ComicFest 2024 is Sat 4 May! Register your interest

ComicFest 2024 Website

This May 4th 2024, Wellington City Libraries in association with the National Library of New Zealand, will be celebrating 10 years of ComicFest — join us for this fantastic, and totally free, national celebration of all things comics-related in New Zealand!

Explore the world of cartoons and comics at the National Library of New Zealand in Thorndon! From 9am – 4:30pm, we will be hosting a festival of workshops, talks, comic giveaways, live drawing, and even a children’s cosplay competition!

We’ll be teasing our full line-up of amazing artists in the upcoming month, so save the date and stay tuned!

Register your interest in ComicFest

What? ComicFest 2024!
When? 4 May 2024, 9am – 4:30pm
Where? National Library Wellington,
Cnr Molesworth and Aitken Street

ComicFest 2022: Comics in NZ with Dylan Horrocks

Now the dust has settled on Comic Fest 2022 we can settle  back to reflect on what was  a fabulous, immersive, and truly memorable online celebration of all things comics in New Zealand – what a blast the day was.

If you missed any of the day, or just want to enjoy watching something again, have no fear – we have seven of the segments from the day available to re-watch at any time you wish.

We have a very special session  from New Zealand comics legend Dylan Horrocks. In the resulting far-reaching conversation, which we loosely called “Comics in New Zealand and Memoir”, Dylan discusses a wide variety of comic-related subjects.  A fabulous and fascinating insight into both Dylan’s own creative works and worlds, and also that of the wider comic and graphic community in New Zealand.

Dylan Horrocks is a cartoonist best known for his graphic novel Hicksville and his scripts for the Batgirl comic book series. His works are published by the University of Auckland student magazine Craccum, Australia’s Fox Comics, the current affairs magazine New Zealand Listener from 1995 to 1997, the Canadian publishers Black Eye Comics and Drawn and Quarterly, and the American publishers Vertigo and Fantagraphics Books. He currently serialises new work online at Hicksville Comics.

To watch, visit our Comic Fest 2022 channel here.

ComicFest 2022: Sarah Laing Comics & Memoir

Now the dust has settled on Comic Fest 2022 we can settle  back to reflect on what was  a fabulous, immersive, and truly memorable online celebration of all things comics in New Zealand – what a blast the day was.

If you missed any of the day, or just want to enjoy watching something again, have no fear – we have seven of the segments from the day available to re-watch at any time you wish.

One of our many highlights was the wonderful  Sarah Laing in conversation, during which Sarah  talked about comics in Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as giving a fabulous overview of her work so far in the comics world, not to mention giving us a few sneak peeks into what she is currently working on and planning for the future. It is a fascinating insight into one of our most accomplished artists and unmissable for anyone who is interested in  graphic novels, writing or indeed any of the  associated disciplines and genres linked to these in New Zealand or beyond.

Sarah is a Wellington-based writer and illustrator who has had novels, short stories, and the graphic memoir Mansfield and Me published. Her collection of comics from the past ten years, Let Me Be Frank, was published by VUP in late 2019. She also the co-editor of Three Words: An Anthology of Aotearoa/NZ Women’s Comics and has illustrated a number of children’s books.

View Sarah’s  conversation below, or find it on our Comic Fest playlist.

ComicFest 2022: New Voices, New Perspectives

Now that the dust has settled on ComicFest 2022, we can settle back and reflect on what was a fabulous, immersive, and truly memorable online celebration of all thing’s comics in New Zealand. What a blast the day was!

If you missed any of the day, or indeed just want to enjoy watching something again, have no fear! We have seven of the segments from the day available to re-watch at any time you wish, simply follow this link to our YouTube playlist.

One of our many highlights was our New Voices, New Perspectives  Panel Discussion featuring some of the New Zealand artists at the vanguard of these changes – Mary Guo, Tara Black, Jem Yoshioka, and Sam Orchard.

The world of graphic art is changing at an amazingly rapid pace — a veritable revolution has been happening in recent years. Developments have included: new definitions of what comprises a graphic work, new platforms with global reach for people to view your work and new high-tech tools to create your works. Our fabulous panel discuss the new opportunities for artists, the challenges inherent in these changes, and — finally — how artists go about taking full advantage of these new frontiers.

You can watch this panel by clicking into the link below.

ComicFest 2022: How to draw heroes with Michel Mulipola

Now that the dust has settled on ComicFest 2022, we can settle back and reflect on what was a fabulous, immersive and truly memorable online celebration of all thing’s comics in New Zealand. What a blast the day was!

If you missed any of the day, or indeed just want to enjoy watching something again, have no fear! We have seven of the segments from the day available to re-watch at any time you wish, simply follow this link to our YouTube playlist.

Here we have How to draw hero’s masterclass with Michel Mulipola, a masterclass on comic hero creation from one of the most accomplished figures in the New Zealand / Aotearoa scene. In short, gold dust for anyone interested in creating their own heroes from one of the acknowledged experts.

A comic book illustrator and professional wrestler, Auckland-based Mulipola is a self-taught award-winning artist who has produced illustrations for Learning Media, Lift Education, Reading Warrior and independent US graphic novel series Headlocked. An advocate for comic drawing and creative expression, Mulipola is keen to inspire young talent through regularly visiting schools and running workshops. In 2020 Mulipola published O Le Aiga Samoa with Nafanuatele Lafitaga Mafaufau, the first-ever Samoan language comic book.

Website: http://www.bloodysamoan.com/

Twitter: @bloodysamoan

Instagram: @bloodysamoanart

To watch just click on the link below or visit our Comic Fest 2022 channel by clicking HERE.

ComicFest 2022: From commission to finished project with Giselle Clarkson

Giselle's comic self-portrait

Now that the dust has settled on ComicFest 2022, we can settle back and reflect on what was a fabulous, immersive and truly memorable online celebration of all thing’s comics in New Zealand. What a blast the day was!

If you missed any of the day, or indeed just want to enjoy watching something again, have no fear! We have seven of the segments from the day available to re-watch at any time you wish, simply follow this link to our YouTube playlist.

Now we have a very special workshop, From commission to finished project, with the fabulous, incredibly talented graphic illustrator Giselle Clarkson. All is revealed in this workshop from one of the most accomplished figures in the New Zealand / Aotearoa scene, in short gold dust for anyone interested in taking their work that one step further from one of the most acclaimed artists in the field. It is also incidentally wonderfully entertaining and funny and fun.

Giselle Clarkson is a freelance illustrator and comic artist based near Wellington. Her science illustrations and comics can be found in all sorts of places; from bumper stickers and t-shirts to Auckland Zoo and the NZ School Journal. She publishes a regular comic about children’s books online at The Sapling. Her recently illustrated books for children include The Gobbledegook Book: A Joy Cowley Anthology and Egg and Spoon: An Illustrated Cookbook (Gecko Press).

Website: giselledraws.com

Twitter: @giselledraws

Facebook: @GiselleDraws

To watch just click on the link below or visit our Comic Fest 2022 channel by clicking HERE.