Artist seeking artists for charity comic

Brain aneurysm survivor Siike Donnelly is aiming to share his love for comic books, and his writing ability, to recruit artists for a very personal project that he hopes will save more lives like his.

30-year-old Siike (Seek) Donnelly, an American comic creator, survived a subarachnoid hemorrhage, commonly known as a brain aneurysm, in 2010. Having to rebuild his speech pattern and learn to walk again, he reached out to other aneurysm survivors, finding that very little is being done to not only raise awareness to something that could affect anyone at any moment, but also found very little money being raised as well. Today, he aims to change that.

"I'm one of the lucky ones," he says. "Most people don't survive a brain aneurysm, and of those that do, most suffer from disabilities.

"Though I have new daily obstacles, I want to take advantage of the world I'm connected to, and love more than anything, to help me raise awareness and funds through something as simple as a comic book."

In recent months, Siike has gathered nearly a dozen artists for his cause, even starting up his own company called The Naïve Project. Through his company, Siike will publish a comic book called Solestar, a Japanese character of his creation, who has an origin set during the bombing of Hiroshima.

"I wanted to create a superhero that knew loss right from the start, he explains. "It's kind of the staple when creating someone with powers. They have to come from tragedy to obtain victory. This is something I now understand on a personal level. Hopefully victory follows my tragedy with this project."

The concept is simple; Siike, a published author of two books, Rhino and Heaven's Echo, has written a 55-page story that focuses on Solestar's final Christmas Day on Earth, in 2099. He is asking for 55 artists from anywhere in the world to email him, read his script, and pick a page that they are willing to donate to the cause.

With a dozen artists already on board, including Kate Carleton, Paul Barnes, Aaron Pierce, Renzo Ventrella, Christian Leaf, Martin Dunn, Neil Kapit, Jim Dewey, Jenai Pellerin, and more coming on board each week, Siike is a fifth of the way to his goal in just two short months. Once all 55 pages are completed and compiled as a 'jam' style comic, it will be packaged with a few pages about brain aneurysms, information on the people sponsoring the comic book, America's Brain Aneurysm Foundation (www.bafound.org), and a short story featuring unused artwork and photos to show how this project all came together.

Siike hopes to have the 100 page graphic novel print ready by Christmas 2012. It will sell for $10, in limited supply at first, with all proceeds going to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation.

There are six million people in the United States at this very moment with an unruptured brain aneurysm. At any second, it could burst, with a great chance at ending their life. For those that survive a brain aneurysm, it's guaranteed they will experience another in their lifetime. It's averaged out that every 18 minutes, someone suffers from one of these ruptures. Siike hopes his comic book will change those statistics.

"It's important that people just know about this. Raising money with this comic will help those already affected but the knowledge inside the pages alone could save a life that has yet to be affected. I think that?s kind of cool, a superhero that will actually save a life. I hope we can see more of that in the future."

At The Naïve Project, a quote adorns any spot that Siike can find room for it, from his favorite superhero playing actor of all time, Mr. Christopher Reeve. The quote reads, "At first dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable." Saying that Siike is a dreamer is an understatement. And though some may not see the irony in the name he gave his company, Siike shows no fear for the many obstacles that still lie ahead.

"My concept may seem stupid to some, a waste of time to others, but trying to do something good is never any of those things," he enthuses. "During my attempts at getting this project off the ground I've run across people that have tried to stop it, bring it down, and take personal shots at me. I let them, because I know they are wrong. The life I save could be their mother, father, significant other, or child. I can endure a few haters knowing the end result will be someone not going through what I went through, or what someone who had it worse than me went through.

"Hopefully there are 43 more artists out there that appreciate and respect what I?m trying to do. Hopefully they'll join us."

• If you’d like to hear more about Siike's story and this project, get a free download of the Battle Drawn Radio Show’s Episode 6, where he and I talk about The Naïve Project, Solestar, and our mission at Nerd Nation.

• Contact Siike @ExplodingBullet or by email: thenaiveprojectATgmail.com or via www.facebook.com/thenaiveproject. Listen to his podcast, which he co-hosts with his good friend Gene Hoyle, at www.nerdnation.co.


Art by Kate Carleton. Logo designed by Martin Dunn.

