Madam Samurai takes Best Digital Comic prize at LA New Media Film Festival

The first volume of Madam Samurai publised by Scar Comics has won Best Digital Comic prize at the May 2011 LA New Media Film Festival, an event described as “Sundance for the Facebook generation”.

The graphic novel about a female samurai who travels to Victorian London is written by Gary Young, with art by Eagle Award winner David Hitchcock.

Work on Madam Samurai: Volume Two is progressing well, and Scar Comics plan to launch the book on 27th August at the new Birmingham Comiccon 2011 BC. The action-packed sequel concludes the story of a female samurai warrior who travels to Victorian London on a mission of vengeance.

Fans will be pleased to hear that the original creative team are reunited, with Empire award-winning screenwriter Gary Young (known for Michael Caine thriller Harry Brown) and Eagle award-winning artist David Hitchcock (Springheeled Jack) working together to complete the Madam Samurai origin story in style.

Madam Samurai: Volume One received highly complimentary reviews from websites and publications such as Ain’t It Cool News, 2000 AD, Judge Dredd Megazine, Tripwire, Geek Syndicate, Zedura Magazine, Geeks Of Doom, scifipulse.net and comics legend Dez Skinn.

Ain’t It Cool News said of Volume One; “This is a very cool origin story by writer Gary Young… a story of a badass samurai vixen and there are copious amounts of action and blood. I can’t wait to see her enact some swift samurai vengeance in future volumes. Highly recommended.”

You can find out more about the Madam Samurai graphic novels at the following links:

• The official website www.madamsamurai.com
• Madam Samurai Facebook page
• Madam Samurai Twitter

Imagined Cities: New londonprintstudio exhibition

Imagined Cities, a new exhibtion at lononprintstudio, opens this week (17th June) and features the work of a number of great British comic artists including Al Davison and Karrie Fransman.

The exhibition will launch with a party on 16th June - more details on Facebook (although it's listed as 'Private View' it's also been classified as a Public Event).

From mad bird gods to man-eating women, from a run down Northern suburb to an Eastern block city; the work you will see in the Imagined Cities exhibition showcases the varied imaginations of some of the best young, British comic artists.

This exhibition is the culmination of a six month internship run by the londonprintstudio where five interns (Rachel Taylor, William Goldsmith, Isabel Greenberg, Freya Harrison and Joe Kelly) mentored local teenagers, ran workshops and created an anthology. 

Their work, and that of the 16-20 year old students, is displayed alongside professional British comic artists who have acted as project mentors: Al Davison (Vertigo), Ellen Lindner (Whores of Mensa), Karrie Fransman (Random House) and publisher SelfMadeHero. 

The book also features a foreword from Posy Simmonds, creator of Tamara Drewe.

• Imagined Cities runs at the londonprintstudio from 17th- 25th June. More information: www.londonprintstudio.org.uk

• Imagined Cities preview Blog

Andersonic 12 is Go!

The latest issue of the Gerry Anderson-inspired 'zine Andersonic (Issue 12) is now available via the title's website (and eBay for a short period) and features a new interview with former APF sculptor John Blundall in which he discusses his time working on series from Supercar up to Thunderbirds.

John discusses how he got involved in puppetry, working with Christine Glanville, Wolfgang Manthey and Mary Turner, his favourite creations and what went into designing characters such as Robert the Robot, Professor Matic and of course Parker.

Other features include:

• Robin McDonald Interview - Century 21's Clapper Loader/Focus Puller recalls his time working on series from Thunderbirds to Space:1999, working with alligators, Ed Bishop & Mike Billington and even The Sweeney and Terrahawks.
• A Breath of Death - a look at an unfilmed Space:1999 script by Irving Gaynor Nieman.
• Supermarionation Stamps - the Royal Mail's special issue commemmorating 50 years of Supermarionation. With comment from artist Gerry Embleton
• The Return of Victor Bergman - Robert Wood outlines the making of this touching fan-made short film.
• Space:1999: The Last Sunset - Alpha's finest are stranded on the lunar surface with only a corroding Eagle and a crazed Paul Morrow for company.
• UFO: Destruction - Four writers give their view on Dennis Spooner's sole contribution to UFO.
• Fireball XL5: Space City Special - The Subterrains' plan with Manchurian overtones...
• Plus more of Joe 90 A-Z, a free competition to win a trip to Vostula and more!

The new issue comprises 44 pages with colour inner & outer covers and is available via the website www.andersonic.co.uk - price 2.25 including UK postage. If you'd prefer to pay by cheque or PO, please get in touch for a postal address. All back issues are in print.

Markosia's new British Superteam debut in August

Orang Utan Comics co-founder Peter Rogers’ first graphic novel The Interactives, hits shelves this August from Markosia Enterprises.

scallywag is a guru in the geek community, having developed a very loyal and active online following. When creatures from mythical fantasy fiction start to attack Britain, scallywag has to call on his friends and followers to help keep them at bay. But does having the cult of personality online mean you’ve got what it takes to be a true leader? And are five geeks really ready to take on hordes of angry dragons, elves, orcs, goblins and giants?

"For those missing Captain Britain And MI:13, don't fret," says Rob Williams (Ghost Rider, Low Life) of the new tale. "Your new favourite British superteam are here."

Rogers (Fame: Beckham, Eleventh Hour, FTL) is joined on The Interactives by two rising stars, artist Luciano Vecchio (Cartoon Network Action Pack, Cruel Things) and colourist Yel Zamor (Hero 9 to 5, Alpha Gods).

“Setting the book here in the UK was really liberating” Rogers said. “Knowing the locations so well meant I had more scope to up the ante turning all my wildest ideas and most interesting daydreams into a very modern fantasy adventure”.

“The public are obsessed with reality and the creatures from fantasy fiction fear extinction," says Orang Utan's Managing Editor Ian Sharman. "Dragons, giants, orcs, goblins and trolls one by one they’re all breaking through from The Realm to The Real. War is coming to Britain and only geek blogger scallywag and his online followers stand in their way. Let your imagination run wild and get ready for some inter action….”

The 100 page graphic novel includes superhero back-up strip Seniors, reuniting Rogers with long time collaborator and Eagle Award nominee Azim Akberali.

The first half of the fully painted superhero story appeared in critically acclaimed anthology title Eleventh Hour in 2008.

The foreword to The Interactives is written by Marvel and 2000AD writer Rob Williams.

- To order from your local comic shop, quote Diamond order code JUN11 0783 from the June Previews catalogue. Find out more, follow scallywag on twitter and read the first 15 pages at www.theinteractives.com