Celebrating Comic Book Culture.
2D is Northern Ireland's foremost comics festival, all our events are free and include Art Exhibitions, Art workshops, Sketching, Signings, Drawing Events, Panel Discussions, Comics Dealers and a lot more...
Festival Programme
Friday 5th June @ Verbal Arts Centre
3pm - 4.45pm All-Star Comic Workshop (15yrs+) Learn to draw comics with a host of top comic creators.
Friday 5th June @ Sandinos Bar
7pm Panel - The State of Comic Art
8pm Panel - Eclectic Micks present Homegrown Heroes
Saturday 6th June @ Verbal Arts Centre
Comics Open Day 11.30am - 5pm
Get Sketches of your favourite comic characters from top comic artists (All Day)
Get your Comics Signed by Comic creators (All Day)
"Monster Me" Sketch Stall - get turned into a MONSTER by a top comic artist (All Day)
Comic Stalls - Loads of comics for all ages to buy. (All Day)
Star Wars Stormtroopers (12.30pm - 2.30pm) - Get your photo taken with Meet the amazing Emerald Garrison of the Knights of the Empire (Irelands Premier Star Wars Costuming Group).
Like Sherlock Holmes Directed by Quentin Tarantino...With Animals! (1.30pm) Comic artist Bryan Talbot gives sneak preview of his forthcoming steampunk graphic novel GRANDVILLE
2D Competition Prize-Giving (3pm)
How I Got Into This Crazy Business And Ended Up Bringing V For Vendetta Into The World (3.30pm) - Talk with Legendary artist David Lloyd
Monster Drawing Wall - in association with the Campaign for Drawing (All Day) Draw your own monster on our massive Monster Drawing Wall, spot prizes for the best efforts.
*Coffee House - Refreshments will be available to buy*
Saturday 6th June @ Sandinos Bar 7pm - late
7pm Panel - Q & A with artist David Lloyd
8pm Panel - Burn Hollywood Burn
9.30pm - late Closing Party
Guests
David Lloyd
(artist - V for Vendetta, Hellblazer, Kickback, Dr. Who, Night Raven)
Liam Sharp
(artist - Death's Head, Judge Dredd, X-Men, Hulk, Spider-Man, Superman, Batman, Spawn, Gears of War, testament)
D' Israeli
(artist - Judge Dredd, War of the Worlds, Batman, Stickleback)
Simon Furman
(writer - Transformers, Dr Who, Wallace & Gromit, Torchwood, Dan Dare, X-Men: Evolution)
Garry Leach
(artist - Dan Dare, Miracle Man, Warpsmiths, Judge Dredd, the VC's)
Rufus Dayglo
(artist - Tank Girl, Judge Dredd, Metal Gear Solid, Gorillaz)
Declan Shalvey
(artist - Frankenstein, Hero Killers, Sweeney Todd)
Phil Barrett
(artist - Matter, Black Shapes, A Crack in the Shell)
Bridgeen Gillespie
(artist - Mr Maximo and Rabbit)
David Hine
(writer - Spawn, X-Men: Colossus, Deathstroke, Spiderman Noir, Strange Embrace, House of M)
Mike Collins
(artist - Dr Who, Batman, Superman, A Christmas Carol, Judge Dredd)
Andie Tong
(artist - Spectacular Spiderman, Batman Strikes, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Masters of the Universe, Starship Troopers)
Bryan Talbot
(artist/writer - The Adventures of Luther Arkwright, The Tale of One Bad Rat, Nemesis the Warlock, Hellblazer, Sandman, Judge Dredd, Alice in Sunderland)
Will Simpson
(artist - Batman, Judge Dredd, Transformers, Hellblazer, Aliens, Indiana Jones, Reign of Fire, City of Ember)
PJ Holden
(artist - Rogue Trooper, Judge Dredd, 86ers, Warhammer, Fearless)
Nick Roche
(artist - Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
Stephen Mooney
(artist - Angel, CSI, Strangeland)
Will Sliney
(artist - Farscape)
Glenn Fabry
in association with Berserker Comics (artist- Preacher, Slaine, The Authority, The Dead)
Stephen Downey
(artist - Cancertown)
Links
Accommodation
Travel
Misc
About the Festival
2D, the Northern Ireland Comics Festival, was conceived as an exciting way of extending and promoting the comics related work that the Verbal Arts Centre has undertaken over the last three years. The Centre initially used some short comic workshops as a way of improving literacy skills in young males. Following the success of these sessions, the Centre decided to expand its range of projects and employ an artist in residence with knowledge of the comics industry in order to add to these workshops, provide illustrations for Centre projects and develop a comic festival that would bring some of the top creative talent in comics to the North West. This resulted in 2D - the Northern Ireland Comics Festival in April 2007.
The festival returned in June 2008, building on the success of 2007 with an expanded line-up of guests. The 2D festival is different from most comic conventions as it is a completely free event offering free admission to workshops, panels, open day and all other related events. By making all parts of the event free of charge, the Centre is trying to make the festival as accessible and inclusive as possible, continuing its work in promoting comic book culture and celebrating the artform.
The centre is also continuing to explore new ways of developing its' comic-related work with the recent addition of a printing press. The centre has also developed its comic workshop programme into a longer accredited comic art course in partnership with a local college.
