Floods Charity Comic Planned

(Updated 21/10/07): UK indie publisher Adam Grose, who runs Clown Press, is working on a charity comic in aid of the Red Cross, to raise money for flood victims the world over.

Although initially prompted by floods in the UK during the summer, floods in other parts of the world continue to cause misery four thousands of people, and Adam was moved to try and inspire the comics community to create a collection of one page strips and raise funds for flood relief.

"The UK experienced some of the most horrendous weather, with a month's worth of rain falling in 24 hours," Adam explains. "During this time, many of our fellow citizens experienced flooding, unknown to many of us.

"I decided to put together a comic to help raise awareness of our changing world, the environment and the increasing floods and disasters, that seem ever increasing since the turn of the millennium."

Posting an appeal on the downthetubes forum, Adam has asked for writers and artists to band together, creating a one page strip cartoon or illustration, using the title of 'Flood'.

"This comic will initially be available as a download via Smallzone (www.smallzone.co.uk)," says Adam, "then as a printed book to help raise money for the Red Cross and victims of the floods. Hopefully, this will be available the world over and help to bring more awareness to our world community."

Some of the strips will also be adapted for the ROK Comics mobile format, with any profits from sales going to the Floods cause. (John Freeman has kindly agreed to do the adaptation work for any creators who would like to see their "Floods" strip in this format).

Contributors so far include Simon Mackie, David Hailwood, Team Sputnik, John Freeman, Mike Nicoll (panel from his strip above) and, of course, Adam.

If you are a writer and artist and you would like to get involved then please contact Adam via adgros@hotmail.com or through downthetubes.ning.com/profile/adgros.

• Web Link: adgros.blogspot.com/2007/10/flood-charity-comic-for-red-cross.html

Deadlines and Format Information for submitting strips

Adam would like to get this out relatively soon, but he is also aware creators all have many projects on the go and various deadlines. A working deadline for the page would be by the end of November/ first week in December. His hope is to publish available by Christmas as a download, an alternative Christmas present, with the print edition available May 2008.

If you would like Adam to read through anything before it is committed to being drawn, then he is available to read through your idea. "Otherwise, I am sure you are able to use your judgement on this issue," he says.

"I don’t want to control what type of story you create, as I am not one for censorship, therefore giving you the widest possible of choices. Obviously there are certain things you may feel you can’t do, law-abiding, but if you are worried then please contact me and we can talk about it."

Technical Information
Please supply art as follows:

FILE: A4 29.7 x 21cms. Portrait or Landscape.
RES: 300 DPI
FILE FORMAT: ART - PDS is preferable, high quality JPEG also. WRITING - Word or PDF
STYLE: Up to the individual artist.
ROK COMICS STRIPS: If you want your comic to be adapted for mobile delivery by ROK Comics (www.rokcomics.com):

- Please supply the art as a layered photoshop file (only the lettering needs to be a separate file) or unlettered image file with your script.
- Lettering for mobile has to be 18 to 24 point for legibility.
- The mobile formatted strip will be submitted to you for your approval before publication on a special 'Floods' page of ROK Comics

Writers: Submit a 'Drabble'
Several writers have expressed an interest in contributing text stories, so Adam's suggested they submit 100 word 'drabbles' for the project.

"If you are a writer and you would like to create a drabble for this project then go for it," Adam says. "I know writers might have some difficulty finding an artist or would rather just write a short story of 100 words. The theme would be the same - FLOOD. I look forward to your contribution.

Send any drabble to Adam via adgros@hotmail.com

For more about Drabbles visit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drabble