As always, I hope you’re all doing well! There are a few things to update you on this time, so let’s get to it…

BOXES Vol. 5 - now officially On Sale

I’ve just finished sending out the kickstarter backer’s copies, so if you missed the campaign while it was running you can now pick up a copy at your leisure from the ThirdBear Press shop.

Here are the important links:

BOXES Vol. 5 - PHYSICAL
BOXES Vol. 5 - DIGITAL

I’m really pleased with how this volume has turned out. The level of work the creators bring to BOXES always makes me so proud to publish it!

Submissions for 2027 comics are open

If you’ve visited the website or follow us elsewhere, you will have seen that ThirdBear Press is currently open for submissions for our 2027 comics collection.

We are looking to publish stand alone, single issue comic books which are 24-32 pages in length. If you’re a UK based cartoonist and think you have an idea for a comic that we’d like, please have a read through the submissions guide here:

SUBMISSIONS GUIDE

Submissions are open until 1st December. If you have any questions before sending your ideas in, please ask!

I can’t wait to see what you’re all making!

Thought Bubble 2026

I’ll be at Thought Bubble Comic Festival in a couple of weeks! The convention part of the festival is 14th & 15th of November. I always look forward to this show, so it’d be great to see those of you that are going.

If you are going and want to pick up a copy of BOXES Vol. 5 (or indeed, anything else from the ThirdBear Press store) in person, I’ve set up a wee code on the website that will remove shipping from your order.

Put in TB26PICKUP at check out to apply it. If there are any problems, please let me know.

Also, this goes without saying, but please only use the code if you are able to pick up at Thought Bubble. Any orders using the code that aren’t picked up at the show will be cancelled and refunded.

I’ll keep this code active until 11:59pm on 11th November which will give me time to organise everything before leaving.

You’ll find the ThirdBear Press table at C4 in the Red Shirt Hall. Quite near the entrance!

Ok, I think that’s all for now. Thanks for reading!

Until next time,
Steven

As always, I hope you are doing well!

Before we get going on the meat if this newsletter, a quick reminder. The BOXES Vol. 5 campaign ends on Friday (11th Sept.) at 12 noon UK time. This is the last call for it! If you’ve been meaning to back it and have still to do so, now (or at least very soon!) is the time.

Many of you will have backed it already (thanks!), but for those that haven’t, here’s the link:

BOXES Vol. 5 on Kickstarter.

During the campaign, I’ve been sharing interviews I did with some of the creators in this issue of BOXES in campaign updates. Some of you may have read these there already, but for those who haven’t, here are the thoughts behind the work of Skai Campbell and Joost Buis. At the bottom you’ll also find links to the updates with interviews with Kamila Krol and Julie Mapes.

Skai Campbell

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your work for readers who may not have seen your comics before?

My name is Skai (aka Skhoshbell), i’m an illustrator and cartoonist from South London, and I love nature! before I got into comics (or back into I should say, they were my first love as a kid) I studied biology, and so that love of the natural world is a through line through most of the work I make. I think my ultimate goal is to try to create a sense of wonder and spark curiosity, that can then make people take their own journeys to get in touch with the outdoors, and find something within it that aligns with them. I’ve got lots of influences within comics, but I also take a lot of influence from cartoons, anime, film, and the wider art world. 

Love of the natural world is a strong theme that comes through your work.  What about comics makes it an effective way of talking about it?

I feel like comics allows me to minimize the space between myself and the story I’m trying to tell. It’s a long process for sure, but I think it also has an immediacy to it that I really appreciate. Even when I’m not trying to make a comic for other people to read, when I’m doodling or journaling I find myself drawing out my thoughts in a very comics-esque way, and its quite a natural way of communicating for me. So I suppose it’s not necessarily that comics is best for stories of nature, but rather I can’t imagine committing to anything but comics! I also feel that the Intimacy of comics means that you have a chance to really reach the heart of the people reading, and so for the mission of making people love nature, that is a strong tool. Theres also something that appeals to me about working in print, and creating things that can be shared between people, that have a real physical presence. I suppose for the sharing of ideas that quality of comics makes them really powerful also. 

Can you give an insight into the inspiration behind your new comic What of the Birds in my Grandmother’s Garden?

When I studied biology at university, it was from quite an intellectual,  head-y place, and so I have been trying to build a more intimate, and localized understanding of British wildlife, as well as folklore, and mythology. It has been a really enriching experience, but there’s also sometimes a guilt about it. Having Jamaican and also Ugandan heritage, I sometimes feel as though there is a whole world that I am slowly moving away from as I develop a stronger bond with the ol’ UK, and I wish that I was able to give the same love to the lands my ancestors came from as I do to the ones I live in. I think I’ve grown over the process of writing this comic, and feel a bit less like it is a zero sum game - I can have connections to both places, but I suppose it reflects that tension, and longing to know a place more intimately than maybe Is possible. Why can’t I be in two places at once! 

Joost Buis

Can you tell us a little about you and what motivated you to start making comics?

A Dutch born illustrator, comic creator and TTRPG maker. With an obsession for world building, the unspoken word and drawing robots, sums me up quite well. My passion for world building is what got me into comics, that and discovering Moebius. I’ve always enjoyed creating stories but never took it seriously until I started my 3rd degree year. There I created my first ever printed comic, Renau. A short riso printed zine about an intergalactic postman. Since then, I haven’t looked back.

World building looks like a big part of your work.  Are you constantly expanding the same world, or do you have several places that you tell stories in?

