Sheffield-based CDComics is releasing a free 'Taster' of its digital titles free via Amazon on 30th/31st October 2012 - a sneak peek into a world of surreal murders and mysteries from the mind of their creator, Craig Daley.
Whether it’s demons, aliens, monsters or just your average human psycho that whets your appetite, the 30-page full colour digital comic, offered in Kindle format, has them all. It features six front covers and four pages from Meadowhell: The True Horror of Shopping, Spring Heeled Jack: From the Tunnels of Hell, the well-received Football Crazy: The Theatre of Nightmares on the Road to Insanity, CDComics latest title, Carnacki and Hannay: Eyam, the Plague Village UFO Mystery, plus samples from Manhattan 1930: The Man in the White Suit and War Nurse: Alone.
“CDComics output has been nothing but a treat to read, Daley’s unique, dry wit is the highlight of his writing..." say the reviewers over at HorrorCultFims. "and when it comes to the closing pages, there’s no one else to compare.”
While I was away last week in the wilds of Scotland, OFF LIFE - the new, free indie comic magazine, available in print and online - got under way with a sparkling first issue crammed with some great comics. My apologies to the editorial team for not being about to give it a plug, because it's fantastic.
OFF LIFE is the UK's only street press comic magazine. Each issue featurs comic stories from today’s best indie talent, compiling them in a bi-monthly magazine and then leaving them around bars, coffee houses, shops and galleries for good people like you to pick up – free of charge.
The first issue has some fab strips - one pagers and longer strips - from talents such as Sean Azzopardi, Neill Cameron, Rob Davis and Lizz Lunney, just to name a few, along with a profile of ace creator Tom Gauld.
It's a strong start for the title that aims to put great talent in front of more people - not just comic fans - and I hope it's the success it deserves to be.
• If you're in a major city in the UK you may find a print copy lurking near you, but if not then you can view it online or download a PDF at: www.offlife.co.uk
OFF LIFE, described by its creators as the UK's only street press comic magazine, is to launch this autumn - and has just launched a crowd funding campaign to back the first issue.
Published bi-monthly, distributed free in galleries, coffee houses, bars, stores and expos in cities across the UK - and with a free world wide digital edition via www.offlife.co.uk - OFF LIFE Magazine will be full of one to five page comic stories and aims to provide a platform for up-and-coming indie talent while opening the comic medium to a whole new audience. Since the title was announce at the end of July, the editors have had over 60 submissions for consideration.
It's hoped the title will provide a space for the next generation of comic creators and a new model for our beloved medium to build on.
Editor Daniel Humphry says the magazine will feature the best new, undiscovered and underground comics artists taking aim on modern life with adult humour, slice of life storytelling and harsh realities.
In short: if it's happening out there, it'll be in here.
The team behind OFF LIFE are a team of experienced magazine editors and designers, who point out that although comic culture is at an all time high among mainstream audiences, with people watching The Walking Dead, Scott Pilgrim or Dark Knight, many will still not venture in to a comic shop to experience their first title. By bringing comics to the audience, free and literally under their noses, they hope to change this.
With Issue One due out in late September OFF LIFE has already received tremendous buzz and support. The project has been featured by us on downthetubes, Creative Review, Forbidden Planet, Comic Book Resources and many others while Guardian Cartoonist and comic book creator Tom Gauld has signed to contribute.
To date over 60 submissons have been received with many more pledged and tweets of support have come from every corner of the comic industry.
By helping fund Issue One of OFF LIFE, say the team, you will be helping create a platform for the next generation of comic creators and a new model for our beloved medium to build on.
All funding received from supporters will go directly to funding the print run and distribution of OFF LIFE Issue One. The £1000 plus target set for this Indiegogo page will fund over 3000 print copies and a free digital edition, and, should they reach target, the plan is to increase the print run accordingly.
After Issue One they plan to sustain the magazine through advertising and provisions for this have already been set in place. The magazine will always stay free to read.
No money from this donations page will be taken by the team behind the project.
"If we do not reach our entire goal then all funds will be combined with investment from the team to ensure a print run," says Daniel.
Even if you don't have spare cash to support the campaign, there are other ways you can help. For example, you could tell any comic creators you know to submit a piece.
The editorial team are inviting any and all interest in the publication. Whether you're a talent with a story, a potential stockist or an advertiser looking to target our unique market they'd love to hear from you.
Most importantly, come September please read our magazine. And if you can, enjoy it!
The ninth issue of the Temple APA digital comics showcase is now available to download as a completely free PDF file.
Featuring 48 pages of artwork and stories from a host of creators, including Tony Suleri, John Owens, Dave Hailwood, Dirk Van Dom, Matthew McLaughlin, Paul Eldridge, Malcolm Kirk and Simon Mackie, (who also provides the cover artwork, displayed above).
