THOUGHT BUBBLE MONTH 2025! In a more just universe Mark Stafford would be one of the industry’s most sought after and renowned cartoonists. His work, with its singular visionary blend of the grotesque and the often darkly humorous, is always hypnotically compelling for its almost organic horror and unsettling caricature. Stafford has a new short comic debuting at Thought Bubble in the form of Magical and, as we keep saying to the point of probable tedium in our TB 2025 coverage, this is an excellent starting point for those of you who are not au fait with Stafford’s work.
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Magical is described as ‘A bit of a fairytale’ as a subtitle on the comic’s first interior page and that is initially how the narrative presents itself. As a series of full-page illustrations with accompanying text as if we were reading something from a children’s storybook. In premise it may sound simple – the tale of how a king promises his daughter’s hand to the knight who slays a dragon terrorising his lands. But this being a Mark Stafford comic the execution, of course, is what sets it apart.
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As soon as the story breaks into more obvious sequential art it starts taking on a gloriously cynical tone. Anachronistic modern sensibilities creep in, reframing the knightly tradition in terms of capitalistic franchises and pushing the tale in ever more bleak directions. Depending on your viewpoint Magical is either a subversion or a dismantling of the ideals of valour and heroism, and it’s delicious in its brutal dismissal thereof.
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As ever with Stafford’s visuals this is all enhanced by his twisted, distorted and gnarled cartooning, and a sense of pacing that takes it towards a finale of quiet despondency and subdued resignation. Yet another must-buy at this year’s Thought Bubble.
Mark Stafford (W/A) • Self-published
Review by Andy Oliver
Visit Mark Stafford’s online store here
Mark Stafford is at Table C20a in the Redshirt Hall at Thought Bubble.
Thought Bubble 2025 runs from November 1oth-16th with the convention weekend taking place on the 15th-16th. More details on the Thought Bubble site here.
Read all our Thought Bubble 2025 coverage so far in one place here.
Poster by Ng Yin Shian
