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2D: Northern Ireland's Festival of Comics

The European City of Culture 2013 is the site for 2D. Although in its early years, the Derry/Londonderry festival is the closest Northern Ireland has gotten to a proper comics 'con' (if you must), and shows every sign of holding in there.

This year's guest list is as impressive as previously: Pat Mills, Glenn Fabry, Leigh Gallagher, Rufus Dayglo, Garry Leach, Gary Erskine, Colin McNeil, Ilya, Emma Vieceli, Steve White (Titan), Will Simpson, Stephen Mooney, Nick Roche, Davy Francis, Bridgeen Gillespie, Phil Barrett, Maeve Clancy, Stephen Downey, Joe Campbell and the 2D Collective. Oh, and Paddy Brown and myself will be there too.

Details on the event have been slow to emerge and the organiser wasn't available for interview. It appears the Facebook page may be the place to watch having supplied the above details and the following events list:

Tuesday 25th May - Friday 4th June - 2D presents 'Irish Comic Art' exhibition at the Void Gallery.

Thursday 3rd / Friday 4th June daytime - workshops

Friday 4th / Saturday 5th evenings - panel discussions

Saturday 5th - Comics Open Day

Somewhere among all that, "2D will be hosting the Titan Talent Search with Steve White (Titan senior editor). There will be opportunities for portfolio reviews and there will be prizes for the best portfolios. Anyone interested or would like to find out more please get in touch. Full details to be released soon."

In previous years, the Thurdays events have typically been aimed at children and teenagers. On Fridays and Saturdays, the approach is much more all-ages, with these events being held at the Derry Verbal Arts Centre, high up the wall and hill. The Comics Open Day there provides free tables for guests and exhibitors, so for artists on a shoestring budget like myself, it's a godsend. In the evenings, the event is at Sandino's, a traditional Ulster pub, the sort of place historic yarns might be spun and where the smell of booze is a beautiful thing.

To learn more about the feel of the event, the following page contains my recollection of last year's 2D Festival.