I have many worlds that I tell my stories in. Some are more fleshed out and in depth. While others are more subtle in how it portrays the complexities of its world. Take ‘On the March’ for example. We follow a group of journalists through the lens of their camera, as they speak to the various men on the front lines. You could take the 6 page short at face value, that war is bad. However looking at what isn’t directly said can reveal a wider glimpse into the world these men inhabit.

When telling a story in a world, do you think it important that each thing you write is serving the world building, or do you think a story can simply exist in it?

I think it comes down to the individual and what they’re trying to achieve. There’s plenty of stories out there that don’t really touch on the details of the world they inhabit. Mainly because it might not be important to the story. It’s pure background in some cases. The story would just be the story. Personally however, I like the story to be more than what’s on the  page. I want what I write or illustrate to hint at something greater, to build upon what’s depicted. Allowing for your own conclusions to become another layer of the world.

Do you have certain themes that you like to return to in your writing? 

Unhappy endings and bleak futures. Most of my projects end without much joy or hope, and are set in often dystopian misery. There’s something I find intriguing and interesting in the muck and filth. It has an innate conflict and struggle that I find appealing when writing or illustrating. Even when writing something as simple as Renau, a man who delivers mail across the universe. Has these themes cut throughout the various single page shorts I made. He goes through hell, in a thankless job, just to be a glorified mail man. It makes for an interesting landscape to tell stories in.

Thanks to Skai and Joost for taking the time to answer these questions!

If you found these interesting, I also shared interviews with Kamila Krol and Julie Mapes during the campaign. Click their names to see what they had to say.

Up the top I mentioned that was the last call for the Kickstarter but actually, THIS is the last call!

As it stands, we are 75% funded with just a few days left, so if you want a copy, then your help would be much appreciated. Once again, here is the link the to campaign page:

BOXES Vol. 5 on Kickstarter.

Thanks,
Steven

I hope you are all doing well! Some of you will already have seen that the 5th Volume of BOXES Comic Magazine is currently funding on Kickstarter. We are a week into the campaign and sitting just shy of 40% funded.

If you’ve still to take a look at it, you should take a look and see why I think this is shaping up to be the most eye-catching issue so far!

As always, this new volume contains comics with a variety of different styles and by a diverse range of UK based cartoonists. Above is art by Joost Buis, Ccrow, Francis Todd, Bruna Martini, Kamila Krol, Skai Campbell, Claudia Palmez, Dimitris Zach, Julie Mapes, Fin Cramb & Sean Watson, Zu Dominiak and James Taylor.

It also includes new articles on overcoming creative burnout, by Leah Cameron and fostering the community organising spirit that fuels our comics scene, by Faye Stacey. Both very interesting!

I hope you’ll agree that this is looking like a fantastic issue! If that’s the case, please consider backing the book on kickstarter.

Crowdfunding like this means that the funds are there to pay the creators and printers that bring the book to life. Your support is hugely appreciated and also vital in getting projects like this off the ground.

Thanks again.

‘til next time,
Steven

Hope you are doing well!

I am, because the print copies for It Comes in Waves, the new comic from Bruna Martini have arrived:

I’m so pleased with how they’ve come out!

These will be winging their way to our Kickstarter backers over the next week so if that’s you, keep an eye on your letterbox.

If you didn’t back the Kickstarter and don’t want to miss getting your copy, It Comes in Waves is available now on the ThirdBear Press shop.

Any copies ordered now will go out just as soon as the Kickstarter copies have been fulfilled, which won’t be long!

BOXES Vol. 5 - Coming Soon

Also, you may have seen that we recently revealed the cover for the next issue of BOXES Comic Magazine. In case you missed it, here it is:

Gorgeous, right? The cover art is by Claudia Palmez and references Between Me and Tides, her comic in the magazine.

I’ll be sharing more art from the creators involved in the coming weeks, so keep an eye open for that.

The Kickstarter for BOXES Vol. 5 will be launching in August, but if you want to get notified just as soon as it’s live, you can sign up here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thirdbearpress/boxes-comic-magazine-5

Upcoming Comic Events

The next show I’ll be at is Sequential Scotland in Glasgow on 8th August.

This was a great show last year and it’s an event that looks like it will go from strength to strength each year. You can get tickets here. If you’re in the area, hopefully I’ll see you there!

Luke Healy at Portobello Book Shop

Also in August (24th at 7pm to be precise), I will be at Portobello Book Shop to chat with Luke Healy about his new book, Dogs on Dates.

Luke is a great cartoonist. If you’ve read his work you’ll know how wonderfully observed it is. Dogs on Dates no different, while still feeling like quite a departure from a lot of his previous work. I’m looking forward to picking his brains about it!

You can join us by signing up here. If you can’t make it down to the book shop, you’re in luck as it will also be streamed live! Again, hope to see you there.

Phew! A lot of stuff in this edition.

‘til next time,

Steven

Hope you are all doing well! In case you haven’t seen yet, the comic that was announced in our last newsletter, It Comes in Waves by Bruna Martini, is now live for funding on Kickstarter.

As I’m writing it’s about 80% funded, so pretty close to the goal. If you can help push it over the line and pick yourself up a copy of this beautiful book while you’re at it, that would be amzing! You can check out the kickstarter page here.

Bruna Martini Interview

A few days ago Bruna was good enough to get on a Zoom call and have a chat with me about It Comes in Waves and how it fits into her growing body of work.

We get into how the comic making process can shift with the demands of each project, how some of her favourite artists have influenced her and more.

