Pop over the road to the Mercer Gallery to see their excellent collection, which currently includes a short compilation video to celebrate our 20th Edition, made by our brilliant videographer Kate Broughton.
This year’s official Thought Bubble t-shirt is designed by the lovely Clarice Tudor!
Pick up yours at the Family Store tables. Our volunteers will be wearing theirs in a lovely shade of red!
Bub’s Lounge is a quiet space where you can take some time out from the busy comic convention halls. Kick back and take a breather, pick up some pens and do some drawing, or pop in your headphones and zone out for a little while. You can also pick up free earplugs, just ask a volunteer!
Football fans have always been more than spectators. They’re a powerful voice in the sport. Co-produced by the British Library and Leeds Libraries, their 2025 Voice of the Fans exhibition explored over 60 years of fan-made media that has defined the beautiful game. This pop-up panel display shares powerful stories of some of the UK and Ireland’s most influential football zines. From Leeds United powerhouse The Square Ball to the global When Saturday Comes, Bradford’s long-running The City Gent, and the brilliantly titled War of the Monster Trucks, discover fanzines brimming with humour, passion, and unique perspectives.
These grassroots publications gave fans a voice, building communities, sparking change, and challenging prejudice in the game – from fighting racism and homophobia to championing women’s football and grassroots action. Born from the DIY ethos of punk and music culture, football zines remain a powerful force of creativity and resistance, as relevant and inspiring in today’s global game as ever.
Come and visit the Graphic Novel Reading Room in our Queen's Suite foyer, where you can take a retreat from the festival and sample hundreds of comics. Rest those tired legs and overstimulated senses, you can read your own loot or choose from the collection of the Reading Room in a chilled environment.
There are thousands of years worth of storytelling across every corner of the globe for us to embark upon at any given time. Original characters or new contexts for the ones we've come to adore, so many of our culture's most evergreen tales tap into a primal bag of familiar elements that keep us coming back time and time again. How do the best creators in the world find fresh and exciting ways to approach the fantasies of the panelled page? Take a walk with comic book creators Trevor Fernandes-Lenkiewicz, Richard Fairgray and Leah Moore whose work reapproaches ideas held dear for generations. Moderated by broadcast journalist Alex Fitch.
Drop-in comic artist portfolio review sessions with a selection of excellent Thought Bubble Guests.
Take advantage of this opportunity to speak one-on-one with an experienced comic book professional who'll review your work, give tips and personalised advice.
Drop in between the listed hours to be matched with a reviewer.
The reviews will be up to five minutes long. And are open to ALL comic artists, regardless of age, style or experience levels.
Who is it for: All comic artists welcome and encouraged!
What to bring: Up to eight finished pieces that demonstrate your work best, ideally printed. Webcomics can be reviewed on a phone or tablet. No sign ups needed! Just turn up with your work.
https://www.thoughtbubblefestival.com/portfolioreviews
Join New York Times best-selling author and cartoonist Jeffrey Brown for an interactive workshop all about the brand new LEGO® publishing from DK flip Nikolas Nurdblok and the Lost Brick.
Get inspired to pick up your pencils, go behind the scenes and hear from Jeffrey on creating a completely original story and hilarious illustrations inspired by the LEGO Group, one of the world’s leading toy manufacturers! Kids can draw along with Jeffrey to create their own short adventure comic set in Nikolas Nurdblok's LEGO world!
Suitable for ages 7+
Head to the signing tables in Travelling Man Hall to meet Tula Lotay!
Thought Bubble is 20 conventions deep, that’s 20 conventions of absolutely top notch comics. But what strips are the best of the best? Our annual “Best Thing I’ve Read All Year” panel returns with a twist. Find out what our all star panellists, Jock, Michael D. Kennedy, Anna Readman, Hannah Chapman and Emma Ríos loved this year, what they recommend you seek out at the festival, and their all time favourites from the last 20 conventions!
Join children’s graphic novel creator Mark Bradley, and Emma Layfield of Children's Books North Network as they explore practical advice for aspiring graphic novel illustrators and reflect on Mark's award-winning career so far illustrating Bumble & Snug.
Author-illustrator Candice Whatmore will introduce you to our slimy and unlikely hero, Puzzle Slug in this interactive event based on the laugh-out loud comic book series. Puzzle Slug needs your brain power to help him solve puzzles and defeat the dastardly Dr Nox. Learn how to draw your very-own Puzzle Slug, as Candice shows you step-by-step the techniques she used to create our tiny-brained main character, who will also need your help and brain power to solve puzzles and save the day.
