The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has revealed some some of the fantastic entries received for its 2019 "Hell of a Comic Art Challenge" from students of the arts and young comic art enthusiasts, who have been creatively exploring the depths Hell to create new comic characters!
The competition, supported by the University of Cumbria, is a tribute to Mike Mignola’s Hellboy. Students are challenged to create their own new character who. despite emerging from the hellish heat and fury of the underworld is, like Hellboy, are a cool force for good.
The challenge offers a devilishly excellent opportunity for comic creators to showcase their talent - and winners could end up being part of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival's tribute exhibition, From the Depths: The Hellboy Comics of Duncan Fegredo. (There are some cool prizes, too).
The entries include Mallory, created by Anne Farron, a young adult who works in a small informal business as a psychic investigator; Crowgirl, created by Cheshire-based animator, illustrator and voice actress Gemma Rickers, a character hatched from a mysterious abandoned egg CrowGirl who appears to be some kind of half-breed; and Babe, created by Arreah Bihary, a character too disobedient for Heaven and too moral for Hell, stuck in the mortal plane with a decision to make - be a hero to humanity and reclaim his original place among the stars, or accept tempting offers and take his recently former position of power in Hell...
From the Depths, running at Kendal's Wildman Gallery from 21st September until 13th October 2019, will delve into Fegredo’s working techniques and uncover how images are summoned from the written script.
Duncan’s work on the Hellboy title Hellboy: The Beast of Vardo will be explored in fascinating detail and the exhibition will also celebrate The Midnight Circus, the Hellboy comic of which Duncan is most proud; along with a host of other material from his own collection.
• Hell of a Comic Art Challenge is open until 30th August 2019. If you know any budding artists or comic art enthusiasts, check out how to enter on the Festival's Hell of a Comic Art Challenge page | View a gallery of some of the entries
• From the Depths: The Hellboy Comics of Duncan Fegredo - Exhibition Information
• The Lakes International Comic Art Festival is back in Kendal in the Lake District 11th – 13th October 2019: www.comicartfestival.com | Podcast | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube
