A 12-year-old who has earned praise from around the world for his comics says he hopes to direct films when he is older.

Zoom Rockman, a student at the Jewish Community Secondary School in Castlewood Road, New Barnet, first published his The Zoom comic when he was nine years old.

He said he first discovered his love for comics at a car boot fair when he found a box full old Beanos.

The 12-year-old, who lives in Tottenham Lane, Hornsey, said: “I really enjoyed reading them and I liked the idea that you could tell a story using pictures as well as words to make up characters and put them in funny situations.”

“I started drawing cartoon strips when I was eight and I realised that people really enjoyed reading them and wanted to see more.

“I’d done loads of pages so it made sense to choose some to put together in my own comic.”

His creation, The Zoom is stocked by five newsagents in north and central London and one newsagent in Paris.

Mr Rockman has been described as "the future of comics", is on Vogue magazine’s Hot List of 2013 and was invited to 10 Downing Street.

He added: “The reaction to the comics has been really good and everybody has been very supportive.

“I write for all ages and I get ideas for my comics from the area where I live and the characters I see in the area.

“There’s George from the Fish and Chip Shop, Rajco the Newsagent, Kebab Shop of Horrors is based on the local kebab shop and my little brother Ace is a character too.

“Grumpa is based on my mum’s friend’s granddad who is 95 and really moody and Skanky Pigeon is inspired by all the local pigeons.”

The self-made comic book writer is a Spirit of London Award ambassador and hopes to create a Zoom app.

He added: “When I’m older I’d like to be a film director or write sitcoms and if I could write for a comic it would be The Beano.”

An exhibition of artwork from The Zoom will be on show at George's Fish 'n' Chip Shop as part of the Crouch End Festival from June 7 to 16.

For more information visit crouchendfestival.org or thezoom.co.uk