For one of the first times in the industry, Markosia have not only offered all readers, free of charge the finished PDF of Midnight Kiss issue #5 online - but they have also provided a CBR version.

"We wanted to add a thank you to the fans who have patiently waited for this." said Writer Tony Lee. "Later this year we will have the long delayed Collected Edition out, with an introduction by literary legend Michael Moorcock. But it's a damned good introduction, so we've added it to this online comic, with an afterword by yours truly."
ABOUT MIDNIGHT KISS - An Angel found in Manhattan with his heart ripped out. A young boy, the last of a legacy. A devious villain, working from the shadows. An Alligator King. A poker hand of gambler's souls. Michael Moorcock's Jerry Cornelius.

In a shattered multiworld where every dream is another world's reality, Matthew Sable and Nightmare De'Lacy keep the balance. But when a 'rational' - a normal human, unaware of the war within faerie arrives, Matt and Nightmare must protect him before he discovers what he really is - or what they really are, taking him on the run from forces that want him dead, taking him to one of the only safe places - the mythical land of Oz, currently in the throes of civil war between President Gale and the Scarecrow, now with a brain...

But are they really on the run - or this all an elaborate plan to stop the creation of a new Lucifer?

Believe in faeries - If you don't, they'll kill you.
Midnight Kiss is by Tony Lee and Ryan Stegman.

More John Wagner on Battle. Not quite as interesting as yesterday's, I'm afraid, although does contain a warning for future comics scribes - mug up on your own career prior to be interviewed :)

The deadline for the UK Web and Mini-Comix Thing Anthology is 23 FEBRUARY 2007.

What a gorgeous cover:

Jim Cameron has posted up some of his absorbing diary comics from 1996.

Paul HD has posted some art-in-progress from 'Zombie of the Great Unwashed' that Jason Cobley and he are doing for Accent UK on his own blog

Jose Munoz is the Gran Prix winner at Angouleme and, my God, his work is cool

Lots of comicky goodness over at Dave Taylor's blog

Nick Abadzis sketches.

A little taste of Scott Pilgrim Vol. 4

The legend of Scream continues to live on in the hearts of fans and horror enthusiasts of all ages. The dedicated Forum members are currently working to produce a tribute comic based on Scream and are looking for Artists and Writers to contribute to the cause. Join the discussion today in the Freaky Forum or check out the latest Fan Artwork & Stories. Be careful, it's Not for the Nervous!

Paul Burke Writes:
Hey,
Just dropping a line to say Forbidden Planet International have a feature on their blog previewing six pages of my upcoming sci-fi noir comic, Hard Boiled Ed, as well as an interview with myself, artist Garry Brown and letterer Thomas Mauer.

Alison Bechdel's blog is well worth a look:

A rejected Future Short that tickled my funny bone

Tom Spurgeon talks to Norwegian cartoonist Jason

Paul Gravett on Killoffer

The nominees for the 2007 Web Cartoonists’ Choice Awards are now online. The
finalists for Outstanding Comic” include Phil and Kaja Foglio’s Girl Genius,
Tom Siddell’s Gunnerkrigg Court, Shaenon Garrity’s Narbonic, Nicholas
Gurewitch’s Perry Bible Fellowship, John Allison’s Scary Go Round and
Spike’s Templar Arizona.
Via: http://www.tcj.com/journalista/

Print on demand, do it yourself
Via: http://www.tcj.com/journalista/

Web-cartoonist Spike raised $3000 in 13 days (using a pre-order project) to
fund the first print collection of her web-comics. There's a lesson there
somewhere for small pressers in debt due to printing bills

Evan Dorkin interview
via: http://www.tcj.com/journalista/

This week’s Inkstuds MP3 podcast features a conversation with Red Eye, Black
Eye creator K. Thor Jensen. (Above: sequence from Red Eye, Black Eye, ©2007
K. Thor Jensen.)
Via: http://www.tcj.com/journalista/

Writing for Comic World News, Jennifer de Guzman offers a cold splash of water to aspiring cartoonists looking to et rich off of their funnybook properties.
Via: http://www.tcj.com/journalista/

John Wagner talks about Battle Picture Weekly - first part of the transcript of a 2003 interview by former Tharg David Bishop

Jason Cobley is looking for a talented artist to illustrate a new Bulldog story/stories. The success of Bulldog Empire (both as an independent comic and in the Mammoth Book of Best New Manga) has been partially responsible for Jason's former collaborator, Neill Cameron, moving on to pastures new - opening an opportunity for someone to work with one of the UK's most experienced independent comic writers on one of its longest serving (yet recently made-over) characters. Read more on Jason's blog.

Enjoy the Sonic the Comic 2006 Christmas Special online now.

Nick Abadzis recommends Good Places to Draw People.

