Free Dundee Comics Expo on 30 March

The first Dundee Comics Expo will be opening its doors to the public in two week's time at 11am on Saturday 30 March 2013 and entry to all its talks, workshops and sales rooms will be free.

Held in the University of Dundee, and building on their experience from running the annual Dundee Comics Day as part of the Dundee Literary Festival, organisers Chris Murray and Phil Vaughan have promised an impressive line-up of both guests, small press and dealers.

The full event programme is as follows:

11.00am - Doors open to public
11.30am - Sha Nazir - Workshop in Baxter Suite Foyer (Tower Building)

All following talks are in the Darcy Thompson Lecture Theatre (Tower Building)

Noon - David Lloyd (Aces Weekly, V For Vendetta)
12:30pm - Comics Studies at Dundee and UniVerse Publishing
1:30pm - Laura Sneddon
2:00pm - Hannah Berry (Britten and Brulightly, Adamtine)
2:30pm - Bryan and Mary Talbot (Dotter Of Her Father's Eyes, Grandville)
3:00pm - Nigel Dobbyn (2000AD, Beano, Transformers)
4:00pm - Doors close

The evening events at Dundee Contemporary Arts complex (a 2 minute walk from the Tower Building) are as follows:
6:00pm - Screening of Judge Minty- A Judge Dredd Fan Film
7:00pm - DeeCAP, an hour of comics, performance and entertainment hosted by Damon Herd.

Note that entry to evening events at the DCA is free but ticketed. For tickets contact the DCA box office on 01382 909 900.

There are more details and update on the Dundee Comics Expo Facebook page.

Robbie Morrison, Jim Murray's 'Drowntown' saga launches in June

(with thanks to Simon Fraser): Jonathan Cape will publish the first volume of Drowntown by Robbie Morrison and Jim Murray in June.

The creators describe the series as "an epic adventure set in a flooded futuristic London that hurls down-at-heel minder Leo Noiret head first into a web of intrigue, murder, conspiracy, revenge and psychotic talking chimpanzees."

In Drowntown, the world has changed forever, ravaged by climatic upheaval. The flooded metropolis of London has adapted to the rising sea levels, remaining a centre for international commerce and a magnet for environmental refugees. The elite gaze out over the ever-expanding Thames from their ivory towers, while the denizens of submerged pubs peer into the sunken streets like specimens in an aquarium.

Hired by notorious underworld figure Alexandra Bastet, Leo Noiret - a Minder - uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that stretches from the depths of Drowntown to the highest echelons of power and influence.

Struggling aqua-courier Gina Cassel learns that young love can be a dangerous game when she becomes romantically involved with the heir to the Drakenberg Corporation, which aims to control both the environment and the future of human evolution.

There's a storm brewing in Drowntown, with Gina and Noiret at its heart.

Robbie and Jim have set up a blog to detail progress on the project offering insider art, designs and more at http://drown-town.blogspot.co.uk

Neither creator should require much introduction to DTT readers.

In a 19-year career, Robbie Morrison has created many popular series/characters, including Blackheart (art Frank Quitely), Shakara (art Henry Flint), and The Bendatti Vendetta (art John Burns), is a regular writer of Judge Dredd, and has scripted Batman and Spider-Man. He recently worked with Dave Gibbons on the Watchmen artist’s digital comic, Treatment for Madefire.

New editions are planned in Europe and the US of his critically acclaimed World War 1 Graphic Novel White Death, co-created with Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard.

Jim Murray is currently working for computer games company Valve, where his credits include the stunning Dota 2: Are We Heroes Yet, which you can read online here - check it out, it's absolutely gorgeous. DTT readers may know him better for his mainly fully painted comic and cover artwork for the publications 2000AD, Judge Dredd Megazine and Batman graphic novels.

• Drowntown Book 1 is out in the UK in June. Pre-order your copy at your local book or comic shop, or or at Amazon.co.uk

• Drowntown Blog: 

• Find Robbie Morrison on Google+

• Jim MUrray's Art Blog: 

Dungeons, Air Aces and Phantoms - It's your latest Commandos!

Four new Commando comics went on sale today in all good newsagents - and actually, their distributions seems to be improving, as we've spotted them in several new places recently. Here's the low down on the stories…

Commando No 4583: Dungeon Of Doom
Story: Alan Hebden Art: Benet Cover: Benet

The four-man special force known as the Convict Commandos were in dangerous territory. They had entered neutral Spain illegally and were now deep within a castle which bristled with all sorts of perils - from Nazi interrogators to axe-wielding maniacs.

This time even they had got in too deep!

• Preview: http://www.commandocomics.com/latest-issues/14th-march-2013-collection?issue=4583

Commando No 4584: American Ace
Story: Mac MacDonald  Art and Cover: Carlos Pino

He stepped off a US freighter in Liverpool and walked straight to the nearest RAF recruiting office to join up. A natural pilot, he was at the controls of a British fighter in no time.

