Transparency isn't a nice extra to have that can be cut when the budgets are tight. Governments that think they can't afford transparency will be amazed at the corruption and inefficiency they *can* afford in its absence.

Good news, although it does feel a bit like the story is “government discovers that human beings are behind the work they were planning to sell off” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Thanks to Lizzy Stewart for sharing this poem in her newsletter (which, by the way, is very worth subscribing to - at the moment she's talking through the stages of how she created her latest graphic novel: lizzystewart.substack.com)

'Let’s return to that question about the supposed poor returns for creative arts graduates. The answer lies in the fact that they are effectively subsidising the creative industries that they’re working in – they are...selling their labour for less than they might earn in other sectors'. 2/3

'some creative arts graduates don’t appear to earn a significant graduate premium, but the UK’s creative industries are worth £125bn a year or, to put it another way, more than £1 in every £20 in the UK economy – a larger proportion of the nation’s wealth than almost any other country on earth.' 1/3

I can’t remember how many years it is since I posted on Twitter, but I still notice how it changed my brain. For example, despite there being no algorithm on here, I find myself considering whether a like/share will affect the posts I see. Did we realise social media would change the way we think?

📢 THE 404 INK BURSARY FOR UK-BASED SMALL PRESSES NOW OPEN Applications are now open for our bursary to support small presses in the UK. There are 2 strands you can apply for: donating £1,000 towards creative projects, or £500 towards hosting an intern. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

1. A cat’s little sleeping face 2. Breaking the seal on a tin of coffee 3. Lowly Worm’s Apple car

I don’t follow football at all, but this photo caught my eye because it’s incredible. Guy in white, wonderful, he’s flying. Guy in pink - if I drew someone in that position I’d assume I’d done something very, very wrong.

We're very proud and excited to share that @rickardsisters.com ( #ThisSlavery) and @myfanwytristram.bsky.social ( #TheNoisyValley) will be at @hayfestival.bsky.social this year to helm 'Placards & Panels: Graphic Novels as Protest' on May 27th! General booking opens at 12pm on Saturday 14 March!

Comics for sale, comics for sale. Have you had a look at my comics shop? there's lots there rob-jackson-comics.sumupstore.com My blog is here robjacksoncomics.blogspot.com I'll put a free comic in with any orders. cheers

I’m really pleased to be sharing a stage with @rickardsisters.com at @hayfestival.bsky.social on May 27th, where we’ll be chatting about the power of graphic novels & #comics to make change. Details: www.hayfestival.com/m-232-hay-fe... @selfmadehero.bsky.social

Oh, I agree with @myfanwytristram.bsky.social. The work you all do is important and positive. We march at moments of crisis. We learn from beautiful books at other times, and that learning strengthens our resolve to march when we need to. Indeed we learn even that we need to march. ✊🏻✊🏾

Here’s a link to pre-order Myfanwy Tristram’s NOISY VALLEY that doesn’t send money to baddies but still gets the book to your door without you having to get dressed… uk.bookshop.org/p/books/nois...

I’m really pleased to be sharing a stage with @rickardsisters.com at @hayfestival.bsky.social on May 27th, where we’ll be chatting about the power of graphic novels & #comics to make change. Details: www.hayfestival.com/m-232-hay-fe... @selfmadehero.bsky.social

CCIC get funding and other comic news open.substack.com/pub/comicsce...

It’s such a pleasure to talk to the @rickardsisters.com because we have so much in common - comics, protest and a fierce belief that the world should be better!

Please don’t heckle us! But do come to @hayfestival.bsky.social and find out the power of comics and graphic novels to make change!

Can’t believe Brighton council aren’t doing more about the fact that half the city has disappeared - and the entire sea! Yes I do make this joke every time it is misty.

www.hayfestival.com/the-pleasure... Hay festival are asking people to nominate books that bring pleasure - let’s get some graphic novels on there #comics people!

