Some Comics to Look Out For at Thoughtbubble 2019.

Morning chums. I thought I would take a look at some of the books I think are well worth looking out for at Thoughtbubble 2019.

There’ll be more so watch this space.

‘The Bones Of The Sea’ by Gareth Hopkins.

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I am a fan of this creators work. He mixes the abstract with the magical and dark with some autobiographical musings (on occasion).

This is a book that combines the honest momentary thoughts of Gareth as he goes about his daily life with the poetry of some underwater gothic fantasy. An underwater battle between a Blue Whale and a Giant Squid rubs shoulders with X-Men comics and ham sandwiches. Gareth combines the truth of his life with the beauty and often bleakness of the abstract. 

The art in this new release is dense and swirling and hypnotic and I cannot recommend it enough.

Find out more about the work of Mr Hopkins by visiting http://www.grthink.com/and finding him on Twitter @grthink You can buy this upon release over at https://grthink.bigcartel.com/

Gareth will be found at Table 170 in the Ask For Mercy Hall.

Next up is ....

‘Sticky Ribs’ issue 2 by Dan White.

I absolutely loved the first issue in this series when I read it earlier this year and this is more of the same. Dan has a style that at first glance you may be forgiven for thinking is for kids but when you search further you realise quite how wonderfully fucked up his imagination and comics really are!

This issue is comprised of two stories. ‘Last Summer’ and ‘Christmas With Bunty’. The first story will suck you in with a ‘Lord of the Flies’/‘Where the Wild Things Are’ vibe and then twist your preconceptions and get you thinking much more about where and why this is all happening.

‘Christmas With Bunty’ is a text story with some great illustrations and you also get a piece on ‘Ghostwatch’ and the effect it had on Dan as a young man.

Once again this is highly recommended and you can find Dan in the Originals Hall at Table 16.

You can also find him on Twitter @thebeastmustdie and at his website https://milkthecat.blog/

‘Bell Time’ by David Robertson.

This is the story of Lenny. A school kid who upon the sounding of a bell is thrown into his own future and discovers that he now works as the librarian at his own school. Times have changed and the techniques of teaching and the marshalling of teenagers in the classroom have also been brought up to date with all the complications of the modern world. Whilst Lenny initially feels out of his depth we soon see him getting a grasp on what he might be able to achieve.

This book is absolutely as fun as it sounds and manages to cross all those great school comics and tv series we remember with the world of time travel. David has a simple and iconically British style and he understands how a comic should flow. 

Highly recommended.

You can find David in the Ask For Mercy Hall at Table 214. 

You can also find David on Twitter @FredEggComics and at his website http://fredeggcomics.blogspot.com/

‘Endswell’ Issue 2 by Peter Morey.

This is the second issue in the semi-autobiographical story of Peter and his family. It centres on a farm bought by his grandmother and the shenanigans when she takes in a whole army of dogs and a rather suspicious younger man.

The second issue came out a couple of months ago and focuses on the story of a couple of the dogs, much of it from their own point of view. This is a series that is at once a little funny, a little tragic and a little quirky. I’ve enjoyed both these issues and look forward to more from this up and coming creator.

Highly recommended.

You can find Peter in the ComiXology Hall at Table 174.

You can find him on twitter @PM_Illustration and at his website https://www.petermorey.com/(I also got a crafty and rather blue pull quote on the new issue).

‘Manu’ by Gustaffo Vargas.

This is the real deal. I did a deeper dive on the blog more recently and you can have a read of it here http://neverironanything.blogspot.com/2019/10/in-preview-manu-by-gustaffo-vargas.html

I’ve been mentioning this creator quite a few times recently and really think he’ll be the next creator to jump from the small press to the mainstream with his confident line and ability to draw pretty much anything from future cyberpunks to barbarians to jungle leopards. Get on this ship before these become collectors items.

Find Mr V in the ComiXology Hall at Table 154A.

Buy yourself a copy over at https://gustaffovargas.bigcartel.com/product/gustaffo-vargas-sketchbook and follow this dude on Twitter @GustaffoVargas

Many thanks for reading.