Anarchy Between the Lines May – September 2014 Introduction
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Anarchy Between the Lines May – September 2014 Introduction When you think of British comics, do you The exhibition will touch on pioneering think of the Beano, the Dandy and Viz work from comics ‘pre-history’ including magazine? Well think again. Batman, William Hogarth, Thomas Rowlandson, Ironman, Judge Dredd and the Fantastic James Gillray, George Cruikshank, Four – the resurgence in popularity and political broadsheets and 19th century dominance on the big screen of many magazines such as Punch, The Graphic, American comic heroes are often written and Ally Sloper’s Half-Holiday, then and drawn – by British artists. focus on the vitality of the present-day, including both unique British titles such as UK comic book writers are some of the The Beano, Eagle, Action and 2000 AD, best known in the world, and they have as well as the distinctly British takes on led the way in reclassifying the form as counterculture, punk and dissidence, and literature internationally. Film adaptations on the American superhero genre in titles and advances in production technologies like Watchmen, Batman and X-Men, have recently injected new life into the establishing the UK’s rightful place as genre. Over the same period, there has both an early innovator of comics as well been growing academic interest in the as an ongoing leader in the field. medium as a subject for critical analysis and exploration. The exhibition will be complimented by a programme of workshops, master classes Anarchy Between the Lines: the Tradition and performances allowing the public of Sedition in British Comic Books aims access to creators, encouraging them to encourage visitors to think differently through storyboarding interactives to about the genre and its place within the create their own work. literary and artistic canon. Hardcore comic fans and exhibition- Through the use of video demonstrations goers alike will find something to amuse, of comic production and illustration, fascinate and obsess over. Anarchy graphic projections and film screenings, between the lines opens May 2014 for a filmed interviews and online and tablet four month run to the autumn. comics, the exhibition will chart the social and cultural history of the genre from its past and on to its future. British Library: Anarchy Between the Lines The partnership opportunity The exhibition will offer the opportunity Examples of benefits, dependent upon to see a rich variety of rarely displayed level of partnership interest: material from the British Library’s vast collections, including manuscripts • Full naming rights and printed items such as periodicals, • Branding on all printed and electronic newspapers, books and pamphlets. materials • Onsite branding at the entrance to the Support of the Anarchy Between exhibition gallery, on banners visible to the Lines learning and communities Eurostar travellers leaving St Pancras programme would enable you to International station, and on banners raise awareness of your existing CSR and posters along Euston Road programmes and charitable work. • Inclusion in the exhibition book and its accompanying events programme The British Library works with people • Employee benefits to include staff of all ages and abilities and has worked development workshops related to with a wide range of organisations – exhibition themes from youth clubs and nursing homes to • VIP private event for up to 250 guests disability groups and many more. • Small bespoke VIP private exhibition The Library’s extensive resources, tours and curated ‘show-and-tells’ from education and outreach programmes the Library’s extensive collections would provide development and • Inclusion of corporate details and key engagement opportunities for your staff. messages in press release and media A number of sponsorship options are activity as part of co-developed PR available for discussion ranging from push at key points during the campaign sponsorship of the exhibition design and • 200 complimentary tickets to the build, to the on-site learning programme Library exhibition and events programmes. • Learning sessions tailored to suit your staff training and development objectives. British Library: Anarchy Between the Lines The Exhibition The gallery space itself will be fully Mirth and Mayhem utilised to immerse visitors in the furnace The comic format has repeatedly lent of creativity that are British comics. itself to exploring the boundaries of Artist, filmmaker and sculptor Dave acceptability around violence. We McKean has been invited as exhibition art will place this in its historical context director to feed into the use of the space of violent and sensationalist popular so that the experience is an immersive one literature, and look at public moral for our visitors. outrage against violent and erotic comics, the campaigns led against them, and The nuts and bolts of the creation of attempts at regulation, including the comics will be laid bare, from annotated Harmful Publications Act of 1955. scripts to sketchbooks, alongside rare comic books, digital comics and moving