Are YOU one of the dozen writers in Ireland NOT attending the Cúirt International Festival of Literature this coming Tuesday 21st April? If so, may I present the island's second hottest ticket - me!!
I'll be chatting to @daramcwade about cartoons and comics, giving you an intro to the medium (what ARE comics anyway?!) and we'll do a good bit of drawing to get you thinking about how your writing practice might embrace the wonderful language of images! Wow!
Sound good? Great! Get yourself over to da link to secure a spot now. It's Free!™
✍️‼️OPEN CALL TIME‼️✍️
Looks like that Sisyphean boulder 🪨 has rolled allll the way back down 👇 the hill - won't you help us get it back up again? 😮💨
That's right - "the ball is rolling" on a THIRD edition of our critically-acclaimed* local** alternative*** comics anthology LOW INTENSITY and we're hoping to pass a good chunk of the labour onto YOU 🫵
We're looking for 1-12 page comics of any and all topic and tone, preferably complete pieces from a single author (ie not excerpts or teams) intended for print at A4. More details above, and as ever if you have something you believe in that almost-but-not-quite fits, please get in touch.
Deadline for submissions is July 1st 2026, book to follow later in the year. All are welcome to submit including new and returning contributors, and based on the volume of submissions made for our second issue we regret that not everything put in may be printed.
As ever, we look forward to reading your comics!
⏰⚠️🚨 AVAILABLE ONLINE NOW 🚨⚠️⏰
This is no April Fool - the second issue of critically-acclaimed* local** comics anthology LOW INTENSITY is now available to purchase online, as is our first solo book NO, MEAN CITY!
Whether you missed our packed-out book launches last year, or just loved your copy so much you need five more, RUN don't walk to the "l1nk in the b1o" to get your mitts on some excellent print books through the twin miracles of digital and postal infrastructure WHILE YOU STILL CAN
Stocks of LOW INTENSITY 1 (now on it's third printing!) have also been replenished!
And, we'll have an exciting announcement tomorrow... Stay tuned 👀...
Hello folks!! 🚨 Announcement time!! 🚨 Belfast Comic Jam is back, kicking off our fourth year in a brand new venue, @hustle_belfast ! ☕🎸💀
We'll be down Thursday 26th March 7-9pm for all the usual fun - casual, collaborative comics creation!
Free event, all welcome, no matter how well you think you can or cannot draw. Basic materials provided, feel free to bring your own pens pencils etc. ✍️
The café will still be open so you should defo plan on grabbing a wee coffee or a cola or three, and you can BYOB if you fancy. ☕🥤🍷
So whether it's your first jam or your thirty-third, come down, bring a pal, and have some craic making comics with the friendliest bunch! 🎉
See you all there!!
poster by @andrewrpope (who might have a couple copies to flog on the night 👀)
🎁 LOCAL COLOUR COMICS SAVES CHRISTMAS! 🧑🎄
Last-minute shoppers! Have you been casting around for the perfect stocking stuffer for the discerning comics reader in your life and coming up empty? Well look no more!
The second issue of our anthology Low Intensity is now available from these retailers in Belfast!
For everyone else, it will be available online in the new year, so stay tuned!
Thank you to all who came out last week to our launch party for Low Intensity 2. These pics do not do justice to the energy in the room, what a great night! Thanks again to @hustle_belfast and @probpatterns and all of our contributing artists!
If you missed your first chance to grab a copy of Low Intensity 2, fear not! It'll be available online soon, and in a few select retailers even sooner than that. Keep your eyes peeled for details!
OUR FINAL CONTRIBUTORS: ANDREW POPE & KATHRYN MCGRANE
@andrewrpope is a cartoonist from Belfast. He runs @localcolourcomics where he edits and publishes Low Intensity, plus other comics like Warp Spasm (2021) and No, Mean City! (2025). His father’s family left the Woodvale after receiving an Ignatz through the parlour window, but he’s not got anything himself just yet.
@bull_leaper is a comic artist from the North of Ireland. Her work has been featured in @outburstqueerarts anthology catflap and @dublincomicarts Ignatz-nominated anthology Home.
Together, they've been running @belfastcomicjam for the last three years, and they'd both love to see you at the launch of our second anthology TOMORROW EVENING, 7-10pm at Hustle, Rosemary Street Belfast!
TODAY'S FEATURED ARTIST: DEIRDRE ANNA ROSE KELLY
@deirdre_anna_rose is from Letterkenny and lives in Belfast. She is a member of the Duncairn Arts Centre's Creative Collective and has had her writing featured on BBC Radio Ulster. Aside from writing and drawing she likes to swim in the sea, play football very badly, and go to the cinema.
Her story There's A Lot to See If Only You Look rounds out the second issue of our anthology Low Intensity - and you can read it yourself by picking up a copy at our launch night on Thursday night, 7-10pm in Hustle, Rosemary Street Belfast!
See you there!!
TODAY'S FEATURED ARTIST: TITCH DIXON
@titchdixonillustration makes comics and illustrations in her spare time. Her story Windy Day is an attempt to portray the unique peace and contentment of childhood family holidays to Wales, surrounded by sheep with cold cheeks and up to her ankles in mud.
You can read it yourself by picking up a copy of Low Intensity's new second issue at our launch on Thursday night, the 4th December, from 7 til 10 at Hustle on Rosemary Street, Belfast.
See you there!!
TODAY'S FEATURED ARTIST: LEANNE MCWILLIAMS
@leannetrea is a Belfast-based illustrator creating art about films, feminism, and the occasional existential crisis. If it’s weird, she’s probably drawing it. If it’s not weird, she’ll make it weird.
Leanne's story An Fear Glas features in the second issue of our anthology Low Intensity, and you can read it for yourself by picking up a copy at our launch night on Thursday 4th December, 7-10pm at Hustle on Rosemary Street Belfast.
See you there!
TODAY'S FEATURED ARTIST: JESS LILA WOOD
@jesslilawood is an illustrator from County Tyrone currently studying at the University of Falmouth, Cornwall. Her work centres on folklore, mythology, identity, culture, intersectionality and growth. She has made work for the Women’s Environmental Network, looking at Bangladeshi food culture in East London, and for the Save Our Sperrins campaign.
Jess's piece Terminal One is the seventh story in our second issue, and you can read it for yourself at our launch on Thursday 4th December, 7-10pm at Hustle, Rosemary Street Belfast! Details above and in our bio.
See you there!!
🚨 ONE WEEK TO GO! 🚨
On Thursday 4th December, 7-10pm at Hustle on Rosemary St Belfast, Local Colour Comics will be proud to present the second issue of our anthology Low Intensity, featuring 80 pages of comics from more than 11 artists!
And to help us celebrate, we'll have a set from our musical guests @probpatterns !
💷 Free on the doors, books £15, details above and eventbrite in our bio!
Tune back in to Local Colour Comics' account tomorrow as we continue with our artist features, and see you all in a week!! Yippee!
