The graphic novel renaissance in Britain continues apace, and our creators are receiving more attention and acclaim than ever before. This year we’ve already seen Glyn Dillon’s The Nao of Brown pick up the Prix Spécial du Jury at Angoulême and Paul Collicutt’s The Murder Mile win broad praise in the national press.

Autumn 2013 sees the launch of a hilarious gift book, The (True!) History of Art, which ponders the nagging mysteries of art history; the two volumes of Rob Davis’ celebrated adaptation of Don Quixote are collected in a beautifully produced hardback; and Oscar Zarate’s stunning piece of original fiction, The Park, will also be released. November will see the publication of the first volume of Frederik Peeters’ Angoulême award-winning series, Aâma, and a terrific original graphic novel by ILYA, Room For Love.

Check out our new catalogue here.

This Saturday, no less than seven – yes, seven – SelfMadeHero creators will be attending the second East London Comics & Arts Festival (ELCAF) in Bethnal Green’s York Hall. After a hugely successful inaugural event in 2012, ELCAF’s organisers have this year hired a bigger venue; they’ve also programmed a superb series of events and workshops.

Amongst the list of guests are SelfMadeHero’s very own Glyn Dillon (The Nao of Brown), Mark Stafford and David Hine (The Man Who Laughs), Rob Davis (Don Quixote), I. N. J. Culbard (The Shadow Out Of Time) and JAKe (Hellraisers). The Dutch artist of the acclaimed graphic biography of Rembrandt, Typex, will also be in attendance.

As part of the programme of events, SelfMadeHero’s Publisher Emma Hayley will discuss the world of publishing with other industry experts (To Publish or to Self-Publish: That is the Question, Main Stage, 10.45-11.45); Typex will talk about Rembrandt with comics podcaster Alex Fitch (Typex On Rembrandt, Main Stage, 12.30-13.00); and Hellraisers creator JAKe will lead a workshop on how to draw comics (Comics For Adults, Workshop Area, 18.00-19.00).

SelfMadeHero’s creators will be signing all day on our stand (tables 23-25). Drop by to bag yourself some beautiful signed and sketched graphic novels at amazing prices.

York Hall is located at 5 Old Ford Road, E2 9PJ. Closest tube: Bethnal Green. The Festival runs from 10am-7pm. Full details of the events programme can be found here.

And remember: this is East London. Grow a moustache a shrink your jeans to avoid standing out.

SelfMadeHero is delighted to be taking part in this year’s El Día E (Spanish Day) celebrations at the Instituto Cervantes in London on Saturday 22nd June.  Writer and artist Rob Davis will be talking with broadcaster and journalist Alex Fitch about his much lauded adaptation of Don Quixote.  The Man of La Mancha would feel even more heroic knowing that it’s happening in a location named after his creator.

To coincide with the event, an exhibition of original artwork from Rob Davis’s two-volume adaptation will be held in the Institute’s gallery from 18th-28th June.

The talk begins at 4pm. The Instituto Cervantes is located at 102 Eaton Sq., London SW1W 9AN.

Dutch writer and artist Typex will discuss his acclaimed graphic biography of Rembrandt at Waterstones Covent Garden on Thursday 20th June.

The graphic novel, which depicts the artist’s colourful life and paintings, was commissioned with the support of the recently reopened Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.  The talk will be chaired by BBC presenter and champion of international literature Rosie Goldsmith.  The event is supported by the Dutch Foundation for Literature and the Netherlands Embassy in London, who will provide free Dutch brandy for audience members.

Lauded by Nick Cave as the ‘second greatest’ Dutch artist after Rembrandt himself, Typex works for numerous magazines and newspapers, as well as illustrating children’s books and comics.

The event takes place at 6pm on Thursday 20th June at Waterstones Covent Garden, 9-13 Garrick Street, London, WC2E 9BA. Tickets are £4/£3 with a Waterstones loyalty card, available in-store and online.

SelfMadeHero is making its presence known in Bloomsbury as it creates a pop-up shop for two weeks. From Monday 17th June, we’re taking over the Continental Stores on Tavistock Place. There’ll be wonderful artwork, beautiful books and free coffee: what more could you want? There will be an opportunity to buy signed copies and related merchandise as well as to meet the SelfMadeHero team. Some of our London-based artists and writers are expected to drop in to chat about their work as well.

Coffee and cakes will be supplied by Eggs Milk Butter, London’s first coffee and comic book shop.

The venue will also house an exhibition of paper-cut portraits by Czech artist Jaromír 99, supported by the Czech Centre. This celebrates the newly published graphic novel edition of Kafka’s The Castle, adapted by David Zane Mairowitz and Jaromír 99. The prints will also be on sale.

The SelfMadeHero pop-up shop will be open from 10am–6pm every week day, from 17th to 30th June. The gallery is located at: 54 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9RG.