Lew Stringer talks about annuals of the 50's.

Trailers for First Second Books.

Did you know there are various essays and things to read here on Bugpowder? There's even a few Comics!

Punk zines online.

According to writer and artist Oliver East, it's the more the merrier when it comes to the Trains Are Mint launch party!

"Welcome to the world of Graphic Novel Art. In the coming months we'll keep you updated on projects which are currently in the works, such as a new "journal" from Barron Storey to be printed spring 2007 and a new GraphicNovelArt exhibition in Belgium & France with Bill Sienkiewicz, Michael Kaluta & Michael Golden." (Via)

From Down the Tubes

JEFF HAWKE: COSMOS
28/1/07 (with thanks to Richard Sheaf and William Rudling): The new issue of the Jeff Hawke fan magazine has just been published and includes two complete stories from the Daily Express -- The Gamesman and Sitting Tenants. Plus the usual in-depth analysis of the strips and a look at early SF comic hero, Captain Condor. 68 A4 pages and colour covers.
Subscriptions for the magazine are £16.50 (£26 overseas) for three issues from The Jeff Hawke Club, 6 The Close, Alwoodley, Leeds LS17 7RD.

EAGLE TIMES
28/1/07 (with thanks to Richard Sheaf):The latest issue of Eagle Times, the quarterly journal of the Eagle Society, came out just before Christmas. Volume 19, issue 4 is 50+ A4 pages and includes articles on Frank Hampson' Southport, a PC49 Christmas story, 1950s pop music and Dick Barton.
Annual subscriptions are £22 for 4 50+page issues of the journal (rates vary if overseas). Cheques should be made payable to Eagle Society should be sent to Keith Howard, 25a Station Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 2UA.

The Really Heavy Greatcoat by John Freeman and Nick Miller.

This is old: Tom Spurgeon discusses the demise of Highwater Books. Some valuable lessons here for micro/indie publishers:

Not comics, but surely worth a mention:
The Register carries a story about some rental DVDs of season 2 of Doctor Who in the US which apparently have some incorrect footage included on them, with a scene from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre suddenly appearing part way through an episode. I love family friendly viewing. Via

Eddie Campbell talks typography

Pete Ashton talks new media

Via the Forbidden Planet blog:
Sin City PD
Angouleme
Suicide Rabbit
Japan-Korea comics war

Lew Stringer plugs Elephantman (and, by association, his own strip, Brickman).

The deadline for submissions to the UK Web & Mini Comix Thing Anthology is fast approaching! If you have a story to tell that fits with the 'Important Stuff' theme, check it out.

Just a reminder in case you haven't already nominated, the Eagle Awards Nomination Ballots are still open. Vote for or add your favourites, then the top 5 in each category will go on the final voting form.

Oliver East' Trains Are…Mint 2 has just been printed. It's thirty-two pages, full colour throughout, £4.99 and has very few actual trains in it. It’s available from the Rolling Stock Press website, Travelling Man in Manchester, Page 45 from 9th feb and also Travelling Men in Leeds, Bristol and hopefully Nottingham. There are preview pages on the website and a regularly updated blog.

Also, Trains Are…Mint 4, will be one of a kind, painted directly onto the pages of an already published book. As it’s one of a kind, it’ll be a tad pricey but most of the 95 fully painted pages will be posted on the Blog.

SPACESHIP AWAY ON APROACH RUN...
25/1/07: Issue 11 of the original Eagle-inspired title Spaceship Away is now at the printers and should be available in 10 days time.
This latest issue of the critically acclaimed magazine is another 44 page issue, featuring all the regular strips and items, plus two more Frank Hampson Studio development sketches and a Graham Bleathman centrespread - "Battle for Mekonta".
But the really big news is what is coming in Spaceship Away #12. That issue will have the first new Dan Dare artwork from Bruce Cornwell in 45 years, and also the start of a three part, brand new, Denis Steeper Dan Dare story - Murder on Mars (which will mean the title will then be running four Dan Dare stories at once!).
More strips will join the title in 2007, which really makes it a must-read magazine for anyone who enjoys science fiction comics. "2007 looks like an exciting year all round," says publisher Rod Barzilay, and he'll get no argument here.
• Full contents for #11 and ordering information are available on the Spaceship Away web site

Gerhard - Sim Split.

Jeremy Dennis plays the blame game

• Blog EGON lists many comics-related art and workshop events

UK Private Eye At 45
Runs until 11 February 11 2007
The Cartoon Museum, 35 Little Russell Street, London
An exhibition of over 130 cartoons from the last 45 years of Private Eye magazine by over 50 cartoonists.

