SciFi Art Postcard book on sale now

The long-awaited SciFi Art Postcard title from ILEX, compiled by myself with wonderful support from Tim Pilcher and all the artists involved - including many British comic artists - is now officially on sale in all good bookshops and online.

With a cover by Patrick J. Jones, the title comprises a selection of ace science fiction art also featured in my 2010 book, Sci-Fi Art Now and some other art specially selected for this project, too - 30 gorgeous SF-inspired postcards in total.

British artists featured are: Rian Hughes, Stuart Jennett, Paul McCaffrey, Steve Sampson, Smuzz (who I'm working with on the Crucible comic) and Dave Taylor. 

Other artists work in the book are: Larry Blamire, Matt Gaser,  Aaron Jasinski, Patrick J. Jones, Michael Kaluta & Lee Moyer, Tom Kelly, Yigit Koroglu, John Malcolm, Sergey Musin, Nemons, 2012 Hugo and Chelsey Award-winning John Picacio, Neil Roberts,  Jon Sullivan, and Oliver Wetter.

The book looks great and joins a number of similar titles from ILEX, more information here in an earlier post.

Thanks to all involved - the creators and the ILEX production team, headed up by Tim Pilcher.

SciFi Postcard Book to be released in January 2013

Just through my door this weekend: an advance copy of the Sci-Fi Art Now postcard book ILEX asked me to compile earlier this year, which features illustrations by a number of British comic artists, including Rian Hughes, Smuzz and Dave Taylor.

With a cover by Patrick J. Jones, it features some art used in the Sci-Fi Art Now book and other illustrations - 30 gorgeous SF-inspired postcards in total.

The artists featured are: Larry Blamire, Matt Gaser, Rian Hughes, Stuart Jennett, Paul McCaffrey, Aaron Jasinski, Patrick J. Jones, Michael Kaluta & Lee Moyer, Tom Kelly, Yigit Koroglu, John Malcolm, Sergey Musin, Nemons, 2012 Hugo and Chelsey Award-winning John Picacio, Neil Roberts, Steve Sampson, Smuzz (who I'm working with on the Crucible comic), John Sullivan, Dave Taylor and Oliver Wetter.

My thanks to them all for being part of this spin-off, which is set to be published in January and looks absolutely fantastic! Thanks also to editor Tim Pilcher and the ILEX team for creating another great book.

The collection is one of a series of Postcard books published by ILEX, which have been well received and sold very well in the UK. They include:  

• Army Camp! 30 Postcards That Do Ask and Do Tell! - A riotous introduction to the unintentionally homoerotic side of military life. Classic images date from between 1914 to 1946, when armies everywhere were crying out for fit, toned men to join up, bond together and make the world a better place.  

• Fantasy Art - Includes art by Robert Chang, Matt Dixon, Raymond Swanland and Matt Gaser featuring modern twists on traditional themes such as dragons, orcs, fairies and adventurers.  

• Lovelorn - 30 of the very best in cult romance comics of the 1950s. From Brides in Love and Romantic Hearts to G.I. Sweethearts and Romantic Adventures there are dozens of romantically quirky postcards ready for you to send to your beloved!  

• Tales of Terror - 30 of the scariest, most bizarre and downright strange horror comics covers. These pre-code horror comics make an ideal gift and are perfect to send chills in the post, or to simply keep and laugh at the uncanny covers. Each cult postcard includes the title, artist, publisher and publication date on the back.  

• Tattoos: 30 Postcards to Colour and Send - A fun, interactive postcard set includes 30 of the coolest designs by top manga artist and tattooist, Jian Yi. All the designs are clear line drawings of everything from fairies and flowers to dragons and tigers, and are easy to complete and colour, before wowing friends and family with a piece of original art through the post.  

• Vampires: 30 Postcards - Artists from different backgrounds and cultures share their versions of the vampire in their chosen medium. Each postcard includes the titles, artist, publisher and publication date on the back.  

• More about Sci-Fi Art Now on its dedicated blog here

Alan Moore, Storyteller

downthetubes has just received an advance copy of Alan Moore, Storyteller by Gary Spencer Millidge -- and it's simply stunning.

We'll be posting a review of this gorgeous-looking book nearer publication date, but the book, published by ILEX, is the first serious examination of the life, career and work of one of the UK's most distinctive and popular creative voices.

Fully illustrated throughout, featuring images from almost every Alan Moore story, it traces his creative development from his modest contributions to Northampton Arts Lab fanzines and local newspaper strips (who here remembers Maxwell the Magic Cat?) to the very top of his field, writing some of the most widely read and critically acclaimed comics and graphic novels ever produced: Swamp Thing, Watchmen, From Hell, Lost Girls, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and V for Vendetta.

The book provides an unparalleled insight into the mind and work of this enigmatic and at times controversial creator.

Moore's extraordinary body of work is examined in depth, with rare and previously unseen material, glimpses into unfinished and abandoned projects and new light shed on overlooked masterpieces. With co-operation from Moore, and full access to his archives, Gary Spencer Millidge has written a book which will not only be essential reading for the writer's many fans, but for anyone interested in contemporary literature and pop culture.

Author Gary Spencer Millidge, who has been working in comics for over 20 years, is also the writer and illustrator of the acclaimed comic book series Strangehaven and author of Comic Book Design, also published by ILEX.

"Alan Moore: Storyteller is, I believe, the most comprehensive and accurate biography of one of Britain's most creative minds ever published," says Gary. "It's going to be presented in a lavish format; A 320-page 8.5" x 11" full colour hardcover with audio CD.

"The book not only includes an in-depth survey of all of Alan's comics creations, but also covers his musical projects, prose writings, magical performances and artwork in some depth. Some of his most renowned co-creators (including Alan Davis, Dave Gibbons, Eddie Campbell and David Lloyd) have provided never-before seen materials; an unpublished script for V for Vendetta, rare artwork (Captain Britain and Watchmen among others) and photographs.

 

"Alan himself was incredibly co-operative, generously making time for numerous interviews in person and by phone, providing family photographs and allowing me access to some of his personal notebooks which give unprecedented insight into his working techniques, from Lost Girls, From Hell and Voice of the Fire.

 

"Alan has also granted permission to reproduce the entire legendary Big Numbers chart, detailing the whole plot of the sadly abandoned project with Bill Sienkiewicz."

 

Even on a first 'skim', we think it's one of the best-ever biographies devoted to a British comics creator - check it out on publication!

• Alan Moore, Storyteller is published in the UK by ILEX on 18th July; and on 5th July in the US by Universe.


• Pre-order Alan Moore, Storyteller from amazon.co.uk

• Pre-order Alan Moore, Storyteller from amazon.com


• Gary Spender Millidge: Official Site


• Gary Spender Millidge: Official Blog

ILEX Manga title wins Harvey Award

UK publisher Ilex’s bestselling The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga has been announced as the winner of the 2010 Harvey Award for ‘Best American Edition of Foreign Material’, and was also recently shortlisted for the prestigious Eisner Award.

Written by Helen McCarthy, the book is the first authorised English language biography on Japan’s most celebrated artist of the 21st century and I think it will interest followers of this blog. I also worked with Helen on Manga Max magazine a few years back.

Osamu Tezuka has often been called the Walt Disney of Japan, but he was far more than that. Tezuka was Disney, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Tim Burton and Carl Sagan, all rolled into one incredibly prolific package, and he changed the face of Japanese culture forever.

This book reveals what makes him one of the key figures of 20th century pop culture. Packed with stunning images, many never before seen outside Japan, it pays tribute to the work of an artist, writer, animator, doctor, entrepreneur and traveller whose insatiably curious mind created two companies, dozens of animated films and series, and over 150,000 pages of comic art in one astonishingly creative lifetime.  

ILEX call The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga "an amazing adventure for the manga and anime neophyte, an essential reference for the confirmed fans, and a visual treat for anyone who loves art".


• The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga is on sale from amazon.co.uk

SciFi Art Now book gets green light

ILEX Books have given the green light to SciFi Art Now, a book project assembling outstanding examples of the very best in science fiction art, which is being edited by downthetubes webmaster John Freeman.

John hopes plenty of illustrators from around the world from book, game, comics and other publishing fields will want to have a sample of their work considered for the final book. "We want the book to feature the very best samples from both new and established illustrators," he says. 

