Column

Comics Pub Meets: Southern England

Andrew Leave a comment

A re-blog from the archives of my regular column for Alltern8; Comicking.

 

In the first parts of this series I made a few points on the comics pub meet across Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Other type gatherings where cartoonists meet in smaller festival (or fistfight) include the well-known Boycott-con and Squat-con, sometimes confused with the Barcamp. Around 2001 a writer in the Rainbow Bridge APA informed his readers of Housecons, which I quite like: organised out-of-town friend visits with dvd parties. The Pubmeet in my time, is at the centre of all this. It doesn’t have to feature sketching or comics on the table. There are anyway a few rules of sociability not obvious. In this column, I’m going to present a round-up of English Comics Pub Meets I know about.

kidson drinks

Along the coast of Southern England is Cartoon County. Meeting “every last Monday in the month (except Bank holidays) from 6pm upstairs at The Cricketers, Black Lion St., Brighton…Bring your work, bring yourselves, any time until closing.” writes Corinne Pearlman on the website’s ‘What’s Going On?” section from March. I have it from good sources that these run more regularly than site updates allow. However, this demonstrates a rule: if you’re not part of a well-knit group, check for up-to-date information. Amsel amelofbrockley(at)yahoo(dot)com may be a good point for getting in touch with the Brighton group.
A few hours up in the capital, PubDraw, made up of quite a few Camden Comics Group members, is now not running frequently. Of course, London is so well populated and linked by transport: seeing other people is a good thing too! It’s highly probable comics meets occur. I also have unconfirmed rumours of a Comic Creators Guild meet somewhere in the capital (website link in) Sci-fi genre enthusiasts may wish to pop by the Shakespeare’s Head on the third or fourth Saturday of the month, 12pm-9pm, second booth on the left. Contact Jackie or Joanna via the Facebook page.

If you happen to be reading this before Valentines Day 2010, Adam Cadwell informs me of a special Drop In and Draw event at the Notting Hill Arts Club, London from 3-6pm. Entry is £1 and only open to the over 18s. Included is the banner ad by Tom Humberstone. For more details on the event, follow this link to Adam’s blog entry.

Oxford‘s meet is weekly and tends to move around, grouping on a Tuesday evening from about 8:30pm. I’ve had many happy experiences with this lot: setting my hair on fire with laughter, heating my hands with the warm glow of genius, studying the constellation of speech bubbles and finding something in me to launch.
This group is joined at the hip with many past and present organisers of Caption, sure to be welcoming. Jenni Scott tells me the current meeting point is at The Magdalen Arms and she’s sent along a hyperlink!

Aaron ‘Smurf’ Murphy tells of Swin City owner Steve Causer in Swindon who runs a monthly group. There’s apparently a strong script-writing base and with the Visual Communications and Comics focus recently at the local college, it’s sure to be an interesting bunch. Aaron says, “(Causer) also promotes the group in Swindon’s listings mag Frequency as well as running the town’s comic printing service (UKomics)” Beer while probably not welcome on the premises, may be consumed afterwards. UPDATE: The link for this isn’t working but you can contact Swincity over Twitter.

From Bristol, Kev F Sutherland writes of good experiences at the now defunct Travelling Man group. Andy Richmond picks up the ball, “I get together with like minded types and plan projects and generally shoot the shit. But, its not organised anymore. Several Years ago we were in full swing, but unfortunately Travelling Man closed in Bristol and as that was our pre-pub meeting place everyone drifted. Fortunately, a lot of us are still doing comics, myself included. Hopefully some interesting SCAR Comics will be published this year.” Much to my delight, he responds to my query about the Puppet Theatre, “The Kochalka’s performing again, now that is an idea.Is the World ready for a couple of middle-aged men knocking seven bells out of each other?Probably, yes…”

Andrew Stitt: “On the Comic Group front: Norfolk Comic Strip Creators, Current planned Meetings – Sunday 2-6pm – March 7th & May 2nd. Taking place at: The Playroom, Norwich Playhouse Bar, St. George’s Street, Norwich”
“It’s usually the first Sunday in the month Feb-November. I haven’t sorted out April’s meeting because that’s Easter Sunday and we’re going to discuss it on Sunday.”

“The Norwich Science Fiction Group meets every other Wednesday and discusses all sorts – including comics – as well as having writing and art activity meetings. The next meeting is next Wednesday (24th)”

Chris Askham: “I don’t know of any in Nottingham – either that, or I’m just not invited to any!” Madness, Chris! Jonathan Rigby, partner/manager of Page 45 doesn’t know of any either. “The only things we do are very infrequent around anniversaries or signings. I know Notts Uni has a manga and anime society, but I haven’t got any contact info for them.” He tells me plans are underway to work up Page 45’s trading website with accompanying forum, and unsurprisingly, informal events have been talked about often. “Plus in many ways, we have such a laugh with customers when they come in, we personally don’t need an evening! But at things like our 15th anniversary booze bash last October it is absolutely brilliant to see customers who’ve never met getting on like a house on fire. We did a comics quiz at the booze bash which was a great sucess with customers.”
So, Chris is in good hands. Nearby Derby might have a Drink n Draw group too, it seems. 

The final part of this series on English pub meets will look to the North: in Birmingham, Manchester, Lancaster and Leeds. Drink safe!

Comics Pub Meets: Ireland

Andrew Leave a comment

A re-blog from the archives of my regular column for Alltern8; Comicking.

In the second of a four part article on creative and social networking and fandom across the UK, we’re going to turn our attention towards Ireland.

After hearing about the success of pub meets in Birmingham in 1997 I fly-postered around local comic shops in Belfast for a monthly meet. Numbers were small, four to six creatives amid ramshackle crowd noise. It did serve as an opportunity to compare reading tastes and art tips and nurtured a few good friendships. Busy workloads meant the group drifted apart as many do. When I returned in 2009, I was welcomed into a new group, which was larger and better organised. The Belfast Comics Pub Meet takes place on the First Thursday of the month at the Garrick Cloth Ear from around 9pm or so. For further details, drop myself or Paddy Brown a wee line.

belfast comics pub meet

UPDATE:

“That’s not Ron!” screamed his missus in block caps.

Dr. Sketchys has been replaced by Real Sketchys, which runs at The Black Box, Hill Street, Belfast on the first Thursday of every month from 9pm. The Drink n Draw also offers artists the chance to sell their work. Contact point might be Adam Turkington (@AdamTurks)and Seedhead Arts, here on 

belfast sf

Facebook.

Eugene Doherty runs the Belfast SF Group at the Errigle Inn, Ormeau Rd, Belfast on alternate Thursdays. There’s an emphasis on hard science word has it, but also a bit of craic. Contact Eugene for more details.

“The Other Ones” is a younger (20s-30s) SF,  Fantasy and gaming group meeting alternate Wednesdays at the Metro Bar, Botanic. Their emphasis is largely on the social, those misfits, and their Facebook group is here.

The Dublin Comics Jam is well attended by a colourful bunch, and held around the 3rd Thursday of the month at Lord Edward (opposite Christchurch), Dame Street. This has Drink and Draw aspects although I’d wager a lot of networking and friendship goes on too.  I’m told Kyle Rogers is a good contact, though they have a mailing list which you can join at dublincomicjam (at) gmail(dot)com for updates.

Out on the remote coastline of Galway, Donal Fallon sends me news of the Galway Pub Scrawl,

“The Pub Scrawl started in response to the Drink & Draw in Cork. We get about 10 people or so every week, with more some weeks. We’ve been hanging out in McSwiggans, which is kind of small and dark, so I guess if I got the numbers up we could get some bigger, brighter pub to make provisions for us. It’s fairly informal, we just chat & draw and mess around. Some of the guys (including myself) are into comic book work, but we haven’t discussed it much here. The NUIG Art Society do a comic class of some kind at the moment. I’d have to search around to get you more details, but some of those guys come to the Pub Scrawl. If you see Ruth Campion’s name in the Pub Scrawl group, she’d be in the loop about that kind of thing.”

UPDATE: Since writing this I’ve been invited twice to ComicsWest, a great comics festival run by the Comic Book Society at the University of Galway. They’re dedicated and it’s likely they run a pub meet or two. Here’s the link to ComicsWest facebook page.

“You can certainly list me as the contact, but there’s no formality or leadership. It’s more an exercise in getting people to draw who might not, or getting those who do to share their skills/approaches in a comfortable setting. I’m hoping to get it up to 30 or 40 people over the next few months. Considering we have an Art School and a Comic Shop here in Galway, there should be the audience!”

Galway Pub Scrawl happens weekly in McSwiggans between 8:30-11:30. You can contact Donal or others and get more information through the Facebook group.

The Cork Drink n Draw Cork Donal mentions are indeed on Facebook

Drink safe!

Omitted from the original article: Dr. Sketchys, which no longer runs at the Menagerie. Here’s the original graphic for posterity.

skechysbelfastfront

Comics Pub Meets: Scotland and Wales

Andrew Leave a comment

A re-blog from the archives of my regular column for Alltern8; Comicking.

Paddy Brown Pub

(The following first saw print on Alltern8.com on given date)

Introduction

“But, as you know the pub is the natural meeting place for cartoonists” wrote Andy Richmond. It’s a sentiment I agree with: a good pub experience is romanticism, communual congregation intoxicating regardless of chemical intake. My first foray into publishing comics was at the mythological Brum PubCon in 1997. Thrown by Dek Baker, Jez Higgins and Pete Ashton among others, it featured about sixty cartoonists squashed into a tiny rock metal bar. And it did rock.

There are many variations of the Illustration associated PubCon or PubMeet. Among the most well-known is Dr Sketchy’s, where cabaret meets art school and burlesque meets illustration. Founder Molly Crabapple says “As of April 2008, there are fifty Dr. Sketchy’s, in eleven countries and four continents.” (Check out the link for a helpful guide)  I would guess that’s an understating figure. Crabapple’s graphic novel, ‘Scarlett Takes Manhattan’ certainly reflects her love of burlesque and comics.

“Drink n Draw” searched through Facebook in January 2010 brings up 121 results, majorly American: Portland, Washington, San Diego, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, NYC, Boston, Orlando. Listings also include the UK & Ireland, Canada, Australia and Malaysia. I get 121 search results, that’s the short version. Of special note, is the Southern Californian meet affiliated with Eddie Freakin’ Peters and Joenis Norac. Their dedicatedhttp://drunkdrawn.blogspot.com/ not only suggests experimentation and crazed addiction levels. The blog contains evidence and a number of games to try while in the act of drawing.

This page on myspace contains links and info on a Drink n Draw book collection.

The Comics Pub meet has similarities with these three types and I’ll talk about these over this four-part series. To begin with, a look at the various ‘meets’ happening in Scotland and Wales.

Scotland
“A billion miles north of anyone”, writes Vicky Stonebridge, co-organiser of the healthy Hi-Ex Festival in Inverness. Vicky refers me to Hope Street Studios, shared office space for a collective of professionals based in Glasgow, with the possibility they might have heard of something, though I was unable to follow up fully. Jim from A1 Comics in Glasgow writes, “To be honest I haven’t heard of anything like that happening in this area, might be something that no-one mentions to us or is in association with a college or uni.”

I have more success when I come across the Scottish Cartoonists Society (SCC) and an occasional Glasgow Dr Sketchy’s.
“Burlesque performers do a short turn then pose for 5 or 10 minute drawing sessions. Beer and food available from the bar, and basic art supplies are provided. A jolly way to brush up on your life-drawing and a slightly different setting in which to enjoy a swally.”
The last meeting was Feburary from 4pm to 7pm in The Arches, Argyle Street. You can find more information at the website, http://www.rhymeswithpurple.net

Ganjaman creator Jim Stewart puts me in touch with the comics pub meet,

“..lots of folk just drawing away, and never a dull moment. Check out the comics journal discussion.” (referring to a recent TCJ article on Scottish cartoonists) “The meets are the first Wednesday of the month.you’ll see them in the events..and if there’s a mart we try to advertise it there, doing posters for it.”

Jim mentions that his self-published imprint, Numskull Comix, is 15 years old and you can also join the Ganjaman Presents Ning for recent drawings and news. “I’m about to release Ganjaman Presents 2: I’m thinking of putting it online before i go to print.”
The Glasgow meets usually run from around 7:30pm to 11pm. “Come along and talk shop, or just get pissed, or both.” More details on events all over Scotland at the Scottish Cartoonist’s Ning.

From reading forum posts, it seems as if the Glasgow Group book a room in the pub rather than just showing up and camping down. Something for future researchers?

Ferg Handley writes, “There’s no official pub meets in Edinburgh. Some of us meet up from time to time, usually if there’s an event on. But if anyone wants to set something up, I’d be willing to help organise it.”

Wales
Pete and Mark are contacts for the Swansea Comics Collective which meets Wednesdays fortnightly from around eight at The Brunswick Inn. Pete tells me the dates are posted at their blogspot, http://swanseacomicscollective.blogspot.com/ and you’re also welcome to drop them a line at swanseacomicscollective(nospam(at))gmail.com

I also came across mention of a Drink n Draw for those based in Cardiff. Information on the Facebook group.
In attending any of these as a newcomer or visitor, get confirmation the meet you intend to join is running that month. It’s worth remembering while some groups have agendas, others purposely don’t and exist as social free-forms. Newcomers approaching may experience some dirorientation. Even when well bonded in among some, trying to listen and to be heard can be a challenge. Drink safe!

Don’t Get Lost Making A Graphic Novel

Andrew Leave a comment

A re-blog from the archives of my regular column for Alltern8; Comicking.

I’ve been making comics since childhood, since 1997, for other people to see. I practiced as a scriptwriter, drawing my own comics out of necessity. I’ve made around forty, and last year I made my first attempt at a graphic novel.

No one can tell you, as fact, what the right way to make a comic is. You do not have to purchase Bristol boards, you are not obligated to work with brush, or colour. (Heck, you can use a sandwich bag) You don’t have to pay printers a grand. As a comic strip artist, instructions per conformity like anatomy reference books are a choice. Successful use does not necessarily demonstrate a link in narrative content with the medical discoveries of Vesalius or DaVinci. Comprehende?

flow

notebook

“Just do it”

I chose to work without script or thumb-nails and used an A8 (shirt pocket) note-pad with (light) 60gsm paper. A4’s wide open space is agony to me and the comfortable intimate pocket-book suited my wish to develop a sporadic style. “Don’t Get Lost” was based largely on personal experience rather than research and so I could dive straight to work at any point in my day. Many professional comics artists draw page designs on A5 (half a sheet of paper, the standard for many small pressers) and photocopying them by twice the size to A3 (121%) for use with a light-box. This is then pencilled to the page to form layout structure. I’ve even heard a tale of one professional who takes directly his A5 thumbnail to finished computer art. With this, the energy and spectacle of flow is retained and a good reader can notice and feel the difference.

My pencil work developed quickly to look confident. In one 24 hour session I unconsciously worked up thirty good pages in twenty-four hours. This didn’t happen creationist style, I’ve about twenty pages of shoddy, stumbling early work to prove it.

It’s worth mentioning my prior intentional experience with the 24 hour comic challenge is one that I will be repeating, and would recommend to any artist embracing a challenge. If you’ve not seen my 2007 comic ‘Gran’, I suggest book-marking this download page for an idea of a great 24 hour comic.

The accompanying video filmed in August 2008 is a bit waffly but gives an interesting insight into the strip’s content and that notable notebook.