I found it really interesting delving into her thoughts on the visual language of comics and poetry. Check out the interview by either clicking the picture above or on this link right here.

Ok, that’s all for now!

Thanks,
Steven

In the last edition of the newsletter, I had announced that the submissions to BOXES Vol. 5 were open. Since then we’ve had lots of really excellent submissions. The creativity of our comics scene in the UK is second to none!

This of course meant that I had some very difficult decisions to make, but I’m really happy with the line up of creators I’ve ended up with. Everyone’s working away now on their comics and articles, so keep your eyes peeled for announcements on the next issue of BOXES in a few months time.

Now, speaking of comics announcements…

It Comes in Waves by Bruna Martini

I’m excited to announce the next comic from ThirdBear Press, It Comes in Waves by Bruna Martini.

It Comes in Waves is a new 28 page comic in which Bruna explores the relationship between a mother and child and how to be a mother when yours has passed.

It’s coming to Kickstarter in May and you can sign up at the preview page here to get notified just as soon as it’s live.

Here are a couple of pages…

Looks gorgeous right? Bruna renders her comics in a lush, water-colour style that’s really striking.

Much of her recent work concentrates on new motherhood and the relationships between parent and child. If you are interested in hearing her speak on that and her comics work in general, she is doing an online talk at the next LDComics Online Global on Monday 13th April. A couple of days time! You can get your tickets to that event here.

Comics Events

Our comic festival calendar is starting to fill up for the rest of the year. Here are the shows that we are confirmed to be at so far for you to pop in your diary:

MACC-POW, Macclesfield - 27th June
Lakes International Comic Art Festival, Kendall - 3-4th October
Thought Bubble, Harrogate - 14-15th November

There should be a few others to add to the list once they are confirmed! Hopefully we’ll see you at one (or more!) of these shows.

Ok, I think that’s all for now. Remember and sign up to get notified just as soon as It Comes in Waves goes live in Kickstarter!

Thanks,
Steven

I hope despite everything, 2026 has been treating you well so far.

For myself it’s felt a very sluggish start to the year, like I’m only just kicking into gear!

I’ve got a few bits of news to share this time, so here we go…

Submissions opening soon for BOXES Comic Magazine Vol. 5

Submissions for BOXES Vol. 5 will be open thoughout February, starting 1st and closing at 11:59 GMT on 28th.

BOXES Comic Magazine is our award nominated anthology series that showcases a diverse range of UK based comics talent. If you are a UK based creator who has a new short comic to show, we’d love to hear from you.

BOXES also includes articles about comics and making comics. Past subjects have included the craft of making silent comics, how writers find artists, the importance of looking after your body as an artist and deep dives into the comics of creators like Malcy Duff and Erika Price. If you’ve got something to say about comics in article form, again we’d love to hear from you!

Make sure to check our submissions page on 1st February for all the details.

SOUP

You may have seen that I recently published a new comic of my own, SOUP: The Society of Unexplained Phenomena.

SOUP is about a group of paranormal investigators and how their organisation somehow attracts more speculation and conspiracy theories about itself than the things they study. Here’s a page from it:

Hopefully this has piqued your interest! If so you can pick up a copy of SOUP physically or digitally on the ThirdBear Press store.

Also, one of the stretch goals when I was kickstarting the comic was to film myself reading from it. The video is on Youtube and you can view it here.

Other new comics in 2026?

While we don’t have anything to announce just yet… if everything goes according to plan there will be a couple of announcements in the next few months. Stay tuned!

Secret newsletter discount

As a thank you for indugling me and reading this far down I have a secret newsletter discount for you. If you’re getting anything from the ThirdBear Press store, use the code NEWSLETTER15 at check out to get 15% off.

This will work on any order, so go nuts! Also, it expires 28th February.

Thanks!

‘til next time,

Steven

I hope you are all doing ok and this newsletter finds you well. It’s been a busy month at ThirdBear Press so let’s get into it!

Final Week on Kickstarter for BOXES Vol. 4

The kickstarter campaign for BOXES Comic Magazine Vol. 4 has been ticking along nicely since the 6th July and has just headed into the last week of funding.

As I type we are just past 60% funded, so there is still a little to go to reach the goal. This is definitely doable though! If you have still to back it then please take a look at the incredible creators we have involved in this issue here on the campaign page. I’m so pleased with the work everyone has put into this issue, so I can’t wait for you all to have the chance to read it.

With that being said, I’d like to share some preview pages from a couple of the comics in the magazine…

Drop by Mike Armstrong

Mike Armstrong’s Drop is about an artist who’s body is rebelling against their ability to make art. I love Mike’s art style. It’s cartoony, but not over blown. The story he has created will touch anyone who has had to deal with the loss of something they love.

Runaway by Eleanor Sikorski

Eleanor Sikorski’s Runaway is a gripping, tightly-written tale of revenge. Eleanor has done a brilliant job in building a noirish atmosphere throught her story and artwork.

Hopefully these pages have whetted your appetite! If so, take a look and consider backing BOXES Vol. 4 here.

Upcoming Comic Shows

It’s that time of year where lots of comic shows are on the way! First up I’ll be at Sequential Scotland, which is a new comic con that is taking place in Glasgow. If you are around Glasgow, it’s this weekend, 2nd August at the Doubletree Hilton on Cambridge Street.

Take a look at the exhibitors list here. As well as ThirdBear Press, there will be a few BOXES creators there including Fran Morton, Jules Valera, Leo Healy and TheRoaringRAAR.

