Things To Do In London In October 2026 If You Like Comics

Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Absolute Batman, cartoon museum, Donut Comics, forbidden planet, gosh, london, mcm, Quentin Blake Centre, waterstones

Things To Do In London In October 2026 If You Like Comics

Things To Do In London In October 2026 If You Like Comics from MCM to Gosh to Forbidden Planet to the Cartoon Museum to Absolute Batman

October in London is thick with comics. The month opens with panels on disability and neurodiversity and moves into a Big Draw launch, a Day of Dredd with John Wagner, old-school comic dealing at the Comic Mart and the Cartoon Museum.MCM Comic Con returns to ExCel, and a steady run of book launches and signings at Gosh Comics from Beck Kubrick‘s Dead Girls to Avery Hill’s double bill of Kristyna Baczynski and Darryl Cunningham. Forbidden Planet hosts signings that range from Bob Gale on Back to the Future to Jasper Fforde‘s final Thursday Next novel and a Long Halloween of Dark Judges, Absolute Batman and Parliament of Rooks. Workshops run throughout the half-term at the Cartoon Museum and Waterstones, with comic-making for children and families and quieter, more relaxed sessions for those with sensory differences.Alongside them sit one-off evenings on embroidered graphic novels, online sperm donation comics, and Ode to Joy with Sarah Gavron and Sophie Herxheimer. And ends with Mark Stafford‘s Drink And Draw…

Thursday, 1st of October

• Panels & Perspectives: Disability and Neurodiversity in Comics by SelfMadeHero x Symbola, City St George’s, University of London, College Building 6-8 pm. Francisco de la Mora, Gemma Plum & Zara Slattery explore disability and neurodiversity in comics. Chaired by Dr Ernesto Priego (City HCID).

Friday, 2nd of October

• Making Your Mark: Creativity, Impact and Social Responsibility, Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, 1 Myddelton Passage, Clerkenwell, 6.15-8pm (doors 6pm). Panel with Greg Bunbury, Joey Yu and MURUGIAH launching The Big Draw Festival 2026.
• Comic and Manga Creators Group London, 7.30-9pm, Meltdown London, 342 Caledonian Road, Islington

Saturday, 3rd of October

• Day of Dredd with Laura Bailey, Siliva Califano, Boo Cook, Dan Cornwell, Simon Davis, Chris Weston, Ben Willsher and John Wagner, Forbidden Planet London Megastore, Shaftesbury Avenue, Covent Garden, 2-3.30 pm. Celebrating Judge Dredd with 2000 AD creators. Laura Bailey, Siliva Califano, Boo Cook, Dan Cornwell, Simon Davis, Chris Weston, Ben Willsher and the co-creator of Judge Dredd himself: John Wagner. Maximum three personal items for signing.
• Day of Dredd with Liam Sharp and Rob Williams, Forbidden Planet Camden, 18 Inverness Street, 12.30-1.30 pm. Celebrating Judge Dredd with 2000 AD creators with Liam Sharp and Rob Williams. Maximum three personal items for signing.

• The Big Draw 2026 Launch: Make a Mark, Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, Clerkenwell, 11 am-4pm. With a mix of free drop-in activities, bookable workshops and exhibition tours, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Contribute to a giant collaborative artwork in the garden with Alex Bowie, Play with Colour with Marion Deuchars and Thames & Hudson in Deeney’s Cafe, experiment with collage with Joey Yu, and more. Marion Deuchars will be doing book signings between 12-12:30pm and 2-2:30pm in the bookshop.
• Curator Tour – Quentin Blake: Performance. Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, Clerkenwell, 11 am. Explore Quentin Blake: Performance in a 45 minute guided tour led by a Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration curator.
• London Graphic Novel Club, Maida Vale Library

  Come and spend an afternoon reading from a collection of graphic novels, comics and zines with other comic enthusiasts The event will be divided into 2 age groups under 15 and over 15. Suitable for 7 or older. Uner 8’s cannot be left alone.

• OverBoard London – games, films, comics & geek culture, The Thirsty Bear, Stamford Street, Southwark, 2-8pm

Sunday, 4th of October

• David Shrigley: Creative Writing. King’s Place, 7.30-9 pm. Live on stage at Kings Place as he discusses a life making iconic art and his new foray into creative writing. He will also answer your questions in the audience Q&A.

