this, we have public librarians, we have teachers, we have people running youth clubs, who might be thinking, oh, I could actually, this is something, this is a good idea.
00:28:28.096 --> 00:28:29.855
This is something we could do in our community.
00:28:29.855 --> 00:28:31.855
what were the key kind of pointers.
00:28:31.916 --> 00:28:39.666
that you, the tips, the things you wish you'd known, or thought about before, that must have been a big learning curve, that process of setting up the first one.
00:28:39.666 --> 00:28:41.467
what Kind of tips would you share, Hannah?
00:28:41.467 --> 00:28:42.101
We'll start with you.
00:28:42.104 --> 00:28:48.673
What I would say to anyone interested in doing it is go and volunteer with someone already doing it because that's how I
00:28:48.848 --> 00:28:49.929
That's such a good idea.
00:28:50.034 --> 00:28:59.848
And you will then meet people like I have who are willing to spare their time, volunteer on your project.
00:29:00.269 --> 00:29:05.075
So you create a network of helpers who are passionate and interested in comics.
00:29:05.105 --> 00:29:06.785
So, you know, I wouldn't.
00:29:07.515 --> 00:29:11.734
I do think sometimes there's a tendency for people to say, oh, I can do this on my own.
00:29:11.765 --> 00:29:18.214
It's like, you don't have to just ask people, you'll find people who, who value this,
00:29:18.470 --> 00:29:18.690
Hmm.
00:29:19.515 --> 00:29:21.734
enough to do it to volunteer.
00:29:22.065 --> 00:29:30.234
But, I think the key thing on a logistical, places find the space, find the building, and make sure it has tables.
00:29:30.805 --> 00:29:34.974
But sometimes people find the building and then they have to hire the table, and then that's an extra cost.
00:29:35.305 --> 00:29:40.615
So, yeah, I think if you have the passion, find the building, then find the people, then go from there.
00:29:40.695 --> 00:29:41.836
Yeah, that's great.
00:29:41.836 --> 00:29:43.066
Helen, what would you add to that?
00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:48.819
Yeah, I think just really be aware of all the sort of nitty gritty aspects of the logistics.
00:29:48.819 --> 00:29:55.750
Things like getting public liability, you know, in place and various things like that, which Hannah has been great at doing.
00:29:55.849 --> 00:30:00.470
and just sort of having an overview of all the things you need to think about in a very practical sense.
00:30:00.470 --> 00:30:03.319
You know, you can sort of have a say, oh, it'd be lovely, we'll just invite all these children along.
00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:07.009
And then you have to start thinking about it logistically, you know, again, safeguarding.
00:30:07.369 --> 00:30:10.940
So if you're working in a building, make sure you know they're safeguarding policy.
00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:16.920
and again, something that's something we just have to think really carefully about in terms of making sure we had somebody on the doors.
00:30:16.920 --> 00:30:22.019
So, you know, you had an idea of who was coming in and out of the building at all times.
00:30:22.470 --> 00:30:24.119
Social media as well.
00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:30.029
I think about how you're gonna publicize and get, get your fair out there and known about.
00:30:30.059 --> 00:30:32.670
So we started off last year with Instagram.
00:30:32.670 --> 00:30:35.789
We've got the fantastic Lauren who does our social media for us.
00:30:35.789 --> 00:30:39.509
So again, it's finding people with those skills that will help you.
00:30:39.509 --> 00:30:42.000
I think me and Hannah were just like, I don't know what to do.
00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:42.964
I'll just do an Instagram.
00:30:45.450 --> 00:30:49.890
Lauren's been really sort of, you know, brilliant at sort of bringing strategy to it.
00:30:49.890 --> 00:30:52.829
And we we're going, we're going to roll it out here and we're gonna have this event.
00:30:53.170 --> 00:31:02.660
and this year alongside, having the Instagram, we've now got just a webpage, which can be a landing place for people to come, and sort of find links from there as well.
00:31:02.660 --> 00:31:06.170
So just sort of trying to create a space, but also, going back.
00:31:06.190 --> 00:31:12.752
It doesn't have to social media, so it can be going back to simple things like getting flyers made and handing out flyers.
00:31:12.921 --> 00:31:16.588
there've been really successful ways, again, of sort of just advertising the event.