Later in the year we have a few more shows lined up:

LICAF - Bowness-on-windemere, 27-28th September
TAGS - Edinburgh, 26th October
Thought Bubble - Harrogate, 15-16th November

If you are going to any of these, it’d be great to see you!

-

Remember, BOXES Vol. 4 is on Kickstarter untill 11:30am BST 5th August. Make sure to back it before then!

‘til next time.
Steven

Hi folks,

We are fast approaching the launch of the BOXES Comic Magazine Vol. 4 Kickstarter, so what better time to get you all up to date on the creators that are going to be featured in this issue?

The creators are hard at work on their comics and I’m so pleased with the pages I’ve seen so far. It’s shaping up to be a Very Good Issue.

The plan is to launch on 6th July. You can sign up on the campaign page here to be notified just as soon as it goes live.

And with that, let’s meet the creators…

After appearances in BOXES 1 & 2 with the comics The Adventures of Captain Ishmael and Who’s in There?, Enrico Ariis returns with a new comic for BOXES Vol. 4

In this latest story a new discovery flips a pseudo-feudal society on its head.

-

Pictii is a comics creator whose work often explores the fantastical and spiritual. After a break from comics, they returned, to create the webcomic Gods in the Wind.

Their comic for BOXES - A Place to Rest, deals with coming home after a long time away.

Emilia McKenzie is the author of the award winning graphic novel But You Have Friends, a memoir about friendship and loss, published by Top Shelf Comics.

Her comic, The Scratchcard looks at a situation where winning wasn’t quite what you expected.

-

Mike Armstrong is a cartoonist from the East of England. He has contributed to anthologies by WIP Comics and self-published his mini comic Bigger.

Drop, his comic in BOXES is about an artist struggling as their body slowly rebels against them.

Jules Valera is a comic artist from Glasgow with a strong interest in print. They have published various short comics including 16H20220201, and A Very Fragile Release Coming Along as a Light Breath.

Their comic for BOXES, Dare Not Speak is an abstract dream about bereavement.

-

Dominique Duong is the author and artist of the graphic novel The Dog and the Cat as well as the forthcoming Patchwork.

She has written on article for BOXES about the importance of taking care of your body as an artist.

Will Hudson is a comics creator with an interest in enchanted woodland folk and folk horror. He works in pen and ink with an intricate drawing style.

He is creating The Sun and Moon Still Rule Our Lives, a comic about toads attending the annual festival of rebirth in the Great Vast Forest.

-

Michelle Freeman is an author-illustrator based in Liverpool. She creates stories with a strong sense of social justice that explore big themes of life in accessible ways.

Her comic The Lottery is a wordless story focusing on urban life, slavery and inequality.

Eleanor Sikorski is an interdisciplinary artist with a background in performance and filmmaking. She published her first book, Oil Field, a gorgeous, meandering daydream of a comic, in 2024.

Her comic Runaway, is about a woman trying to take revenge for her brothers death.

-

Faye Stacey is the creator of the IGNATZ nominated comic Find a Seat. They have created Hounded for BOXES, a comic about the small trying to survive in a big world.

J W Murray is author of the comic collection Short, Dark & Peculiar and the webcomic The Wilder Shore. He has also published a fantasy novel The Alchemist's Child and just recently a science fiction novel, The Coming Harvest.

James also collaborated on Murder Ballad with Fran Morton, which appeared in BOXES Vol. 3.

Aimee Lockwood is an illustrator from the north of Scotland. She is the creator comics Daydream & Pushiinka among others as well as the artist on the poetry comic The Wilds.

James and Aimee have collaborated on Dance of the Trows, in which the mischievous creatures come to renew an ancient agreement.

-

Lucy Freeman is an illustrator who created the digital comic series Rewind with Together Women. She has also published a graphic novella, Wander and is currently working on her debut graphic novel.

Lucy’s comic Hooked is about two girls mucking about on the school trip the an art museum.

-

And that’s everyone! Hopefully you’ll agree that’s an exciting looking line up. All the creators have been bringing their best work to the magazine and I’m so pleased with how it’s coming together.

As I mentioned above, you can sign up to be notified here just as soon as the Kickstarter goes live on 6th July. Signing up for the notification is massively helpful as it lets Kickstarter know that people are interested in the project, so they are more likely to show it to others that may be interested.

Thanks!

‘til next time,
Steven

I’m very excited to say that the 4th volume of BOXES Comic Magazine is well on the way to completion and will be coming to kickstarter soon!

Without further ado, here’s the cover:

The gorgeous artwork is by Aimee Lockwood, showing the Trows from the comic she has created with writer J W Murray.

As always, this volume of BOXES will feature a range of styles from a diverse collection of UK based creators, this time including Enrico Ariis, Faye Stacey, Michelle Freeman, Eleanor Sikorski, Lucy Freeman, Pictii, Mike Armstrong, Jules Valera, Will Hudson, J W Murray & Aimee Lockwood as well as an article from Dominique Duong.

Comics have been starting to appear in my inbox and the quality is really high! I’m looking forward to sharing them with you all, so stay tuned for a proper introduction to all the creators in the coming weeks.

Shop Picks

Bubbles #22

The latest (no. 22!) issue of Bubbles Zine is available of the ThirdBear Press store now. This issue contains interesting interviews with Leo Fox (Boy Island, My Body is Unspooling), Marc Torices (Cornelius), among others. There are also some really cool comics Ana Wolfe and Quinn C Amacher!