My early experiences with using a gel pen at bus stops on Don’t Get Lost….that sentence finishes itself. I have little understanding of inking practice outside tracing, it’s clearly much more. Spending time on reference guides would have been a useful discipline to cultivate. That said, I did manage to put my corner-shop biro to some use. I’m becoming aware of how many great artists use the humble, unassuming biro. Paddy Brown works consistently in red biro, and the results blow the lay-man’s socks off.
Graphic Novel Coming

I didn’t set out to create a graphic novel of 300 pages – it just happened that way. First, it was 40, then 150 and so on. Eighty pages in, the notebook went missing for a day I mentally screamed and wept and my insides nearly bled. Then it turned up, and I do believe I kissed the book repeatedly, pocket fluff and all. Then copied it, anally.

Sally-Anne Hickman’s diary comics inspired: looking drawn fast, relaying honesty, immediacy and reality. Her choice of start and cut-off points and the length of sixty pages, longer than most mini-comics at sixty pages made them feel like novels. I strove to replicate this, breaking my work into chapters, the first a 144 page pocket comic-book.

First 80 pages

Fridge Comics

The Other 120 pages

I was working part-time at a stationers and spent my staff discount on two magnetic white-boards and a batch of cheap magnets. A sob of regret dismembering the notebook. The pages were numbered along each row. Staple-bound comic books work in supplements of fours and for a 144 page book I had to work things out in advance.

Once I’d done this, I took 36 A4 sheets, folded them and lightly numbered the pages in pencil. The pages were removed from the boards and lightly white tacked until I ran out began stripping posters from my walls.

Graphic Novel Fail

A big problem with this method of assembly could be in production: carting precarious stickys to a copy shop results in confusion with much slimmer volumes. Many copy-shops will specifically ask for .jpegs or .pdfs but I was lucky to have access to the use of the university photocopy room off-semester, when students were busy studying their parent’s satellite wide-screens. Three copies were made at this point: one each for the critical faculties of John (Robbins) and the conscientious Matt (Badham) I bound the comics using a single elastic band, a method Sally uses for her sixty pagers that is surprisingly great. I re-read the completed work, noting changes and sent these out in the packages.

Reviewing comics is a lovely job, one I’ve found gets progressively harder the more I do it. In this case, it was an opportunity for my editors to alter the narrative. Concerns were expressed. John and Matthew were made aware my narrative was a damn disturbing one. There are places in the narrative were characters are plunged into shock and despair, sickening states. While DLG is light and enjoyable in many places, at core a survival narrative, these moments don’t have the immediacy of drama as device that the latter do. This was compounded by other subject matter: media social panics and ambiguities in regional translation. Telling narratives of other people led Matt to raise concerns that, without their consent, I could be overstepping ethical codes. I’d changed names and altered appearances, but the occasional photo-realistic style didn’t help. I certainly didn’t want it to look as if those portrayed could be identified even though I was almost sure they could not. It’s just a mini-comic based in a small town that no one from there is going to read, right? Almost wasn’t good enough, and I pondered making changes for quite a while.

By this time I had moved back to Northern Ireland. Unlike mainland UK, Canada and the States, we don’t have Kinkos, Staples or photo-copiers in corner-shops as common place. Copying seems pricier. I graduated straight onto the unemployment line and a friend’s sofa, the book sat on the shelf. I took my single copy on the road to the 2D Festival were I showed it off to a few, including an attendee who advanced me £4 for a copy before I lost his contact details. I also made mini-comic previews of selected scenes in the book.

The accompanying video from June 2009 shows how I set about making this 16 page mini from one A4 sheet preceded by the formative stages of another. It also shows a copy of the preview I sent Matt and John. Warning: Contains disturbed complexion and over-dramatic pauses related to an all-night stint before deadline.

Webcomic On

Having produced those many pages made for good therapy and a sense of accomplishment. My stubborn nature and need to set a discourse off persevered. A friend I’d showed it to loaned me his scanner. I knew enough to host the images on my livejournal account, which has enough permanent storage space to hold them and to set up a free blogspot which was more accessible and would allow me to post in advance should I need to take a day off.

Some pages were muddied with dirt, wear or pencil smudges that deleting had to be applied to selected areas. I chose not to get bogged down, not wipe energy or construction in this. Ralph Kidson remarked that the pencils in my work may be a form of colouring, which I think is quite a good way of looking at it.

dont get lost

Don't get lost totems

The new year was coming in and it seemed as good a time as any to launch the webcomic. However, other factors got in the way and I was too busy to promote it properly. I sent Matt and John courtesy emails, and quicker than imagined, word spread with links on Forbidden Planet, Bugpowder.com and the blogs of Richard Cowdry and Paddy Brown welcoming me to the world of webcomics. I doubt this would have been possible without these connections made over time.

I’d had some success posting preview pages on Twitpic over the summer. Pete Ashton has an interesting piece here on Neill Cameron’s venture doing something similar. This did more good than posting in communities were I’m less an active part, such as Digg and Delicious.

Were I to fill every comic forum with links, I would not obtain my objective. The narrative has many strong themes: sexual abuse through rape and it’s effect on secondary survivors, paedophilia and the media panic surrounding it. Blogging without links was once considered bad practice. I intend to build this over time, as the narrative unfolds. Linking to communities who deal with those issues and their resources I’ve found useful, outside of my pithy scribbles. If the strip is commented on too, all the better for making another community.

With 300 pages scanned in and another 50 to do, I have a comic out that doesn’t look as polished as other web-comics but is a damned formidable read. Don’t Get Lost is updated on Thursdays and I hope you’ll find something there to suit you. As all things, in time.

Inside The Illustration Cupboard (London Venue)

Andrew Leave a comment

A re-blog from the archives of my regular column for Alltern8; Comicking.
This is a reconstruction, so excuse the poor formatting.

Illustration Cupbard

Reviewing a London exhibit of 500 book, animation and graphic novel illustrations by over 50 leading illustrators from around the world…
On my recent trip to London, I thought I should make a visit to The Illustration Cupboard’s 14th Annual Winter Exhibition as recommended by Gravett’s List. Often a tendency with UK comics arts related events is London-centrism. A factual trait which as a symptomatic side, effects exclusivity. The showing runs until the end of January and is worth a look if not in person, then by cyberspace travel. The Cupboard’s search engine is poor; browsing by gallery or by artist will get you to were you want to go as fast.

With prints starting at £55, and originals around £200, though many at £4,000, it’s mentalism the thought of me buying any of these. The Cupboard do a full-colour illustrated catalogue for £10 (p&p UK inc) though, that’s not bad, showing over a hundred of the works from this exhibition. Here, as online, you can see John Vernon Lord’s “Drawings of a Muchness and Things Beginning with M”, cut up techique using Lewis Caroll weirdness and a little bit of Dali. I also greatly enjoyed looking at Anthony Browne’s pop sensation ‘Kong’ illustrations and was glad the website provided me with more to look at. Pictured here is ‘Kong fought bravely but in vain’

Cartoonist Chris Riddell’s black ink illustrations for The Graveyard Shift, co-authored with Neil Gaiman are quite eldritch and chilling, as is Inga Moore’s pieces from Wind In The Willows

To the left, John Lawrence’s ‘A Boy Went Forth’ from ‘A New Treasury of Poetry’. J. Lawrence’s wood engravings look like a beautiful kind of fever. A sort of white magic working man bliss surge into the Dark Ages, like Scott McCloud visiting Chaucer, in William Blake’s cab of course. In addition to these comic strip like works, the illustrations accompanying Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island are worth a look around for.

The majority of the exhibit showcases illustrations of children’s literature. The simple looking commercial iconography of Children’s Lauren Childs’ ‘Clarice Bean’ obviously stood out, as did Dick Bruna’s Miffy works.

