Neil Gaiman's Keynote at the London Book Fair - Video

Here's Neil Gaiman's keynote speech at this year's London Book Fair, in which he talks about the need to experiment with new media and pretty much sums up what we're all thinking -no-one knows what is really going to work in the new digital medium - so experiment.

Gaiman believes that "Amazon, Google and all of those things probably aren't the enemy. The enemy right now is simply refusing to understand that the world is changing". 

With a nod to forward thinker Cory Doctorow ("Think like a dandelion") he said later of the speech: "When the rules are gone you can make up your own rules. You can fail, you can fail more interestingly, you can try things, and you can succeed in ways nobody would have thought of, because you're pushing through a door marked no entrance, you're walking in through it. You can do all of that stuff but you just have to become a dandelion, be wiling for things to fail, throw things out there, try things, and see what sticks."

Neil Gaiman to give keynote at 'Digital Minds' conference

Image via London Book Fair

The London Book Fair has announced that comic writer and author Neil Gaiman will give the opening keynote speech at the fifth Digital Minds Conference in London on Sunday 14th April.

Neil is internationally recognised via his bestselling novels: American Gods and Coraline, graphic novels, films and TV programmes. His presence on social media via his blog and Twitter as @neilhimself has elevated him to superstar status and nurtured a vast, loyal and vocal online community of readers for his works.

"As a writer whose stories cross genres, Gaiman enjoys success across multiple media embodying all of the themes that the Digital Minds Conference will explore in its fifth edition," say the organisers.

The wide range of speakers at the event includes Darren Nash, Digital Publisher for Gollancz, Orion’s SF & fantasy imprint, where he runs the SF Gateway initiative; and Eric Huang, the New Business/IP Acquisitions Director for the Penguin Children’s Group in London whose team work on apps, game-like books, and books.

• View the 'Digital Minds' Programme

Gaiman at Edinburgh Book Festival - tickets still available

A quick reminder that Neil Gaiman will be at the Edinburgh Book Festival on 13th August alongside Chris Riddell (who's the Edinburgh Book Festival's illustrator in residence). The pair of them will be discussing Coraline turning ten years old. "We may talk about other things too," says Neil.

"Right now there are a still some tickets, and the ordering lines seem to have gone away," Neil notes on his blog.

- Check in at http://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/coraline-with-neil-gaiman-chris-riddell/buy-tickets

 

Charting the Marvelman saga

Comics expert Pádraig Ó Méalóid has posted story about the complicated story of Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlane's ongoing disputes, presented as a timeline, which you can see here.

"On the 27th January, Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlane finally settled their long-running legal dispute over Gaiman's share of various Spawn properties," he explains. "And when I say ‘long-running,’ this is very nearly an enormous understatement.

"Although Gaiman and McFarlane’s first meeting in court was on the 1st October, 2002, nearly ten years ago now, the cause of their dispute goes back nearly ten years before that, with roots set in place some years before that, again. So, in an attempt to put it all into some sort of context, I’m listing what I see as the main points of their dispute, in chronological order, as exactly as I can, along with some earlier events, to put it all into context."

The ongoing debate continyues to intrigue comic fans across the globe: when Pádraig posted a link to the story on Facebook, where it got 'Shared' by Neil Gaiman's fan page, it caused his blog hit-counter to go ka-BLOOEY!

"I still go and look at where he [Neil] said 'Astonishingly well-researched timeline to the Miracleman and Spawn/McFarlane legal case...' and my inner fanboy does a little dance," he tells us.

The story also touches on the complex matter of Marvelman's ownership, a debate which is almost guaranteed to send make your eyes bleed in confusion.

• View the post at: http://slovobooks.blogspot.com/2012/03/neil-gaiman-and-todd-mcfarlane-story-so.html.

Middle England unites to save The Hobbit

Neil Gaiman, Stephen Fry and Sir Ian McKellen are just some top creative names backing a campaign to stop a small English pub from having to change its name at the instruction of American corporate lawyers.

The Hobbit in Southampton, a late night entertainment venue and Traditional English Pub rolled into one, has been threatened with legal action by the Saul Zaentz Company, who are forcing them to rebrand by threatening what protestors describe as an unfair law suit.

The Saul Zaentz Company, who own the merchandising and film rights to some of Tolkien's works and have done for 35 years, are demaning the rebrand by the end of May, also threatening other British companies with legal action, including a cafe and a maker of 'hobbit houses".

"Obviously, it wouldn't be our beloved Hobbit if it weren't The Hobbit anymore," say campaigners, who have mounted a huge and now widely-publicised protest about SZC's actions. "Whilst copyright must be respected it seems as though this legal case is being put forward for the wrong reasons - the SZC had an ongoing dispute with New Line Cinema over The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, and as a way of exerting their power over the legal rights, have started forcing small companies to rebrand.