Beautiful Monster by Mauro Suehiro

We also have some copies of Beautiful Monster by the master of erotic horror manga, Mauro Suehiro. This collection contains sixteen short stories of the beautiful and grotesque, translated in to english by Ryan Holmberg (The Translator Without Talent).

Also, it’s adults only!

You can pick up both these from the ThirdBear Press here.

Upcoming Comic Shows

The list comic shows that we’ll be at over the second half of the year is starting to come together. There are still a few shows to confirm, but here are the definites so far:

Small Press Day, The Counting House Edinburgh, 19th July
Sequential Scotland, Glasgow, 2nd August
Lake International Comic Festival, Bowness-on-Windemere, 27-28th September
Thought Bubble, Harrogate, 15-16th November

Ok, I think that’s all for now!

‘til next time,
Steven

I thought it would be a good time then to lay out some general thoughts on the submissions compared to previous volumes. I’d also like to point out some things that some submissions could have done to improve their chances.

—

First up, I’d like to emphasise that the overall standard of submissions received for BOXES Vol. 4 was extremely high. There is so much talent out there bubbling under the surface of the UK comics scene that’s waiting to burst through! This volume also saw the highest number of submissions received so far. I had a lot of very difficult decisions to make this time and unfortunately had to send rejections to some very talented artists.

Getting a rejection is no slight on the quality of work. There are many factors that go into the make up of an issue of BOXES (or indeed, any anthology). Some examples would be page count, subject matter or the balance between colour and black and white art.

-- I started writing a bit here about the things I consider when making up an issue but it was getting a bit long. I think it’ll merit its own post another time (perhaps just before the next submission period opens). --

For articles, I definitely want to see more ideas submitted for them in the future. We have a nice, interesting one lined up for BOXES Vol. 4 so no worries there. But if you are a comic journalist or just an artist with something to say about the craft then please send it in next time! For my own part, I think I need to emphasise the articles more when publicising the submissions period.

—

Now for things that I noticed in some submissions that could be improved upon for next time. These are just general tips and certainly don’t apply to all the rejected submissions, but enough to make them worth highlighting. These could also be useful for submitting comics anywhere, not just BOXES.

1. Make sure your synopsis tells the full story. As an editor I need to know everything that happens, including and spoilers/twists. I also want to know any underlying themes you are trying to get across and how you’ll emphasise them.

2. BOXES is a magazine that publishes complete short stories. I’m not looking for anything that is a pilot for something longer, or part 1 of a multi-part story. That’s not to say you can’t write about the characters again in the future, but what you submit should be a complete short story.

3. For art examples, including previous comics you’ve made and saying that the comic you are submitting will be in the same style is fine. However, going the extra mile and including 2 or 3 panels either from the comic or of the characters in the comic can really help communicate what you are trying to do.

4. Also, one more thing on art work. Including images of someone else’s art work and saying “I’m going to draw it like that”, is not ok. You need to show me that you can draw like that.

Hopefully that was useful and/or informative! I’d like to do a few more posts about making anthologies and publishing in general so if you think you’d find that interesting let me know.

Other Reads

If you enjoyed the comic At Sea by Savannah Storm in BOXES Vol. 3 then you should read her latest post here: ‘At Sea Comic’.

In it she goes into depth about how she wrote the story and the techniques she used to illustrate it. Very interesting!

—

I’d also suggest subscribing to Mason Wilson’s Substack.

Mason was in BOXES Vol. 1 and he’s recently been doing some excellent weekly diary comics along with some delicious short horror stories. Highly recommended!

—

Ok, I think that’s all for now!

‘til next time,
Steven

—

Remember there are lots of excellent indie comics available in the ThirdBear Press store! Our most recent publications are BOXES Vol. 3 and Sycamore by K. Briggs.

You’ll also find a variety of indie comics in our distro. We recently added Grog the Frog and Skin Deep from Silver Sprocket and Stories from Zoo from Bubbles (along with their latest issue).

Thanks for checking them out!

I hope you’re all doing well! I’m currently in the process of putting together the print files for BOXES Comic Magazine Vol. 3. The finished pages have been flowing in from the creators over the last few days and they look amazing. I’m so pleased with how this new issue is turning out!

We are entering the final week of funding on Kickstarter so if you have still to back for your copy, you have until around 12pm (UK time), 9th December to do so.

Preview Pages

I’ve selected four pages from the comics in BOXES Vol. 3 to show you how good this collection is looking. Let’s have a gander!

At Sea by Savannah Storm

Star/Crossed by Elliot Hanks

Murder Ballad by J W Murray and Fran Morton

& Mildred’s Adventures in Unemployment by Millie Strachan

Some top-tier cartooning, I hope you’ll agree!

We are just over 50% funded as I type, so still have a bit to go before the campaign ends on Monday 9th December. Every backer was crucial to getting the last two volumes made so if these pages have wheted your appetite, please consider backing this collection here.

Thanks.

Comic Shows!

Since I last wrote, I’ve had ThirdBear Press at two comic shows.

First up was Thought Bubble which was extremely busy this year, especially the Saturday. It was great to see many of you in person and just immerse myself in talking about comics for a whole weekend!

Thanks to those of you who picked up your pre-orders of Sycamore at the show. This was something I hadn’t tried before so it was a relief when you all showed up to collect them! I may do this again, but just open to anything on the store generally next year. We shall see.