‘Speckledy-Neckledy’: stood on each other’s backs, an ape, dog, toucan and weasel, paint the neck of a giraffe. Sadly, this doesn’t appear online, but Charles Fuge’s other work has similarities in anthropomorphic fun. Penny Dale’s work does this too, presenting family community in a place were the cynicism of age finds it hard to scratch. (My favourite is ‘Everyone Had Baths’, but sure scroll on through). Some of this work is just downright lavish though, such as Childs’ collaborations with Polly Borland and Gennady Spirin’s illustrations for Jack and The Beanstalk which wouldn’t look out of place on any Art Student’s curriculum at degree level.

There’s a strong bias for inclusion in the works for winners and nominees of the Kate Greenaway Medal. This is geared particularly for children’s illustration and I note Dave McKean is among those shortlisted for the next one. The fascination with children’s literature plays a large part in the UK’s comics culture, in modernity, reverse-engineered by Gravett and other broadsheet commentators. In many ways, this is nothing to ever get embarrassed about. It’s a much more beautiful trend than, for example, tabloids might suggest. (It serves them right for name-calling, I suppose..) Though as someone who plans on never having children and has few young relatives, I’m a little confused as to how this interacts with me. Asides from, y’know….responsibility, creativity, education, aesthetics etc.

There are big pre-mainstream names aplenty in the exhibit too. There’s an original by Herge and a number of cels from Brian Cosgrove (Cosgrove Hall) and Nick Park (Aardman Animations). Of notoriety is the work of Kevin O’Neill, co-creator of Nemesis The Warlock and Marshal Law, as well as contributing creator to Judge Dredd. I notice The Cupboard is also selling copies of his League of Extra-Ordinary Gentleman collections as well.

The O’Neill material on display doesn’t include such scenes of viciousness, I convey precariously, as there’s a Marshal Law cover on the wall. The Illustration Cupboard is adequately titled, for it’s a small and cluttered venue, resembling a shop rather than any arts exhibit in London connotations of a museum. That’s just the way of it, practical within the considerations of financial viability in tough times for the culture economy. This includes the constraints of free, and sometimes or often private viewings..what more do you want? The second floor has a hand-railed gap which helps to create an observational route and extra point for observing works below.
I found the staff attentive, helpfully accommodating, above and beyond requirements. I hope my somewhat brutal honesty doesn’t offend them, I enjoyed my visit.

(GALLERY MONTAGE MISSING)

Should you be visiting, The Annual Winter exhibit runs until the end of the month and the nearest tube station is Green Park.

More from me on Alltern8.com on Tuesday 2nd February. In the meantime, my web-comic, Don’t Get Lost, is uploaded every Thursday. If you’d like to illustrate one of the many excellent comics scripts I’m involved in this year, please email me at drew.luke(at)gmail.com

Comicking: The January Ashcans

Andrew 1 Comment

A re-blog from the archives of my regular column for Alltern8; Comicking.

Welcome to an occasional collection of comics art, news, snippets and stories of note. Once a month, I’ll bring the easter egg extras that don’t make it to my regular columns, but are a tasty treat nonetheless.

Black Books

Is an independent literary fair, part of the cultural regeneration of Northern Ireland, within NI Culture’s Out To Lunch festival. This weekend Paddy Brown will be manning a stand there, selling work from the North and South, now including Blackshapes’ Phil Barrett.

Keep a look out for special guests!

Eggheads
On Tuesday this week, Paddy completed recording at BBC Scotland for an episode of the knowledge based quiz show, Eggheads along with fellow Belfast comics creators on his team: Stephen Downey (CANCERTOWN) and PJ Holden (JUDGE DREDD) Eggheads features four rounds of specific knowledge followed by a fifth on general knowlege. Teams compete against an Eggheads team of boffs and brainiacs. (PJ’s photo from the BBC lobby here.)

When Eggheads had a cartoonist team appear on the show in October last year, a series of knock-outs and a tense tie-break resulted in a win for The Cartoonists. Could it be that the targeted recruitment of more cartoonists just several weeks after means the Eggheads are out for ink blood or yoke? Be careful guys! Downey confirms this edition of Eggheads had Jeremy Vine hosting, which means it will air over the Summer or Autumn.

(IMAGE MISSING)

Battlefields: Happy Valley is the latest wartime offering from Garth Ennis, published by Dynamite. An air squadron taking on The Third Reich in 1942, over the industrial centre of the Ruhr. Apparently the story made PJ cry.

A panel from Happy Valley is replicated in PJ’s short autobiographical comic drawn in an hour that’s got a great Eddie Campbell quality to it.

Oh Mr. Robinson and His Quango…
Belfast politics are in the news this week as it’s transpired MP Iris Robinson has resigned. She’s had some rather serious mental health issues, undeclared business contracts, lots of cash and the 19-yr old waiter. In the fall-out, her husband the First Minister of Northern Ireland has stood down from his post until the enquiry reaches it’s findings. Oddly, the region’s newspapers are mostly lacking selections from political cartoonists. Here’s some contributions from Stevie Lee on Tuesday, firstly with Peter’s replacement MLA Nigel Dodds and then with Martin McGuinness and replacement First Minister Arlene Foster

(IMAGE MISSING)

Announcing the dates of Derry’s 2D Festival, 2010 David Campbell writes,

“2D, although we are late on the go this year, is happening and will be on from the 3-5th June, in the Verbal Arts Centre and Sandinos, with a similar format to previous years. We are working on guests and contentat the minute and will be publicising the dates as much as we can from here on in, so any help with that is appreciated. Be glad to have you along as an exhibitor again if you’re up for it.”

There are few better ways to spend a weekend than in this real community event and rational for hedonistic partying. It’s the fourth annual festival and last year there was critical debate, Bryan Talbolt, David Lloyd, sketches and workshops for children, dancing and blurred vision. David, my answer is Yes.The 2D website can be found here.

On the subject of Irish political cartooning, do check out these lovely sketches on David’s blog.

There Was More Than One Gunman

Never far from critical clarity, Dubliner John Robbins ruffled a few feathers on the indy comix scene in 2001 with the release of Closing Shots From A Grassy Knoll. The tract explored the motivations of self-publishing cartoonists, and their agendas in product contents agendas through a short repeated question: “Why do you do it?” In many ways, Closing Shots strikes and cuts the small press in much the same way as Roland Barthes’ Death of the Authordeconstructed the culture of writing and the merit of the act when bound to coded referencing of other texts.

Shortly after publication, the text was carried at Bugpowder.com and for a while open to comments and criticism. It’s still a solidly articulate and insightful prose with a directed ire towards contemporary mainstream storytelling. Valuable for discerning reviewers, critics and mostly, thinking creatives on the scenes.

In November, a revised edition was uploaded. If the original on Bugpowder is the ‘Shock’ tract for thinking critically about the comics you read and create, the new edition is the ‘Coax’. Yet perhaps more damning, certainly more directed and appearing clearer: much more relevant to a generation online were alternative transforms to new mainstream.

“Oftentimes there is a misconception among small press creators that they are rebels with suppressed talent, struggling against the might of the inferior mainstream and producing work of greater substance. This romanticised view also alludes to a notion that any production of material beneath the small press umbrella is somehow underground in nature. ”

In requests I publish an interview on the piece, John has stated he prefers the work to speak for itself. John’s new website, Downright Bockedy, is here.

The Baillie Train
David Baillie, author of The Indiscriminate Device and Tongue of the Dead has been blogging from Hôpital Avicenne in Paris, were he and Daniel Goodbrey have been working on something interesting,

“Mr G had been approached by virtuoso architect Valerio Ferrari about a proposed art installation in a Parisian hospital. His  idea was that it would take the form of something like a web comic, but one that would be navigated by physically travelling through a space rather than clicking in a browser.”

More about it on David’s blog where he goes on to document his trip from Paris on Tuesday to a big important meeting at BBC Scotland. (Not for Eggheads, no)
Still, if you want conspiracy, I heard rumours of a meeting of other 2000AD types thereabouts….