Monday, 5th of October

• An Evening with Sarah Gavron and Sophie Herxheimer, Waterstones Trafalgar Square 7 pm. Join us for an evening of history and hope as we welcome filmmaker Sarah Gavron and artist-poet Sophie Herxheimer in celebration of their collaborative graphic novel Ode to Joy. Following Sarah’s father-in-law, Ib Katznelson, and his family’s experience of the Holocaust, this epic graphic novel contains all of life, from its darkest moments to its most surprising joys. Chaired by Bidisha, the pair will also be joined at the event by Ib himself

Tuesday, 6th of October

• Online Sperm Donation Project: Comic Book and Film Launch, The Old Street Gallery, 6-8 pm. The launch of our comic book and short film, New Ways of Creating Families. A launch event produced as part of our four-year ESRC-funded research project on online sperm donation. Join us to view the comic exhibition, watch the film, and chat with members of the research team and others involved in the project. The comic book was produced by the whole research team and designed and illustrated by Monique Jackson. The film was created by David Carless and features verbatim participant stories, voiced by actors.
• ‘The Sad Ghost Club’: Not-Private View, Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, Fitzrovia, 6-8.30 pm. Opening late event for Lize Meddings’ exhibition, including original pages from Book 1, and never-before-shared work, with book signings (including Volume 5).

Wednesday, 7th of October

• Little Owls Storytelling, Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, 1 Myddelton Passage, Clerkenwell, 1:45PM – 2:45PM. Free Drop In. Aimed at under 5s and families.
• Introduction to Illustration with Lily Kong (final session if running), Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, Clerkenwell, 5-7pm
• Creating Comics with Purpose with Cathy G Johnson (continuing sessions), Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, Clerkenwell, 6-8pm

Thursday, 8th of October

• No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics Screening and Q&A, Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, Clerkenwell, 6:30-8:30 pm. A documentary telling the story of five pioneering LGBTQ cartoonists, Alison Bechdel, Jennifer Camper, Howard Cruse, Rupert Kinnard, and Mary Wings, followed by a talk and Q&A with the film’s producer, Justin Hall.
• Penn Cole signing Burn Of The Everflame, Forbidden Planet London Megastore, Shaftesbury Avenue, 5.30-6.30pm. Ticketed (£5 redeemable against purchase).

Friday, 9th of October

• Dead Girls Launch Party With Beck Kubrick, Gosh Comics, Berwick Street, Soho, 7-9pm. As seen in Adventure Time and Rick & Morty.
  Comic and Manga Creators Group London, 7.30-9pm, Meltdown London, 342 Caledonian Road, Islington

Saturday, 10th of October

• OverBoard London – games, films, comics & geek culture, The Thirsty Bear, Stamford Street, Southwark, 2-8pm

Sunday, 11th of October

• Bob Gale signing Back to the Future: The Complete Screenplay, Forbidden Planet, Covent Garden, 3-4.30 pm.
• London Comic Mart, Royal National Hotel, 38-51 Bedford Way, Russell Square, 11am-4pm. Long-running dealer fair for back issues, original art, British and American comics. Early entry usually paid; free later.

Wednesday, 14th of October

• Jasper Fforde Signing Dark Reading Matter, Forbidden Planet London, Covent Garden, 2-3pm
• Little Owls Storytelling, Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, 1 Myddelton Passage, Clerkenwell, 1:45PM – 2:45PM. Free Drop In.
• Creating Comics with Purpose with Cathy G Johnson (final session), Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, Clerkenwell, 6-8pm
• Reads : Ice Cream Man, Gosh Comics monthly after-hours comics reading group, Berwick Street, Soho, 7-9pm.

Thursday, 15th of October

• LD Comics x Cartoon Museum: meeting creators and each other, Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, Fitzrovia, 7-8.30pm (doors 6.30pm). Yu-Ching Chiu and Hayley Gullen in conversation, hosted by Moi Tu. £12.
• Jasper Fforde signing Dark Reading Matter, Forbidden Planet London Megastore, Shaftesbury Avenue, 2-3pm. Final Thursday Next novel. Ticketed.