As his score of victories mounted in the summer of 1940, his fellow pilots never dreamed he carried a secret - one that, if discovered, could be his death warrant!

• Preview: http://www.commandocomics.com/latest-issues/14th-march-2013-collection?issue=4584

Commando No 4585: Phantom Sergeant
Originally Commando No 81 (August 1963)
Story: Elliot Art: Cueto Cover: Alvaro

He moved like a shadow, a ghostly-quiet shape that flitted through the Burmese jungle wherever there was a Japanese soldier to be hunted, an invading enemy to be destroyed.

Many of those men did see the Phantom Sergeant, but if they did that was the last thing they ever saw…

"It's a Commando tradition that we make our stories as authentic and accurate as we possibly can," notes editor Calum Laird of this re-presented tale, "so it's probably best to admit straight away the aircraft in this tale are not quite up to the mark. Don't let that put you off, though, the tale is otherwise well drawn and the cover is particularly fine.

"The tale itself is particularly hard - especially on the Japanese. There's little sympathy for any of them in the story, written less than 20 years after the war finished.

"Still, it's a fine adventure and one I hope you'll enjoy."

• Preview: http://www.commandocomics.com/latest-issues/14th-march-2013-collection?issue=4585

Commando No 4586 - Heading For Trouble
Originally Commando No 2151 (January 1988), re-issued as No 3579 (December 2002)
Story: Allan Chalmers Art: Ibanez Cover: Ian Kennedy

During the Second World War most officers fought gallantly alongside their men. But a few - like a certain Lieutenant Fairfax - were cowardly, incompetent and more likely to endanger their own troops than the enemy.

You can bet that any man serving under Fairfax would very soon be - heading for trouble...

"All Commando stories send the characters on a journey - whether physically, emotionally or metaphorically," notes Deputy Editor Scott Montgomery of this story, "and on many occasions this involves the journey from villain or anti-hero to hero. Heading For Trouble neatly turns this notion on its head, however. Sergeant Ian Cheam starts out as an instant, reliable Commando hero but soon his path leads towards that of a cynical anti-hero. Where will his journey end…?"

• Preview: http://www.commandocomics.com/latest-issues/14th-march-2013-collection?issue=4586

• There are more details of Commando titles on their official website, www.commandocomics.com, and Facebook page.

COMMANDO SUBSCRIPTION OFFER

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Follow this link to DC Thomson's subscription page.

When prompted, enter this unique code COMDT - then make your payment and your subscription will be up and running. The price quoted offers a 50% discount for three months at £12.50. That’s £68.50 off the shop price.

Please note, although the offer is not restricted to UK delivery (you need a UK bank account), the price increases for overseas delivery although the offer of 50% discount for three months is the same.

*Saving based on discounted Direct Debit price compared with shop price. First quarterly payment discounted by 50% at £12.50 and £25 per quarter thereafter. UK bank accounts only. One year discounted subscription rate of £99.

Harvey Awards nominations open

The Executive Committees of the Harvey Awards and the Baltimore Comic-Con have just released the official Nomination Ballot for this year's Harvey Awards, honouring work published in the 2012 calendar year.

Named in honour of the late Harvey Kurtzman, one of the US comic industry's most innovative talents, the Harvey Awards recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art. 

The 26th Annual Harvey Awards will be presented Saturday, 7th September 2013 as part of the Baltimore Comic-Con.

For the first time, Harvey Awards nomination ballots may be submitted using an online form. If you are a comics professional, you can vote online at  harveyawards.org/2013-nomination-ballot/. This will enable an easier and faster method for the professional community to submit their nominees.

Ballots are due for submission by Monday 6th May 2013 - and there's nothing to stop British comic creators or publications being nominated, so why not do so...

Additionally, if voters would prefer, ballots may be downloaded from the same page, completed, and sent via postal mail or e-mail.  All methods of submission are permitted.

Nominations for the Harvey Awards are selected exclusively by creators - those who write, draw, ink, letter, colour, design, edit, or are otherwise involved in a creative capacity in the comics field. The Harvey Awards are the only industry awards both nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. 

In addition to being available on the website, ballots will be sent to all major publishers and distributed at comic conventions. We look forward to your participation and input in this process, and we look forward to seeing you at the Baltimore Comic-Con and the Harvey Awards.
   
Companies and individuals interested in sponsoring the 2013 Harvey Awards may do so by contacting us at harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com.

This year's Baltimore Comic-Con will be held 7-8th September, 2013.  The ceremony and banquet for the Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, September 8th.  Additional details about the Harvey Awards and the awards ceremony will be released over the next few months.

The Harvey Awards are one of the US comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 26 years, the last eight in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in 22 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. 
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 14th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. For more information visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.

• Harvey Awards official web site: www.harveyawards.org