International Alternative Press Festival returns to London

A quick reminder that the 2nd International Alternative Press Festival begins on 20th July, featuring an inspired assortment of creative events in London. The festival events lead up to the 4th-5th August weekend Small Press Fair in Holborn’s Conway Hall.

Alternative Press is a group of artists concerned with promoting creativity through the mediums of comix, zines, book arts, screen printing, poetry and other forms of self publishing. Organising events since 2008, last year, produced the first International Alternative Press Festival, which attracted over 1,000 visitors. Alternative Press is building upon the success of last year’s festival to establish an annual programme.

From the 22nd July - 5th August, a parade of 11 venues on Lambs Conduit St and Great Ormond Street will host artwork by a broad and exciting selection of international comic artists.

GOSH! Comics and Orbital Comics stores are hosting related exhibitions as part of the festival. This includes the work of Private Eye cartoonist Dave Ziggy Greene at Orbital Comics and the launch of the new issue of The Comix Reader, an alternative comics newspaper that attempts to reignite the free spirit of the underground press, at Gosh!

- The 2nd International Alternative Press Festival, 21st July 2012 at 6.00pm to 5th August 2012, London. More info: www.alternativepress.org.uk


 

Comic Creators out to raise funds for charity on Free Comic Book Day

May 5th is the annual Free Comic Book Day and many comic creators are banding together not only to promote their books but also support charities.

Simon Furman, Andrew Wildman, Stephen Baskerville, Jason Cardy and JP Bove, the Transformers ReGeneration One team will be signing at Orbital Comics in Great Newport Street, London on the day, where you'll be able to get your  free copy of the comic, get it signed and make a donation to trasnform the life of a child less fortunate than yourself.

All proceeds from this upcoming event will be going to Make-A-Wish Foundation UK, the leading wishgranting charity that grants magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening conditions.

Draw the World Together recently teamed up with Make-A-Wish Foundation and addition to the usual ʻSketch for Donationsʼ model that Draw the World Together have
successfully used over the past few years they are now creating the possibility of having all
signatures at signing events in the UK raise a minimum of £1 per signature in aid of charity.

"Comic Book creative teams generally do not charge for signatures and it seems like the perfect opportunity for comic book fans and readers to express their support for those children who do not have the opportunities that many of us take for granted," explained DwT's Andrew Wildman. "This simple exchange between the professionals of the comic book world and their fans will help fund the amazing work undertaken by Make-A-Wish."

The Oribital Comics even, coinciding with Free Comic Book Day, will be the first event to implement this sceheme, but Andrew is hoping other comic creators will take up the challenge to raise money.

• For more information visit the website at www.drawtheworldtogether.com, or join DwT at facebook.com/drawtheworldtogether;  or contact Andrew Wildman - infoATdrawtheworldtogether.com

Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK is Charity Registration Nos. (England & Wales) 295672 (Scotland) SC037479

Arthur Ranson exhibition opens at Orbital

Tonight (Thursday 14th January) sees the opening of an exhibition of art by 2000AD contributor Arthur Ranson at London's Orbital Comics.

The exhibition spans his 30-year comic career: Arthur's credits are numerous, including, of course, "Button Man", "Judge Anderson" and "Mazeworld" for 2000AD; but also strips such as "Sapphire and Steel" and "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" for the Junior TV Times title Look-In (sadly, no longer published). His first ever strip appeared in that title - "Les Dawson - Superflop" but other credits on that comic include "CHiPs", "The Beatles", Dangermouse" and "Michael Bentine's Potty Time".

As well as his work for 2000AD, he's drawn issues of Batman - Dark Legends for DC Comics; and X-Factor and Xtreme X-Men for Marvel Comics.

Arthur recently launched his own web site and is currently on the hunt for examples of his work for Look-In.

"For completeness I would like the Look-in section to have an example of every strip I did for them," he says, but "Due to not having access to some of the work this is presently not possible."

If any one out here has examples of unrepresented strips - The missing titles are "Doctor on the Go", "The A-Team", "Logan's Run", and "CHiPs" - they could be emailed to the contact address on the web site.

"A "Worzel Gummidge" and a "Just William" pic with the eponymous hero in would be nice too," says Arthur.

In December, Arthur posted a sort update on the much-rumoured Button Man movie, based on the 2000AD strip created by John Wagner. "Despite what you might see on the internet, there is not as yet a Button Man movie, not even one starring Leonardo di Caprio," he noted.

"Dreamworks have a few months to decide whether to either go ahead, pay for more time to decide, or drop it. You will be informed."

• Arthur Ranson's Official web site: www.arthurranson.com

• Orbital Comics is at 8 Great Newport Street, London, WC2H 7JA. Tel: 02072400591. Web: www.orbitalcomics.com. It's open every day from 10.30 - 7.00pm except Sundays, when it's 11.30-5.00pm