Paul Gravett has been a key figure in the comics industry since 1981 working as a journalist, broadcaster, curator and writer. Gnash caught up with him, ahead of “The Stories of Comics: Haha, Peculiar and Everything Else” Panel discussion at Quay Words Custom House Exeter on Nov 13, to talk about his love of comics.
Gnash: How did you get started in the comic world?
Paul: I had no plan or clever strategy, but I wanted to connect with UK self-publishers and let more people discover their comics and zines. So I contacted them and requested copies, got a table at the London Comic Marts at Central Hall, Westminster, and put them on display and on sale under the name ‘Fast Fiction’. And I typed up a list of them with details, front covers and prices and photocopied it as a mail-order service, what would later be called a ‘distro’ service. And then, because I had got to know lots of upcoming comics creators, I got offered my first job ‘in the comic world’.
It was all thanks to Mal Burns, artist agent, publisher/editor of ‘Graphixus’, columnist and reviewer. Mal was working with a wealthy French couple Serge and Henriette Boissevain on a new deluxe comics magazine, entitled ‘pssst!’. They intended it to replicate the success of French BD titles like ‘Métal Hurlant’ but entirely by British creators from Bryan Talbot to newcomers. And my first job was manager of a publicity tour, talent search and direct shop-distribution round the country on a double-decker bus, bought by the Boissevains and converted into a shop, mini-cinema and painted advertisement on wheels. With a driver, Mick, and an assistant, Nick, I was on the road, championing comics. And I’ve never looked back!
Gnash: Escape Magazine had an impact on british comics – can you tell us a bit more about how it came about and its influence
Paul: “Escape Magazine’ grew out of both ‘Fast Fiction’ and ‘pssst!’, and most importantly, from meeting my lifetime partner Peter Stanbury. Over the 18 months or so I worked for ‘pssst!’, latterly, once the bus tour ended, as their in-house ’traffic manager’ or production co-ordinator, I never had any editorial input on what got selected and printed. My job included portfolio reviews with aspiring contributors, and then, as now, Britain has huge amounts of comics talent. But I saw plenty of artists not get their work accepted, or only very late or too late in the ten-issue lifetime of ‘pssst!’, and I felt they deserved a chance. Peter was not comics-mad like me (thank goodness!), but he had some interest in comics, having read ‘Heavy Metal’ for example. When he discovered the Fast Fiction community, he shared my feelings that there was a need to publish and publicise their talents. Spiegelman and Mouly’s ‘Raw’ was a major inspiration, as was the French fanzine ‘PLGPPUR’, which ran new artists’ strips and interviews with famous pros. Peter came up with the title ‘Escape’ and its first logo was his handwriting. The two of us wanted to ‘escape’ the genre clichés and predominant conventions of the medium, whether mainstream or underground, and encourage individuality and diversity. Again, without fully planning but by pursuing a shared passion, ‘Escape’ helped to change and re-charge British comics and connect it with parallel movements and groups internationally.
Gnash: Moving forward over your jam packed career to Comica where you are a director and the numerous exhibitions you have curated – what have you enjoyed the most!
Paul: As you can probably imagine, that’s almost impossible to answer, and not forgetting my dozen or so books that I continue to (co-)write and/or (co-)edit! I still have to pinch myself that my passion has become my profession. And so much of this has depended on others, above all Peter Stanbury, who brings so many skills, perceptions and deeper ideas to our collaborations, through to this day. I will also be hugely grateful to John Harris Dunning, the film PR guy and ‘mole’ at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, who helped persuade their director to try a first Comica Festival in 2003 (and to Ana Merino who helped us secure Burns, Sacco and Ware via Spain for our first guests!). John was also the one to keep knocking on the door of The British Library until 2014 when the stars aligned and the two of us got the unprecedented opportunity to be external curators for a game-changing 16+ exhibition, ‘Comics Unmasked’, drawn from their vast collection. What I’m enjoying the most right now is developing a much-needed (and sorry not yet announced) comics exhibition for 2026, still presenting the remarkable works of predominantly British creators. Time to pinch meself again!
Gnash: Thanks Paul, looking forward to seeing you in person soon
If you haven’t already got your ticket Book here !
“The Stories of Comics Haha Peculiar and Everything Else” On November 13 6.30-7.30 pm Original art work from Jock on display from 6.00 pm.