UK 10 March - Bath Literature Festival: The Jonathan Cape Graphic Novel Event
7.00 - 8.00pm Guildhall, Bath
Paul Gravett, Simone Lia, Paul Wright and Bryan Talbot discuss process, inspiration and the balancing of words and images.

Tove Jansson Conference
Pembroke College, Oxford
A conference devoted to the Finnish author and artist Tove Jansson, popularly known for creating the Moomin characters.

This may be of interest to Indy Publishers:

The new mainstream comics website www.13comics.co.uk is now also listing many small press and UK Indy titles.

They are supplied by smallzone distrubution and have already generated a wide regular customer base.

The owners also plan to open up an actual comic shop in the North East area in the near future.

Jeff Newelt, PR guru, sometimes comics commentator and comics editor at Smith Mag (where he was involved with the excellent Shooting War and the new A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge) is interviewed on the Gothamist, discussing the webcomics collective ACT-I-VATE among other things and also commenting on Shooting War.

I had the pleasure of meeting Sarah McIntyre recently, and she does some fantastic work. Examples at her blog. She'll be contributing to Chrissie Harper's Freedom anthology.

(It's worth noting that small presser Chrissie Harper is also a talented illustrator and designer).

Terry Moore has stuff to say. You should listen

Spiderman manga

Superhero comics for non-superhero fans

Top Shelf announce new Owly, plus the debut of Korgi and what's coming soon (previews and trailers at the website).

(Here's the english translation of the German dialogue n Lost Girls)

Alex Fitch interviews Alan Moore on ResonanceFM tonight, touching subjects such as the highs and lows of collaborating with comic book artists, his notions of magic and ideaspace and just what giant bald men in nappies had to do with American paranoia in 1950s movies!

Past shows feature Paul Gravett, and the CBLDF. Look out for future interviews, continuing the chat with Moore, and also featuring Paul Cornell, and Pat Mills & Matt Smith about the 30th Anniversary of 2000AD...

Also available as a podcast if you don't catch the broadcast.

Angouleme is go!

Boychild Productions has recently agreed to produce a new graphic novel to be made in association with the well respected UK charity WAR ON WANT. Their mission is to: "...fight global poverty by campaigning against the root causes of inequality and injustice and working in partnership and solidarity with poor people across the developing world." Boychild Productions is teaming up with them to make an 80 page book focusing on the role of corporations like Halliburton and Bechtel in present day Iraq. The book will portray from a grass roots level how these corporations are operating for profit, not people. It will be roughly in the vein of Joe Sacco's 'Palestine'. Written by Sean Michael Wilson, illustrated by Neill Cameron, and based on the extensive research carried out by War on Want.

Sketchbook stuff from Clamnuts.

You can now buy rare Ed Pinsent's mini-comics from his website.

A sneak peek at Ellen Lindner's latest mini-comic.

Check out Flying Monkey's regular web-comic.

Massacre for Boys is a retro war comic along the same lines as SolarWind et al.

Some Comic Expo News:

As well as the usual superhero mainstream coverage at this years Expo, the event is becoming known for an ever-increasing range of UK Comics - aka the Independent Press.

However, the Expo organisers are aware that it can be quite intimidating for a new reader to dip one's toes in the oceans of independent books: Where should I start? Am I going to be given the hardsell? How do I find out in advance which books might appeal to me?

To answer these questions Chris Lynch (www.monkeyswithmachineguns.com) and Craig Johnson (www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com) in conjunction with Comic Expo have produced a free preview website for as many exhibitors as care to contribute - to showcase their best works, to provide a central one-stop-shop - not only for potential attendees at the Expo, but also for general interest and for anyone interested in independent comics.

The website is now up and running with further updates weekly as more creators submit their pieces.

Factor Fiction 2006 Overview

Alison Bechdel's on tour - Here's some Fun Home press:

THE GRAPHIC BOOK OF the Year is incontestably Alison Bechdel’s unflinching, multilayered memoir of growing up in small-town Pennsylvania, Fun Home…

Some Journalista Links:

Black Artists Plot Diverse Themes for Graphic Novels
News & Notes, January 19, 2007 · More writers and artists are using graphic novels and comic art as a way to take on major issues. Some African-American artists are exploiting the medium to create books about black history, racism and to craft new stories about America's diverse culture.

Writing for Newsarama, Daniel Robert Epstein interviews Kevin Huizenga about his new collection of comics, Curses.

The Los Angeles Times‘ Nick Owchar reviews two cancer-themed books: Marisa Acocella Marchetto’s Cancer Vixen and Miriam Engelberg’s Cancer Made Me a Shallower Person.