Thought Bubble convention to publish charity anthology

(Spotted on Broken Frontier): This year sees the Leeds Thought Bubble Festival (14th-20th November) celebrate its 5th birthday, and to mark this momentous occasion they'll be publishing  the first ever Thought Bubble Comic Anthology.

On sale in October, the comic will feature a variety of original tales by incredible industry talent from around the world, including Duncan Fegredo, Charlie Adlard, Andy Diggle, D’Israeli, Antony Johnston, Robin Furth, Becky Cloonan and film director Stuart Gordon.

"This first anthology has been curated with the ultimate aim of showcasing the very best that sequential art has to offer," say the editors.

Issue #1 will also feature all the winning entries from 2010′s Northern Sequential Art Competition with stories from Gavin Ross, Sally Jane Thompson, Will Morris, Alice Summerscales, Sophie Kamlish, and Raymond Mak.

All profits from the sale of the anthology will go to the charity Barnardos.

Distribution is being handled by Image Comics and the comic will retail at $2.99 (which should be around £2.20 in most UK comic and book stores).

• More info about the anthology here on the official Thought Bubble web site

'Spirit of Hope' charity comic anthology launched

Britain's Comic Book Alliance will publish Spirit of Hope this month - a stunning-looking anthology featuring work by almost 100 comic creators in aid of survivors of the Tsunami and earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand which happened earlier this year.

The anthology features 50 pieces of donated art from 92 top international creators in the comic book industry. The pieces are mainly sequentials or comic strips but there are also a few stunning single page pin ups.

The brain child of the Comic Book Alliance, it's hoped that with all proceeds being donated, the project can raise over £30,000.

Edited by Alan Cowsill and Tim Pilcher, Spirit of Hope is being offered in two alternate covers - one by Jimmy Broxton (above), the other by Mike Allred (left). Creators involved include Natalie Abadzis, Nick Abadzis, Adrian Bamforth, Jasper Bark, Donna Barr, Jordie Bellaire, Paul H Birch, Bolt-01, Dan Boultwood, Mark Buckingham, Jim Campbell, Richmond Clements, Jason Cobley, Simon Coleby, Mike Collins, Martin Conaghan, Gary Crutchley, Glenn Dakin, Al Davison, Brandon DeStefano, Benjamin Dickson, Martin Eden, Mats Engesten, Gary Erskine, Al Ewing, Glenn B Flemming, Emma Flint, Henry Flint, Leigh Gallagher, Matt Gibbs, Gary Gilbert, Alan Grant, Jon Haward, Peter Hogan, Kev Hopgood, Graeme Howard, Inko, Rich Johnston, Ant Jones, GM Jordan, Jessica Kemp, David Leach, Tony Lee, Nigel Lowrey, Ciaran Lucas, Paul McLaren, Gary Spencer Millidge, Michiru Morikawa, Alex Moore, Leonie O’Moore, Michiru Morkawa, Eva Perkins, Grant Perkins, Martyn Pick, Maria Pickering, David Pugh, James Reekie, Regan, Neil Roberts, Darick Roberston, John Robbins, John Ross, Declan Shalvey, Liam Sharp, Akiko Shimojima, Si Spencer, Vicky Stonebridge, Lew Stringer, Steve Tanner, Archie Templar, S Thompson, Geoffrey D. Wessel, Chris Western, Andrew Wildman, WJC, Ant Williams, Rob Williams, Sean Michael Wilson and Yel Zamor.

Art by Mark Buckingham

Copies of the book can be ordered in advance and will be £14.99 + £3.00 p&p. Anyone ordering should state their preference of cover: both will soon be available to be seen on the Comic Book Alliance website or Facebook page.

Limited edition prints are also being offered to purchasers - check the sites for more information on these but one is a beautiful piece of art by Mark Buckingham (right).

Other art and comics-related fund raising activities in support of this cause include Art Blossom Japan, where you can purchase the donated artworks of talented Manga/ Comic artists and Illustrators. 100% of proceeds go to British Red Cross: Japan Tsunami Appeal and IFAW Emergency Relief Aids helping fund those affected.

Art by Simon Coleby

Aftershock is another long manga/comic book being put together by Adam Pasion, an American artist living in Japan. Most of the creators involved in this project are American, and the stories are about Japan in general and what Japan means to each of the contributors.


• More info on the Comic Book Alliance web site at: www.comicbookalliance.co.uk

• Spirit of Hope Facebook Group

Panel Borders: Spring Conventions - revealing nore about Sprit of Hope

Continuing radio show and podcast Panel Borders' month of shows about anthologies and collectives, they have a trio of interviews recorded at two recent comic book conventions in London.