Friday, 16th of October

• The Grand Bug Hotel Launch Party With Ollie Silvester from Cicada Books, Gosh Comics, Berwick St, Soho, 7-9 pm.
• Comic and Manga Creators Group London, 7.30-9pm, Meltdown London, 342 Caledonian Road, Islington

Saturday, 17th of October

• OverBoard London – games, films, comics & geek culture, The Thirsty Bear, Stamford Street, Southwark, 2-8pm

Sunday, 18th of October

• Lee Valley Comic Con, Lee Valley Athletics Centre,, 9am-4.30pm. Retro toys, Pokémon, cosplay competition, charity auction. Guests include Colin Baker and Graham Humphreys. Kids under 12 free.
• Comic-Making & Drawing Workshop with Phil Corbett, Waterstones Greenwich, 10 am. Hands-on workshop inspired by Ghost and Toast. Ages 7+

Tuesday, 20th of October

• Black History Month Workshop: Make Your Own Comic by Republic London, Common Room, Export Building, Noon-2 pm. Comic-making with illustrator Skai Khari Joshua Campbell, from characters to storytelling. A free lunchtime drop-in, aa comics workshop for students, staff and local residents, looking at how our relationships with nature connect with race and class. Start by drawing yourself as a non-human being, take a short walk to the water gardens between the Import and Export buildings (if it’s dry) to gather ideas and talk about reinventing folklore, then turn it all into a short comic of your own to take home.

Wednesday, 21st of October

• Little Owls Storytelling, Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, 1 Myddelton Passage, Clerkenwell, 1:45PM – 2:45PM. Free Drop In.
• Paul Tremblay signing Dead But Dreaming Of Electric Sheep, Forbidden Planet London Megastore, Shaftesbury Avenue, 5.30-6.30 pm.

Thursday, 22nd of October

• Emergency Troopers,Soho, from 6pm. Those who know, go
• Ode to Joy – an evening with Sophie Herxheimer and Sarah Gavron, Chener Books, 7-9 pm. This epic graphic novel contains all of life, from its darkest moments to its most surprising joys. ‘What a book! It is a wonder, every bit of it. The words. The images. The tone. The characters. And as an object in itself. Warm, humane, painful, beautiful: extraordinary’ Philippe Sands, author of East West Street

Friday, 23rd of October

• Embroidered Graphic Novels with Dr Gareth Brookes, City of Westminster Libraries & Archives, Westminster Music Library, 6.30-7.30 pm. As the Bayeux Tapestry goes on display in London, comics scholar and graphic novelist Dr Gareth Brookes talks through his embroidered graphic novel The Dancing Plague, discusses medieval mysticism, describes working with historians to accurately depict mystical visions, and considers whether the Bayeux Tapestry itself should be considered a comic.
• MCM Comic Con London, ExCeL London, Royal Docks, Priority/Weekend from 10am, General from 12 pm, until 6pm . Critical Role panel and huge guest list across comics, anime, gaming, TV and film. Artist Alley, Cosplay Central, Creator Pavilion and more. Comics guests: Armstrong Biggs, Art By Al Jerek, Cary Nord, Crystal Sully, Eren Angiolini, Hamish Steele, Lee Garbett, Lee Townsend, Marc Ellerby, Nigel Parkinson, Patrick Mulholland, Picolo, Rachael Smith, Steve Tanner, Warwick Fraser-Coombe. Comics Publishing 101: 10 years of Blue Fox Comics 3 pm, Artist Alley Stage
• Comic and Manga Creators Group London, 7.30-9pm, Meltdown London, 342 Caledonian Road, Islington

Saturday, 24th of October

• Peng and Spanners: Doctor Biscuits Signing With Steve Webb, Gosh Comics, Berwick St, Soho, 1-2 pm.
• Cavan Scott Signing Godfather Of Hell. Forbidden Planet London Megastore, Shaftesbury Avenue, 2-3 pm.
• MCM Comic Con London, ExCeL London, Priority/Weekend from 9am, General from 11am, until 7pm. Full day of panels, signings, shopping and cosplay. FFaces with a Feeling 10am, Artist Alley Stage. Seiorai is a self-taught digital artist who’s spent years figuring out what makes light actually feel like light. ThE ToYMAKeR’s Key, 11am Creator Stage. Look into the heart of ThE ToYMAKeR’s Key a bold, interconnected universe.
• How To Make Awesome Donut Comics with Neill Cameron, Waterstones, Conway Hall, Noon,

  Neill Cameron (Donut Squad, Mega Robo Bros and Freddy vs School) will take children (and adults) on a fully interactive fun ride through all thing’s comics. Neill will show you everything you need to know about making comics, from coming up with ideas, creating characters and how to draw pretty much EVERYTHING – including Donuts! Neill will also lead a live draw-a-long and invite children (and adults) to join in by creating their own characters so please do come with some paper, or a sketch book and pencils/pens.