This is a fun, interactive event for children aged 6+, perfect for young readers, illustrators and puzzle solvers alike who love hilarious, silly, action-packed, and slightly chaotic comics.
Suitable for ages 6+
Calling all Bought Thubblers...young - old - borrowed - new!!!
Fancy drawing a panel for the 4th edition of Bought Thubble Comix Jam brought to you by Doctor Simpo and chums? Did you take part in edition 3 last year?
If the answer to either of these questions is YES, then please come on down to the Kids' Zone and find Doctor Simpo to take part in drawing a panel for this giant Comix Jam and grab a free copy of Bought Thubble issue 3 (if you took part in last year's please head over and get your copy before 3pm on Saturday so we can give the rest of the limited run of printed zines away to new Bought Thubblers!)
This year’s theme is Fairy Tales: "Once upon a time...The End."
Suitable for all ages.
Your favourite comic book artists draw superheroes LIVE! From bone crunching muscles and the tiniest outfits, giant capes and masks that conceal identities, wings, green-skin, claws, giant flowing hair, and really, really cool sunglasses. Tana Ford, Jahnoy Lindsay, and Dan McDaid draw them live, and chat with host Kofi Smiles about what makes a hero... super.
Making comics can sometimes feel like a solitary business, but it doesn't have to be. There are online and in-person comics groups out there for everyone. Join Holly Casio as they chat to Eve Greenwood, Jack Fallows and Bex Ollerton about the importance of gathering comic artists together, finding these communities, or starting your own!
Head to the signing tables in Travelling Man Hall to meet Kate Beaton!
Head to the signing tables in Travelling Man Hall to meet Charlie Adlard!
Head to the signing tables in Travelling Man Hall to meet Becky Cloonan!
Learn all about the comic making process with author/illustrator Salomey Doku as she breaks down how she created the world of her teen graphic novel series "Brielle and Bear" into four easy steps, and guides you through creating your own mini comic. For this session, Salomey will go through a really easy to follow presentation about the writing and illustrating process and then guide participants through creating their own comics using a worksheet as Salomey draws along.
Suitable for ages 13+
From Marvel's Secret Wars and Infinity Gauntlet to DC's Death of Superman and Knightfall, superhero movies have often borrowed heavily from comics. Which stories, characters or themes should Hollywood steal from next? And what might help fight 'superhero fatigue' in audiences to bring $1 billion blockbusters back to the box office? Join Si Spurrier, Tula Lotay, Jamie McKelvie and Doaly as they discuss what they'd love to see on the big screen. Hosted by JV Chamary.
Join Steve Webb with his latest Peng and Spanners graphic novel, Peng and Spanners: Doctor Biscuits! This time, Peng and Spanners are off to the Invention Convention with Spanners' latest and greatest invention, the Crust-Away!
Rival Inventor, Dr Biscuits and his boss, Magnificent, are there too, to steal the Convention's best invention. When they see the Crust-Away in action they realise they could use it to steal anything from anywhere without even leaving their secret hideout! Can Peng and Spanners stop them before it's too late?
With lots of draw-along-ing, a Q&A, how to create a graphic novel, and interactive sillyness! Perfect for budding young graphic novelists.
Suitable for ages 7+
"What is this?! What is this supposed to be? I like Sarah Graley, John Allison, AND Becky Cloonan but who are these other three people? Is this an interview? Some sort of game? Psychological torture? Whatever it is, it's a laugh!" is what you'll be thinking as you join podcasters Fraser Geesin aka Gary Lactus (SILENCE!, Listen Through The Brown Window), Dan White aka The Beast Must Die (SILENCE!, Savage Beast) and Al Kennedy (House to Astonish, SILENCE! sometimes but not as much as the other two) in an experience that's hard to sum up in a brief blurb but is predominantly daft questions, ill-advised challenges and bad decisions. Oh, and it's about comics.
Suitable for ages 18+
Join Rob Deas’ Design Your Own Heracles Adventure workshop and experience the epic power of mythology! This instalment of his Greek myth series, Legends of Olympus, is all about mighty heroism. So, harness your inner godly comic-drawing powers and learn to create awesome characters with this comic master!
Suitable for ages 7-14
With romance thriving in today's publishing, creators continue to find fresh, funny, heartfelt, and unexpected ways to tell stories about love and relationships. Join Brandt&Stein, Renée Nault, Salomey Doku and Oliver Gerlach, for a conversation exploring the many forms romance takes in contemporary comics.
From rom-coms and queer love stories to fantasy, historical fiction, and slice-of-life, moderator Phoebe Hedges, editor at Titan Comics, will lead the discussion of how creators approach believable relationships, balancing emotion with visual storytelling, and why romance continues to resonate with readers across genres.