The Beagle Has Flown
My stage directions for a renewed British Comics Awards ceremony featured on Alltern8.com last month. It met with confusion from editors and a resounding silence from readers who viewed it in healthy numbers. On the same day the piece saw print, it was to be joined by that of another high profile comics  journalist confirming that there have been developments in The Eagles story. Just before it was put on the back burner for verification purposes.

Escape
Last month, Paul Gravett announced the return of Escape. Here’s what he told me in an email on Monday,

“it is early days and we’re not planning many books to start with. There will be the Escape anthology returning for graphic short stories.”

Escape has a special place in British comics history. Indeed it featured a wealth of talent and over the 19 issues helped to launch the careers of Eddie Campbell, Dave McKean, Neil Gaiman and Jamie Hewlett among others.. Interesting times ahead: the story is here.

Oli Who?
Professional indy comics activist of London Underground Comics, Oli Smith, is writing Doctor Who. According to the recent official Doctor Who Magazine (DWM), an audiobook ‘The Runaway Train’, presumably voiced by Matt Smith and Karen Gillian may be due out this June. In fact there’s already an Amazon entry for it.  The following month sees the release of his first full-length novel, “Nuclear Time” as part of the BBC New Series Adventures. He’ll also be putting some of those comic scripting skills to good use on DWM.

Stalking Sean
I appear to be stalking Oli’s cohort, Sean Azzopardi, whose work ethic is off the scale lately. He’s contributed pages in the shape of “My Only Friend” (oposite) to ’69 Love Songs’ A strip blog interpreting songs from the album of the same name by The Magnetic Fields. (Amazon link) There are also some fantastic contributions by Hum “Lew” Davies, Ton Humberstone, Elizabeth Jordan and a host of others.  A wonderful find.
Sean has also been spotted taking part in the 100 Days project: a creative concept to create something beautiful to make the world a better place. Ahh, that’s nice. Sean is posting his creations at his Phatcatz website.

Oh, and you can read my review of Sean’s action fantasy story, Necessary Monsters right here on Alltern8.com

All this exposure, it’s an arrest waiting to happen.

Radio Resonating Comix
Over the last few years Resonance FM, a London community arts radio, has allowed comics journalist Alex Fitch to present his rather excellent show, Panel Borders. In that vein comes the Alternative Press Hour, a monthly show “dedicated to comix, zines and DIY culture” featuring Gareth Brookes and Jimi Gherkin. The first show features interviews with London Zine Symposium organiser Edd Baldry and Mike Lake, co-founder of Titan Distribution and Forbidden Planet. Broadcasts this Friday (15th) at 9pm and should probably be online by Monday.

Finally, it’s just been announced that Darryl Cunningham’s Psychiatric Tales is to be published in collected form in the US, by Bloomsbury. If you’ve not seen this, it’s worth a look and here it is.

If you have an area you’d like to see covered, or a story to share, I can be emailed at drew.luke(at)gmail.com on correspondence marked ‘Comicking’.

I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and right here on Alltern8.com My loud new webcomic, Don’t Get Lost, is updated Thursdays.

Comicking is published most Tuesdays, except for next week as I’m taking a holiday.

(Archive)

Comicking: Necessary Monsters Collection

Andrew 1 Comment

A re-blog from the archives of my regular column for Alltern8; Comicking.
THE OPENING OF THIS PIECE HAS BEEN LOST TO THE SPIDER. IT WAS LAST SEEN AT http://www.alltern8.com/library/comics_and_graphic_novels/comicking_necessary_monsters_collection/l-4697.htm

Necessarry Monsters 2009

Bodies in corridors, against-odds stand-offs, rogue agents, secret lairs and black helicopters.   Richard Bruton of the Forbidden Planet weblog has stated that he loves Monsters’ cliches. While it’s not high concept, to call it unimaginative or derivative alone would be just unfair. Scribe Daniel Merlin Goodbrey long ago staked conceptual turf turning out interactive comics on infinite canvasses, a villain whose self-insight rivals comics theorist Scott McCloud, and a guy with a planet for a head. Some, like myself, would even accord Goodbrey the same status in concept progression as Kirby, Crumb or Moore. His established web-comics commonly explore genres of horror and hybrid western, and are joined here by the monster and spy thriller. Happy anomalies break through: a chicken-head giant with a chain-saw, the inverted and chained Statue of Liberty and other idea gifts, or Merlisms. Fun? Yeah, more than a bit.

The protagonists as we know them seem softer than the ‘monster police monsters’ description given. In the case of the protagonists they’re as much ‘cop monsters’ as taking out bad guys out of altruistic motive. Certainly in the cases of Charlotte Hatred, a haunter of mirrors, and dream stalker Creeping Tuesday their positive humanity is prevalent. In some traits displayed by Jonathon Gravehouse and antagonist Thomas Harp, opposing rogue Watchers Council sorts, they both look human and can come across as not such bad blokes. Apart from the odd bit of within narrative slavery, murder, if you like that sort of thing. The cast is rounded off by downright dirty psycho-paths in the best Krueger/Jason traditions, gimp-masked Cowboy 13 and his arch nemesis, Chicken-Neck. The four members of The Chain are bound together by a chain, networky implants placing them under the organisation’s will and the story concerns Harp’s challenge to their authority. Which is all I’m going to tell you of the plot, because the soul of the series is in the journey, not laminated card battle stats inside some ludicrously priced board game.

This is much harder to write than it is to read you know.

Yes, Monsters’ attributes with Goodbrey’s other works appear. Traceable attributes are far-off from the most well-known output of artist Sean Azzopardi and that is Twelve Hour Shift. A graphic novel about Ed Someone, a night porter struggling to overcome the ritual working and draw his first graphic novel. This sounds a bit boring, which is just how real Shift’s recounting going through the motions is. Balancing the frustration, there’s quiet insights which excel alongside the artist’s poetic reflection and his draughtsmanship of tender visuals. Yet in Monsters’ the cinema is strong directed Western box office to the point were you can hear the grinding of chain-saws and blood spattered over your face while the local cult building spontaneously erupts in flames and your children bang on your windows with hedgehogs over and over until lamps and bookcases where you are sitting fall over.

Necessary Monsters is released in collected edition by ATR/Planet LAR “including updated  artwork across all five chapters and a brand new introduction by Kieron Gillen (Phonogram, S.W.O.R.D, Thor)” (One of these re-workings is the introductory visual at the head of this article) It goes out to comic shops in February for $12.95 US and you can be helped to track it sitting down or standing right now with Diamond order code DEC09 0641. It’s also available to order via Forbidden Planet in the UK  and via Amazon in the States.

Twelve Hour Shift can be purchased through Sean’s website, Phatcatz.org.uk for the bargain price £6.95 + £2.00 postage.

Merlin Azzopardi 2010

 

For more details see http://necessarymonsters.com/

Comparing Manga and Britcomics festivals: social community and exhibition

Andrew Leave a comment

A re-blog from the archives of my regular column for Alltern8; Comicking.
The opening of this post was removed by Lederkraft when they set up at the old Alltern8.com site. We hope to locate it later in the year

manga and brits

Comiket began running in Tokyo in 1975 with an estimated 600 visitors, assembling from non-profit dojinshi organisation. Held twice yearly, by 2002 Gravett states it amassed “35,000 exhibitors over the three days” and 500,000 attendees, its “summer 2002 exhibition catalog is almost 900 pages” according to McHarry. Indeed, its growth has become problematic and claustrophobic. In comparison, the Tokyo International Amine Fair has 130,000 visitors, and less exhibitors. This is probably due to Comiket’s figures deriving from ‘circles’, and corporate influence – the first two days of the four day festival are for press and industry professionals only.

