So… it’s Caption Festival (or Pirate Caption to give it its official theme) in Oxford this coming weekend and if you love small press comics and community programming this is absolutely for you. We have the programme for your perusal below and we’ll point out just a few highlights that may be of particular interest to the readership. But first some background on this very different UK comics event.
The 2025 Broken Frontier panel hosted by Andy Oliver with (right to left) Cara Brown, Mike Armstrong, Dominique Duong and Shane Melisse
When Caption returned last year after an 8-year hiatus (with a history going back to the ’90s) it was described in the press release in the following terms: Caption is shaped as much by its attendees as its committee- those who attend explore creativity through workshops, projects, wide ranging panel discussions, performances and a culture that is more a meeting between like minded fans and creatives than the shopping-focused experience of contemporary conventions. The focus is on comics, including indie, alternative, and zine culture alongside the mainstream. This attitude of professionals and hard-working hobbyists sitting together informally has earned Caption much respect and affection through the years.
Poster by Lucia/KitsuneArt
Last year we had our own Broken Frontier ‘Six to Watch’ panel at Caption (read our event report here) and this year we will be repeating that, alongside a BF presence on the Comics and Journalism panel. Guests on this year’s Six to Watch panel are some of 2026’s intake including Daisy Crouch, Yu-Ching Chiu, Shri Gunasekara and Jua OK!. If you want to see another batch of exciting newer indie talent plus get insights into what we’re looking for when selecting artists for the programme this will definitely be for you. Jua will also be on the Trans Narratives panel on the Saturday which is another must-attend panel, as is the one on the Sunday dealing with how we continue the fight against the existential threat of generative AI “art” (more on that here).
A key event last Saturday will be industry superstar Kieron Gillen (The Wicked + The Divine, Young Avengers, Die: Loaded) running a writer/artist speed dating session and a well-being panel on Sunday which is certainly of great relevance right now. Take a look below, buy your tickets here, and don’t forget that Caption are still looking for volunteers to help in running the weekend (e-mail them at captionfest@gmail.com if you’re interested!).
CAPTION 2026 AT A GLANCE
SATURDAY
10:00 – 12:00 Cutlass Comics Workshop: Holly Raidl
11:30 – 12:30 Broken Frontier’s Six To Watch
Jua OK!, Daisy Crouch, Shri Gunasekara and Yu-Ching Chiu, chair Andy Oliver
12:00 – 5:00 All Hands On Deck! Workshop by ILYA
12:30 – 1:30 Fifteens: 4x Lightning Talks!
1:30 – 2:30 Trans Narratives
Jua OK!, Alex Taylor, Ky Lawrence, Aruudlay. Chair: Mollusc Dimension (aka Squid)
2:30 – 3:30 Maps and Telescopes: Comics Journalism
Holly Raidl, Rich Johnston, Andy Oliver, chair: Andrew Luke
3:30 – 4:30 Speech Dubloons: Illustrated talk by the Rickard Sisters
4:30 – 5:30 Writer/Artist Speed Dating: Kieron Gillen
6:00 – 7:00 Marine Monsters and Menaces Pub Quiz with Tony Hitchman
7:00 – 7:45 Auction
8:00 Closedown
SUNDAY
1:00 – 2:00 Well-Being Panel (subject to guest change)
Al Davison, Sophie and Scarlett Rickard, Andrew Luke chair: Debasmita Dasgupta
2:00 – 3:00 Indie Comics Versus AI
Hannah Berry, Karrie Fransman, KitsuneArt, chair: Amy Letts
3:00 – 4:00 “Can comics change the world?”
Rich Johnston, The Rickard Sisters, Hannah Berry, Myfanwy Tristam, Chair: Shaun Picken
4:00 – 5:00 Free Ocean Discussion: Ethical Piracy?
Chair: Rich Johnston
5:30 Closedown