Some memories, some thanks, maybe some laughs! Join Team Thought Bubble, past and present, to celebrate our 20th Edition.
Comics and zines have long been used by creators as a host for their anger at a political system that tries to push them and others aside. Through comics they create a space to shout about who they are, what they believe in and to exist freely; causing waves of knowledge, solidarity and change through their readers. Lead by Dr. Nicola Streeten, Michael D. Kennedy, Jordan Clark, and Kate Evans talk about rebellion and reparations in comics, and why they chose this artform as protest.
Join award-winning Carlos Sánchez, author of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize category winning graphic novel Rune, in this very special workshop all about finding your superpower and creating magical characters!
You will be introduced to the world of Rune, hear all about Carlos’ influences as a graphic novel artist, before looking at the character-building process and how we take our own lives as inspiration. You will then learn how to draw and invent wonderful new characters through quick, fun, and creative tasks. Plus, get the chance to ask Carlos anything about illustration or the wonderful world of Rune.
This guide to the character-building process will be perfect for all young future comic/graphic novel artists!
Suitable for ages 8+
Join Society of Authors’ Senior Contracts advisor, Theo Jones, and award-winning comics creator, scriptwriter and campaigner, Hannah Berry, as they explore the professional side of being a comics creator in 2026, and the challenges this brings in the face of AI. This session offers essential and practical advice on navigating copyright, negotiating contracts, and protecting your income and intellectual property. They’ll also delve into how the SoA and the Comics Creators Network are campaigning for creators' rights and fighting for changes in Parliament. Learn how to protect your work and your career, and leave empowered to raise your voice alongside your fellow comics creators.
One's dead! One's bread! Join cartoonist Phil Corbett for a dead-funny, hands‑on comic‑making workshop inspired by his brand‑new graphic novel series, Ghost and Toast! Learn how to draw expressive characters, create hilarious comics, and turn silly ideas into visual storytelling gold - no experience required, just a big imagination and love of drawing and fun.
Suitable for ages 7+
Whether your cosplay is homemade, store bought or a bit of both, come strut your stuff on the stage as part of the Thought Bubble Cosplay Parade!
Cosplayers: You don’t need to sign up in advance to take part in the parade, head over to the stage and give your name to a volunteer, they’ll also give you a raffle ticket to be part of the prize draw!
Audience: Take a seat and get ready to cheer!
More Details: https://www.thoughtbubblefestival.com/cosplay
Kate Beaton has a body of work that spans historical humour with her long-running webcomic Hark! A Vagrant, long-form memoir in Ducks: Two Years In The Oil Sands, and children’s books, including The Princess and The Pony, King Baby and Shark Girl. Kate will be in conversation with cartoonist Dan Berry for a special episode of the Make It Then Tell Everybody podcast, where they’ll discuss the twists and turns of Kate’s career, the practical realities of making a living from your own work and the questions and choices that every maker has to deal with.
Thrill-Power Overload! Join 2000 AD as they crash Thought Bubble 2026 once again for The Galaxy’s Greatest Panel! As 2000 AD turns a mighty 50 years old in 2027, expect surprises and reveals about what’s to come in the worlds of Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, Strontium Dog and more, as our Panel Droids will be joined by an incredible lineup of talent from the pages of 2000 AD – don’t miss out, Earthlets!
2000 AD and Thought Bubble invites you to Mid-Con Party 2026 at MOJO Harrogate!
The party is FREE to all ticket holders, exhibitors and guests, just show your wristband or lanyard on the door! Over 18s only.
MOJO is an amazing 3 storey bar with great drinks, great staff, and great music! We’re expecting it to be busy, so get down early.
Where? MOJO Harrogate
When? Saturday 14 November 2026 7pm - 12am. After midnight the bar will open to the public until very very late!
See you there!
Sharing personal experiences of depression, anxiety and emotional struggles through comics can take on many forms; they can cross genres, be scrappy, serious, satirical, and sincere. Dr Ian Williams, founder of the Graphic Medicine field, hosts Kay Medaglia, RubyEtc, Kim-Joy & Jaleel Hudson to discuss the connection between comics and mental health, and the healing it can bring.
Drop-in comic artist portfolio review sessions with a selection of excellent Thought Bubble Guests.
Take advantage of this opportunity to speak one-on-one with an experienced comic book professional who'll review your work, give tips and personalised advice.
Drop in between the listed hours to be matched with a reviewer.
The reviews will be up to five minutes long. And are open to ALL comic artists, regardless of age, style or experience levels.