Marc Singer examines Bryan Talbot’s modern science-fiction classic, The Adventures of Luther Arkwright

Over at The Pulse, Jennifer Contino talks to Jeffrey Brown about his new comic from Top Shelf, Feeble Attempts, which collects a variety of short strips from the last six years or so. (Jeffrey's going to be a guest at the Bristol Comic Expo in May 2007)

Writing for Pennsylvania’s Patriot News, Chris Mautner interviews Darwyn Cooke about his revival of Will Eisner’s classic comics series, The Spirit.

Paul Gravett recounts the self-destructive career of revered comic-book cartoonist Wally Wood.

Some Forbidden Planet Blog Links:

SFGate has an interesting article on the growing interest in classic material from both well-known and more obscure cartoonists, from almost obsessions by some spending thousands to track down strips, such as Joe Matt, talking to Ben Schwartz of the LA Times in a booth in a donut shop about collecting and clipping strips from Gasoline Alley for the Walt & Skeezix collections. The piece also takes in several other comics industry stalwarts and champions of good cartooning (classic and new) such as Fantagraphics‘ Kim Thompson (who acknowledges the help of fans in making classic volumes such as the wonderful Complete Peanuts possible) and Chris Oliveros of D&Q.

John Callahan - surely one of the few published quadriplegic cartoonists - is profiled by Michelle Theriault in the Statesman Journal, discussing how he went through both his disability, the physical limits it puts upon him and a battle with drink to find himself through art.

Guy Delisle has picked up more than a few reviews for his comics travelogues Shenzhen and Pyongyang, but this review from the Asia Times online is quite interesting since it is from a newspaper which covers the regions that Guy is actually describing and is familiar with the subject - glad to say they seem as impressed as most of the rest of us with his work.

At the end of last year, ScottishGames.biz/ bumped into Gordon Rennie, author and comics writer for 2000AD and Warhammer. Gordon recently took a step into the games world, thanks to his involvement in the script for Rebellion's Rogue Trooper, which was published last year, as well as couple of other projects which, being games, never actually happened in the way they were supposed to.

Gordon is an interesting guy, with a lot to say about the world of comics, the state of writing in the games industry and the general state of the 'arts' in Scotland.

Baz Renshaw's sketchpad

via
Cory Doctorow, SF novelist, Boing Boinger, advocate for freedom of technology and information and generally all-round good egg has uploaded a free PDF mini-comic of his own short story Printcime from his collection Overclocked, designed and illustrated by former South Park animator Martin Cendreda, who has also created DANG! for Top Shelf and published by LA’s Secret Headquarters comics shop. Cory practises what he preaches, often making his stories and podcast available free under the Creative Commons license, and the Printcrime mini-comic continues this fine tradition, with the added fun that once you print it out you get to put the comic together, as Cory says on BB: “To assemble the mini, download and print the PDF, then follow the directions included to fold it into a no-staple origami 8-page mini-comic — it’s all under a Creative Commons Noncommercial Sharealike license — share it, tweak it, remix it, just don’t sell it.”

Also via Boing Boing comes this link to a comics adaptation of George Orwell’s classic 1984 by Freddy, with the first two chapters already up and ready to read here. More than two decades after that year - and almost six decades since it was published - 1984 still stands not only as a classic of world literature but as a work that seems, sadly, to become more relevant to our society with every year which passes (WAR IS PEACE, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH, YOU’RE WITH US OR AGAINST US - okay, I added in the last one, but you see the point about indoctrinating the masses not to think or question), which makes it all the more important that you read it. If you’re one of those people who has always meant to read the novel (go on, it is quite small!) and never quite got round to it then try Freddy’s comics adaptation (and then go read the book as well); looking through the first two chapters on the site I found it had much of the flavour of Orwell’s dystopian warning, while black and white seems quite appropriate for the story in a way colour just wouldn’t.

What the first version of Eddie Campbell's Alec looked like.

Readers of the Lost Art
Originally based at Newcastle City Library, since 2nd March 2004 Newcastle Graphic Novels Readers’ Group have been having lively discussions, reviews and the opportunity to borrow from the Library’s collection of Graphic Novels. They meet every two weeks on a Tuesday between 6.00 - 7.30pm to discuss one of the many graphic novels from the library’s collection. New members are always welcome and you don’t have to have read the book of the month.

New Meeting Venue
Since the closure of the City Library in 2006, they will be meeting at the Literary and Philosophical Society in Newcastle near Central Station until it reopens in 2009.

CELEBRATE VALENTINE'S DAY WITH "25 YEARS OF LOVE & ROCKETS" ON
FEBRUARY 10 AT FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKSTORE & GALLERY
The publication of this title cemented the position of Seattle-based Fantagraphics Books as the leading publisher of challenging comics and graphic novels. This
exhibition of original artwork opens with a gala reception for Los Bros Hernandez on Saturday, February 10, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, located at 1201 S. Vale St., in the heart of Seattle's lively Georgetown district.