Editorially, ILEX, well known for their huge range of art books including Comic Art Now, edited by Dez Skinn and Fantasy Art Now by Martin McKenna, would prefer to see more aliens and human SF visuals -- strong, inspiring characters from modern SF -- rather than spaceships and alien vistas, although there will be space for those too. It's worth checking out the Amazon links above to both books as both catalogue entires offer a 'look inside' feature which will give you an indication of the kind of standard of work that has been featured in the past.

Samples will be needed by 8th January 2010 if possible.

"ILEX tell me contributors to the other books in the series have secured work as a result of being in the collections," says John, "which I hope is incentive to artists to get involved." 

• For more information about chapter headings, technical details and other information, get in touch with John via johnfreeman6-scifiartnow@yahoo.co.uk

Millidge on Comic Book Design

When we think of comics it's all too easy to reduce them to pictures and word balloons. But a good comic also relies on effective page layout, framing, point of view, story pacing, spacing, lettering and many other techniques that - paradoxically - must remain invisible to the lay reader.

Written by award-winning comics writer, artist and editor Gary Spencer Millidge, ILEX Press Comic Book Design, which recently went on sale, lays bare the design processes and unique grammar behind this art form.

Using hundreds of examples of artwork from some of the biggest and most-respected names in comics, Gary lifts the lid on the techniques and ideas that underpin the greatest comics, providing a fascinating insight for readers, writers and artists alike.

"This book is something that I consider to be one of my major works," enthuses Gary on his blog. "Quite apart from writing approximately 40,000 words on the subject, I had to research, locate, select and scan several hundred appropriate images in an attempt to illustrate the points I was trying to make. Packaged in a lavish 10 ix 11 inch format
it contains 160 full-colour pages and takes a design-oriented view of the creation of comic books, strip-mining the depth and breadth of comics history for its example illustrations.

"It's not exactly a how-to book, although there are some nice examples of behind-the-scenes materials," he continues. "It doesn't include anything much about drawing or anatomy or perspective. It's more about how comics work, how creators consciously or unconsciously design a character, a story, a page, a panel; and how it all comes together to form the unique visual storytelling that only comics can offer. There are sections on lettering and colour and publication design itself, and each section is punctuated by a designer spotlight on creators like Brian Wood and Chris Ware."

• Comic Book Design is published by Ilex Press in the UK and Watson-Guptill in the US and should be available from any good comic or book retailer, in-store or online.

Comics Go to War!

Quickly following up on Tim Pilcher’s two Erotic Comics volumes and Steve Holland’s Sci-Fi Art, Ilex Press have released the fourth title in their Graphic History series. Comics International editor Mike Conroy has written War Comics: A Graphic History, which covers how comics have covered war in its many forms throughout the centuries.

The book is laid out in a chronological order, not for the comics as they were published but for the conflicts they covered, beginning, perhaps inevitably, with the Battle of Thermopylae in 480BC. While this is best known today through Frank Millar’s 300, the book also covers earlier comic versions of the same tale from from Dell Movie Classics to Blazing Combat.

Speaking to the American journal Kirkus Reviews, Mike said, “I decided that presenting the material in historical order made much more sense than working through it chronologically as it had been published, which is the standard approach with such comics histories. That method then became a way of focusing the content of each chapter.”

Those chapters continue through the battles of the French and British empires before the book moves on to the battles fought as America established itself as a country and into the Twentieth Century with the Great War.

While the book is aimed at an American audience with Americanised spelling throughout, the enormity of the Second World War is covered from the very different perspectives of both American and British comics. With contributions from Bear Alley’s Steve Holland, downthetube’s Jeremy Briggs and ex-Crikey! editor Brian M Clarke, the British comics section shows off the talent involved in such British war titles as Warlord, Battle and Commando to American readers much more familiar with titles such as Star Spangled War or Sgt Fury and His Howling Commandos.

"I hope War Stories will show American readers that there’s more to comics than what’s published by DC, Marvel and other US publishers," Mike explains. "We Brits have also produced some great material as have writers and artists from around the globe.”

The chronological theme continues with Korea, Vietnam, the Falklands and the Northern Ireland Troubles before coming much more up-to-date with Yugoslavia, the 9/11 attacks, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Overall, the book touches on all the conflicts covered by English language comics. “If I have one regret,” says Mike, “it’s that I could not include more material from outside the English-speaking world. Maybe there’s Volume 2 beckoning!!

