From Scrappy Zines to British Library: The Unsung History of UK Small Press Comics

The British Library collecting “scuzzy” small press comics with print runs of just ten copies? That was one of the surprising revelations from the “UK Small Press: History and Heritage” panel at the ARC Contemporary Comics Festival. This wasn't just a nostalgic look back; it was a deep dive into the scrappy origins and enduring legacy of independent comics.

Panelists like legendary curator Paul Gravett pulled back the curtain on a nascent scene. He returned to the UK in the seventies, finding no local small press community. So, he built one. Gravett launched the Fast Fiction table at the London Comic Mart, publishing and collecting these nascent works. He fostered an environment where creators like Carol Swain could escape the confines of fine art and tell their own stories. Gravett's work highlights how crucial individual passion was in shaping an entire movement.

Self-publisher Ed Pinsent, who joined Fast Fiction in 1982, echoed Gravett's sentiment. He saw the “explosion of photocopiers” as the great democratizer. Suddenly, anyone with a postal address could be a publisher. This technological shift fostered a unique energy. Early small press comics, Pinsent noted, “weren't like anything else at the time.” They were personal, experimental, and unlike mainstream offerings, pushing boundaries in art and narrative.