Gala Reception Saturday, March 10 5:00 - 8:00 PM

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale St. (at Airport Way)
Seattle, USA

www.fantagraphics.com

Hairdos is a self published illustrated story book based on a contemporary
version of the Rapunzel fairy tale.

This site features examples of work inside the book HAIRDOS - you can also purchase the illustrated book here too on the shop page.

more info on the book can be found here

Bugpowder has a new logo, designed by David Baillie - It will be rotated with the usual logos (go here to see the rest), you can submit one too if you like, send us a 500*100 pixel design to the usual address.

Markosia have appointed Brian Augustyn (formerly of DC Comics) as their new Editor-In-Chief, and Tony Lee has been appointed Group Editor - Click on the link for the entire press release.

"...With 2007 already launching a new, ongoing STARSHIP TROOPERS series to follow the critically acclaimed 'Blaze Of Glory' trilogy, the adaption of Bram Stoker award nominee Joe Nassise's international bestseller HERETIC, Brian Augustyn's THE WITNESS , Kit Wallis and John Sheridan's BREATHE, and the collected editions of SHADOWMANCER, DARK MISTS, MIDNIGHT KISS, and THE LEXIAN CHRONICLES, Markosia is already pushing once more to continue at the forefront of British Independent publishing..."

The Zombies anthology by Accent UK looks to be shaping up nicely....Check out the mini site, with listings of the contents, creator bios, snippets and more.

Nominations are open for the 2006 Eagle Awards, to be presented in May 2007. (You can nominate Bugpowder.com for 'Favourite Comics Related Website' if you like...)

A stack of items:

Albion art for sale
Josh Kirby exhibition
Lew Stringer reviews Nemesis
Laura Howell's strip-a-day
Old Kev O'Neill interview
New for 2000ad in 2007
Ramblings from a small press publisher
Some cool art
warrenellis.com has been overhauled

Illustration Friday is a weekly creative outlet/participatory art exhibit for illustrators of all skill levels. It was designed to challenge participants creatively. I believe that every person has a little creative bone in their body. Illustration Friday just gives a no-pressure,
fun excuse to use it. No clients looking for a particular thing. No one judging the outcome of the work. It's a chance to experiment and explore and play with visual art. So welcome, novices and pros alike.

Comic Book Commentary called Stagger Lee the best graphic novel of 2006, and
the book has earned praise from Warren Ellis, Greil Marcus and others for
its meticulous historical research and deft fictional handling of the true
story that has inspired thousands of singers. Skillfully drawn by Shepherd
Hendrix and written by Derek McCulloch, the book is historical fiction done
exceptionally well.

Venture publishing firm Dejima will begin distribution of a free manga magazine, called “Comic Ganbo”, at 30 Tokyo-area train stations. While many free publications (also referred to as “free papers”), such as magazines and advertising circulars, are already available throughout Japan, this is the first time that a manga magazine will be distributed for free….

Anime Innovation Tokyo is a very cool idea indeed — “an initiative to sponsor anime by independent animators and small studios.”

Sugarskull Comics Collective, a new webcomics group, launches on Monday the 15th.

Chris Weston, via his blog, writes:
Here's a nice Dan Dare pin-up by the great John Burns. This appears in Issue 10 of Spaceship Away, Rod Barzilay's splendid Dan Dare publication. Back Issues of Spaceship Away are still available, and are well worth buying, especially for the shockingly good DD strip "The Phoenix Mission" which
features amazing art by Don Harley, one-time assistant to DD creator, Frank Hampson. Don must surely be in eighties now but he's still producing beautiful full colour art that easily shames the majority of us "johnny-come-lateleys".

A Birmingham International Comics Show Update, from Paul Birch:
The weekend of the 9th –10th December 2006 proved to be a cold and wet one, but it did not dampen the spirits of several thousand comics fans. In fact their spirits were warmed by the roaring success of England’s Birmingham International Comics Show (BICS).

In keeping with the festive season, the goals of the show were to both celebrate the past and look forward to the future. The convention had the blessing of Phil Clarke, who organised the very first UK convention that took place in Birmingham back in 1968, and sagely noted to BICS: “What’s been done is great and this is just your first year!”

However, the show did not go without its problems. Aside from the weather, equipment hired for use in the theatre failed to turn up, and one American guest realised too late that he hadn’t actually got a passport and couldn’t make it! Despite this bad situations were turned into good and complete fiascos into what surprisingly turned into highlights of the weekend. The amount of smiling faces proved that Christmas had come early!

There were dealers of comics old and new, all-star international guests who made themselves completely accessible to the public, and special exhibitions including one for Midlands-based cartoonist Hunt Emerson whose work can be seen in the best-selling kid’s weekly comic The Beano, and one featuring memorabilia for The Phantom newspaper strip that had featured in the local Birmingham Evening Mail for many years, plus a mural painted live by numerous artists to celebrate that character’s 70th anniversary, the first interpretation being a stunning full-figure action painting by Staz Johnson.