Recorded at Kapow!, Islington Design Centre (April 2011): Alex Fitch talks to editor Alan Cowsill and publisher Tim Pilcher (Comic Book Alliance) about the comic book anthology Spirit of Hope that they’re bringing out to help raise funds to support the people of Japan after the recent Tsunami disaster and to Joel Meadows, editor of Tripwire about the new digital incarnation of his magazine about comics and pop culture.

Also, in an interview recorded at the London Comic and Small Press Expo, Goldsmiths College last month, Dickon Harris talks to Shaky Kane about his career which has ranged from short pieces in a variety of anthologies such as 2000AD, Escape and Revolver to his serialised graphic novel, The Bulletproof Coffin, written by David Hine.

• Panel Borders: Spring Conventions airs at 5pm, Thursday 14/04/11, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

• Spirit of Hope Facebook Group

Kapow breaks world records, announces 2012 return

Kapow ComicCon.
Photo: http://www.stereoartist.com/blog/.
See Original on flickr

Guinness World Records, the official authority on record-breaking, has confirmed that two new Guinness World Records were set at the Kapow Comic Convention over the past weekend.

Comic book artists from across the industry came together to achieve new records for the ‘Fastest Production of a Comic-book’ (11 hours 19 min 38 sec) and ‘Most Contributors to a Comic-Book’ (62 contributors).

Talent including Kick Ass creator Mark Millar, cult Glaswegian artist Frank Quitely, Doctor Who and Superman writer Paul Cornell and iconic Marvel artist John Romita Jr worked throughout the day to create a new Superior comic book title. 62 contributors in total contributed to the comic-book, with the story concept, script, dialogue and all panels illustrated and lettered in one day.  “This is normally at least four weeks work and has be done in the space of a single day” explained Millar.

Guinness World Record adjudicators were on-site to confirm all guidelines were followed and to determine the records had indeed been accomplished. Gaz Deaves, Editor of Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition, said: “It was a fantastic opportunity to see some of the most successful comic creators in the world working together for this Guinness World Records title. Watching the components of a real comic book slowly emerge over the day and combine into the finished article was both deeply intimidating and hugely entertaining.”

The comic-book will be printed and distributed through Marvel’s Icon imprint, with all royalties being donated to Yorkhill Children’s Foundation. “Children in hospital love to read comic books to while away the hours on the wards," noted Shona Cardle, Chief Executive of the Foundation, " and we’re sure that this new comic will be a hit with the young patients at Yorkhill Hospital”.

Yorkhill Children’s Foundation provides enhanced medical equipment and resources which benefit sick children and babies who are treated at Yorkhill Hospital and within NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. These can include innovative medical equipment, improvements in child and family facilities and paediatric research and training.

The Kapow! Comic Convention team have announced that the event will return in 2012, "with film studios and exhibitors already lining up to book."  

• Read our Kapow Convention Report  

• Official Kapow Website: http://www.kapowcomiccon.com

• Yorkhill Children’s Foundation

Comic creators rally to help Japanese disaster victims

(with thanks to The Emperor over on the downthetubes Forum): Regular readers will recall our announcement about a Charity Comic organised by the Comic Book Alliance to raise funds for the victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami (see news story).

In addition to that, here's a rundown of just some of the many charity projects or offerings being made by comic creators to raise funds...

From Tharg's droids:

• Leigh Gallagher's contribution is offering to draw your favourite 2000AD character and is contributing to the Genre for Japan, a science fiction, fantasy and horror auction in aid of the Red Cross Japanese Tsunami Appeal which ends today (at midnight BST, Sunday 3rd April)

• Frazer Irving is offering a unique print of the cover he did for the Solaris Books novel Kultus

• Al Ewing is giving his fans the chance to appear in his next Pax Britannica novel Pax Omega

The folks on the 2000AD forum have come up with a few offerings:

• A 4-page Jikan story (the character from Paragon comics) with a number of small pressers chipping in

• Wayne Simmons is offering a number of copies of his zombie novel Flu

• Duncan Fegredo has  a Hellboy drawing up as part of Dark Horse's fund-raising for the Red Cross' efforts in Japan

• Neill Cameron has begun his Awesome Japan A-Z (see news story)

• For the Comic Book Alliance, contributors signed up include Jon Haward and many others

• For more information about the CBA project read our news story; if you would like to take part please contact Tim Pilcher by email via  foundersATcomicbookalliance.co.uk for further details about formats, deliveries, or any other questions you might have. 