• OverBoard London – games, films, comics & geek culture, The Thirsty Bear, Stamford Street, Southwark, 2-8pm

Sunday, 25th of October

• MCM Comic Con London, ExCeL London, Priority/Weekend from 10am, General from 12pm, until 5pm. Yen Press Industry Panel, Artist Alley Stage. Noon. ThE ToYMAKeR’s Key Graphic Novel. Artist Alley Stage. 1pm.

Monday, 26th of October

• Relaxed Monday, Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, Fitzrovia, 11am-1.30pm and 3-4.30pm. Free (booking essential) quieter sessions for families with autism spectrum conditions or sensory differences, including drop-in drawing.

Tuesday, 27th of October

Create a Comic Strip, Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, Fitzroters and then draw them in a one-page comic strip story. 8-14

Wednesday, 28th of October

• Caricatures – Fun with Faces, Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, Fitzrovia. 11 am – 12.30 pm. Using simple lines and shapes, draw some famous comic characters and real-life people as cartoons. Learn special techniques for drawing cartoon faces and take part in a fun competition where you could win a special prize! 8-14
• Little Owls Storytelling, Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, 1 Myddelton Passage, Clerkenwell, 1:45PM – 2:45PM. Free Drop In.

Thursday, 29th of October

• Avery Hill Double Launch Party With Kristyna Baczynski and Darryl Cunningham, Gosh Comics, Berwick St, Soho, 7-9pm. Releasing Another Realm and John of the Night.
• Mythical Manga. Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, Fitzrovia. 11 am-12.30 pm. Manga and anime are filled with dragons, humans that turn into dragons, and other strange and wonderful creatures. In this workshop you’ll learn how to draw different types and feature them in a page of story artwork.8-14
• Cartoon Museum Halloween Party, Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, Fitzrovia, from 6.30pm.
  Join us for a Halloween Party with a twist. Tying in to our Does My Head Look BIG in This? The Art of Portrait Caricature exhibition but with more ghosts. The Museum will be open until 9pm so you can have an after-hours browse of our exhibitions, drop-in mask-making, a bar and much more to be announced soon!

Friday, 30th of October

• The Dark Emporium: Books, Beans, & Beats, Bank of England Museum, 10 am – 7.30 pm. The Dark Emporium returns to the Bank of England Museum this October, and this year, it’s an all-day affair. You’ll see the Museum’s Stock Office come to life with a Halloween-themed market selling books and handmade wares from vendors across the UK. From literary apothecaries and graphic novels, to ghoulish stationery and coven magazines, this little market will be an extravaganza to remember.
• Make a Mini-Comic, Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, Fitzrovia. 11 am – 12.30 pm Lots of comic creators got started by making mini-comics. Learn how to create your own characters and draw them into a special booklet that you’ll easily be able to make copies of to give to your friends. 8-14
• Comic-Making & Drawing Workshop with Phil Corbett, Waterstones Kensington, 130 Kensington High Street, from 2pm. Hands-on workshop inspired by Ghost and Toast. Ages 7+.
• Comic and Manga Creators Group London, 7.30-9pm, Meltdown London, 342 Caledonian Road, Islington

Friday, 31st of October

• Drink and Draw Halloween Special, Gosh Comics / Royal George, Soho, from 6.30pm. With Broken Frontier, Mark Stafford and guest artists Zen K. and Shane Melisse. Costumes encouraged.

• Forbidden Planet’s Long Halloween, Forbidden Planet London, Covent Garden, 12:30 to 4:30 pm. Signings from:
  Abigail Jill Harding and Richard Starkings signing Parliament of Rooks from Ablaze, 12:30 – 1:30pm
  Alex Paknadel and Salvador Lavado signing the SCREAM! Halloween Special, Kek-W and Dave Kendall signing The Dark Judges: The Fall Of Deadworld: Omnibus, 2-3pm
  Lee Garbett signing Daredevil #8, and launching two Forbidden Planet exclusive Absolute Batman #25 covers, 3.30-4.30 pm.

