Phone: +44(0)7584222659 | Email: comixrebel@rebellion.earth / hourglass@rebellion.earth | Website: hourglass.news

• The Hourglass newspaper is bringing back the traditional ‘funny page’
• Issue four of the newspaper will launch the new artistic collaboration ‘Comix Rebel’
• Released on 10th Jan, this issue will see in climate reporting in 2020 with comic creators uniting to address the climate and ecological crisis

The Hourglass is bringing back the funny page! Issue four will host this collaborative initiative between the newspaper and Comix Rebel: a dynamic new venture to harness the power of comics and graphic storytelling, calling graphic artists and writers to action in the face of the climate emergency. 

The Hourglass creates a model for journalism that is fully cognizant of the climate emergency and social justice deficit. Comix Rebel’s new funny page will aspire to do the same within British comics’ great tradition of satire, fantasy and adventure. 

Comix Rebel brings together a diverse roster of creators including writers and illustrators to feature on the page. The work will engage with the themes of ecology, media and misinformation, and/or social justice. 

Issue 3 of the newspaper had a print run of 181k issues. Rebels distributed them around the UK and beyond.

Copies of The Hourglass have also been officially stored in the British Library and 6 legal deposit libraries (Bodleian Library Oxford University, Cambridge University Library, National Library of Scotland, National Library of Wales and Trinity College Dublin). Back issues can be viewed at hourglass.news

Comix Rebel Coordinator, theatre-maker and illustrator Philip Kingslan John says, “Graphic storytelling has an immediacy that transcends other art forms. Comix Rebel offers a platform for visually spectacular, outrageous, and indignant responses to the global climate and ecological crisis. It’s a call to assemble a roster of radical and enthused creators, continuing a great tradition of satire and incisive social commentary which has always been crucial to British comics.”

The funny page will be ongoing in the monthly Hourglass. To get involved:

• Write or draw a strip for us
  Each comic strip should be between 1 and 10 panels in length. The panels will be printed at 5-10cm wide x 5cm high. Email them to hourglass@rebellion.earth
  
• Send us previous work
  We will consider material that has already been published, as long as you retain the copyright, and it fits the panel format explained above.
  
• Create a character for us to use
  We are on the lookout for traditional ‘funnies’ characters like Garfield and Andy Capp, and sci-fi/fantasy characters like Judge Dredd or Dan Dare, in the form of climate superheroes. Send us your ideas!

Editor of The Hourglass, Zion Lights explains, “We often hear that traditional print media is a dying medium, but what if the mainstream press committed to climate reporting on a scale that is appropriate to the climate emergency? What would that look like? By teaming up with comic artists we aim to bring an additional method of truth-telling to the newspaper.”

Nick Brennan, cartoonist of The Dandy and Beano, says, “The climate’s changing, but not in a good way, and we can all try to do a little something to rectify things and to raise awareness. I’ve planted a few trees, and to try to raise awareness I’ll be drawing some silly pictures. Well, nobody said we couldn’t have some fun while we do it.”

According to illustrator Megan Herbert, “Artists of all kinds have an opportunity right now to use their talents to open hearts and minds to the reality of the crisis we’re facing. Comics and political cartoons play a particularly important role. A good marriage of images and words can convey so much.”

About Extinction Rebellion

Time has almost entirely run out to address the ecological crisis which is upon us, including the 6th mass species extinction, global pollution, and abrupt, runaway climate change. Societal collapse and mass death are seen as inevitable by scientists and other credible voices, with human extinction also a possibility, if rapid action is not taken.

Extinction Rebellion believes it is a citizen’s duty to rebel, using peaceful civil disobedience, when faced with criminal inactivity by their Government.

Extinction Rebellion’s key demands are:

1. Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change.
2. Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.
3. Government must create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.

What Emergency? | Extinction Rebellion in Numbers |This Is Not A Drill: An Extinction Rebellion Handbook

Get involved:

• In the UK, come to one of our events, join the Rebellion Network and let us know how you can help out.
• Start a group where you are: in the UK or around the world.
• Find your local group.
• Check out the International XR website, with links to the French, German, Italian and UK websites.
• And while your time and energy are of most importance, if you are financially able to donate money, see our crowdfunder.

About Rising Up!

Extinction Rebellion is an initiative of the Rising Up! network, which promotes a fundamental change of our political and economic system to one which maximises well-being and minimises harm. Change needs to be nurtured in a culture of reverence, gratitude and inclusion while the tools of civil disobedience and direct action are used to express our collective power.