'Iraqi Oil For Beginners', the new book by Jon Sacks is launched at Housmans Bookshop, Caledonian Road in London this evening at 7pm. Sacks promises to detail the "past and present thefts of Iraq's oil by Shell, BP" etc. More details can be found at this link here

Alan Tanner* is currently working with Thomas Cochrane on "The Fat Man" - an independent graphic novel - see more on Indie Review
(*Veteran graphic artist Alan Tanner - the artist from the infamous OZ magazine who drew the final version of a copulating Rupert the Bear - which landed the magazine in serious legal trouble in the UK.)
Background - http://pers-www.wlv.ac.uk/~fa1871/rupage.html ‘School Kids’ Oz (#28: May 1970)

A big announcement in Top Shelf land: Variety announced today that Bruce
Willis has signed on to star in the Disney/Touchstone adaptation of Robert
Venditti and Brett Weldele's THE SURROGATES, to start production in
February 2008. To read the entire article at Variety, just click here

To see more information on the trade paperback of THE SURROGATES, click here

Craig R. Johnson: wants to let you know:
London, November 18th – 18:00 GMT saw the star-studded launch of the newest comics-related website, www.comicsvillage.com – all of Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Joe Quesada and Paul Levitz were not in attendance to see the [many] regular features unleashed.

Comics Village will be your weekly stop for commentary, analysis and fun about all that is great and good in comics. Regrettably, we won't be discussing Spider-Man's latest outfit, nor whether Red Kryptonite is in continuity or not, but we will discuss comics...

Stuart Kolakovic has a forthcoming solo exhibition at Projekts MCR in the Northern Quarter in Manchester. The exhibition opens 8th December and runs until 3rd February 2008, with an opening night on the 7th Dec.

The BadLibrarianship blog has some news about future Tank Girl comics.

I popped over to Camden today, to check in on the 'London Underground Comics' stall, brainchild of Oli Smith. There was a good selection of stock on sale, and they seemed to be attracting lots of attention from browsers, with a fair few sales while I was there, and a healthy turnover reported. If you make comics and want to have your stuff sold on the stall (or want to turn up and lend a hand), see the Facebook group for further details. Rumour has it that a 'proper' website may be in the pipeline. Here are some photos:

Oli, drawing like a demon!:

The finished commission:

And lastly, "Hi, He's Oli Smith!". Oli's video-diary, for those of you with limber necks. (Part 1 here, look out for the brief musical number in part 3:)

Rich Johnston and Thomas Nachlik's Flying Friar has been re-coloured, relettered, and is in the shops now - Check it out at http://www.flyingfriarcomic.com/

The original purpose of Scott Mcloud's 24 hour comic challenge was to inspire fellow artist Steven Bissette to be more productive. In this spirit, Monkeys Might Puke creator Dan Lester has set himself a challenge to increase his own productivity. He intends to draw a 24 hour comic every month for a year, starting from November. He'll be documenting his progress at http://sleazydanlester.blogspot.com/

Benjamin Dickson, writer/illustrator of the Scar Comics graphic novel Falling Sky, has uploaded his entry for the recent Observer competition.

Velcro Cows - Nature's Solution to Inner-city Congestion" by Martyn Warren is in the shops now (including Amazon, Play, HMV, Waterstones and Borders).
The book is a humerous factual guide to the world's most fascinating bovines, think of it as a cross between a science textbook and a field of lies.
The book has a written introduction by cartoonist Tom Gauld, who thinks it is "bewildering and very funny".
For more information visit www.velcrocows.co.uk

Rob Jackson's new comic 'On The Banks of the Mighty Croal' is out now. It is 32 black and white pages, with card covers and fold out map, priced £2 plus 30p postage

back cover blurb -
Like Rome, Bolton is built on seven hills. Whereas Rome has the sparkling Tiber, Bolton is blessed with the mighty Croal.

Join us on a guided walk along the fascinating upper reaches of the Croal, from the center of the bustling metropolis that is modern Bolton to the leafy green suburbs of Lostock. Along the way we will learn all about the history, people and wildlife of this vibrant area from Neolithic times to the present day.

With fold out map and many illustrations.

Matthew Craig writes:

Ahoy-hoy, Bugpowderites!

I have a new 13-page comic ready for your viewing pleasure. It's called VITALE, it's the Zombie sequel to Romeo and Juliet, and...that's probably all you need to know. The print edition sold out at both the Thought Bubble Comics Fair and the Birmingham International Comics Show (on Day One, which was pretty cool). I hope you enjoy it.

In other news, I've managed to wangle a table at Wolverhampton's Festive Flair craft market, which takes place this Saturday, 17th November, between 10am and 3pm at The Light House, on Fryer St.. I'm pretty sure that I'll be the only comico in attendance: a novelty
that I'm hoping will work to my advantage.

The Light House is only a couple of minutes from the train and bus stations, so if you're in the area,
please stop by. Mention Bugpowder and get a free sticker!

Cheers,
Matthew Craig
//\Oo/\\

TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS closes out the celebration of its Tenth Anniversary
in publishing with some really cool holiday website incentives for their 2007
line. Until the end of November, they’re offering the following giveaways at
www.topshelfcomix.com.

To go directly to the list of incentives on the website (and ordering page)
just click here.

Hunt Emerson will be doing a signing at Shropshire’s one and only comic’s specialty shop Infinity & Beyond on Saturday December 1st from 11am until 5pm.

This signing could be the first in a series of local events featuring internationally famous comic artists appearing in Shrewsbury.

For more information contact Shane Chebsey at: shane@thecomicsshow.co.uk
Or telephone Paul and Tracey on: 01743 360666

Tour dates for David Lloyd in Ireland (via):

Dublin - Tue 27th November, Central hotel first floor, doors open @ 7.30 pm. This will include a talk followed by a signing. (Admission free, but ticketed. Contact robsubcity@gmail.com.)

Galway - Thurs 29th November, Roisin Dubh, doors open @ 8.00 pm. As above, talk followed by signing. (Again, admission free, but ticketed. Contact robsubcity@gmail.com.).)

Cork - Sat 1st December, Other Realms. In store signing.

Sudoku City was Chris and Andrew Judge's entry for the Observer comics competition.

There's a fair bit of Small Press action on Facebook, Here, Hereand Here for a start.

Comixtalk's The (brief but) complete webcomic walkthrough