Britain’s major comics festivals – BICS or the Birmingham International Comics Show, and the Bristol Comics Expo have a similar ‘distributors day’ before the weekend. The Expo, began in 2004, and had much in common with its predecessor United Kingdom Comic Art Convention (UKCAC) BICS began in 2006 and cartoonists and fans perform live jazz as part of an acknowledgement of the strong social tradition of these events. At both events, 3,000 – 4,000 attend. However, around ¾ of the 70+ exhibitors have traditionally been small pressers, hobbyists therefore generating much of the income needed.

BICS grew out of a dojinshi-like culture spurred on by Oxford’s long-running Caption festival. Since 1990, its opened doors to 150-200 attendees, one weekend a year. Other small press festivals of note are the slightly larger ,The UK Web and Mini Comix Thing which takes place one day a year in London and London Underground Comics, a high-profile group that occupied Camden open arts market every Saturday in 2008. In availability to consumers, the open market regularly allowed LUC to extend sales across gender and generational spectrums. Here, they come closest to achieving what manga as a culture has managed.

Allison remarks that the otaku assumes

“a social role within anime fan-dom community as opposed to engaging in isolated enjoyment of media and Japanese culture”

and states that meetings are vital parts of fan identities. Hill considers a transcultural mis-reading of the word, noting derisory connotations in Japan, and ‘badge of honour’ status overseas. This marginalisation may allow for “greater transcultural circulation of texts” and may form an identity transcending nationality. As LUC grew out of Caption heritage, Niigata arguably grew of Comiket, and both out of fan culture. First held in 1983, Niigata has 7,000-10,000 regularly in attendance and takes place twice monthly in the city.

giant sized band thing

Above: The Giant-Sized Band Thing is made up of comics creators Charlie Adlard (Drums), Paul H Birch (Bass), Liam Sharp (Vocals) and Phil Winslade (Guitar).They play Western rock/metal at the BICS festival each year and other events in between. This image is from their Facebook page.

For a sample, let’s measure three manga fairs (Tokyo International Amine Fair, Comiket and Niigata) and five British fairs (Caption, BICS, Comics Expo, The Thing and LUC) These fairs have sketching and signing, flyers, and image prints available. Only LUC does not have goodie bags, panels, workshops, movie trailers. Caption and The Comics Expo don’t have live music. I’m unable to present substantial information on Niigata though given attendance is greater than UK festivals discussed, yet with similar roots and approaches, it may be interpreted as having similar facets. Economic sponsorship differentiation would alter this.

The Tokyo Anime Fair according to Specky features hanging quilts with manga images, the sort of cross-medium work that wouldn’t be out of place at The Thing, along with cards, stickers, badges and varied dolls. Expensive promoter tools and screening of commercials are rarely found in the UK. Matt Hill  and others note the larger British and Japanese cons have common roots in SF fandom and anime:

“fandom should not be viewed as ‘isolated fan cultures but may also need to be linked to other ‘parent’ fandoms or subcutlures”

Media fluidity, Manga and anime jumping between places is quite integrated and not felt so strongly in the UK. That manga is read on commuter trains may be a truism, though it could be read as often cited to emphasise links between transportation and distribution. That Niigata is fortnightly may mean re-evaluating expectations, but these cultural factors should be kept in mind.

All feature animation reels to differentiating extent, and larger UK festivals frequently featured whole days scheduled to anime screenings. Stop motion miniatures are also common. Rarely a British comics con features a live video-game component, more likely a free CD demos is distributed. None of the Western festivals have martial arts ceremonies that Poitras remarks upon in the writing, Contemporary Anime in Japanese Pop Culture. Although tea ceremonies have cultural reflections in the strong trend of regionalised British comics pub meets.

Cosplay is a large part of life in Harajuku and Comiket is renowned for being one of the largest Cosplay events. Likely an event at every manga and anime festival, in the UK, costumed roleplayers are common sights at The Thing.

Conclusion

As I have found there is a greater cross medium fluidity and environmental input for manga festivals in Japan, readings suggest there are a number of social media trends I have not had time to look at. Differences between Manga and BritComics’ central characters make for differing relationships between reader and narrative which would make for an interesting follow-up study. Given the limitations of my ability to study the British Comiket, hosted over many weeks, a comparison of those too might be noteable.

Additional Photo Credits
Tokyo Anime Fair by Specky at Anime-Source 
Lew Stringer at his Blogspot.
Rich Bruton at Forbidden Planet

As I have the sources to hand, here’s some Further Reading

Allison, B. (Date?) Anime Fan Subculture: A Review of the Literature, Mass Communication and Society, University of Georgia. At Cornered Angel.

Craig, T.J. (2000) Japan pop!: inside the world of Japanese popular culture, M. E. Sharpe. On Google Books.

Finnegan, E. (Mar 19, 2009) Greetings from Tokyo Anime Fair, Manga Recon. PopCultureShock

Gravett, P. (2004) Manga: 60 Years of Japanese Comics, Collins

Hewitt, L. (2007) The Birmingham International Comics Show 2007, Downthetubes.net.

Kinsella, S. (October 2005) The Nationalization of Manga, Japan Society Lecture, Brunei Theatre, SOAS, London.

Liew, Z. 2 March, 2009) Monday afternoon’s Japanese Art Festival review… CobaltCafe

McHarry, M. (2001-2003?) Yaoi: Redrawing Male Love. GuideMag.

Natsume, F/ (March 2000) Japan’s Manga Culture, The Japan Foundation Newsletter, Vol. 27 No. 3/4 CorneredAngel

Patten, F. and Macek, C. (2004) Watching anime, reading manga: 25 years of essays and reviews, Stone Bridge Press, pp.13-85. GoogleBooks

Schodt, F. L. (1996) Dreamland Japan: writings on modern manga, Stone Bridge Press, ch. 7 pp.305-341. GoogleBooks

Wilson, B. Toku, M. (Date?) “Boys’ Love,” Yaoi, and Art Education: Issues of Power and Pedagogy, Visual Cultural Research in Art and Education.

Comicking: How to revitalise a British Comics Awards Ceremony

Andrew 2 Comments

A re-blog from the archives of my regular column for Alltern8; Comicking.

Our British Eagle Awards are mired in establishment ways and poorly structured. From nomination ballot stuffing to poor and amateur compares and production values  to ceremonies organised with amateur production values. Last year, the Eagles suffered a serious blow when the system housing the recorded electronic votes disappeared completely. The process finally broke down completely for the 2009 Awards: organisers announced via press release there would be an Eagle Awards, even if the Bristol Comics Expo had no area for the presentation. Nominations apparently opened in May, although here, the trail stopped cold

.
The article below is meat to the bones of synopsis proposals sent by invitation to new Eagles co-ordinator, Cassandra Conroy upon invitation at the Bristol Expo in May 2008. In the summer of 2008, I sent out a document which had its basis on initial discussions with journalists Matt Badham and Leon Hewitt.  There was no response. BICS show-runner, Shane Chebsey was given the opportunity by Conroy to host the event at his festival. I approached Shane and was invited to submit a pitch in September 2009. Rather than 1000 words assassinating the farce the Eagles has become of late, I present a rough draft of how a new refurbished awards ceremony looks in my mind.

Hush moves to settle into a packed room of hundreds at Britain’s largest comics festival. Secret jury this year, overheard talk tells, before sorting out a proper vote structure for the following year.

More settling, lights dimmer. Expectation of movement on-stage. Above, a small stuffed dog drops to the platform. Applause: a smartly-dressed handsome man takes to the stage. Its a mostly respectful preacher’s podium, but for a few affixed items: a pale orange card with an asterisk in black marker, a newspaper clipping about Bruce Wayne joining Fathers For Justice and a roller handle fixed to the side. The host has a beautiful Irish accent much like that of Terry Wogan in the days when all the ladies were lusting after him.

“Hello, I’m Andy Luke…its my very great honour to present to you The 2010 Beagle Awards. After two rounds of nominations and three rounds of voting over the last nine months..by email, with random checks..”