• The Comic Book Alliance:  www.comicbookalliance.co.uk

Neill Cameron's 'Awesome Japan' project begins to raise funds for tsunami victims

Top comics artist Neill Cameron has begun a comics project on his blog to help raise money for Japanese earthquake and tsunami victims.

Describing the 'Awesome Japan' as "my small bit to help", Neill will be drawing and posting a picture a day, one for every letter of the alphabet, of Things That Are Awesome.

His fans have been invited to join in, by suggesting things for him to draw in comments on his blog,  twitter feed or on the A-Z of Awesomeness Facebook Group. "Feel free to suggest anything you like from the worlds of Manga, Anime, Gaming, Movies, Music," he says, "and I will attempt to draw the best suggestions."

There are bonus points for alliteration, he adds, "and it might be nice to get a bit of cross-cultural exchange going on in there.

"If, for example, for 'D' you were to suggest Doctor Who and Doraemon Dunking Donuts Daintily, well then I would probably have to draw that. You get the idea.

"I did something like this once before and people seemed to like it," he continues, "so I thought I'd try it again but with a couple of differences: 1) this time we'll be focussing on the insanely rich field of Japanese Things That Are Awesome, and 2) I will be asking people to sponsor me in this endeavour.

"Please do chip in if you can! This is going to be rather a lot of work and if no-one sponsors me I'm, uh, going to feel totally stupid.

"I've set up a JustGiving page where you can go and support the project, at http://www.justgiving.com/neillcameron. All money raised will go to GlobalGiving's Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund, where it will be used to support organizations providing relief and aid to victims."

• Check out Awesome Japan on Neill's blog

Comic Book Alliance puts out charity comic appeal to help earthquake victims

Britain's Comic Book Alliance is putting together a fundraising comic to help raise funds to help earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan and New Zealand - and has put out an appeal for contributions.

"I’m sure, like me, you’ve been horrified at the devastating effects of the two enormous earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan," says CBA's Tim Pilcher. "Thousands that have lost friends, family, their homes and entire communities."

The CBA -- a not-for-profit organisation, primarily run by volunteers, dedicated to the promotion of British comic books, graphic novels, webcomics and sequential art in its many forms -- is looking for creators to provide some work free of charge so that they can put together an impressive package that will hopefully sell thousands and to raise as much money as possible to help those affected get back on their feet and to rebuild their lives.

"The contributions can be around any theme (earthquakes, tsunamis, loss, hope, survival, what that country means to you, personal tales, whatever…)" says Tim, "and could be a pin-up, or a one to four page comic strip. We may accept the odd prose piece from writers, but we’d like to like to keep these to a minimum, so please team up with an artist you normally work with."

"Obviously, time is of the essence here, so we would like to get the work in within the next two weeks (Deadline Saturday 2nd April). I know that doesn’t give a lot of time considering your busy schedules but I do hope you’ll agree that it’s for an important cause.


"Let’s show the world that comic creators care and how we can galvanise ourselves into positive action."
 
• If you would like to take part please contact Tim by email via  foundersATcomicbookalliance.co.uk for further details about formats, deliveries, or any other questions you might have. 

• The Comic Book Alliance:  www.comicbookalliance.co.uk

Comic Creators Alliance launches 2011 Fund Raiser against Human Trafficking

We don't often cover US-based comics events, but this campaign goes beyond borders. The US-based Comic Creators Alliance has announced that their second annual fund-raising drive to raise funds to fight against human trafficking goes live today, 11th January 2011 - and donations will gain the donor a smashing piece of art featuring contributions from over 100 comic artists.

Lora Innes, a comic creator herself, started the yearly drive to coincide with America's National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in 2010. Last year's drive raised a staggering $10,000 (£6420) and had over 87 artists working together on a special downloadable image just for the event. This year the drive has 110 of the best and brightest artists collaborating to create the 2011 image.

Unlike last year, the image will be available in a print form as well as a digital download.