00:31:16.588 --> 00:31:18.387
Yeah, we learned about press packs.
00:31:18.768 --> 00:31:22.057
again, that was, Lauren gave us some good steers on that.
00:31:22.577 --> 00:31:26.998
yeah, reaching out to, local news outlets to, put the word out.
00:31:26.998 --> 00:31:37.281
As long as you've put together a strong press pack, they're grateful to have an article depending on which one, but you know, it, it's, it was quite an interesting, learning element.
00:31:37.375 --> 00:31:41.576
And that's the thing about finding people to work with when you wanna do things like this.
00:31:41.816 --> 00:31:46.226
Helen and I have definitely different skill sets and they compliment each other.
00:31:46.556 --> 00:31:48.625
Neither of us had the social media.
00:31:48.865 --> 00:31:52.496
We've got Lauren that compliments, you know, and covers the bases.
00:31:52.855 --> 00:31:58.890
So, you know, Helen's got this huge educational background and knowledge, that yeah, has definitely.
00:31:59.460 --> 00:32:02.640
Alleviate so many things I would not have done as well.
00:32:03.000 --> 00:32:08.435
So we all have our own skill sets and recognizing that and, and leaning into that, just makes the life a lot easier.
00:32:09.211 --> 00:32:10.142
Yeah, that's brilliant.
00:32:10.291 --> 00:32:11.192
Anything to add, Helen?
00:32:11.240 --> 00:32:13.070
I mean, I was gonna say create that team.
00:32:13.070 --> 00:32:17.240
That team is really important of having people to work together with on it.
00:32:17.240 --> 00:32:21.441
And that link set, it goes out then to your volunteers and people who are involved.
00:32:21.921 --> 00:32:23.540
and I think the other thing as well is.
00:32:24.050 --> 00:32:26.090
Is, you know, don't lose faith.
00:32:26.451 --> 00:32:30.471
You know, if something goes wrong or isn't quite right or you have to adapt and change.
00:32:30.500 --> 00:32:34.490
Just just do have other plans in place where something doesn't work.
00:32:34.490 --> 00:32:37.941
So again, you know, I said me and Hannah apply for funding this year.
00:32:37.941 --> 00:32:45.230
You have to wait a couple of months to find out if you've been successful, then, before you have to pay the hall, you find out you've not been successful.
00:32:45.230 --> 00:32:48.651
So we've had to change tax several times.
00:32:49.415 --> 00:32:59.715
You know, it's, it's about working as a team and knowing how to adapt and not letting that get you down, but actually let's go and find another way of doing this, which is really important too.
00:32:59.801 --> 00:33:03.952
And I suppose at those moments as well, not being on your own is really helpful.
00:33:03.952 --> 00:33:08.428
You've got a team, people, someone's gonna be like, you know, they, let's keep going.
00:33:08.567 --> 00:33:12.933
You know, you can, you can keep each other going when you have setbacks.
00:33:13.203 --> 00:33:18.171
And all of us, I think, are passionate about the project, which means the project leads us.
00:33:20.308 --> 00:33:32.838
From my own experience as someone leading a program with, children in schools, in my day job, it's easy for me in that setting to capture child feedback and so on, because I'm working the same group of children.
00:33:32.838 --> 00:33:33.469
I know where they're there.
00:33:33.469 --> 00:33:36.979
They're not coming into a space and then leaving at different times.
00:33:36.989 --> 00:33:37.828
did you manage to,.
00:33:37.929 --> 00:33:49.769
Capture some insights from children or young people before they wandered back out with armfuls of comics on the day, how did that kind of evaluation of it,, work, and feed into the the next version
00:33:49.769 --> 00:33:56.411
I think there was, Jean from the halls who was, Asking individuals for their experience while they were there.
00:33:57.040 --> 00:34:03.398
and Helen organized the feedback that we requested from the tablers.
00:34:03.878 --> 00:34:06.979
So we got huge amount of, information from that.
00:34:07.368 --> 00:34:08.903
I think one of the, the things that was.
00:34:09.634 --> 00:34:10.893
Very present on the day.
00:34:10.923 --> 00:34:15.153
Was people actively telling you, this is brilliant.
