Cameron's Crash Course Launches

The BBC has just published an 88-page full-colour online interactive comic called Crash Course drawn by top British comics artist Neill Cameron.

Neill told downthetubes he spent "a good chunk of last year working on the comic for the BBC" which can be read for free via: Neill Cameron has just gone live, and can be read and enjoyed for free via www.bbc.co.uk/schools/studentlife/games/crashcourse

In Crash Course, eight students embark on a school trip where they end up learning more than they expected. Some find love, some find courage and others find goats. Join them on their journey and choose where the story takes you.

You will need both JavaScript enabled and Adobe's Flash Player plug-in to access the comic reader. BBC Webwise has a complete guide to downloading and installing Adobe's Flash Player and how to enable JavaScript, but for most web users it's easy to use and requires no "under the bonnet" fiddling with your computer settings. "Just click 'Play Game' and then 'Start New' to start reading the comic in all it's zoomy-inny-outy choose-your-own-adventure glory!" says Neill.

"It was a lot of fun to do and I hope people enjoy reading it. For a sneak peek at the art in its virginal, unlettered state, pop over to www.neillcameron.com, where I've posted a few pages.

In other news, Neill reports he is still working his socks off on Mo-Bot High, my strip for The DFC, the new British subscription-only weekly children’s comic launching later this month from Random House.

"It’s all starting to get rather exciting," says Neill. "The official press launch is this Thursday at the British Film Institute, so if all goes to plan you should all be hearing all about it in various papers, radio programmes and what-have-you very soon.

"Apparently there’s a chance I may be on the BBC's Newsround, if you can wrap your head round that. (I doubt this will happen, and if it did I’m sure it would only be for a split-second, scuttling around in the background wile they interview Philip Pullman. Which, frankly, I could live with.)"