One of the most unique points of this year's drive is the number of print artists who joined the strong web comic contingent from the previous year. All of the artists included in the drive are amazing and some of the fan favorites are: Scott Sava (The Dreamland Chronicles), Adam Hughes (Star Wars, Wonder Woman), Sarah Ellerton (Inverloch), Bryan Glass & Victor Santos (Mice Templar), Beau Smith (Wynonna Earp: The Yeti Wars), Billy Tucci (Shi), Mookie (Dominic Deegan), Crystal Yates (Earthsong),Thom Zahler (Love and Capes), and Alison Action (Bear Nuts). The complete list of participants is at http://comicalliance.weebly.com/the-people.html.

100 per cent of donations are being split between Love 146 (www.love146.org) and Grace Haven House (www.gracehavenhouse.org).

Lora started the yearly drive after being particularly moved at a seminar on the issue. “There are currently 27 million enslaved people worldwide," she notes, "more than double the number of enslaved Africans during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. UNICEF estimates that 1.2 million children every year are sold into slavery, most of it sexual. The US Department of Justice estimates 16,000 victims of human trafficking are brought into the United States every year.

"With this many people being affected, I just couldn’t sit there and not do something.”

• The donation drive starts on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day today, Tuesday January 11, 2011 and ends 24th January 2011. The official website for the drive is http://comicalliance.weebly.com

• To learn more about what you can do to end human trafficking visit http://comicalliance.weebly.com/links.html

Charity comics project hopes to count the cost of war

"Caging the Snow Lion" by Sean Duffield and Lawrence Elwick, just one of many comics in the War: The Human Cost book. It tells the remarkable true story of Palden Gyatso, a Tibetan Monk imprisoned and tortured for 33 years

Brighton-based comics creator group Paper Tiger Comix has raised £3500 towards the publication of its mammoth War: The Human Cost book and CD non-profit anthology, and needs just £500 to make it the project, some four years in the planning, a reality.

Publishing underground and alternative comix since early 2004, Sean, the book's editor says he has been putting this mammoth project over the last four years, and is appealing for help to raise the last bit of cash to get it out for the world to see. 

War: The Human Cost will consist of a 260 page perfect bound book, and a 21-track music CD compilation on themes of war and peace. Its publication will raise money and and awareness for Campaign Against the Arms Trade (www.caat.org.uk), as well as raising awareness of campaign groups such as War On Want and Amnesty International and Hero Rats (training African rats to safely sniff out landmines).

Priced at just £12, £1 from every book and CD sold will go to CAAT and all the other proceeds will go to the Community Arts Project/Paper Tiger Comix.

"The work is more or less finished, as is the majority of the fund raising," says the book's editor, Sean Duffield. "It’s just the raising of the remainder of money for the project which is left." He's using the fund raising project site Indie Go Go to get the final donations and anyone who donates just £5.00 will get a 50% discount off the price of the book and CD when it comes out.

A page from "A Tale of Two Faces"
by Sean Duffield & Nelson Evergreen
- a current story about nuclear weapons
and the double-talk of politicians

The comic strips include well researched stories from around the world such as Tibet, Afghanistan, Israel and Palestine, which cover everything from human rights struggles, war veterans and Post Traumatic Dtress Disorder, political imprisonment and torture, child soldiers, refugees /asylum seekers, peace campaigns, the arms trade, corruption/ conflicts of interest, military spending, propaganda to humour and satire.

Contributors, who have all donated their work comprise the cream of underground and international talent from 17 countries and well known respected artists from the comics world such as Spain's Rodriguez (Ché: The illustrated Biography), Peter Kuper (World War 3 Illustrated/ Speechless), Alexsandar Zograf (Regards from Serbia), Lawrence Elwick, Nelson Evergreen, Ulli Lust (Warburger), Mazen Kerbaj, Ben Jennings (The Guardian), Alejandro Alvarez (The Bush Junta), Paul O'Connell, Dr Parsons, Abu Mahjoob and many others.

Some of the stories are more historical, going back to previous generations (Vietnam, World War 2, Spanish Civil War etc) and the very personal/ moving stories of those involved.

"My motivation behind creating this project was to put together a work which would help raise money for worthy causes," he explains, "but also to provide the reader with an educational and engaging collection of comics, art and illustrated factual and pieces surrounding themes of war, but from an emotional and humanitarian angle.

Think of it like a WikiLeaks; getting the real stories out there, but with mostly personal accounts and emotive art."