The Temple APA is a showcase of UK based comicbook talent, both amateur and professional. If you'd like to contribute or just want more information, check out the Temple website at http://templeapa.socialgo.com
• To download, click here and "save target/link as" (15.19 mb file)
The seventh issue of the Temple APA digital comics showcase - featuring a range of British comic creators, all members of the Temple APA, a great forum for developing comics talent - is now available to download as a completely free PDF file.
This issue features 56 pages of artwork and strips with contributions from the likes of Malcolm Kirk (who did the cover), Dave Hailwood, Dirk Van Dom, Matthew McLaughlin, Simon Mackie, Paul Eldridge, Dan Butcher and Adam Grose, among others.
Hot on the heels of announcing David Fletcher as the winner of it 2008 Humour Competition (see story), British web and mobile comics publisher ROK Comics has revealed that the winner of its ROK and A Hard Place Comics Competition, run in association with the Birmingham International Comic Show, is British comics artist Ian Stacey.
Ian’s entry, titled “Noah and A Hard Place” was a stand out winner for the BICS team and wins him a Nokia 95 mobile worth almost £500.
The BICS judges also spoke highly of John Maybury’s “SpaceBabe” entry and Ian’s other shortlisted entry, “Crossroads and A Hard Place”.
Working in partnership with BICS (www.thecomicsshow.co.uk), ROK Comics threw down the challenge to creators to create a comic revealing a life changing moment.
“The Noah strips works on every level,” felt James Broxton, who judged the winners from a high quality shortlist along with indie comics distributor Shane Chebsey, owner of Smallzone Comics, and also a BICS organiser. “It’s a nice job, and Ian is a deserved winner.”
“It’s fantastic news,” said Ian on learning of his win, “Thank you very much and thanks also for finding my work a new home.”
Freelance cartoonist and illustrator Ian Stacey had already won high acclaim for his ongoing strip Wet Paint before taking the plunge and bringing it to ROK Comics for web and mobile distribution. “There’s some very funny material that made me laugh out loud,” says Monty Python team member Terry Jones, while top comic creator Alan Grant has described Ian as “an exceptionally funny cartoonist.
“He aims at just about every target under the sun, from genetic modification to Batman, and hits the mark in every case.”
Ian recently began offering a collection of many of his Wet Paint cartoons for sale via his web site (www.ianstacey.net), with all proceeds going to the Big Issue Foundation.
“When we first discussed the idea of a competition to tie in with BICS we were determined to stretch comic creators from the get go,” says ROK Comics Managing Editor John Freeman. “The cartoonists rose to the challenge, with some great entries.”
“We wanted comics with someone telling the story of a difficult choice they've had to make in their life,” said Shane. “It certainly made a change from superheroes.”
"We at BICS love the way that ROK Comics is so accessible to both creators and readers,” Shane adds, “and feel that working together we can help to bring the wonderful medium of comics to a wider readership. Mobile phones are now the most widely used method of communication in the world, so it seems the perfect way to present new comics to more people than ever before".
ROK Comics delivers the means for both comic publishers and creators to reach a worldwide audience by delivering comics to mobile phones, either by WAP subscription of Pay Per Download via Multi Media Messaging (MMS).
Creators publishing professionally via ROK Comics will receive up to 50% of the available revenue on every sale, with full access to sales statistics, viewings and more.
• The Birmingham International Comic Show takes place this coming weekend, Saturday – Sunday 4 -5 October 2008 at the ThinkTank, Birmingham.
Marking a major change in its distribution model almost all the comics on the comics-to-mobile service ROK Comics (www.rokcomics.com) are now Free To View on the web.
After experimenting with various sales techniques since its launch last year, ROK Comics has scrapped the two frame only restriction on all Pro Comics in favour of full promotion for the comics and to better push visitors to subscribing to its WAP comic service, with revenues (shared with pro creators) to be generated by ad sales as well as page view revenues from partner services and other sources.
"The move has been greeted with approval from our top creators who, like us, see this as a great way to promote their characters and strips," says ROK Comics Managing Editor John Freeman, "complementing their other distribution methods."
Now you can ‘embed’ any ROK Comic on most web sites (including many blog services and MySpace), just as you would with an embed for video services like YouTube, Newsjack or QIK.
Hand in hand with the mainly behind the scenes changes noted above, the ROK Comics design team have transformed the main WAP site (wap.rokcomics.com). For pricing details in your country go to www.rokcomics.com/subscribe.php.
In the UK, for a free trial of the service on your mobile, text COMIC to 83736. For a full subscription text COMIC SUB to 83736. The UK subscription price is just £3 a month. Don't forget to bookmark the site when you follow the link you are sent.
ROK has also announced its recent humour competition will be judged by TOXIC comic editor Matt Yeo and reminds all creators its ROK and A Hard Place competition, being in run partnership with the Birmingham International Comic Show, is still running until later this month. More details about the competition here.