00:34:15.423 --> 00:34:16.114
Are you doing it next year?
00:34:16.653 --> 00:34:20.764
And so, because I sat on the, for a while, sat on the front desk.
00:34:20.864 --> 00:34:28.724
so I'd see people leaving and the amount of enthusiasm that would pass, was like quite, quite a buzz.
00:34:29.023 --> 00:34:33.393
Yeah, well you could definitely tell'em today that everyone was absolutely loving it.
00:34:33.876 --> 00:34:34.686
that's for sure.
00:34:34.802 --> 00:34:40.652
there were mistakes we made, though we didn't count foot, foot full, and I think this year we'll just need to have a clicker on the door.
00:34:40.652 --> 00:34:41.851
So we are counting people
00:34:42.001 --> 00:34:42.362
Yeah.
00:34:42.422 --> 00:34:43.922
Oh, I like, I want that job.
00:34:48.387 --> 00:34:49.699
Always wanted to be one of them people.
00:34:51.311 --> 00:34:51.641
Yeah.
00:34:51.641 --> 00:34:56.625
And that would've also, presumably, that would've been useful insight to have for the, for funding applications and so on
00:34:56.675 --> 00:35:01.804
I think you could, I, I would say we probably had 500 plus people on the day.
00:35:02.315 --> 00:35:02.945
You could.
00:35:03.454 --> 00:35:08.340
I have done fairs there before and it just, it was just full all the time.
00:35:08.389 --> 00:35:10.429
and a flow of people coming and going
00:35:10.610 --> 00:35:11.000
yeah,
00:35:11.150 --> 00:35:11.449
day.
00:35:11.478 --> 00:35:13.489
mean, it wasn't too crowded, which was also nice.
00:35:13.608 --> 00:35:14.809
It wasn't like, you know,
00:35:16.009 --> 00:35:18.858
No, it wasn't like the school Christmas Fair.
00:35:19.219 --> 00:35:21.708
Which is like the worst experience of my life.
00:35:21.798 --> 00:35:22.369
I hate that.
00:35:23.119 --> 00:35:25.849
It was, yeah, you could, you could breathe and you could walk.
00:35:25.909 --> 00:35:28.842
You weren't just Having to go wherever everyone else was going.
00:35:28.842 --> 00:35:29.503
It's very stressful.
00:35:29.532 --> 00:35:29.862
I hate that.
00:35:30.552 --> 00:35:31.092
brilliant.
00:35:31.092 --> 00:35:31.632
This has been so good.
00:35:31.632 --> 00:35:38.023
I think one thing we haven't actually said yet, which I will say in the intro as well, but is where, when, how can people come?
00:35:38.023 --> 00:35:38.623
Do you want to.
00:35:38.646 --> 00:35:46.369
Do a little shout out for, for anyone listening who wants to come along on the day where they have to go, what time, what day is this amazing thing happening?
00:35:46.402 --> 00:35:56.501
So it's, it's taking place on March the 22nd, which is a Sunday, and it's happening at Stanley Arts, which is in South Norwood.
00:35:56.501 --> 00:35:59.472
So it's really well connected by public transport.
00:35:59.501 --> 00:36:01.601
There's several buses that go there.
00:36:01.601 --> 00:36:04.802
It's is on the overground, and train lines.
00:36:05.192 --> 00:36:07.141
yeah, and it runs from 11 till five o'clock.
00:36:07.141 --> 00:36:08.641
So 11:00 AM till five.
00:36:08.641 --> 00:36:09.746
We will, we will be there.
00:36:10.876 --> 00:36:13.036
Yeah, nearest train station nor Junction.
00:36:13.036 --> 00:36:14.927
15 minutes from London Bridge.
00:36:15.632 --> 00:36:16.711
Excellent.
00:36:16.817 --> 00:36:17.507
One stop.
00:36:18.601 --> 00:36:19.052
Brilliant.
00:36:20.731 --> 00:36:21.572
Thank you so much.
00:36:21.572 --> 00:36:22.771
This has been really interesting.
00:36:22.771 --> 00:36:26.411
It's so exciting, just to hear about it and yeah, I can't wait to go again.
00:36:26.411 --> 00:36:27.492
I loved it last year.