A man runs on stage and reassuringly, presents me with a cheque. I look at him, pleased, and place it in my inner jacket pocket. Another man is unpacking a sleeping bag and proceeding to bed himself in at the foot of the stage.

“Is that Joe Sacco ?” someone confidently calls out, as if on cue. I ignore him and continue, reaching for a drink of my Guinness.
“UmYum. That Guinness was sponsored by Disney, by the way. There was a Mickey head. Well, welcome to a very special night tonight. Not least because, our first award for Best Cartoonist is to be presented by an…….exxtra-terrestrial!”
The crowd calls “oooooooh!!!” A chorus initiated by an orchestra of hecklers planted earlier.
At this point, disco lights are in the hall are set off.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” I call into a produced bull-horn, “and all identities of gender performance! Please, switch your room light off. Then on. Then off again. Then on, and join me in welcoming, the interstellar editor of the galaxy’s greatest comic, editor Tharg of 2000AD!
A plump forty year old with a thick black receding hairline and huge sideburns enters from the side of the stage, sporting brown corduroy trousers and a smart modern jacket. As he gets close to the camera which projects onto the big screen from the back row, you can make out a brussel sprout taped to his forehead. He has a thick Geordie accent and I tussle with him on the grounds that I can’t understand what he’s saying.  I take out a large ear trumpet and the asterisk on card, moving the latter up and down the trumpet.
“It’s just coming over as nonsense squiggles,” I explain.

Eventually, it transpires, Tharg claims to have met Picasso, the comics artist.
“Theet comics artist Picasso. He must have been cos he had a smart carnation in his lapel. And a quality street chocolate, the cool bahsted.”
“Tharg,  could you please read the name of the winners of the Best Cartoonists Award?”
“The nominations for The Best Cartoonist Not Published By 2000AD magazine are: Jamie McKelvie for Phonogram, Douglas Noble for Strip For Me, Adam Cadwell for The Everyday. And the winner is…Jeremy Day for The Weekly Strip!”
Applause as Jeremy takes the stage.

“Thank you. Thank you! YEAHHH!”
Jeremy roars and raises her arm into the air, the award held like some recovered sword.
“Thanks Tharg!” she says, grinning to the man with the mascara. “I’m very glad I’ve got this and I’m sure it will look great in my garden!”

Special Guest John M. Burns has just announced Keiron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie have scooped Best Series award for Phonogram: The Singles Collection.

“Whennnn…..Captain America throws his mighty shielddd….””
I hold the note, hoping listeners over forty pick up the resonant tune from their memories of childhood cartoons.
“The… corn in the Ukraine, grows a mighty yield!!!!”

They’re inevitably unimpressed when I ask John to present them with a sovereign bit and the dial that came dislodged from my CD player. They cheer up a bit when I tell them it had been in close proximity to the energies of pop group Pulp’s back catalogue.

(Beat)

“Next tonight, to present our Comics Journalist Award, a global legend. Not seen in public for decades. It is my deep honour to present Steve Ditko.”

A wiry elderly balding man walks up on stage. He’s dressed all in white, with owl eyes and a twitchy arm with furry cat carpet all around it. He smells of it too. He’s not Steve Ditko. This becomes clear when sinisterly, my name is read out as a nominee and he shuffles across the stage to ask me for the lend of five pounds.

“Rich Johnston for Lying In the Gutters, Matthew Badham: Citizen Badham, John Freeman for Down The Tubes And the winner is..”

The old man scowls a hissing noise at the anticipating audience, before removing the card from the envelope.

“Paul Gravett”

Applause as a figure takes the stage.

“Paul can’t be here, he’s on a prior engagement in Luxembourg this weekend. As it is, I suspect he thinks awards ceremonies are a silly affair which only promote greed and jealousy in the artistic community. However, I’ll see if I can get this Snoopy Bubble Bath to him.”

The second half opens to two men in crash helmets beating the crap out of each other with bits of painted cardboard to the sounds of James Kochalka’s Monkey Versus Robot.

(Photo: Matt Brooker/D’Israeli)

The Friend of the Small Press Award has just been presented to John Freeman. This was to be presented by Grant Morrisson’s spirit-form and although the audience held hands and called, he refused to make visible to us his bodily manifestation. Backstage informed me the flash of light which followed summoning chants was simply a large uncovered photocopier going off. I had so much enjoyed my pint, sponsored by Forbidden Planet, I asked Matt the barman if he would come over and present the Award.

As he walks back through the hundreds to the bar, on-stage appears a member of the Oxbridge bourgeois, dressed tails and top hat.
“Lord Wilthscomm! I’m here to register my profound objections. I put in twenty-nine votes in that last category and all of them were ignored. The nonsensical sequential juxtaposition that enshrines the dignitaries here is most irrelevant, creating only my unbound umbrage.”

“I’ve got Alan Moore hair clippings”, I offer, and proudly hold up the bag.
“It’s ruination. You’re ruination! Polemics of disgrace. I’ve been on the message boards you know. At the Royal College of the National Art Guardian exhibition. We had buttered quail.”
“You know that small bookshop near there? The one with no sign above it?” The compare asks.
“Dingy place, yes. Filthy. I wouldn’t know of it.”
“I was in there the other day.”
“Oh yes. I would have expected that.”
“I was going through their ten pence bin…and I snuck in a 1968 Mint Jack Kirby between issues of X-Force.”
“Ohhh….!”
Wilthscomm frowns a boil of anger and turns to leave.
“Now clear off, back to your den!” I add.
“This is most irregular. This will not be the end of the matter.”
I shrug repetitively as he leaves the stage.
“Anti-matter.” I murmur. “Now, we move on to our next category!”

I crank the handle fastened to the side of the podium, five times. A large cardboard box is moved on stage, the packaging design of Lucky Charms, the most surreal of cereals, along it’s four borders.
“And to present this year’s Award for Best Non-Print comic, live by satellite from Winnebago State in Canada, please put your hands together for Chris Claremont!”
Chris Claremont steps onto the stage, and ducks into the cardboard box.
“Chris! How are you? Can you hear me Chris?”
“I hear you Andrew.”
“Chris, welcome to Great Britain. Chris, Chris, Chris, Have you been following X-Factor lately?”
We engage in some awkward small-talk before Chris reads the nominations.
“The final nominations for the Best Non-Print Comic are All Knowledge Is Strange by Daniel Merlin Goodbrey,Necessary Monsters by Goodbrey and Sean Azzopardi, Jeremy Day’s Weekly Strip, Daryl Cunningham for Psychiatric Tales and Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield for Freak Angels! And the winner is.. it’s a tie!”

The tie is draped around a small stuffed beagle sliding along the front propelled by invisible fishing wire before disappearing behind the curtains. The Awards, we are told, are “To Be Continued”.

Unachievable fantasist nonsense? you may wish to check out the guerilla awards ceremony by Tony Lee and The Golden Champagne Awards which I stumbled across while working up my original pitch.

With thanks to Mark Boyes and The National Theatre ofEarth Prime, The Kochalka Puppet Theatre and Matt Brooker,Matt Badham, Leon Hewitt, Reeves and Mortimer.

Never Mind The X-Men, Its X-Mas!

Andrew Leave a comment

A re-blog from the archives of my regular column for Alltern8; Comicking.

At this time of year, black-belts and red puffer jackets are in. However, before you congeal cotton buds for that handcrafted beard, why not consider the loving homemade gifts already for sale? Comics activists including Andrew Geczy and Matt Reynolds here at Alltern8 and others, have already compiled some lists of easy to pick up comics. The independent press offers items offers items cheaper and often so personalised that the recipient knows they’re one of a kind. And how better to have the gift delivered than right from the cartoonist’s own hand?

