This year’s Caption is taking an educational direction by giving attendees opportunities to speak directly to established creators for guidance and advice on their own projects. For many people, the creative process can be laborious and isolating. Without a support network, virtual or in person, or even just someone on the same wavelength as you, it’s difficult to get constructive feedback that isn’t too dismissive or subjective.
For this year at Caption, we are looking to highlight the way established creators can help up and coming creators, whether in a practical way like storytelling or printing, to more promotional activities with marketing, exhibiting at conventions, and dealing with social media. So for Caption Rebirth, alongside the panels mentioned above and valuable networking opportunities with other creators, we are introducing a limited number portfolio reviews with our volunteer guests.
These will be 20 minute slots throughout the day, with one on one discussions with established creators who have been exactly where you are and have continued to succeed in their own unique ways. The review is informal, without promise of employment, nor bias or agenda- we’re there to help in whatever ways you’re looking for. To that end, they are FREE with a valid ticket for the festival. This is an unique opportunity to spend quality time with professionals.
We expect these portfolio reviews to go quickly on a first come- first served basis, so you can register your interest whilst buying your ticket, just select portfolio review on the dropdown menu when buying. In the 'instructions to seller' field let us know your contact details, 3 preferred professionals and a brief paragraph of what type of advice or help you’re looking for. If you already have a ticket, then email us with your ticket reference number.
Shane Chebsey – publisher and editor of Scratch Comics, home of hit titles such as Hedrek, Dracula The Return, Fully Loaded and Claudia Christian’s Dark Legacies. Shane has been a champion and activist for independent and small press comics for over thirty years in publishing, distribution, and as an organiser of multiple events.
Lucy Sullivan – Creator of Barking from Avery Hill Publishing. Lucy is an Artist/Writer based in London, UK. Her debut graphic novel Barking, based on her own experience of a mental health crisis, was first published in 2020, supported by the National Lottery / Arts Council England funding and co-commissioned by LICAF. Since publication the title has garnered awards, praise from critics and is on the required reading list for UCLA’s Art & Trauma Collegiate Program. A new edition launched with Avery Hill Publishing in 2024, available in US/ Canada for the first time. Lucy’s previous work include a Black Hammer story for Jeff Lemire’s Tales From The Farm, alongside artwork for Metallic Dynamite with Jordan Thomas and The Wishmaker’s Gimcrack with Ram V + Aditya Bidikar, amongst many more. Her new Folk-Horror series Shelter is currently in development. The first story Early Doors is out now. The second story Mothers Ruin is scheduled for publication in 2026. Lucy is also patron of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival and hopes to start a new comic & zine fair in Brighton in the future.
Andy Oliver (Saturday only) Broken Frontier – Andy is the powerhouse behind Broken Frontier, a multiple award-winning web-magazine and a comics community hub with a focus on the worlds of (genuinely) indie, small press, self-published, micro-published and alternative comics. Founded in 2002 in Belgium by Frederik Hautain, the site came under the ownership of then long-time contributor and current Editor-in-Chief Andy Oliver in 2017. Broken Frontier actively seeks out deserving emerging voices in comics to champion their work and bring it to wider audiences. Their annual ‘Six Small Press Creators to Watch’ programme which began in 2015 provides the chosen creators with a year of guaranteed coverage at BF, a mentoring initiative, and multiple opportunities to be a part of Broken Frontier-related comics events, panels and talks.
The Broken Frontier website is just one aspect of BF’s work in championing the form. They have collaborated for many years on the Gosh! Comics and Broken Frontier Drink and Draw, a monthly meet-up with guest artists previously run in-person and currently running online every two weeks (read a history of our Drink and Draw here). BF have also been media partners with the East London Comics and Arts Festival (ELCAF), the Hackney Comic + Zine Fair (HCZF), and the South London Comic and Zine Fair (SLCZF), providing them with extensive dedicated coverage before the festivals. Andy has represented BF as a moderator or panel member on panels at Thought Bubble, ELCAF, the Lakes International Comic Arts Festival (LICAF), the Fast Fictions Festival and others. He has also given presentations on Broken Frontier’s work championing the form at numerous universities, arts groups and events. Broken Frontier is also a co-organiser of the UK and Ireland’s Small Press Day, an annual event that sees around 50 comic stores/venues around the UK and Ireland putting on small press signings, events, workshops and panels to promote comics self-publishing and grassroots creators.
Beck Kubrick (Saturday Only) – Creator of Dead Girls – Beck is a Manchester based creator and one of 2023’s Broken Frontier Six To Watch list. They are best known for Dead Girls: Beach Day (2022), and MEAT4BURGERS: Welcome to Burgertory (2022 to 2024) with Christof Bogacs. Their work has been described as “Sylvia Plath meets Peanuts” and are known for their “dark humor and knowing wit”. Don’t Worry I Die at the End (2023) was voted Best One Shot in Broken Frontier’s 2023 awards. Beck’s self published debut, Coby, Alone (2021) was just shy of 1000% funded via Kickstarter and received nominations for the MICE shorts award and Broken Pencil’s comic awards. They have worked with Mad Cave Studios, Cartoon Network, and Oni Press. Their upcoming work includes two unannounced graphic novels. In their free time, they like thinking about the apocalypse.
Chris Shepherd – Creator of Anfield Road from Titan Comics – Chris Shepherd is an artist, writer, filmmaker, and British comedy legend. He’s done everything—from the 43rd World Stare-out Championships with Paul Hatcher for BBC’s Big Train comedy sketch show to working on music videos for Reverend and the Makers, Holly Johnson, Lambchop (as HeCTA), and The Wave Pictures. He also created animations for BC Camplight, Sara Pascoe, Nathan Barley, et al. He’s won tons of international film awards, including a BIFA and two BAFTA nominations. Chris is also a senior lecturer at Central Saint Martin’s successful Character Animation MA as well as curator and co-founder of Bar Shorts film nights at The Garden Cinema. Anfield Road is Chris’s debut graphic novel.
Dominique Duong (Saturday only) (The Dog & The Cat) – Dominique is an illustrator and comic artist based in London (UK), who creates queer fantasy, horror and romance comics, as well as a little dabbling in autobio. At the core of her work, she is most fascinated in creating stories about damaged people and the dysfunction (as well as the solace) they find in each other. Since her career began, her work has been published by SelfMadeHero, Discord Comics and Quindrie Press, among others. She’s one of Broken Frontier’s Six Small Press Creators to Watch of 2020 and her comic The Dog & The Cat was nominated for an Ignatz Award. She’s worked on editorial and book illustration, theatre set designs, concept art, story-boarding and comics. Currently, she’s working on her debut graphic novel, Patchwork, set to be published by Jonathan Cape in 2026. As well as illustration and comics, she also runs workshops and guest lectures on comics, self-publishing, self-employment, illustration, drawing and tabling at conventions and fairs. She is represented by Rocking Chair Books.