00:36:27.822 --> 00:36:33.641
Helen, I've got one thing that I want to ask you about before we do our wrap up questions, which is a bit of a cheeky question.
00:36:34.192 --> 00:36:42.016
I've heard a rumor, that you've got a book coming out, which would you like to tell us about it?
00:36:42.795 --> 00:36:44.431
I heard you're writing it with someone really amazing.
00:36:45.460 --> 00:36:54.436
Yeah, I, I'm surprised you've heard that because we've been trying keep quiet, but apparently you and me have been writing a book together over the past.
00:36:55.273 --> 00:36:58.123
so yeah, it's called, it's called Comics in the classroom.
00:36:58.123 --> 00:36:58.903
It is just gone.
00:36:59.664 --> 00:37:02.784
to print and it's hopefully coming out in July
00:37:03.414 --> 00:37:04.764
In the summertime, hopefully.
00:37:04.764 --> 00:37:05.094
Yeah.
00:37:05.094 --> 00:37:05.574
sometime.
00:37:05.858 --> 00:37:07.539
and yeah, it's, it's, it's a book.
00:37:07.539 --> 00:37:09.969
I mean, you might always talk about it a bit, Lucy, but I can describe it.
00:37:09.969 --> 00:37:14.318
So it is a book that really looks at how comics can be used.
00:37:15.143 --> 00:37:19.643
Again, across the primary age, but into secondary school as well.
00:37:19.643 --> 00:37:25.443
So I think again, probably the focus would be about that seven to 14-year-old age group, for it.
00:37:25.449 --> 00:37:31.923
But it looks at comics in relationship to reading for pleasure, interrelation to visual literacy.
00:37:32.143 --> 00:37:39.083
there's lots of different chapters, comics and drawing and writing for pleasure, which draws some of my research.
00:37:39.193 --> 00:37:40.543
Comics and thinking.
00:37:40.543 --> 00:37:44.414
So thinking about how we can use comics, a way of thinking in the classroom.
00:37:44.773 --> 00:37:46.603
and also we can comics across the curriculum.
00:37:46.664 --> 00:37:58.963
And then some brilliant chapters on comics and representation and comics and inclusion and also comics and sustainability, which I think probably aren't thought about as as much as they should be.
00:37:59.063 --> 00:37:59.543
Yeah.
00:37:59.918 --> 00:38:03.909
so it's all about how teachers can use comics in a range of different ways in the classroom.
00:38:04.289 --> 00:38:07.168
and I think it really hopefully will be a first for the uk.
00:38:07.168 --> 00:38:14.248
We've had some publications in the uk, but mainly it's just really been American publications about how to use comics and education.
00:38:14.559 --> 00:38:16.628
so I think it's something we really desperately do need
00:38:16.914 --> 00:38:17.543
Yeah.
00:38:18.474 --> 00:38:24.043
Yeah, we were really keen, weren't we, to make sure that it's kind of rooted in, not solely, but it's talking about.
00:38:24.853 --> 00:38:37.963
UK based comic creators where possible and, and examples from UK based practice and, and link links to the curriculum, as it is currently, as well, which is really cool, I think, to have something that's got that kind of unique perspective.
00:38:38.023 --> 00:38:39.673
And I have really enjoyed writing it with you.
00:38:39.673 --> 00:38:42.403
It was really, well, not all the time, sometimes it was a bit stressful.
00:38:42.804 --> 00:38:46.778
but, but it was fun and it was great to have.
00:38:47.333 --> 00:38:48.534
Ourselves, quite a short deadline.
00:38:48.684 --> 00:38:49.818
We're gonna write this book in a year.
00:38:50.543 --> 00:38:51.264
Yeah, we did it though.
00:38:51.264 --> 00:38:53.333
Smashed it out the park.
00:38:54.534 --> 00:38:59.063
And I think what's been lovely about it as well is that each, each chapter does have a case study.
00:38:59.094 --> 00:39:04.434
So it is not just about, here are ideas about what you could do, but this is what people are actually doing.
00:39:04.943 --> 00:39:05.693
And that's been lovely.
00:39:05.693 --> 00:39:10.824
So some people are, some people who come to yo comics so are featured in some of the case studies.
00:39:11.134 --> 00:39:14.043
it really reflects the whole comics community across the uk.