Clash of the classes image material. The use of old and new Portrayal of class stereotypes – upper and material will highlight the ongoing legacy lower – both seriously and humorously, of British comic books. The exhibition with examples of satirical magazines, aims is to reach a broad range of people in newspaper comic strips, underground a dynamic way, directly communicating comics and graphic novels. with the public along a variety of themes. Politics How comics have been used to expose hypocrisy and corruption among politicians, big business and the ruling classes. We examine how the comic strip format has been adopted by some political/ pressure groups as a means of communicating with their target audiences. Sex and Sexualities Questioning the conventional – examples of historical engravings, adult comics, comic strips in newspapers and adult magazines, graphic novels, and original artwork. British Library: Anarchy Between the Lines The Exhibition Utopias and Dystopias Superhero with a thousand faces We’ll show how comics have been used Here we look at the British impact on key to explore contemporary issues by re- US superhero properties (Batman RIP, setting them in a fictional future world. Batgirl crippled, Dr Xavier from X-Men How Britain’s mid-20th century faith in walks), and how British creators took on a technological and scientific future was the American super hero paradigm and reflected in comics, how technology can reinterpreted it. save the world, and the variety of possible futures – good and bad. Brave New World – or Infinite Canvasses (Digital comics) Breakdowns: the Outer Reaches New experimental forms and how comics of the Mind are at the forefront in using the latest Drugs and their effects portrayed – digital technology to create and distribute through dream and nightmarish states. new material. There will be visual representations of madness and Magic journeys – the There will be a programme of events portrayal of occult systems of thought. that will include performances, film screenings, and a series of talks from Cross-pollination writers and collectors supporting the Here we will show the influence of exhibition. We will host workshops and comics on other media, whether through master classes, providing networking adaptation or inspiration, including comic opportunities for up-and-coming books adapted to the big screen, musical authors and artists. A late event which scoring of comic books, British actors will see comics activities take over the portraying American super heroes and whole of the British Library Entrance writers adapting novels to the comic book Hall, including a public studio space for form. We will display original artwork, cartoonists to work in public and interact scores, scripts, sound and film. with visitors. British Library: Anarchy Between the Lines A Selection of Star Objects Items for display may include: • The Beano. Long running children’s • Issue 1 from one of the early comics comic (1938- ); strips focused on class printed in colour, e.g. The Coloured include ‘Lord Snooty and His Pals’, Comic (1898–1906) or in full colour ‘Billy Bunter’ and ‘The Swots and the gravure, e.g. Mickey Mouse Weekly Blots’. (1936–) • The Scourge. Satirical magazine (1811– • One of the first underground comics, 15), containing topical satirical prints e.g. Cyclops (1970) Issue 1 from one of by George Cruikshank. the first celebrity titles, e.g. Dan Leno’s • Oz. The ‘Schoolkids’ issue no. 28 Comic Journal (1898–99) (May 1970) that was the subject of the • Mickey Mouse Annual 1931. First obscenity trial. Disney book published anywhere for • The Rainbow. Issue 1 of the first British retail (US ‘Mickey Mouse Book’ was a comic produced specifically for children promotional give-away). All drawing (1914) are by the British artist Wilfred • Issue 1 from one the contenders for first Haughton. British comic, e.g. Funny Folks (1874– ) • Action comic: scandal and censorship. or Ally Sloper’s Half-Holiday (1884– ) Controversial violent comic Action • An early British graphic novel, e.g. (1976–77), which newsagents refused to When the Wind Blows, by Raymond stock. Briggs (1982) • ‘Tank Girl’ by Jamie Hewlett. Comic strip that originally appeared in the adult comic Deadline (1988–95). • ‘Fat Slags’ in Viz. Comic strip in an irreverent adult comic; grotesque young women obsessed with casual sex (1979– ). British Library: Anarchy Between the Lines The people we reach: Students in formal learning Recognising that the learners of today are Onsite Digital the researchers of tomorrow, the Library’s Our onsite learning programme includes Our digital learning programme at learning programme reaches students a range of free workshops ranging from www.bl.uk/learning has won plaudits in formal learning at all ages and their those which develop creative thinking and major awards, notably for Timelines: teachers. Through our regional partners amongst primary and nursery school sources from History which won both the within the public library network we also age children through to secondary and Nominet and Museum Heritage Award in engage young adults not necessarily in Further Education groups to Higher 2010.