International Alternative Press Festival announces final events line up, benefit gig

Here's the full, final rundown of events at the International Alternative Press Festival in London, which begins at the end of  May. We've mentioned some of this before but the project deserves as many plugs as it can get...

The Festival opens on Friday 27th May at the Miller in London Bridge for a live draw/music/spoken word performance with Resonance FM's Radio Orchestra.

On Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th May the Main Fair will take place at London's Conway Hall; two days showcasing Comix, Comics, Zines, Artist's Books, Print- Making and Radical Literature, as well as screen printing and DIY fashion workshops, talks and  lots more from home and abroad.

There will be three gallery exhibitions:

• “Stripburger - a taste of the premier Slovene Comics Zine” At Orbital Comics, London from Saturday 28th May to Sunday 12th June.

• “The Swedish Collection: An exhibition of students from the Malmo Comic Art School” Featuring the work of ten artists from the Comic School in the South of Sweden, at The New Gallery, London, from 30th May to 5th June.

• "Visions of the Walworth Jumpers" a mural painted over a week at the Sassoon Gallery, London, in a collaboration between street art, comix and fine arts, between 30th May - 5th June.

There will be a Benefit Gig on 22nd April to raise money for the International Alternative Press Festival, featuring Vets In Hong Kong, Dead Sea Navigators, Cineplexx,  Extradition Order and Baaneex.

The Gig is at the The Miller Pub (www.themiller.co.uk), 96 Snowsfields Road, London Bridge, London SE1 3SS and if you're a zine maker, bring your zines to sell, and have some fun! Tickets are available now from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/112349 for £5, and will be £6 on the night. Check it out on Facebook and invite your friends.

• Get involved:  http://alternativepress.org.uk

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

New Issue of Who Fanzine Panic Moon On Sale

There's a mini-revival of Doctor Who fanzines at the moment (something dtb welcomes) with many Who fans still enjoying the experience of reading something on paper rather than just looking at all the assorted Doctor Who websites that are around these days.

An honourable mention, then, for Panic Moon, a terrific little 'zine which is worthy of widespread support. We say 'little' because the publication is A6 in format. Yes, A6, but believe us, it works. Each issue is absolutely packed with well-written commentary and illustrative material that wouldn't look out of place in DWM.

The latest issue has a lovely mix of stuff with a look at the Richard E Grant version of the Doctor, the Silver Nemesis 'Making of' documentary, a tribute to Nicholas Courtney and (as they say) much much more!

At £1.20 an issue, it's worth a punt surely? Get a copy and let's help keep printed 'zines alive.

The website for the publication is here.

Forbidden Planet announces Doctor Who Fun Days and competition

Forbidden Planet has announced a series of Doctor Who Fun Days in the run up to the return of Doctor Who to BBC1 - and a competition to win tie-in merchandise.

There will be an in-store competiton to win a range of Doctor Who prizes - including the chance to be the first in the UK to get your hands on both the 11th Doctor and Amy Pond mini busts from Titan Merchandise (which will go on sale soon at just under £50 each).

There's also a Goody Bag for anyone who comes to the store in Doctor Who costume (while stocks last) and special one-day-only bargain prices of selected Doctor Who lines.

The Fun Days will take place on Saturday 9th April at the Birmingham (which will also have free face painting for children), Bristol (where a Dalek will patrol the aisles), Cambridge, Coventry  and Liverpool (see a life size TARDIS and visiting villains, including a Scarecrow and a Pig Guard - check instore for times), with a Doctor Who signing by authors James Goss and Una McCormack at Forbidden Planet London as part of their Fun Day on 16th April. (For full details and times of all events, check out the Forbidden Planet events page).

• Can't make it on the day? Then enter their competition to win a Doctor Who prizes. Full details here.

• Full details of the Fun Days and James Goss and Una McCormack signing on the Forbidden Planet Events & Signing Page