ICYMI: Suffragette statue granted planning permission

Endless favourite women in #comics - where do I begin? Here are some to check out to start with: @zaraslattery.bsky.social @michimathias.bsky.social @rickardsisters.com @dirtbagg.bsky.social @karriefransman.bsky.social @streakofpith.bsky.social and here’s some of my own work. #IWD

May is going to be a busy, busy month! It’d be lovely to see you on any of these dates - or all of them if you’re a super fan, ha ha 🤪. More on myfanwytristram.com/where-to-fin..., where I'll be adding links & some more dates as they become confirmed. #comics #graphicnovels #noisyvalley

It would be remiss of me not to mention that for March, the @cartooncounty.bsky.social meet-up will be in the Walrus (Ship St #Brighton) as usual, with the wonderful @katrionachapman.bsky.social talking about her new book The Pass. #comics

CCIC, the Comics Cultural Impact Collective, has announced their success in obtaining an Arts Council England (ACE) Project Grant of £37,000

Rivers are living beings.

@cartooncounty.bsky.social moves to @waterstones.bsky.social (Brighton branch) for a special one-off this May - and ooh look, it'll be me and @zebko.bsky.social interviewed by @panelborders.bsky.social! Whoohoo! Join us!

Hoorah! Good times ahead

We’re flabbergasted to see This Slavery shortlisted for Book of the Year: Graphic Novel at the Nibbies! What an incredible list to appear on, and isn’t it great to have a graphic novel category

open.substack.com/pub/nikigroo... Super interesting on the viability of doing illustration work for charities, etc.

www.theguardian.com/books/2026/m... Go @jamiesmart.bsky.social ! Incredible sales figures and some great comics advocacy 🙌

To celebrate #worldbookday we have some fun facts to share via The Comics Cultural Impact Collective (CCIC). Join us to help raise the value of comics in the UK. thecomicsculturalimpactcollective.org/Join-Us

You Can Just Do Stuff

It's the rarest thing in comics to watch characters age in real time. It's equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. Love & Rockets, man. 💔

I’ve been moaning far too much about AI on here recently, so let’s stop to enjoy this fencepost wearing a woolly hat and flexing its little biceps.

I don't see why it's so unreasonable to ask any company that wants to use someone's work to license it, on an author opt-in basis. The ALCS already collects fees for secondary rights and uses: it's not like it's beyond the realm of possibility to organise something similar.

I was moved to write to my MP about AI this morning (again). I don't know what it takes to touch someone's heart/moral self, but I can only try! If you want to do the same, www.writetothem.com is a very easy way to do so - you don't need to know who your MP is to use it.

Get ready to turn up to protest in person if they push this through

I swear to god, none of these decision-making politicians have the slightest idea what it means to create something. If they did, in their hearts they would not be able to allow this to go through.

If you’re part of any creative groups, unions or other organisations in the uk you should be passing news like this along and spreading the world. News like this gets has the chance to be overlooked but if enough organisations kick up a fuss things can change.

First time I've seen this - it's like an admission that AI assistance is trash, and so you only get to talk to a human if you pay premium (WordPress, although I'm unclear whether it's WP itself, or the maker of the theme I've installed).

What are you up to this evening, fancy coming out for a drink? We’ll be in The Walrus in Brighton talking to @cartooncounty.bsky.social about making This Slavery graphic novel

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026... “No one could have expected a place like that to flood. It was too high up the valley, too far from the river. But flash flooding and trapped brash nonetheless conspired against the people of Pentre that day.” #Rhondda

These paintings annoy me so much! They’re in every room of every Premier Inn, yet they show zero artistic skill or sensibility. I wonder how much the “artist” got for tossing these off.

Waterstones has a whopping 25% off pre-orders of Noisy Valley until tomorrow! www.waterstones.com/book/noisy-v...

I’m in the imaginary hotel, where staff have to make up a room.

I regularly see people wondering how it's possible that there are so many musicians and writers and film makers and artists from a tiny nation like Iceland. And the answer is really simple: State funding for art education and artists. I literally get a salary from the government to write books.

Less than two weeks left to submit your ideas for BOXES Vol. 5! We’ve had some exciting looking comic ideas submitted so far, but there’s plenty of room for more. Check the submissions guide here for all the details on how to submit: thirdbearpress.com/submissions

Eisner submissions are now open. My fellow comic creators, no matter at what point in your career you are, if you're making comics in any form, these awards are "For You" and you absolutely can be nominated. Let's get small press/self pub comics on that list! ENTER: www.comic-con.org/uploads/2025...

Don’t miss the wonderful @rickardsisters.com !