BICS was gratified to find the local West Midlands’ media responded to the show so favourably, via extensive features and coverage, and looks forward to developing this relationship. The international comics community via press and internet also responded warmly enough, but, even more so, the general public’s interest in the show reassured BICS that both the show and comics as a medium still has genuine growth potential.

The courteous security team, industrious stewards and volunteers, the various sponsors, dealers and publishers, those who donated competition prizes (most notably UK publishers Eaglemoss and America’s Wild Card Ink, expatriate Wolverhampton-born Mike Perkins who graciously donated so much art, Slogger Records and Nostalgia & Comics), and the artists, writers and editors who attended (with the general consensus being that everyone’s favourite all-round nice guy over the weekend was Britain’s own Alan Davis), and all the people who bought tickets to come are the reason the show was a success and BICS extends its thanks!

It is also the reason it is going to be an annual event.

Final dates will be announced soon and BICS promises it will be bigger and better. Many guests have confirmed their desire to return for the 2007 event and a number of new American creators have already been pencilled in. These include artist John Cassady famed for The Planterary and X-Men comics, Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, and living legend Michael Golden whose core work on various Batman comics, the first toy to comics spin-off success The Micronauts, and modernistic war interpretations on The ‘Nam influenced the current generation of superstar artists.

Once more, everyone is invited to join in the comic book celebrations and the venue is set to continue to take place at The Custard Factory… If you missed out last time don’t make the same mistake this year!

For general information about the Birmingham International Comics Show (BICS) visit: www.thecomicsshow.co.uk

(excerpts) From Baz Renshaw's blog:

Another year, another issue of REDEYE.

...As hard as it is to believe, REDEYE 6 is at the printers this week, clocking in at 108 pages... There's two covers: the flip (back) cover this issue features Aleksandar Zograf's REGARDS FROM SERBIA, a new Top Shelf book out in February. We preview ten pages in what will become a regular feature in the mag.

...I've already got a good portion of RE7 content in the bag with others coming in as I type: great interviews with Lorenzo, artist and co-creator of Malcolm Magic will be providing the wraparound cover, ten pages of preview art from the new MOON! series, as well as joining his brother Rob in discussing the last few years of their success; we also speak with New York cartoonist Liz Baillie, creator of My Brain Hurts; the Godfather of modern British Comics, Pat Mills, in an uncut, epic face to face interview done over two days; and creator of Matter, Irish cartoonist Phill Barrett among others.

This leads into an introductory article on the Secret History of Irish Comix, where over the next few issues we'll be spotlighting certain titles and creators. Other articles include Dave Baillie's Grammar of Comics; the 2000AD art of Ron Smith; a retrospective on the much loved Transformers Marvel UK comic; and we investigate the creation of LOOK AND LEARN in our History of Brit Comics series, a highly influential 1960's comic soon to make a comeback.

Again there'll be more as they come in. Anything you think we should be covering? Let us know.

There's more at the blog

Forbidden Planet are inviting small pressers to submit for possible inclusion in their next comics insert, which will be about sixteen pages of indie goodness.

This is books rather than comics as the BSFA (British Science Fiction Association) awards shortlist just went up (along with the Arthur C Clarke awards, pretty much the top book awards in UK SF) and Comics own Paul Gravett has a nomination for Great British Comics in the non-fiction category. Full details on the BSFA site. Read about some of the novels on the Forbidden Planet blog.

Coffee and Comics is an offshoot from the Edinburgh SF Book Group, concentrating on discussing good graphic novels. They meet up regularly. As always, everyone is welcome to go along and join in.

The Sunderland Exhibition of artwork from Alice in Sunderland will be at the Northern Gallery of Contemporary Art, Fawcett Street, Sunderland SR1 1RE from 22 June - 14 April. Tel: 0191 - 5141235 or email ngca@sunderland.gov.uk for details or go to their website for directions.

THE END is going well over on TheEndComic.com. The whole site has been re-vamped, there is about 30 pages there of the updated art and a good view of new pages posted.

If you have a chance, have a look, or post a link on the blog!

Go HERE to read about Alan Moore on the forthcoming League of Extraordinary Gentleman: Black Dossier. From the forthcoming 'Alan Moore: Exit Interview' by Bill Baker.

Mark Cardwell has a new interview up with Alan Martin at his blog, about life, the universe, and the upcoming Tank Girl series from IDW. Check it out - he always gives good quote.

The McCloud Family tourcasts.

