Thought Bubble 2017 review

This years Thought Bubble could easily be the best one yet. They have really carved out their name in the UK comic con schedule for being one of the biggest events for comic lovers in Europe.

I went to the first Thought Bubble and most of the conventions in between and they have gone from strength to strength by focusing on not just growing as an event but giving more to visitors.

This year they moved the convention from the docs to the city centre which is most ways was great as you got to see more of Leeds and could take a break from the convention to grab lunch outside the event or visit some of the local comic shops like OK Comics which was a short walk away.

The only bad side of it was the distance between the marquees none were more than a five minute walk. Although I’d love for Thought Bubble to one day all be in one location but it seems less likely with how fast its growing.

It was a great year for big names visiting the convention the list included Brian K. Vaughan, Sara Pichelli, Gerard Way and Jody Houser. It was nice to see other Thought Bubble supporters like Richard Starkings, Boo Cook, Gary Erskine and Adi Granov return to meet fans. It’s really good to see how much support and advice these veterans of Thought Bubble will give budding artist who want to work in comics.

One thing that makes Thought Bubble such a good place for budding comic creators is how it treats everyone equal, they don’t just put all the big names in one corner and the small press in a remote marquee on the other side of the city. They distribute and mix everyone up as well as they can which is a big confidence boost to the new generation of comic creators.ght

This was the first year I’ve run my own table selling a comic I’d worked on so it was a very different experience than other years. Most of it’s a lot of fun as you get into the convention early and get to meet all the other comic creators while setting up. It’s nice being able to meet so many people and talk to so many comic lovers while sitting at the table. It’s a lot of fun and every comic fan should experience it if they get the opportunity.

I have a whole new respect for all the Thought Bubble volunteers or red shirts as some people called them. They give up their time each year at cost to them to help direct people around the convention, I was sat next to the exit in the Millennium Square marquee and got to chat to a few volunteers about their experiences. Next year if I’m sat at a table or just a visitor I’m going to make sure to give each one I pass a high-five as they put in so much work and are just so passionate about making sure it’s a fun event for everyone.

Posted by Adi Mursec on September 25, 2017