With a foreword by writer Garth Ennis, who’s war titles are covered in the book in some depth, this is a well researched and heavily illustrated book that covers an all too often ignored area of comics history.

• Buy War Comics: A Graphic History from amazon.co.uk

Erotic Comics, Round Two

Picking up from where the international best-selling Erotic Comics: A Graphic History (Volume 1) left off, Ilex press have just announced Volume 2 will reveal how European, American and Asian artists have explored the possibility of the form in the years since the explosion of the Sixties’ underground comix.

Written by Tim Pilcher with a witty foreword from Alan Moore, Erotic Comics: A Graphic History - Volume 2, due for release in January 2009, examines how the form has become an international publishing phenomenon by showcasing artwork that has inflamed desires, incensed censors, and caused controversy.

This provocative title covers everything: the erotic comics explosion in America in the mid-’80s; the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender comics scene; UK and European erotic comic creators since the ’70s; and the Japanese hentai phenomenon. The future of erotic comics online is also explored in this fascinating and surprising volume.

In the first survey of its kind in over 20 years, this second volume completes this fascinating two-part chronicle with previously unpublished, rare and out-of-print material, featuring insights from key artists, editors, and publishers.

The book comes fully illustrated with stunning, rare, and seldom-seen art by Howard Cruse, Gengoroh Tagame, Melinda Gebbie, Hunt Emerson, Howard Chaykin, Giovanna Casotto (whose work graces the cover, above), Tom of Finland, Milo Manara, Junko Mizuno, and many other top erotic cartoonists. The informative text provides a sexy, intriguing, and entertaining tour through the origins of an often-overlooked art form and comic book genre.

• Tim will be hosting a talk about Erotic Comics at an event at this year's ComICA in London on Sunday 23 November. Guests are Erich Von Gotha, Lynn Paul Meadows, Garry Leach and Wicked Wanda writer Frederic Mullaly.

• Erotic Comics: A Graphic History (Volume 2) by Tim Pilcher, with additional research by Gene Kannenberg, Jr, and a witty and insightful foreword by Alan Moore will be published by Ilex Press in the UK on 8 January 2009 and by Abrams ComicArts in the USA, on 1 March 2009

• Erotic Comics: A Graphic History (Volume 1) is published by Ilex Press in the UK, and Abrams in the USA, and is available now.

Comic Art Now Goes On Sale

On sale now in a good book shop near you -- or, very possibly, on stalls at this weekend's Comic Expo in Bristol -- is the much anticipated Comic Art Now from industry veteran Dez Skinn, a 200-page "comic art directory" for HarperCollins Design (US) and ILEX (UK), plus various European publishers.

"With well over 100 artists work on show (US, UK, Brazil, Sweden, Manila, Tokyo, Singapore, Bulgaria...), plus full contact details, it gives our industry something it's long needed, "Dez explains, "An equivalent to The Creative Handbook, The Art Directory, etc and gives creators a general audience exposure and puts their names/email addresses in the hands of account execs and the like who invariably steal their styles because they don't know how to find them.

"Uniquely," he adds, "Unlike the existing directories which charge for inclusion, this book's selection for inclusion is based on the quality of the art rather than the artist's bank balance!"

Early feedback on the book has been very positive. "Nice production, and a good variety of styles," feels top cartoonist and contributor to the tome Lew Stringer, "most of which dwarf my humble effort but it's an honour to be included alongside such talents."

"Thank you for including me in the Comic Art Now book," comments Roberta Gregory. "It's gorgeous and an honor to be in it with such illustrious company, while Rian Hughes has praised the great selection of material and Chris Reynolds describing the title as "fantastic". All in all, great feedback for what looks to be a very useful directory of comic creators.

"What I'm most pleased about, as you may guess," says Dez, "is achieving a Comic Art Directory as a working item, rather than simply another coffee table book."

• Buy Comic Art Now from amazon.co.uk (ILEX Edition)
• Buy Comic Art Now from amazon.com (Harper Collins edition)

• You may also like Fantasy Art Now featuring the work of artists such as Clint Langley, Greg Staples, Glenn Fabry, James Rayman, Linda Bergkvist, Liam Sharp, Jason Chan, Aly Fell, Aaron Sng and Robert Chang.