For the admirer of Pretty Things…

sallyannehickman 2009

Shopping at fairs, I prioritise picking up the work of Sally-Anne Hickman. Yes, always great value for money. They’re instantly recognisable, emanating sound mellow vibe covers made from wallpaper and glittery stick-ons. Lovely little things, with energetic and youthful scribblings of the author’s comic-book diary, full of character and conversation. In one of my favourites, “Have you got all your cds & things?” we get an honest, fearless and involving tale of a friendship at departure point. These are pocket-size, affordable and lovely graphic novels, all of them. You can email Sally-Anne at sallyshinystars (at)hotmail(dot)com or contact her on Facebook, a link for which can be found alongside some samples at her blog. You should be able to pick up her books for £4 or less.

druane 2010

“One Word for Everything” is a tastefully decorated collection of strips by Deirdre Ruane that should appeal to the fantasist, spiritualist and party-goer in your life, or anyone who enjoys surprises really. Deirdre describes her work better than I possibly could,

“polar bear temps. black holes in language. strange hovering artifacts. racing snails. festival dawns. selfish genes. the kitsch of the future. a caveman who dreams of aeroplanes. everyday time travel. why sex is like ice skating. why spaceships make me cry.”

Celestial festival, friendship and feel-good, melancholic and hilarious; multi-style, patterns and swirls of grace collecting strips from her fast-shifting “Wasted Epiphanies”. More details on the book at the Shop page were Deirdre will accept Paypal.  The collection costs £4.50
Other than the few sample jpegs obtained for this review, I don’t own any wares made by Richy K. Chandler. How could I recommend them for this special time of the year? Behold!

richy k chandler 2010

I have seen these up close and they’re every bit of pretty. The packaging is professionally crafted and the comics, just as much. Made of Presents! For further details and samples, check out Richy’s Myspace page. The “Cosmically Enlightened Gift Set” costs just £5 and the “Mini-Comic Box Set” is sterling value at £10, plus £2 postage and packing for each. Top tip for a tasteful gift, which is    probably too good for High Street shops everywhere.

For the Lover of Comedy….

Ralph Kidson is probably the funniest man in comics. He delivers post-modern pondering, one-dimensional veneer built to hide a variety performance showcase, bare visuals carrying superb pacing, concise character expression and obscenities, lots of obscenities. Ralph is a consummate social commentator, a snorting punk, a fantastic lover and I can count the comics of his comics I’ve been disappointed with on two fingers.

This is the perfect gift for a friend who likes edgy and relevant comedians. So why not let wish them a Sweary Christmas? *ahem*
Ralph’s tactile “Giant Clam” pocket books are a well spent £2-£3 incl. postage and packing from the Forbidden Planet shop. (123)

A few looks at quality mini-comics that won’t break the bank:

For the Artist….

Bloc by Oli Smith and Oliver Lambden

Back in June, I called Oli Smith and Oliver Lambden’s ‘Bloc’ “one of the best UK comics this year” and it still resonates. Doctor Who scribe and general independent comics revolutionary Smith says of it,

“A postmodern fairytale, BLOC is the story of a stone man washed up on the beach of a mysterious island covered in giant floating blocks…”

Indeed. In the abstract narrative within, Smith deals with themes of physics, psychics, play, philosophy and environment. Not bad for a visual instruction only script. Artist Oliver Lambden excels, whipping out strokes of Kirby, Simonson and Moebius in a work that evokes epic qualities of artistic structure. Not only do both creators significantly up their own games, but re-write comics language, stripping away its facade and celebrating it at once. The book is a tidy baige-coloured volume, classy and worked. Affordable stocking filler, definitely ideal for an artist friend. 48 pages, cost approx. £4 from Oliver Lambden.

John Robbins 2009

Iconic models and their environment also feature in John Robbins ‘Inside Outsiders’, another of the finer comics I’ve read this year. Heres his ad blurb,

“Psychosexual subtext pervades this League Of Extraordinary Toy Story as action figures undertake the perilous search for a fellow room-dweller who has fled an emotionally complicated relationship with a promiscuous Bratz doll.”

Robbins’ piece is shorter and wordier than Bloc, but equally a thriller. Its written with comedic mischief, multiple definitions, paradox, and clever pace to the proceedings. Visually, its been crafted loyally with full-figure as portrait style, lacing fantasy within reality and functionality. This excellent example for good comics is a bargain at only 1.75 Euros/$2.50 US/£1.50 UK, postage included. Adults only. Available to buy at Blackshapes Shop.

The small press has also turned out a few graphic novels of note. Some of these are available in comic shops, but before that, some which aren’t.

For the Trad Comics Action Story Fan..

Winston Bulldog

The United Kingdom has had its fair share of larger-than-life comics icons: Dennis the Menace, Roy of the Rovers, Judge Dredd and Captain Winston Bulldog. Over the mid-nineties and this decade, writer Jason Cobley worked with upwards of thirty artists to deliver tales espousing the stiff-upper-lip of Blighty: eccentric, corny, brave and dashing. Alongside his action narrative, illustrators present a highly structured British metropolis, detailed with anthropomorphic and sci-fi scenes as well as stylised minimalist solid designs that are difficult to put down. Some of the strips don’t lend themselves quite so well to the reproduction, but this package is a valuable cultural historical artefact of a generation and an essential reference point in British comics. Simple action dynamics, occasional insightful humanity and some damn fine fun. With a perfect bound full colour cover the complete 208 pages can be purchased for the bargain of £7.99 here.
For the Lover of Myth and Legend….

Ness 2009

“Ness” is the opening work to Paddy Brown’s “Ulster Cycle” comic, were figures and environment gain dimension through directional pen scores and academic research shifts seamlessly into unafraid working narrative. Daughter of the king of Ulster, Ness goes on the run to track down a murderous outlaw, with a looming war between Ireland’s kingdoms for backdrop. The mythology is complimented by Paddy’s occasional lighthearted anachronisms in the script, but the meticulous adherence to source material makes this a fun educational tool as well as a great old yarn. The A5 graphic novel, collects “the full 72-page story in black and white, plus full colour cover, pronunciation guide and seven pages of notes.” and is well worth the £4.99 (incl. postage for the UK and Ireland) payable through Paypal.
Finally, two works which you should be able to pick up pretty much everywhere:

Last Sane Cowboy

Sand and skulls and the disparate wildness of literate West. Daniel Merlin Goodbrey examines contemporary anomalies through the prism of Western genre and computer-aided minimalist projection is that of a modern-day conjurer in this collection of “Tales from an Unfolded Earth”. These tales are sociology: ‘showing’ often only one or two characters, a sense of their connections with an entire society is ominous and eminent. The meta-narratives character studies’ come with personal histories, labour relations and linguistics among flowing sequences and HD coherence. Merlin Goodbrey is best known for his pioneering work on hypercomics, its to his credit that here he accomplishes providence of something with a similar highly personal feel. “The Last Sane Cowboy and Other Stories” is a cult classic and £7 or $13 well spent.  Its published by AiT/Planet Lar and you can find it on Amazon and other places.

Phonogram TSC

Phonogram has re-fuelled my interest in comics, my love towards music and is not only one of the greatest comics being made today but also the simplest.  David Kohl is a phonomancer; he uses music to make magic and because he’s a prick sometimes that goes bad. The other main character of this book is Brit-pop, a revivalist movement linked with Kohl’s essence and rewritten, along with natural reality. In writer Kieron Gillen theres all the aspects of a fantastic music journalist, teacher, poet and creative commercial visionary with tolerable arrogance, taking his cue from Moore’s definition of magic. Artist Jamie McKelvie takes his from Grant Morrisson with designer biography sigils, smart, savvy, smug and infuriating characters. Both lads are to be awarded for bringing real, relevant, clever concepts and scenarios to the audience.  Phonogram Volume 1: Rue Britannia is published by Image and you can pick the collection up for under $10.

Enough from me, Go, load up your sleigh!