Although we don’t usually cover Image Comics books here on the site, we are making an exception for their new anthology 24 Panels. Not only is it for a fantastic cause, as it is intended to to honour those who were affected by last year’s Grenfell Tower tragedy here in the UK. But it also features new work from a stellar cast of UK comic creators, from big names like Alan Moore and co-curator Kieron Gillen, but also some of the stars of the UK small press scene, many of whom will not have been published by Image before.

In their press release Image Comics out lined the following:

In June 2017, the Grenfell fire killed 72 people in a 24-story tower block in West London. 24 PANELS is an anthology comic to support the PTSD needs of the survivors. The 24 PANELS Anthology will be comprised of 24 stories, each no longer than 24 panels. Half drawn from professional creators who volunteered their time and half drawn from open submissions, 24 PANELS is about community, hope, and (most of all) raising as much money as possible.

“These works are powerful but not saccharine… It’s an anthology in support of a traumatised society, so there is a limit to how dark you would want to go,” said Gillen in an interview about 24 PANELS with The Guardian. “It can’t be triggering. It has a theme of what trauma does, how it’s survived, how community works and generally hope. There’s stories that are intensely moving, but even so, they’re intensely life-affirming. It’s as varied as London itself.”

Al Ewing, Alan Moore, Alex de Campi, Antony Johnston, Caspar Wijngaard, Dan Watters, Dilraj Mann, Doug Braithwaite, Gavin Mitchell, Laurie Penny, Leigh Alexander, Lizz Lunney, Melinda Gebbie, Paul Cornell, Rachael Smith, Ram V, Robin Hoelzemann, Rosy Higgins, Sara Kenney, Sarah Gordon, Ted Brandt, Tom Humberstone, Tula Lotay, and more will contribute to 24 PANELS.

Thompson added: “I took on this project because I’d seen before the power of asking creators to come together and give their time to help people. I have seen that translate into money that can make a real difference to those experiencing trauma and wanted 24 Panels to do all that while being about community and hope first and foremost. Kieron was the first person we spoke to from a long list of potential people to spearhead the project and he accepted right away which shows, I think, that he recognised that this project was important and could raise spirits as well as much-needed funds.”

This sounds like an incredible collaboration for a very important cause and we cannot wait to see more of the more that goes into this collection.