00:39:14.434 --> 00:39:14.914
Yeah.
00:39:14.914 --> 00:39:17.793
And there's some, yeah, some form former guests from the podcast.
00:39:17.853 --> 00:39:18.273
on there.
00:39:18.724 --> 00:39:29.574
It is been great to pull all of those kind of experiences and connections, together to put something, hopefully it's really useful and practical as well as having some good insight into that.
00:39:29.634 --> 00:39:30.523
The research that.
00:39:30.523 --> 00:39:33.356
the evidence base for some of these things that we're talking about.
00:39:33.746 --> 00:39:35.306
So yeah, watch this space.
00:39:35.306 --> 00:39:36.387
We'll talk about it more, I'm sure.
00:39:38.905 --> 00:39:44.206
so before we end the podcast, we'd just like to do a few key takeaways.
00:39:44.485 --> 00:39:45.445
maybe we could just do one each.
00:39:45.496 --> 00:39:52.018
The, the one thing I want you to remember about the stuff I've been saying today on this podcast, who wants to go first?
00:39:52.619 --> 00:39:52.918
Hannah?
00:39:52.918 --> 00:39:54.119
Looks like the cogs are turning.
00:39:54.943 --> 00:39:56.264
Oh God, they're always turning.
00:39:56.896 --> 00:40:05.777
I think, um, not to undervalue the, the gift of communication that comics give to kids to express themselves.
00:40:06.266 --> 00:40:06.427
that.
00:40:07.226 --> 00:40:13.356
not to underestimate it and, not to devalue it because they're pictures.
00:40:13.956 --> 00:40:17.077
I'm dyslexic and I was diagnosed at 26.
00:40:17.257 --> 00:40:23.137
My dad was severely dyslexic, but we comics gave us so much joy.
00:40:23.726 --> 00:40:26.217
so, you know, and I, I hear it all the time.
00:40:26.217 --> 00:40:28.976
It gets devalued for young people in reading.
00:40:29.336 --> 00:40:32.336
I still read books and I also read
00:40:32.621 --> 00:40:33.161
exactly.
00:40:34.152 --> 00:40:34.391
Yeah.
00:40:34.391 --> 00:40:34.961
That's lovely.
00:40:34.961 --> 00:40:35.766
Thank you, Helen.
00:40:36.061 --> 00:40:47.190
yeah, I think just absolutely the importance of creating spaces for children to be able to share their own work and their own creations and see their own interests valued.
00:40:47.581 --> 00:40:50.070
I don't think schools always provide that environment.
00:40:50.070 --> 00:41:00.701
Currently, we've got a very sort of strict curriculum, English teaching, if you want to think of focus on literacy is often teaching children about sort of grammar forms rather than sort of how to express themselves.
00:41:01.110 --> 00:41:07.740
and I think creating spaces where children are allowed to have their voices heard is just really, really important.
00:41:07.811 --> 00:41:08.771
and can't be undervalued.
00:41:09.208 --> 00:41:09.668
Yeah.
00:41:09.728 --> 00:41:20.228
And obviously in England our curriculum is being reviewed slightly disappointed to see the lack of diversity in the people that are gonna be rewriting the English curriculum.
00:41:20.768 --> 00:41:21.668
Just gonna put that out there.
00:41:22.248 --> 00:41:22.518
nothing.
00:41:22.518 --> 00:41:23.208
No, no, no.
00:41:23.208 --> 00:41:24.302
Reflection on the, those.
00:41:24.663 --> 00:41:27.393
Particular individuals and whether or not they're qualified.
00:41:27.393 --> 00:41:43.353
But I do think that we need a wide range of voices and experiences informing our curriculum, and that's how we get rich outcomes and success for, for, for children who have also lots of wide varieties of lived experience.
00:41:43.432 --> 00:41:44.693
so yeah.
00:41:44.762 --> 00:41:53.373
Yeah, and no discussion either in this new curriculum of multimodality and the way people are reading nowadays across different platforms.
00:41:53.882 --> 00:41:54.813
which again is a shame.
00:41:54.813 --> 00:41:58.682
It feels like a slightly old, old fashioned curriculum that misses that out.
