Congratulations to Mollie Ray (you can call them Ray), one of our 2021 Broken Frontier Six to Watch creators who was announced as the first UK Young Comics Laureate over the weekend at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. Ray is the creator behind the Broken Frontier Award-winning graphic novel Giant. A book of which we said when we reviewed it last year “This often overwhelming, ever tender, and undeniably inspiring graphic novel is a stunning tale of healing and love that marks the arrival of a major new talent on the wider comics scene.”
The Young Comics Laureate initiative was launched earlier this year by Comics Youth CIC and its charitable arm Comics Youth SCIO and was described as “a ground-breaking, youth-led role designed to empower, pay, and amplify comics creators aged 18–30.” Among the duties of the position the Young Comics Laureate will:
• Spotlight issues that matter most to their generation.
• Lead workshops, talks, and community events to inspire creative self-expression.
• Provide mentorship and representation for other young and emerging creators.
• Collaborate with industry partners to ensure youth perspectives shape national conversations about comics and literacy.
All of us at BF are looking forward to seeing where you go with this role, Ray!