• ONLY OLD SCHOOL GOODS presents: COMIC DAY, Cartoon Museum, Wells Street. Noon – 5:30 pm. A full day dedicated to comics, collecting and the stories behind the books.

  THE COMIC SALE Expect a huge mix of comics from every era, collected and curated by Only Old School Goods.

  HOW TO BUY & SELL COMICS : SEMINAR At 4pm we’ll be giving away the trade secrets. We’ll talk through how we actually buy and sell comics, what we’ve learned from doing it, the successes we’ve had and the mistakes we’ve made along the way.

  COMIC APPRAISALS Got comics sitting at home and no idea what they’re worth? Bring them along.

• Halloween Graphic Novels Special Giveaway, Kensal Library, 9.30am-5pm. Come join us at Kensal Library for Halloween fun, come in your costumes and get a free comic, cupcake and Graphic Novels shop.

Ongoing Exhibitions And Events

• Does my head look BIG in this? The art of portrait caricature until 1st of November, Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, Fitzrovia.

  Provocative, insightful, and rude, the caricaturist hilariously reflects the society we live in, who we choose to vote for, and the personalities we celebrate. Visitors are invited to celebrate the art of portrait caricature from its origins in Renaissance Italy to its outrageous Golden Age in 18th century England and into its popularity in the present day. This exhibition is made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players.

• Exhibit: Well Actually: An Accurate Enough Collection until 4th of October, Cartoon Museum, Wells Street, Fitzrovia.

  A collection of comics that Madeline Horwath did the research for! From Medieval poetry to Medieval diseases to Medieval art, this expansive collection of topics will have no survivors! Madeline ‘Mads’ Horwath is a cartoonist and humorist who sold their first cartoon to The New Yorker in 2019. They use their dark sense of humor to make comics about history. Since they’ve begun cartooning, they became a regular with The New Yorker, LA Times, and Chicago Reader before focusing their full attention to becoming a regular cartoonist for The Guardian in 2025. Having made a few cartoons go massively viral, they are able to balance out making personal work and freelance work for institutions like The Wellcome Trust in England. Currently, Madeline is working on a humorous art history book set to come out in 2027.

• The Sad Ghost Club by Lize Meddings, Cartoon Museum, from 6th October-6th December. The Cartoon Museum hosts a showcase of Medding’s artwork, including original pages from Book 1, and never-before-shared work.
• Quentin Blake: Performance, Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, 1 Myddelton Passage, Clerkenwell, until April 2027. Over a hundred original drawings exploring theatrical influences, including Macbeth characters as birds.
• Queer as Comics, Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, 1 Myddelton Passage, Clerkenwell, until 1st November

  The first major exhibition on queer comic-making in the UK, depicting stories of fantasy, identity and resistance told across time by queer comic-makers. Spanning the 1940s to the present day, this first major exhibition of LGBTQIA+ comic-making in the UK will feature rarely displayed original artwork from comics, strip cartoons, graphic novels and zines. Most artworks are on display for the first time ever, with over 60 artists featured, ranging from underground creators to influential icons. It has been created by guest curator Paul Gravett and supported by an Advisory Board panel.

• Faerdom: Now, As Ever, Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, Clerkenwell, from 23rd October into 2027 by London-based duo Vince Ibay and Jessica Miller, who work together as Fromm Studio. Through playful encounters with animated figures of ancient legend and myth, the exhibition explores how the digital landscape is shaping our modern lives.
• MURUGIAH: Ever Feel Like… at the Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, 1 Myddelton Passage, Clerkenwell until 4th of October
  .A kaleidoscopic exploration of identity through vibrant prints, paintings and sketches inspired by Hollywood film, sci-fi and 2000s era pop-punk and will immerse visitors into the British-Sri Lankan illustrator and designer’s world. MURUGIAH: Ever Feel Like… is supported using public funding by The National Lottery through Arts Council England, with major support by the Bagri Foundation, and sponsored by Procreate.
• Library display: Sophy Hollington, Quentin Blake Centre Of Illustration, Clerkenwell, until 31st of December. Free rotating display of linocuts.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!