Following on from his Nostalgia & Comics basement tale, Richard Bruton has another couple of posts in similar vein:
Why Comic Shop owners should never publish stuff they like
Why Todd McFarlane hates me

Cartoonist and Illustrator Harry Horse was found dead earlier this month. Neil Gaiman and the Forbidden Planet Blog, among others share their remembrances.

Rol Hirst has a new website, featuring:

His complete novel 'Imaginary Friends', a dark comic adventure story
for lonely people everywhere.. .

'Thinking Out Loud', a play about how people rarely say what they're
thinking...

The Jock - The long-running comic strip about a rebel DJ fighting for
real music in a world of bland corporate pap...

And 'Fool You Are', a sitcom involving a confused hypochondriac who
discovers he can foresee the future. Not dramatic glimpses of nuclear
war, plane crashes or presidential assassinations though - instead
the future of his own romantic and sexual relationships.

On behalf of Bugpowder.com, I'd like to welcome new readers referred here from this week's All The Rage column! I hope you find something here useful, and remember, if you have news for the UK/Comics/Small Press scene, drop us a line, and we'll do our best to mention it.

Bryan Talbots going down the pub as part of the launch of his new book, Alice in Sunderland - Sign up for the Page 45 news for details.

Lots of groovy Bugpowdery stuff over on the Forbidden Planet blog:

http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/?p=2446
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/?p=2443
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/?p=2441
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/?p=2440
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/?p=2436
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/?p=2431

Paul Gravett on JUNKO MIZUNO

Thought this may be of interest to readers

Comic Expo Exeter
Star Wars 30th Anniversary Special

Date: Sunday 18 February
Time: 12noon - 6pm
Venue: Exeter Phoenix
Price: Free

Guests include: Paul Blake (Greedo: A New Hope) Rob Williams (Dark Horse
Comics Rebellion writer) artist Hans Jensen (of the Star Wars cross section
books) Henry Flint (Judge Dredd/Star Wars Tales) Dom Reardon (artist 2000AD
Cabalistics) artist Dave Kendall (Event Horizon) and Jaspre Bark (fantasy/sci-fi
author) Ben Oliver (artist Ultimate X Men) and the UK indepedent publishers
Blink Twice.

Krackers Game Store will be giving away a free Star Wars Comic Pack to the
first 25 customers.

from www.animatedexeter.co.uk

Ellen Lindner sketches the Big Apple.

Will Simpson exhibition

What Eddie Campbell thought of that Independent comics supplement

Hunt Emerson interview

Join world-famous artists Cam Kennedy and Alan Grant to discuss their new graphic novel of Stevenson’s classic adventure Kidnapped.
Part of the One Book - One Edinburgh reading campaign.

FREE CLASSIC COMIC TO FLOOD EDINBURGH IN FEBRUARY
13/1/07 with thanks to Jeremy Briggs: 25,000 free copies of Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped - including a graphic novel version by Alan Grant and Cam Kennedy - are to be distributed throughout Edinburgh in February in a campaign to get the city's residents reading the same book.
Edinburgh's first citywide reading campaign is a unique project created by the world's first UNESCO City of Literature.
One Book - One Edinburgh aims to get as many Edinburgh citizens as possible reading this exciting adventure story - on their own initiative, or through libraries, schools and book groups. The campaign is supported by more than 30 partner organisations from across the city with a large public programme of events backing up the reading campaign in February.
Three new editions of Stevenson's great adventure story have been created - a paperback, Grant and Kennedy's fantastic new graphic novel and a simplified version. Of the 25,000, there will be 10,000 copies of the original text with a preface by Louise Welsh in a beautiful new paperback edition from Canongate.
The organisers for Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature describe the publication of 7,500 copies of a specially commissioned graphic novel by Alan Grant and illustrator Cam Kennedy as "a major coup." Between them the top creators have contributed to classics of the comics genre such as Judge Dredd, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight and Star Wars.
This campaign has also sparked two new spin-offs of the graphic novel. Both use Kennedy's magnificent artwork, but publishers Itchy Coo have produces a Scots language version entitled Kidnappit!, and Barrington Stoke have created a modern text edition, simplifying the original language for younger readers. Look out for these editions in local bookshops.
The third free edition of Kidnapped comprises 7,500 copies of a simplified retold edition created especially for a younger audience.
Free copies of the three editions of the book will be distributed across Edinburgh in February to every primary and secondary school, to every public library and to partner organisations. From 1st February, members of the public can drop into their local library to claim a free copy while stocks last. More information can be found on the campaign's dedicated One Book - One Edinburgh pages.
"Kidnapped, the epic adventure of young David Balfour, is a fantastic story set in one of the most dramatic periods of Scotland's history," explains Ali Bowden, Manager of the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust, "and Stevenson is a great Edinburgh author. We're very excited to be bringing this wonderful book to an Edinburgh readership in these new formats. The different editions will appeal to different readers, and will enable us to reach the widest possible audience."
The public programme totals more than 30 events, including exhibitions, a literary walking tour following in Stevenson's footsteps and a series of readings in conjunction with the National Library of Scotland, the first of which will take place on 1st February when Ian Rankin joins others to discuss the gothic, the criminal and Stevenson. For a younger audience, Donald Smith, Director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre, has scripted an irreverent and cheeky take on the Kidnapped story - When Kilts Were Banned - storytelling theatre with the bare essentials: wit, humour, falling out, friendship and growing up - but no kilts. The 1971 classic film of the story, starring Michael Caine and Donald Pleasence, will be shown at the Filmhouse on 24th February.
• Buy the Kidnapped graphic novel from Amazon.co.uk
• Edinburgh City of Literature Project

