Dave Gibbons Named UK’s First Comics Laureate
It was announced at the launch of new charity Comics Literacy Awareness (CLAw) at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival on the 17th of October by acclaimed graphic novelist and comic authority Scott McCloud that Bestselling graphic novelist Dave Gibbons is to become the first Comics Laureate.
“It’s a great honour for me to be nominated as the first Comics Laureate,” he says. “I intend to do all that I can to promote the acceptance of comics in schools. It’s vitally important not only for the pupils but for the industry too.”
A Comics Laureates role is to be appointed twice-yearly to a notable artist or comic writer in recognition of their achievements in their fields. They will support children’s literacy through training events for school staff, school visits and education conferences.
Dave Gibbons has had universal admiration for his graphic novel and comics work for both Marvel and DC Comics which include his revolutionary Watchmen (with Alan Moore) along with Doctor Who and 2000AD.
CLAw – Comics Literacy Awareness is a newly formed charity in the UK and was formed by a group of experience professionals that are passionate about their different fields of education and comics. Its main aim is to heighten the literacy of children and promote the vast variety and quality of the comics and graphic novels that are available nowadays – in particular within the education sector.
CLAs’s Board trustees has a list of renowned professionals that includes the world celebrated graphic novelist Bryan Talbot who was the winner of the Best Biography for Dotter Of Her Father’s Eyes in the 2012 Costa Awards which was a collaborations with his wife Mary Talbot. Other trustees include Ian Churchill writer/artist on Image Comics Marineman and a comic book artist for DC and Marvel; Emma Hayley, Publisher and Managing Director of the UK independent graphic novel company SelfMadeHero; Dr. Mel Gibson, senior lecturer at Northumbria University; Julie Tait, Director of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival and Paul Register, founder of the Stan Lee Excelsior Award.
For more information on CLAw – Comics Literacy Awareness – www.claw.org.uk
