LDC Leeds November 2019

Hi there!

We had a pretty small meeting this month, but never fear, we were not starved of comics content as Lou had also brought along the LDC Exhibition Lounge from the 2019 Prize. Such a wide range of styles, content, and even formats – really delightful stuff. As the image shows above, the deadline for the LDC Prize 2020 is 5th January 2020 (for online entries), and not pictured above is the deadline for the printed entries (of the same project), that’s the 26th of January 2020.

The LDC prize, if you haven’t already heard of it, is the first of its kind. Some details on eligibility:

  • Open to anyone based in the UK who self-identifies as female
  • Entries must not have been previously published
  • Online entries received after the deadline of 12 midnight on 5 January 2020 will not be considered
  • Entries must be submitted via the website, by completing the online form by midnight 5 January 2020 AND a printed copy must be received by 26 January 2020 (to a PO Box address that you will be given)
  • Images must be submitted via a link which must be included in the form

Hope to see your work in it next year!

Now onto our speaker for the evening:

Sean Azzopardi

So many thanks to Sean for coming all the way from Hull to share his work with us last night! He wowed us with three presentations, the first a really quickfire headspinner through past projects (eg Sightings of Wallace Sondek, a collaboration with Douglas Noble) & illustration work, including the ‘Smile and say hello’ posters, spotlighting residents of Crouch End & encouraging people to get to know one another.

The final presentation focused on a current, pretty amazing project looking at Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Captain Paul Watson and how the project came to be. The Sea Shepherds are a direct action group, working to protect and conserve all marine wildlife. Sean is currently working on a comic retelling of their story. I loved seeing the full-spread panels of life at sea, which work perfectly at conveying that feeling of total massiveness of the oceans. Sean recently put on an exhibition at Ground in Hull (a really excellent space with really excellent people) with mixed media work, including (this is very exciting) a HUGE rubbing taken from a stylised shark kind of bas-relief thing (very difficult to explain!) from the Seven Seas Fish Trail in Hull. Apparently a great way to get chatting to passers-by.

I’m certainly looking forward to seeing this comic when it’s complete, but as always it’s been such a treat having an insight into the process. Thanks to LDC for existing for just that!

You can find Sean’s online profiles on Twitter (@seanazz), Instagram (sean_azzopardi_) and his website www.phatcomics.co.uk. As always be sure to support this independent comic maker and BUY HIS STUFF!

Thanks to Lou for hosting, again to Sean for talking, and to our small but ardent crowd of comics folks that came along.

My name is Hannah McCann, I’m on Twitter (@hannahwotmccann) and Instagram (hannacklop)

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