BD and Comics Passion Festival returns to London in May

I don't know, you don't have a comics gathering to go to and then three come along at once. In addition to the long-announced Bristol International Comic Expo (12th-13th May) and Kapow (19th-20th) in London next month, we've just had word that the BD and Comics Passion Festival is back between 24th - 27th May.

This is the second festival organised by London's L’Insitiut Francais in association with Comica Festival, it's intended for fans of comic books, graphic novels and bandes dessinées.

The festival features a terrific line-up of extraordinary creators (Christophe Arleston and Jean-Louis Mourier, David B., Guy Delisle, Karrie Fransman, Tom Gauld, Pat Mills, Kevin O’Neill, Luke Pearson, Grzegorz Rosinski, Jonathan Ross), music (Mesparrow), performances (Freeeks Factory), films and the best booksellers (Gosh!, La Page, Cinebook).

With nearly thirty events including live drawing, talks, exhibitions, workshops, a drawing jam with Mesparrow and a dress-up party, the team behind it say this innovative festival will have something for everyone.

"We've been working really hard over the last few months to give Londoners L’Insitiut Francais’ second comics book festival and have managed to get our hands on some real treats," Angela Sangma Francis told downthtubes.

"We’re also still trying to spread the word to all that may want to join in, from the comic curious to die hard fans, so if you think it's something to write home about... then please do!"

In addition to the official web site (www.bdandcomicspassion.co.uk)  there’s also a Facebook page for the Festival.


• Check out the event's special new passes! (The Fan: 5 events for only £15, The Addict: 10 events for only £25)

• Download the full programme in pdf

Killer Zombies set to storm London's South Bank to promote comic launch

(via Mark Beer): Illustrator and comic artist Mark Beer has dropped us a line to tell us he's collaborating on a digital zombie comic that will be promoted with a 'Zombie Walk' at the end of this month.

 

Written by Dean Mitchell with art from Graham Williamson and Renzo Rodriquez, Killer B*****s of the Zombie Holocaust is a road trip following Laura and Sarah as they battle through a game controlled by a group of people inside 'The Dome'.

Contestants have to battle through a city to find a suitcase that has two tickets out, and will gain you entry into the 'The Dome'.

"Who the people are within 'the Dome' is unknown and the technology they have is different to anything we have seen before, all we do know is that the winning contestants are to be used for a war that is starting," says Dean.

Inspired by the likes of Planet Terror, Battle Royal, Lost and even the game Mass Effect, Killer B*****s of the Zombie Holocaust is a story about two incredible girls and their fight for survival in a game unlike anything else and a truth that is as unique as the title of the series!

Mark Beer is drawing covers for the comic, which is to be distributed online via Facebook, Twitter and a website currently being created. "The comic is also interacting with readers like never before," adds Dean. "The girls take photos during the episodes that are then drawn and uploaded to twitter, before each episode readers can vote on what they want the photos to be of, and then this will actually be written into the comic."

Another interactive feature is competitions with prizes like becoming a character, this has happened already in a mini episode and it proved massively popular.

The comic is planned to be released 26th April 2012 alongside an organised zombie walk on Southbank, London, planned as a massive publicity stunt.

- For more information, check out the project's Facebook page

 

 

Amanda Swan: The Hellfire Legacy From Rough Cut Comics

Glasgow based Rough Cut Comics have impressed before with their vampiric Rose Black and Rose Black: Demon Seed graphic novels. As part of the publicity for Rose Black, the company used British model Amanda Swan to portray the character of Rose but they soon realised that there was the possibility of basing a comic around the model herself. Amanda Swan: The Hellfire Legacy re-imagines her as a reality show IT girl by day and a leather-clad motorbike riding vigilante by night - a 2012 vigilante who has a strange connection with the Hellfire Club of 1858 London.

Written by Ed Murphy and Tom Campbell with art by Joel Carpenter and colours by Derek Dow, the same team as Rose Black: Demon Seed, Amanda Swan: The Hellfire Legacy is a 32 page prestige format, full colour comic and is currently only available from Amanda Swan's own website for a cover price of £4.99. The title will be released to shops on May 2012 when the creative team and Amanda Swan herself will be appearing at the Kapow comics convention in London's Business Design Centre.

There are more details of Amanda Swan : The Hellfire Legacy on the Rough Cut Comics Facebook page and blog and the title can be bought directly from the official Amanda Swan website shop.

Amanda Swan and Rose Black writer Ed Murphy will be appearing at at the Graphic Novel Night at Meadowbank Library in Polmont near Falkirk on Saturday 21 April 2012. There are more details of the event on the library website.

Wired Issue 1 Available From Emancipation Studios

Wired, the first title from new small press publisher Emancipation Studios is now available from their website. Based in West Lothian near Edinburgh, Emancipation is the brainchild of writer James Lundy who describes himself as a "lifelong fanboy".

Wired is described as a noir sci-fi/horror story set in a world where things are usually what they appear to be as two detectives, Briggs and Smith, investigate a case that leads them to a West Lothian industrial estate. Written by James Lundy, the 28 page US sized comic features a colour cover by B Ibenk and Apri-K with black and white internal artwork by penciller C Sepulveda and inks by B Ibenk.

There are more details about Wired on the Emancipation Studios website and their Facebook page.

Writer James Lundy will have copies of Wired Issue 1 at the Graphic Novel Night at Meadowbank Library in Polmont near Falkirk on Saturday 21 April 2012. There are more details of the event on the library website.