Luton Comic Con’s character design hero.
I designed Barnabee as a welcoming face for Luton Comic Con. I wanted the character design to feel like Luton and fit the world of comics, from homepage to banner.
Project
Luton Comic Con · 2025–26
My role
Character design, illustration, website redesign and mascot artwork for web, social media and print.
Character turnaround
The front, hero and rear views show how the design holds together as Barnabee turns. The hat and bold stripes do most of the work from the front. From the back, the wings become the clearest part of the silhouette.
The making of Barnabee
A bee with local roots
The Luton bee gives a local starting point for character design. It nods to the town’s hat-making heritage. That silhouette lets you pick Barnabee out at a glance.
A shape made for comics
I kept the body round, the stripes bold and the expression open. The orange and purple in the hat ribbon pick up the convention’s colours, while the gloves and shoes borrow from classic cartoon characters.
A name with character
Wade Wilson, CEO of Luton Comic Con, coined the name Barnabee. The bee pun fits right in with the Hive, the convention’s community.
Barnabee goes digital
As part of the Luton Comic Con website redesign, I used Barnabee to connect the main campaign with the pages where people could find their place in the event. The character could set the tone in a homepage banner, then take on a more specific role beside a heading or a call to action.
Visit the Luton Comic Con website
Building the buzz
On social media, I used themed Barnabee variants to give each post its own hook. The outfits and poses could change to suit the subject, while the rounded shape and familiar face still tied the posts back to the convention.
Out and about
Barnabee also appeared on banners and posters. In print, the bold outline and clear expression help the character read from further away, leaving space for the event title and the information visitors need.
