Donald Trump vs Batman - comics by kids for World Book Week

Last week was World Book Week, including Thursday as World Book Day, and it's the week every year that makes me wish I could clone myself. I could have been in 10 different schools on Thursday, I had to turn down so many requests for school visits with my Comic Art Masterclasses.

So it was ironic that I ended up only visiting schools for 4 days out of the 5, with one day reserved for travelling to Ireland. Monday I was in Aylesbury, Wednesday was Rathdrum County Wicklow, Thursday itself I had to make it all the way up to Darlington (to work in the Library, who'd bagged the Big Day by dint of having booked me a whole year in advance), then on Friday I was in Levenshulme in Manchester. The kids produced some great comics, here's what they look like with a bit of colour added.

It was a treat getting to work with slightly older pupils at Avondale College in Rathdrum, as you can see from their comics. Yes, there was actually a pupil who name-checked Jack Kirby. And when the class chose Kicked To The Kirby as their comic's title, I also learned who the games character Kirby is, or at least what he looks like.

Finally we have the comics from the kids in Alma Park, Levenshulme. By the time I got home on Friday night, I'd flown to Dublin, driven to Wicklow & back, got home at 11.30 Wednesday night then set off for Darlington at 5am the following morning, driving for 8 hours and teaching for 4, staying over in Manchester and getting home in time for Only Connect (which is now on The Wrong Night, but that's a subject for another blog). I haven't totted up the miles, but I think those 5 days comprised 24 hours travelling and 22 hours teaching. It's good to be popular.

The celebrities these 6 groups chose to appear in my demonstration strip were Barack Obama, Morgan Freeman, George Clooney, Kim Kardashian, Donald Trump, and Will Smith. (Simon Cowell continues his non-appearance, in contrast to previous years).

Comic Art Masterclasses coming up in 2017:

Mar 18 - Prema Arts, Gloucestershire
April 5 - Rickmansworth Library
April 10 - Zion, Bristol
May 1 - Chiddingstone Castle Kent 
May 7 - Dorchester Festival
May 11 - Guernsey Literary Festival
Jun 4 - Martlets Hall Burgess Hill 

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.