With so much conflict in the world, the contributions to War: The Human Cost expose the surrounding complex issues on why humans go to war, and the very real universal cost that it entails. It also looks at the more positive stories to come out of war and suffering and those creating practical alternatives to the destruction it causes.

'The Soldier' by Hannes Pasqualini.
A tale about becoming the thing you
fear the most

"I contacted many people, commissioned work and also allowed for open submissions from comic artists, writers, illustrators and musicians," Sean says of the project's beginnings. "I was astounded by the response.

"I received over 800 pages of work from artists from 24 countries, with some amazing, heartfelt and well-researched work. I’ve now edited that down to a much smaller and better book, and am just working on my own last three contributions to this work.

"The aim is to bring people together, and look at the causes and effects of war. I believe, that it is through understanding, real-life stories, solid journalism, and allowing different voices to be represented, that we can work against fear, propaganda and warmongering, and lessen the dehumanisation and ‘us and them’ mentality that is whipped up around the world by various leaders/ groups to create conflict, exploitation  and hate."

The CD features well known artists who support the project, such as Michael Franti and Spearhead, Sly and Robbie, DJ Spooky, Blue King Brown, Zion Train, The Levellers, Big Youth and Twilight Dub Circus, The Groove Corporation and many more.

So far the project has raised £3450 externally, and Sean himself has £1500 into the project, and  raised another £1750 via some wonderful sponsors, contributers, and by putting on two benefit gigs.

Donations start from £5 ($8.00 US). "The smallest donation helps!" says Sean.

• You can support this project via www.indiegogo.com/WAR-The-Human-Cost-Book-CD-Project

• Samples of the work featured in the project can be found on Paper Tiger Comix Facebook page and MySpace page

Draw the World Together gets a Makeover

Draw the World Together, an organisation of creatives who have been raising huge amounts of money for street children around the world for the past four years, aiding the work done by the UK based charity EveryChild, has a new group where supporters, publishers and involved creators can meet and discuss plans for its future.

"Some amazing people in the world of comics have donated their time and talent to help the project," says artist Andrew Wildman, "and we have held events in the UK, Denmark, Greece and the USA. Much of our work was made possible by the generous hep of computer games company NCSoft.

"That was then, but this is NOW. DtWT has changed and has now been restructured for the convenience of all the people who are interested in playing a part. We have created a Ning network group to make it easier for Artist, Events organisers and Fans to play a part in it.

"Many artists have expressed an interest in helping out but it was often not convenient for them to be at our events as it clashed with their other responsibilities," Andrew continues. "The new structure enables artists to help out completely on their own terms and in whatever way works for them.

"Check out the DtWTning group and register," Andrew urges. "When you're in, join whichever of the three groups is relevant to you. DtWT-artist (for artists), DtWT-news (for editors, press and events organisers) or DtWT-public (for fans, readers and anyone else who enjoys comics). After that, start inviting other people!

"News will follow very soon about how you can make a massive difference to the lives of some of the poorest children around the world by simply doing what you already do."

• Join now and be at the start of making a massive difference:
drawtheworldtogether.ning.com

Red Cross Charity Comic Launched

Available now from lulu.com is a downloadable book, Floods, created to raise funds for the Red Cross. Initiated by Adam R. Grose, publisher of Clown Press, and with the help of John Freeman, a wide selection of writers and artists have come together to create this book.

Creators include Ben Womack, Simon Spurrier, Simon Mackie, David Hailwood, Tom Millsom, Nick Miller and others, and features a special drabble -- a 100 word story -- by Doctor Who writer Paul Cornell.

It was Adam who came up with the project last year after parts of Britain were hit by disastrous bad weather. Since then, of course, many places across the globe have suffered devastation from floods and other terrible weather, including Bangladesh, southern Africa and, only this month, Burma.

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.

"The book will 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 have also been adapted for the ROK Comics mobile format, as a means of promoting the project, with 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. (Contact him if you'd like to do a mobile "Floods" strip, but basically you need to come up with a ten frame strip, each frame 480 x 480 pixel in size, 18 point lettering with a "floods" theme or link).

Adam hopes to add to the existing book with more strips so if you would like to contribute a strip to an expanded edition of the book -- which may eventually see real world publication -- get in touch with him via the Clown Press web site.

• The ROK "Floods" comics can be viewed at www.rokcomics.com/floods.php
• Buy the Floods book from lulu.com