Last weekend was ECAF at the Drill Hall in Leith. It’s small and has a really local vibe that this year, was accentuated by the fact that it coincided with the only day of snow we’ve had so far this winter. We all battled through the weather to get to a baltic hall where our hearts were warmed by people finding their new favourite comics (as well as hot chocolate and later, mulled wine). All in all, a good time!

There’s just one show to go for the year. TAGS, will be this weekend (Saturday 7th December) at the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh. Make sure to pop in if you are in town. This show concentrates on showcasing the small press scene of comics and table top game makers. I had a great time there last year so I’m looking forward to this one.

Links Round-up

Back BOXES Vol. 3 on Kickstarter
Come see us at TAGS Festival (7th December)

All right! That’s all for this time.

Thanks,
Steven

This is a quick one to let youy know that the kickstarter for BOXES Comic Magazine Vol. 3 has just launched!

I’m very excited to bring you this new volume which is once again chock full of work from some the most interesting cartoonists in comics right now.

This new volume features comics from Taran Taylor, Asya Voitenko, KitsuneArt, Fran Morton, J W Murray, Millie Strachan, Savannah Storm, Daniel Bell, Abs Bailey, Elliot Hanks, Steve Thompson and Feff Silvers, with an article about the horror comics of Erika Price by Leo Healy.

All these creators have have brought their A game to what they have been making for the magazine. I’m so pleased with how this issue is turning out!

If this looks like your kind of thing, please consider backing the kickstarter. Crowdfunding like this means we can have the funds in order to pay the creators and printers that bring the book to life, so your support is vital in getting projects like this off the ground.

You can take a look at the funding page here.

Thanks!

Sycamore pre-orders

The first pre-orders for Sycamore will be going in the post on Monday (11th Nov). It’s exciting to be getting this book into peoples hands after its rather convoluted route being in print!

You can still get your copy of the limited run of this beautiful book here. Also, if you want to pick it up from me at Thought Bubble, you can still use the code TBUBPICKUP to remove the shipping at check-out. The code will still be live up until the end of Wednesday (13th Nov).

Upcoming shows

And speaking of Thought Bubble… it’s really soon (16-17th Nov)! You’ll find me in the Redshirt Hall (quite near the entrance) at table B24. It’ll be great to see you there if you’re coming. Make sure to stop by and say hi and we can chat comics for a bit!

After Thought Bubble, I’ll be at two other shows before the end of the year. They are both “home” shows for me in Edinburgh, ECAF (23rd Nov) in Out of the Blue Drill Hall and TAGS (7th Dec) at the Fruitmarket Gallery. Both shows were superb last year and again, they both have strong line ups of exhibitors. They are both free entry as well, so there’s no excuse not to pop in if you are in town!

Links round-up

BOXES Vol. 3 Kickstarter
Sycamore pre-orders
Thought Bubble (16-17th Nov)
ECAF (23rd Nov)
TAGS (7th Dec)

All right, that’s all for now!

Thanks,
Steven

It’s a busy time over at the ol’ ThirdBear Press HQ so let’s just dive into it…

BOXES Vol. 3 Cover reveal

BOXES Vol. 3! Here is the cover for the next issue. It’s by the talented Asya Voitenko who also has a comic in the magazine. I’m very excited about this new issue. There’s so much talent involved.

We have comics from Asya, Taran Taylor, Feff Silvers, J W Murray & Fran Morton, Abs Bailey, Daniel Bell, Savannah Storm, Millie Strachan and Elliot Hanks, with Steve Thompson returning from Vol. 1 and an article on the horror comics of Erika Price by Leo Healy.

Keep an eye on the various ThirdBear Press social medias over the next few days for a sneak peak at everyone’s work.

BOXES Vol. 3 will be having a kickstarter starting in November, so stay tuned for news of that when it launches.

Sycamore - Limited Run

You may have seen that our kickstarter for Sycamore didn’t manage to make it’s goal. While this was a blow, after a bit of consideration, Briggs and I agreed to do a limited print run of the book of 100 copies. Pre-orders are open for it right now and you can grab your copy here.

You don’t want to miss this second chance to get this beautiful book! The pre-orders will be going out in early November. Also, if you are in the UK, will be at Thought Bubble Comic Festival (Nov 16th - 17th) and want to pick your book up directly from me there, you can use the code TBUBPICKUP at the check out to remove the shipping.

It goes without saying, but please only use this code if you are going to pick up at Thought Bubble.  I'd have to cancel your order otherwise and no-one wants that.

Here’s the pre-order link again.

Thought Bubble

Speaking of Thought Bubble, the table maps came out the other day and here’s where you’ll find us… Redshirt Hall table B24. Right near the front of the show!

If you’re coming, make sure to stop by and say hi.

Cartoonist’s Co-op Halloween Horror Comics Bundle

One more thing… The Cartoonist’s Co-op currently has a bundle running of 50 horror comics up on itch.io. You can get Old Man Grey by myself in amongst this host of chilling reads by the likes of Erika Price, Adam Raharjo, Kory Bing and Zach Hazard (among others).

The bundle will be available until November 3rd. Pick it up in time for the spooky season here.

All right! I think that’s all for now. Thanks for reading :)

‘til next time,
Steven

The new book, Sycamore by K. Briggs is still funding on Kickstarter. It still has a fair bit to go to meet the goal, so if it looks like your thing, your taking a look and backing would be very much appreciated.

Briggs has been good enough to answer a few questions about the book and the process they went through in making it.

TBP: Hi Briggs! First up, can you tell us a bit about who you are and what kind of comics you make?