Who is it for: All comic artists welcome and encouraged!
What to bring: Up to eight finished pieces that demonstrate your work best, ideally printed. Webcomics can be reviewed on a phone or tablet. No sign ups needed! Just turn up with your work.
https://www.thoughtbubblefestival.com/portfolioreviews
Do you have lots of creative ideas, but you’re not sure how to get them down on paper? Join author/illustrator of The Cheat Book, RAMZEE, for a step-by-step cartoon workshop through the process of taking ideas and turning them into your own unique creations.
Suitable for ages 7+.
Join eight rising comic book creators as they pull back the curtain on the journey to becoming professional artists and writers. Discover how they develop their unique styles, build stand-out portfolios, find creative collaborations and pitch their dream projects. From setbacks to success - what exactly do you need to get started in comics? And how do you keep going when the competition is so fierce? This fast-paced panel is a must-see for anyone ready to turn their love of comics into a career. The door is open… you just need to step through it.
Head to the signing tables in Travelling Man Hall to meet Michael Conrad!
Mythology has fuelled some of comics' most enduring and inventive stories, from Marvel's reimagining of Asgard to ground-breaking creator-owned works like Promethea, The Wicked + The Divine, and Pantheon Myths. Kofi Smiles hosts Mohsen Ashraf, Kieron Gillen, Erica D'Urso and Emma Ríos to examine why mythology keeps returning to comics, how myths continue to adapt in every era of comics, and how the next generation of creators is taking things to the next level by expanding beyond just the classics.
Head to the signing tables in Travelling Man Hall to meet Becky Cloonan!
In this hands-on workshop, cartoonist Adam de Souza will lead a discussion that examines the role of habit in creating a sustainable comics practice. Bring a sketchbook and a pencil and be ready to draw badly on purpose!
Suitable for ages 12+
Head to the signing tables in Travelling Man Hall to meet Kate Beaton!
Head to the signing tables in Travelling Man Hall to meet Tula Lotay!
Join Abby Bulmer’s Hilarious Doggo Comics workshop and learn to oggo-ify anything! Catto? Sure! Froggo? Why not! Piggo? Why stop there?! Can you really oggo-ify anything? Who’s to say, but either way you’ll find out by drawing along with Abby as she brings Doggo and his pals to life!
Suitable for ages 7-14
Calling all Bought Thubblers...young - old - borrowed - new!!!
Fancy drawing a panel for the 4th edition of Bought Thubble Comix Jam brought to you by Doctor Simpo and chums? Did you take part in edition 3 last year?
If the answer to either of these questions is YES, then please come on down to the Kids' Zone and find Doctor Simpo to take part in drawing a panel for this giant Comix Jam and grab a free copy of Bought Thubble issue 3 (if you took part in last year's please head over and get your copy before 3pm on Saturday so we can give the rest of the limited run of printed zines away to new Bought Thubblers!)
This year’s theme is Fairy Tales: "Once upon a time...The End."
Suitable for all ages.
Join us in welcoming multi-award-winning author, artist and screenwriter Alice Oseman to this year's convention! Alice is known for their YA novels, Solitaire, Radio Silence, and Loveless, and their romance comic, Heartstopper, which not only smashed sales records worldwide, but was adapted into an Emmy-Award winning TV series and film. Alice's work has given a voice to countless LGBTQ+ teenagers while tackling issues of friendship, young love, and mental health, and in this career spotlight, hosted by friend, collaborator and award-winning author, Wren James, they'll explore the origins and what might come next.
Are you on the lookout for your next favourite comic? Julia Steudle of Novel Finds Podcast chats with Bex Glendinning, Sam Prentice-Jones, Alex Taylor, and Riotbones about their recently released debut graphic novels. Find out what makes their books magical and why you should pick up your own copy after the talk!
Head to the signing tables in Travelling Man Hall to meet Charlie Adlard!
Head to the signing tables in Travelling Man Hall to meet Michael Conrad!
Aspiring comic writers: this is your chance to pitch to 2000 AD, with the chance to win paid work in The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic! At our Writer Talent Search, each hopeful has just two minutes to convince a panel of top comics talent that their idea for a “Future Shock” story is worthy of being published in the legendary weekly comic. The next generation of comics starts here!
For information on entering the talent search, go here: thoughtbubblefestival.com/2000ad
Are you plagued by nagging, existential questions late at night, questions like “What’s a letterer”, “Why’s a letterer”, “How is lettering done” and “What is lettering”?
