DeeCon draws talented ten-year-old Drew

Published On Thu 11 Apr 2019 by Dominic Glasgow

He may only be 10-years-old, but one of Dundee’s youngest comic producers is set to become a star attraction at the city’s largest geek gathering next week.

Drew Marr, a pupil from Blackness Primary School, first attended DeeCon, the University of Dundee’s annual fundraiser for animation students, when he was just three years old.

Seven years on - and several DeeCons later - Drew has become a comic artist in his own right. He published his first comic book series in 2018 and he says it was meeting comic artists such as Sha Nazir, creator of ‘Laptop Guy’, and John Ferguson, of Saltire comics, at previous DeeCons that inspired him to put pen to paper in the first place.

Now, as Dundee celebrates a decade of the dazzling dorkiness that is DeeCon, Drew will return to the convention to share his limited edition prints, t-shirts and copies of his 24-page comic The Rehabilitation of Doctor Eye.

Drew said, “I’m so excited to come to DeeCon as an artist. This year I will launch the third instalment of my comic series and I’ll also have some exclusives just for the convention that I cannot wait to show off.

“DeeCon has been such a huge part of my life and it’s always so much fun and so colourful. I’m excited to see who else will be there this year.”

Organiser Marceli Guziewicz, an animation student at the University, said this year’s convention promises to be the biggest yet, with more buildings on campus becoming dedicated DeeCon destinations than ever before.

He said, “We are expecting more than 3,500 visitors this year so we’ve had to broaden the scope of the celebration. This means for the first time our makers, creators and comic artists like Drew will be in the Bonar Hall just off Perth Road, while only a short stroll across campus will take you to our cosplay and gaming centres as well as more amazing art and merchandise vendors on Level 4 of The Union.

“This year’s DeeCon will be the best excuse you will have to nerd out for a day. We will have virtual reality gaming stalls as well as video game tournaments with cash prizes up to £100 to be won in DUSA the Union. Animation and comics professionals will host talks in the Queen Mother Building and our cosplay workshops and masquerades will take place in the University’s Chaplaincy centre – so there really is something for everyone.”

DeeCon takes place on Saturday 20 April. Tickets start at £4 for adults and children under-12 go free if accompanied by an adult.

Proceeds from the day will go towards Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design's animation degree show next year.

More information and ticket can be found at: www.dusa.co.uk/deecon

For media enquiries contact:
Dominic Glasgow
Media Relations Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 385131
Email: d.w.glasgow@dundee.ac.uk