00:41:59.152 --> 00:42:06.813
Yeah, I think even, yeah, even just our approach to like quite siloed subject areas just limits that multimodality, as you say.
00:42:06.824 --> 00:42:11.355
and I don't have huge hope that it's gonna be changed in this review curriculum review,
00:42:11.550 --> 00:42:16.998
Although on a, on a cheerful note, Create those spaces, but also go back to the idea of fun.
00:42:17.047 --> 00:42:17.887
Keep it fun.
00:42:18.068 --> 00:42:21.577
Making comics is fun, you know, swapping comics is fun.
00:42:22.068 --> 00:42:24.168
sharing and bringing a community together.
00:42:24.873 --> 00:42:25.773
Is fun.
00:42:25.773 --> 00:42:30.213
It is exciting, it is playful and you know, and keep it that way as well.
00:42:30.213 --> 00:42:32.463
This is, it should be enjoyable.
00:42:32.512 --> 00:42:33.172
Yeah.
00:42:33.713 --> 00:42:45.463
And that's why it's so important for these other spaces outside, outside of, you know, the curriculum to, to exist for people to be creative and express themselves and tell their stories and, and, and have a bit of fun.
00:42:45.822 --> 00:42:48.538
So it is amazing that you guys are doing that.
00:42:48.570 --> 00:42:58.559
The final, final, final thing is if we were to add one comic or book graphic novel or book about comics, two r two B red piles tomorrow, what?
00:42:59.204 --> 00:43:00.045
Should we add?
00:43:01.514 --> 00:43:02.445
Thank you for asking.
00:43:02.925 --> 00:43:10.565
I'd like to share my absolute favorite, comic that I have read multiple times is Spiral Bound by Aaron Rina.
00:43:10.894 --> 00:43:17.795
It's anamorphic, so it's all animal characters, but they're this little, it's about this, Little elephant making friends.
00:43:17.844 --> 00:43:22.164
it sounds much more cutesy because it's actually an adventure, and a mystery.
00:43:22.525 --> 00:43:23.605
I just love it.
00:43:23.605 --> 00:43:27.235
It's just so, such wonderful storytelling.
00:43:27.235 --> 00:43:32.545
It has such lovely nuances of friendship and, and it's so welcoming and warm.
00:43:32.545 --> 00:43:35.485
And it also has this mystery that's actually delightful.
00:43:35.875 --> 00:43:40.465
He is, he is written other, a couple of other books and he just needs to write more.
00:43:40.889 --> 00:43:41.902
Brilliant, Helen.
00:43:41.929 --> 00:43:49.719
I'm going to be very cheeky, Lucy and suggest people put on their to be red pile for the future comics in the classroom.
00:43:50.188 --> 00:43:53.759
Now, I don't normally allow that, but seen as seen as this our book.
00:43:54.929 --> 00:43:56.039
Yes, you definitely should
00:43:56.150 --> 00:43:56.840
yes.
00:43:56.981 --> 00:44:01.780
the whole back, back half of 2026 to be reading that book on over and over
00:44:01.956 --> 00:44:03.641
so to read and digest the
00:44:03.778 --> 00:44:04.108
Yeah.
00:44:04.168 --> 00:44:04.349
Yeah.
00:44:05.471 --> 00:44:05.920
Brilliant.
00:44:05.920 --> 00:44:10.501
I'm gonna suggest one something just really funny that just made me laugh so hard.
00:44:10.501 --> 00:44:11.550
I can't remember who it was.
00:44:11.550 --> 00:44:12.601
I'm gonna have to search it up.
00:44:12.650 --> 00:44:19.760
is detective be, detective beans is little, and the case of the missing hat, Lee Chen is who?
00:44:19.760 --> 00:44:24.141
It's, who it's by and it is just this little cat child.
00:44:24.237 --> 00:44:27.898
it wants to be a detective and it just really had me howling.
00:44:27.898 --> 00:44:33.177
And also the second, the second one, the second detective beans is also very just very, very funny.
00:44:33.237 --> 00:44:35.038
We just very witty, enjoyed it.
00:44:35.068 --> 00:44:36.958
Wasn't expecting it to be that funny, and it's great.
00:44:37.547 --> 00:44:38.838
I really, I really enjoyed it.