David Bishop's columns from Judge Dredd Megazine on the history of 2000ad have been expanded and collected as "Thrill-power Overload", and is available in bookshops.

The installments I read were very entertaining and frank, a lot more revealing than any other history of the comic previously available.

Synopsis
For 30 years, 2000 AD has been one of the most influential Science Fiction comics in the world. Home to such respected characters as Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog and Rogue Trooper the Galaxy's Greatest's influence on the world of comic books as a whole is incalculable. Now, former 2000 AD editor David Bishop explores the history of this legendary comic in a comprehensive and fully illustrated book.

Justin Werthram and Spain are working on Dies Irae ('Day of Wrath') The first 26 pages are online now, "providing the reader with a fresh look at the recent events of post-9/11 America"

Click here to read Tim Molloy's surreal strange comics, and thrill to the adventures of Mr Unpronouncable.

Check out the Midland comic collective anthology, edited by Hunt Emerson.

Hurk has a Blog! (wherin he reveals he'll have a new comic ready for the UK Web and Mini Comix Thing in March.

Tank Girl Returns - with a new look by Ashley Wood!

The Daily Telegraph interview Matt Coyle about his forthcoming Worry Doll book from MamTor.

"I draw like this because I love the initial feel of realism, then the unease, or the uncanny feeling that it's not real," he says. "And I am never bored with drawing like this. Lines are beautiful things, and it's a constant battle for perfection."

Lew Stringer talks Fanzines of the 70's, part 1 and part 2

The Comics Lifestyle website is running a logo design competition, with some great prizes.

Check out the website for Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis movie

D'Israeli writes about Alberto Breccia

Matthew Badham is looking for interviewees and useful links for a book he's writing about the small press (no publisher as yet)

Not sure if it's been mentioned here, but industry magazine Comics International has new ownership

Alex Fitch writes: via Quality Communications Yahoogroup

Hello all,

I present a radio show on Resonance 104.4 FM about TV, film & comics. So far, I'm afraid we've neglected the latter a little (having only done one show on comics in general with Kev F Sutherland and another on Dan Dare), so this month the show is devoted to the world of sequential art...

Here's the plan so far:

Thursday 4th Jan:
It's the start of comic book month on I'm ready for my close-up, so in the first of a series of shows on four colour periodicals, Alex Fitch and Duncan Nott are talking to Charles Brownstein, the director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a charity that protects comic book creators and shops from the vagaries of American law regarding the first amendment...

Thursday 11th Jan:
Continuing comic book month on I'm ready for my close-up, in the second of a series of shows on sequencial art, Alex Fitch and Duncan Nott are talking to author and journalist Paul Gravett about his books on British comics, Graphic novels and Manga.

Thursday 18th Jan / Clear spot in between (i.e. date to be confirmed) /

Thursday 25th Jan:
Continuing comic book month on I'm ready for my close-up: Alex Fitch conducts an epic three part interview with magician, orator, novelist and oh, yes, comics writer Alan Moore about his continuing work in the medium, his career so far / in the years to come plus his collaborations and his many and varied interests...

You can receive Resonance within the M25 (allowing for topography and topiary blocking the signal) or streamed at www.resonancefm.com - podcasts and info at www.readyformycloseup.blogspot.com

I'd like to do a show on Mark Millar next month. I've e-mailed the head of PR at Marvel and
put a post in a thread at millarworld but to no avail. Could anyone help me get in touch
with him?

Alex

Paul Gravett writes about the new (comics) revolution

The good people at Flying Monkey Comics emailed us to say:

Hello there, and a Happy New Year to one and all

Of course those of you who are regular readers of the monkey will need no such cheap tactics to peruse the site, but seeing as the sum total of our readership is the two of us, some dude in Israel (true) and my cat, we're looking to up the numbers a bit, so pass it on

Fractal Matter previews the gorgeous looking new graphic novel from Matt Coyle at MamTor, 'Worry Doll':