Historic comic books and artwork 'at risk'

British comics industry needs a national strategy to preserve its history, according to a comic book historian

British comic history could be lost if physical copies of books and artwork are not preserved, a collector and historian has warned.

Peter Hansen said existing collections and archives needed to be urgently and properly catalogued.

Along with experts from London and Dundee, he has organised an event this weekend to promote the call.

British comic titles of the past and present include Bunty, The Eagle, 2000AD, The Beano and Jackie.

Saturday's event, Comics Jam - Preserving British Comics History, will be held at the Cartoon Museum in London.

Mr Hansen has organised the event with the museum, also University of Dundee's Scottish Centre for Comics Studies and University of the Arts London's Comics Research Hub.

'At risk of disappearing'

Speakers will include artists and writers Dave Gibbons and Posy Simmonds and TV presenter and comic book collector Jonathan Ross.

Mr Hansen said: "British comics represent a unique contribution to the culture of the UK.

"They are a way of understanding and interrogating our history, but they also represent a thriving creative economy, one with national and international reach."

He added: "A national strategy is urgently required to catalogue and map existing collections and archives, and to develop the resources required to ensure that comics, original comic art, and the ephemera that surrounds the comics such as free gifts, advertising and information on fan clubs is not lost.

"So much of that long history is at risk of disappearing, and not enough is being done to preserve the work being done right now."