KB: I'm a comic creator, illustrator, and art teacher. I use analog techniques like watercolor, collage, ink, and even sometimes linocut; I love the collaboration between myself and unpredictable materials. I like to experiment with my comics and switch up styles regularly, oftentimes from page to page on larger projects. I tend to make work about whatever's captivating my attention at the moment - processing emotions, Shakespeare, tarot, witchcraft. 

TBP: A lot of Sycamore deals with events that were happening in your life, like your struggles with UK immigration and moving back to the States.  Were the comics made pretty much in order as these things were happening?

KB: Yes, these comics were a way to help me process all of those events in real time. Making them was like taking some time to meditate on what I was experiencing and feeling. Which is another reason why the art styles change so much, I was trying to really capture what those events felt like and who I was in those moments.

TBP: The comics in Sycamore have been made over a number of years, dating back to 2012.  Do you find, looking back over some of the older work that they help you recall specific memories from those times more clearly?

KB: They do! And they help me remember the person I was, if that makes sense. They document the events but they also record who I was. All humans change and grow, but it can happen so subtly sometimes you don't notice. Re-reading old comics I can really see how I've grown as a person and an artist.

TBP: The comics I find most fascinating art-wise in the book are the ones where you have been very experimental with the materials you’ve used.  With these ones do you find yourself making comics out of whatever is at hand or do you source specific things with a comic in mind?

KB: The answer is - both. Like, when I made a comic about visiting PA for the first time in years I made it on the local newspaper. It's a statement of "I am here". And I try to reflect what the comic is about in the materials. A comic about coming to the end of a long journey is peppered with train tickets. Or I used ink I made myself from foraged black walnut husks to make a comic about connecting with nature in a place I otherwise hated. But then sometimes I just let whim do the talking; I might use a material just because it felt right.

Thanks to Briggs for taking the time to answer these questions. You can help bring Sycamore to print by taking a look at and backing the Kickstarter here. Thanks :)

Upcoming Comic Shows

We’ve got a busy schedule of winter comic shows coming up.

Coming up in the next couple of weeks, ThirdBear Press will be at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. I’m really looking forward to this one as, despite it being a tentpole of the UK comic scene, this is the first time I’ll have done the show. It looks like there will be a great range of comics talent as well as UK and International publishers there, so it promises to be an exciting event!

November and December then brings three shows that I had a great time at last year. Thought Bubble is always a highlight of the convention year and then to round out the year we have our home shows Edinburgh Comic Art Fair and TAGS (also in Edinburgh).

If you are going to any of these shows it’d be great to see you!

Bridlington Comic Con

As I’m writing this I’m just back from the first show of the end of year run, Bridlington Comic Con. Here’s me beside a lovely seaside mural.

There was an interesting show in a place that I likely never would have gone without the comic con to lure me in. There was a nice range of comics creators there with Jonny Cannon, Rachael Smith, Sean Azzopardi & Tribute Press among others and the organisers made a good effort to funnel the crowd from the main pop-cultural event floor to the artists alley which is not always the case.

There were lots of people who were more than happy to stop and chat comics for a bit. If that was you, Hi! All in all a fun weekend :)

Links Round Up

Back Sycamore by K. Briggs here.

We’ll be at LICAF, 28-29th September
Thought Bubble, 16-17th November
ECAF, 23rd November
& TAGS, 7th December

Thanks for reading,

Steven

Sycamore will be coming to Kickstarter in early September.  Those interested can sign up on the kickstarter page to be notified just as soon as the project is live.

Along with some new work, Sycamore brings together a selection of Briggs’ autobiographical comics that appeared in their out-of-print collections Magpie and Fox & Heron. The comics cover Briggs’ time living in Scotland and Germany, before dealing with the shock of divorce and transitioning back to their old, but now new life in Pennsylvania.

Briggs creates in a unique style that gives the feeling of a particularly intimate diary. The comics are drawn on scraps of graph paper or old newspapers with train tickets and family photographs adding a scrapbooking reality to the visual memories captured on these pages.

I’m so excited to be bringing this book to you! As mentioned above, anyone interested can sign up to be notified as soon as the kickstarter for Sycamore launches in early September.

Shop Picks

Now for a couple of picks from the ThirdBear Press store.

SokyoX Chapter 3

The latest chapter of Cory Tran’s exciting, fast-paced action manga is now here! In this new chapter, Senshiro faces revelations that make him question what he’s been fighting for all this time.

You can pick up Chapter 3 by itself here, or if you’ve yet to start the series, Sokyo X 1-3 is avalable as a bundle at a special price here.

Four Years

Four Years is the emotional graphic novel by Karen Czap. It follows the journey of Betty Yaris, a woman who is trying to deal with getting older, but still not feeling like a grown-up.

Volumes 1 & 2 of Four Years are available separately here, but we’ve put together a bundle of both volumes at special price that you can get here.

Ok, I think that’s all for now. Remember to sign up to get a reminder when the Sycamore Kickstarter is live!

Thanks,
Steven

PHYSICAL COPY

DIGITAL COPY

I’m so pleased with all the work that the creators put into their comics anf articles. I’m biased, but I think that BOXES is a great showcase of what the comics medium can do as I’ve tried to include a nice range of art styles and story telling techniques. It also shows the depth of talent that makes up the comic scene in the UK right now.

SUBMISSIONS

In other BOXES news, submissions for future volumes is open right now! If you live in the UK and have an idea for a short comic or article about comics I’d love to hear about it! You will find all the info you need right here:

SUBMISSION GUIDE

Shop Picks

Time for a couple of different picks from the ThirdBear Press store.

