Child’s play: Lakes International Comic Art Festival gets serious about comics

David Banning

The weekend festival stages a talk and drawing workshop exploring the evolving medium of comic art – and whether cartoons can ever be “legitimate” art.

Be honest: what do you think of when comic books are mentioned? Speech bubbles filled with words like “Wham,” “Zap” and “Pow”? Save-the-world exploits? Law enforcement officers armed with special powers and ridiculous body armour? Or just men in tights? We’re betting that stylish art works interlocked with carefully crafted storytelling don’t immediately spring to mind and yet this is the emerging side of comic art. Still, one nagging concern remains: what does it take for a comic to become a so-called “legitimate” work of art?

The gallery’s collection provides inspiration for visitors’ own comic creations

This is just one of the questions addressed by The Ninth Art, a talk by a panel of experts from both the visual art and literary worlds. Staged at Kendal’s Abbot Hall gallery as part of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, Observer critic Richard Cooke, publisher Dan Fanklin and others discuss whether comics have finally come of age in the UK and what their future manifestations may be. A number of comic artists also pitch in, including Bryan Talbot, Posy Simmonds and Escape Magazine founder Paul Gravett.

Abbot Hall also stages communal art event, Come Draw with Me over the festival weekend. Launched as part of Family Arts Festival, a nationwide programme of cultural half term activities, gallery visitors are given pens and paper to create their own comic creations. Comic artists are on hand to give advice and the gallery’s collection, which spans eighteenth century watercolours and contemporary art provides the artistic inspiration. The idea of comic books as children’s playthings is starting to sound outdated already.

Spotlight on

Things to do in Blackpool

Fancy a day trip? Explore our guide to Blackpool and build yourself an itinerary featuring attractions, galleries, restaurants and more.

Take me there

Culture Guides

NEXT: A Primer on Urban Painting production still
Cinema in the North

Street art, LGBTQ+ History Month, and the first film festivals of the year are amongst our cinema highlights this month.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Feminist farce, a magical circus show and Oldham Coliseum return with a brand-new off-site show. All in our latest theatre guide.

FKA TWIGS
Music in the North

Masters of minimalism, leftfield electronica and cutting edge pop. We bring you the lot in our latest live music round up.

The Super Duper Family Festival
Family things to do in the North

We might be past the holiday season, but Manchester and the North's arts and cultural calendar is still packed with brilliant events and activities for families

A painting of a young child being bathed in a sink of a 197s style kitchen. Around the sink are a rubber duck, a bottle of  washing up liquid, a jug, a kettle and a mug.
Exhibitions in the North

Galleries are racing to announce new exhibitions so check out our top picks, from art films and nostalgic paintings to Hockney's collages.