Well, join professional letterer and comics writer Rob Jones as he takes you head first into a crash course on the world of comic book lettering! This workshop will cover such topics as - taking your first steps into the high octane world of comic lettering, discussing the foundations and fundamentals of lettering, figuring out the correct sound effects a tap dancing kestrel may make, how to expand your knowledge and understanding of the profession and, most importantly, how to successfully avoid becoming a professional letterer by accident like Rob did.
Aimed at complete lettering beginners, artists who are looking to start lettering their own work. Lettering 101 will be a light hearted journey into the world of giving voices and sounds to two dimensional art.
Suitable for ages 12+
Join cartoonist Marc Jackson (BEANO, PHOENIX, HEY KIDS COMICS, GOOF) as you learn how to make comics in a truly unique way. Panels, boxes, line and rules, who needs those? Let’s embrace the chaos of comics for kids, and make some funny books our way! A great chance to learn the basics, but then embrace cartooning with free-wheeling confidence where anything might happen.
Suitable for ages 8+
Comics doesn't have to be a solo sport! Shelly Bond, Ollie Hicks, Bex Ollerton, John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs are team players! Join them to talk about getting the most out of a team, from anthologies, to writer/artist/letterer collaborations, to working with an editor. Maybe we'll even talk about taking and giving feedback, managing timelines and egos... but mostly, the joy of supporting each other and making comics together!
Can comics educate as well as history books? Combining visual art and narratives to tell accessible and engaging tales, historical comics can take us back to both real and imagined worlds. Join host Kate Evans who'll be chatting with Kate Beaton, Yudori, and Fiona Marchbank about using comics as a time machine to immerse us into fascinating and significant moments from the past.
Head to the signing tables in Travelling Man Hall to meet Alice Oseman!
Head to the signing tables in Travelling Man Hall to meet Wren James!
Painted comics saw huge popularity in 1980s issues of 2000 AD inspired by Heavy Metal, before spreading to Superhero comics and more experimental titles. An immersive, and labour intensive, form of illustration that brings a new depth to storytelling; Simon Bisley, Jessica Fong, Erin Connally and Boo Cook discuss their experiences in creating painted artwork for comics, moderated by broadcast journalist Alex Fitch.
Join author and cartoonist Josh Hicks as he introduces you to the exciting world of choose your path adventures! Learn all about how Josh used illustration, writing and the power of reader decisions to craft his interactive mystery story, YOU VS THE POISON PLOT! Then put on your creative caps and work together to build a collaborative choose your path adventure of your very own!
Suitable for ages 8-12
The Comics Cultural Impact Collective and the Writers' Guild of Great Britain are busy developing a set of guidelines for the comics industry in order to improve practises, raise awareness of the value of your work, and maybe - maybe! - help more creators make a viable living from their comics. Join Zara Slattery, Hannah Berry & Myfanwy Tristram to help shape this work-in-progress project with your own views and experiences. How do we decide what is fair? Can we put a price on IP? Where and when should we push for minimum rates? Is it time to ditch page rates altogether? Let's thrash this out and get us some (economic) justice.
This playful all ages and abilities workshop will engage participants in character design illustration through a series of tasks. Using elements of game play, creative writing and drawing each participant will design a unique Dungeons and Dragons-style character sheet. This activity will be supported by Daniel Locke, an award wining graphic novelist and role playing game artist and David Blandy, an award winning roleplay designer.
Suitable for all ages
Whether your cosplay is homemade, store bought or a bit of both, come strut your stuff on the stage as part of the Thought Bubble Cosplay Parade!
Cosplayers: You don’t need to sign up in advance to take part in the parade, head over to the stage and give your name to a volunteer, they’ll also give you a raffle ticket to be part of the prize draw!
Audience: Take a seat and get ready to cheer!
More Details: https://www.thoughtbubblefestival.com/cosplay
Join us for an exciting Thought Bubble workshop where attendees will discover a new aspect of manga storytelling, learn how to make a zine, and then take on the challenge of creating their own short comic story based on the theme set in the session!
Led by experienced manga creators mayamada, this hands-on session introduces the art of zine-making alongside manga storytelling techniques, giving participants the tools to bring their own ideas to life in a fun, creative format.
Whether you prefer writing or drawing, you'll craft a short story your own way. Suitable for all ages and no previous experience required!
Suitable for ages 12+
Join aspiring comic artists as they submit their work to the scrutiny of 2000 AD, with the winning artist receiving paid work with the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic! A panel of top comics talent will give constructive feedback on each submission in turn, with one lucky winner ultimately earning the opportunity to work alongside comic book legends! The next generation of comics starts here!
For information on entering the talent search, go here: thoughtbubblefestival.com/2000ad
