Two days in Newton Poppleford primary produced some lovely comics, working with pretty well the whole school full, year 3 to 6. A return booking, they'd waited two years and grown almost a new school's worth of kids since last time, and what an imaginative bunch they were.
Okay, two comics with Shut Up in the title isn't big or clever, and one cover about shooting and another one about suicide may not be that impressive either. Pah. Who knows what evil lurks in the minds of primary school kids?
Here was a treat, me doing my Comic Art Masterclass at the Cheltenham Literary Festival, arranged very kindly by The Beano, who also organised Beanos galore to be given to the kids free. I did a class in the morning, followed by an hour long talk in the afternoon, after which I signed over 200 Beanos. Which, by the way, didn't have anything by me in!
I could do more of this talking from a stage lark. They'd sold more than 200 tickets for this baby, with me doing the best of my workshop spiel, with ad libs, audience questions and a very funny running joke that started with a toddler in the balcony appearing to keep shouting "bear" at random moments. Hev pointed out afterwards that it lacked structure, and if I get the chance again I could shape this much more into a talk with a purpose, rather than a workshop with the work taken out.
And of course the fact that it sold 200 tickets is more down to The Beano and the Cheltenham Literary Festival than to me. But it would be worth investigating whether this is something that we could offer again. Let us see.
The six celebrities chosen by these 5 groups and one talk audience were Donald Trump (three times), Taylor Swift, and then two most original suggestions: from Year 4 Adam West; and from a pupil in Year 3 (then voted for by the rest of the class) Kojak! I know.
Kev F Sutherland, as well as writing and drawing for The Beano, Marvel, Doctor Who et al, runs Comic Art Masterclasses in schools, libraries and art centres - email for details, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. View the promo video here.
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