Chad in Amsterdam by Chad Bilyeu

Chad in Amsterdam collects all six issues of Chad Bilyeu’s critically acclaimed autobiographical comic. In a style reminicent of Hervey Pekar, Chad has worked with a variety of artists to chart his adventures as an American living in Amsterdam. With typical attitude, he attempts to move past the city’s tourist facade to somthing more real underneath.

Pick up your copy right here.

Berzerkid by Mikael Lopez & Gax Vallez

Berzerkid is a story that follows a mysterious girl as she explores the city of Saint Crater, getting down and dirty with its colourful cast of characters as she grapples with her anxious throughts of revenge. It’s intense, fast-paced and doesn’t let up until it’s done!

You’ll find your copy of it here.

OK, that’s all for now.

…

Wait, one more thing. We have a very exciting announcement to make soon, so keep an eye open for that!

OK, that’s really all for now.

‘til next time,
Steven

I hope you’re doing well! The BOXES Vol. 2 Kickstarter is into the last two weeks now and with that in mind I wanted to share with you a few pages from some of the comics to be featured in it.

If you enjoyed the Concept Club’s gang of picky entrepreneurs in Vol. 1, I’m pleased to say they are back with a bunch more off-kilter business ideas in BOXES Vol. 2!

Manon Wright’s The Gatherer is a poignant exploration of remembering the lost. What is the essential part of you that will be remembered by future generations?

Enrico Ariis’ Captain Ishmael comics were a highlight of BOXES Vol. 1 so it’s a real pleasure to have him back with another comic for Vol. 2. Who’s in There? is an unusual science fiction story about a woman trying to keep ahold of the past while on a solo space mission.

These look gorgeous right? There is such a variety of styles and techniques in the comics in BOXES. When curating the magazine, the aim is always to showcase the strength and versatility of the comics medium.

Thanks to everyone who has backed the campaign so far!

If you think it’s a good thing for UK indie comics to have a regular showcase magazine like BOXES, then the absolute best way to support it is to back the book when it’s on Kickstarter. Crowdfunding like this means we can have the funds in order to pay the creators and printers that make the book a reality.

The current campaign currently sits at just shy of 50% funded with two weeks left to go, so any help to get this book over the line would be massively appreciated!

You can have a look at the campaign page here.

Thanks for your support!

‘til next time,
Steven

This is just a very quick one to let you know that I’ve not long ago put BOXES Vol. 2 live on Kickstarter! I’m so proud of the work that all the contributors have put into this issue. It’s going to be so good!

You can have a look at the campaign page here.

If you enjoyed the first volume I’m confident you’ll find comics and articles to interest you in this one as well!

Thanks,

Steven

I hope you’re all doing ok!

Work on BOXES Vol. 2 is continuing apace! The aim is to have this volume funding on Kickstarter in April. If you haven’t already, you can sign up on the Kickstarter pre-launch page to be notified just as soon as it’s live.

I’m really pleased with the work that all the creators have been producing so far and speaking of those creators, let’s introduce them to you now!

Manon Wright

First up we have Manon Wright who's work often centres around themes of empathy and connection. Her comic The Gatherer is a poignant exploration of remembering the lost.

Enrico Ariis

After his Captain Ishmael comics in BOXES Vol. 1, Enrico Ariis returns with a new comic Who’s In There?, an unusual Science Fiction story about a woman who may or may not be being affected by the loneliness of space.

Cath Garvey

Cath Garvey is creator with a love of humour! Her comic follows Bin Juice Babe as she tries to catch the eye of that hot guy who works at Tescos.

Shri Gunasekara

Shri Gunasekara's beautifully illustrated comic When I Say “Love You” is all about the small moments of love we might overlook in our everyday lives.

Julie Campbell

Julie Campbell’s comics focus on the joy to be found in nature. After being in the first volume, she returns in this issue of BOXES with another beautifully illustrated story about birdwatching!

Gareth Brookes

Gareth Brookes is a comics creator whose work includes the graphic novel The Dancing Plague.  He has contributed an article showcasing his love for the esoteric comics of Malcy Duff.

Kai Dylan

Kai Dylan is an exciting new creator with a distinctive art style. His comic Drifting is about feeling lost and finding the will to do something about it.

Sarah Allan

Sarah Allan is another new creator!. She has created a story about a very unusual dinner party where everything may not be as it seems.

Michael Torrens

Michael Torrens is the comic writer behind The Shadow Archives webcomics. He has contributed an article about how, starting from scratch, he went about finding artists to work with.

Kamila Krol

Kamila Krol makes comics and artwork that’s often inspired by dreams and folklore.

You’ll already have seen her beautiful cover art in the last newsletter!

The comic she’s making for BOXES is a beautifully dark tale dealing with the difference between being shaped by the narrative or shaping it.

Mark Brady

Mark Brady returns with more ideas from The Southside Cash Money Concept Club. Expect more off the wall business ideas that hey, could maybe be workable!

Steven Ingram

And lastly, BOXES editor Steven Ingram (that’s me!) has made this wee comic called The Beautiful Sad.

And that’s everyone in this new volume of BOXES. I hope you’ll agree its a pretty great line-up! As I mentioned at the start, I’m really pleased with the work that everyone has produced so far. I just know this volume is going to be *chef’s kiss*

I’ll drop that link to the Kickstarter pre-launch page again while we’re here. :P

Ok, apparently this is near the length limit for a Substack email, so I guess that is all for now!

Until next time,

Steven