00:44:38.838 --> 00:44:45.478
I read it, on the train on the way back from a conference, that I went to and was just sat there laughing to myself on the train.
00:44:46.632 --> 00:44:47.172
It's very good.
00:44:47.172 --> 00:44:49.422
But thank you so much for coming onto the podcast.
00:44:49.422 --> 00:44:50.472
It's been great to have you.
00:44:50.472 --> 00:44:56.722
I've really enjoyed hearing about, some things that go on in the background to create, a really successful event.
00:44:56.722 --> 00:45:03.663
'cause I had just the pleasure of just turning up on the day and enjoying it, with, with my box of comics, last year.
00:45:03.663 --> 00:45:07.652
So yeah, it's been great to hear about all the thought and, and development that goes into it.
00:45:07.652 --> 00:45:08.947
So thank you so much for coming on.
00:45:09.021 --> 00:45:10.260
Thank you for having us.
00:45:12.565 --> 00:45:13.166
There we go.
00:45:13.226 --> 00:45:14.005
Great guests.
00:45:14.005 --> 00:45:22.856
Thanks so much to Hannah and to Helen for giving us their time and for sharing all of their experience on running a comics fair for and by children.
00:45:23.096 --> 00:45:32.853
Yo comics is coming up, if you're listening to this, as the episode comes out, it's coming up,, and hopefully will become, a fixture in the calendar this time of year, every year, second year now.
00:45:32.853 --> 00:45:34.893
So really, they're really establishing themselves.
00:45:34.974 --> 00:45:37.442
Thanks to a LCS for sponsoring today's episode.
00:45:37.472 --> 00:45:44.152
As you know, we often have writers on comic boom speaking about their work, and A LCS is a not-for-profit organization supporting.
00:45:44.152 --> 00:45:48.681
Its 120,000 plus members to collect money for all of the secondary uses of their work.
00:45:48.981 --> 00:45:54.248
That means things like photocopies, digital reproductions, and even the use Of texts in education.
00:45:54.248 --> 00:46:00.393
and they also produce some fantastic resources to support educators to explore topics like copyright and plagiarism in the classroom.
00:46:00.574 --> 00:46:02.974
You can check those out on the link in the show notes.
00:46:03.393 --> 00:46:11.434
There's a range of different free resources available for teachers and especially I think in the age of ai, something that we need to build children and young people's awareness of.
00:46:11.653 --> 00:46:15.344
And there's some really interesting, dedicated resources, on that topic as well.
00:46:15.427 --> 00:46:17.047
My book recommendation for the week.
00:46:17.047 --> 00:46:23.210
I was thinking about, one of the things that I started reading since, our last set of episodes is.
00:46:23.445 --> 00:46:25.425
A Manga Delicious in dungeon.
00:46:25.449 --> 00:46:26.349
It's a meshy manga.
00:46:26.349 --> 00:46:27.639
It's a manga about food.
00:46:27.668 --> 00:46:31.418
It's also an anime on Netflix if you want to watch it.
00:46:31.434 --> 00:46:39.463
It's very funny about, some people that are going into a dungeon, and they learn to eat the dungeon creatures to sustain themselves.
00:46:39.463 --> 00:46:44.643
So it's kind of part cooking, show, part adventure story, battling creatures in the dungeon.
00:46:44.704 --> 00:46:46.023
And it, it's very funny.
00:46:46.057 --> 00:46:52.793
So definitely recommend Delicious in Dungeon by Ku qui, Who is a female manga creator.
00:46:53.083 --> 00:46:55.393
very witty, brilliant drawings, great pace.
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And I really enjoyed it.
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It's 14 volumes, I always trust the age rating on the back of manga because the story really can develop and change over the course of the series and bring in content maybe less suitable.
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So the back age rating is for older teens and adults, and I trust that.
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Thanks so much for listening today.
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Hopefully that's planted some seeds of things that you would like to do and maybe in your school, in your library, in your community to promote comics with children and young people.
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There's such a buzz about comics.
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I think it's just brilliant to be able to harness that and, give young people a platform through which they can realize their creative dreams.
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So thank you for listening today.
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We'll be back with another episode next week.
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You've been listening to Comic Boom, which is produced by me, Lucy Star Braley.
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Thanks for listening.