"This is not right, and we can't just let this happen. We must unite to stop this!"

"I'd not sue, if you named your cafe or pub after something I created & owned," said Neil Gaiman on Twitter, prompting a conversation on copyright to which he is still as of publishing this news story, still commenting on.

A Facebook campaign page set up by student Heather Cartwright now has over 40,000 likes and the protest is being backed by Neil Gaiman, actors amazing Stephen Fry and Sir Ian McKellen.

"I am a part-landlord of a pub called The Grapes, notes Sir McKellen in a blog post on the matter. "So far no vintners' group has objected. That would be silly of course. As is this unnecessary pettiness. More Alice's Wonderland than Tolkien's Middle-earth. Harrumph.

"I haven't yet talked to Stephen Fry about his disapproval of this Hollywood bullying but I'm with him all the way. All the way to The Hobbit pub once filming is over in July."

The landlords of the pub, which has traded as The Hobbit for more than 20 years, seem to be a bit taken aback by the protest, started by their customers.

"We are in shock by the passionate and heartfelt support we have received," they commented on their web site. "Keep it up guys and thank you all so much."

The Hobbit Pub is located close to Southampton University on Bevois Valley Road. With its split levels,two bars, huge beer garden, Chef Bernie’s Caribbean BBQ and the very best live music entertainment there is something for all. "Popular with students, and like-minded locals, theatmosphere simply oozes from the bare brick walls every night as the pub fills to capacity," they enthuse.

The bars open from 4pm until 3am Monday to Friday and from 12 noon until 3.00am Saturday and 4.00pm until 2.00am Sunday, with musical entertainment every night of the week.

Punch Taverns, which owns the freehold to the building, told the BBC: "We are aware of the situation and are currently consulting with our legal advisors."

British company Visionary Media is also being threatened with legal action and has received "Pages of legal documents threatening us and our customers about out Hobbit Houses."

Also threatened is The Hungry Hobbit cafe in Moseley close to where Hobbit creator JRR Tolkein grew up.

SZC is not connected with New Line, makers of the Lord of the Rings feature films and the upcoming Hobbit film. SZC owns the rights to characters and places referred to in JRR Tolkein's stories and New Line licensed usage from SZC, who produced an animated version of part of the Lord of The Rings trilogy in 1978 and is also responsible for films such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus and The English Patient.

SZC's lawyers letters to affected businesses state that "only those who qualify for a trademark licence may use Hobbit and other marks registered by SZC" and that use of the name Hobbit "is likely to cause confusion, mistake or deception among prospective purchasers, who are likely to believe that your business is licensed, authorised, sponsored or endorsed by SZC". Use of the name, say the lawyers, "takes unfair advantage of, and is detrimental to the reputation of SZC's Hobbit mark".

Other companies have successfully defeated previous attempts to stop them using the hobbit name, including Wozniak Travel. 

• Save the Hobbit Facebook Group

• Save the Hobbit ipetition

• Twitter @savethehobbit

• Pub web site: www.hobbitpub.co.uk

Neil Gaiman short story part of World Book Day app line-up

A short story by comic creator Neil Gaiman is among the work by several authors being offered as part of a free World Book Day App, available now from iTunes for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

The App features six new and exclusive stories published exclusively for World Book Day 2012 by Neil, Malorie Blackman, Charlie HIgson, Anthony Horowitz, Sophie McKenzie and Rachel Vincent, plus sample chapters by Julie Cross, Matt Dickinson, Lauren Laverne and Ruth Warburton; plus book trailers and author interviews.

The App also includes "on-the-pulse news and information about events, books and authors" and will have regular content updates throughout the year, including new teen fiction samples, news, videos and special offers.

Print books, of course, haven't been forgotten despite the digital push for this year's event. To mark the day, British school children are entitled to receive a World Book Day £1 Book
Token (or equivalent €1.50 Book Token in Ireland). The Book Token valid until 25th March 2012 - can be exchanged for one of eight specially published World Book Day £1 Books, or is redeemable against any book or audio book of their choice costing £2.99 or more at a participating bookshop or book club.

The full list of World Book Day £1 books for 2012 is:

• The What the Ladybird Heard Song by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks
(Macmillan)
• Winnie Flies Again by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul (Oxford University Press)
• Where’s Wally Now? by Martin Handford (Walker Books)
• Magic Molly: The Clever Little Kitten by Holly Webb (Scholastic)
• Roald Dahl's Fantabulous Facts by Roald Dahl (Puffin)
• How to Train Your Dragon: The Day of the Dreader by Cressida Cowell (Hodder
Children’s Books)
• Big Day Out by Jacqueline Wilson, Illustrated by Nick Sharratt (Random House)
• Skulduggery Pleasant: The End of the World  by Derek Landy (HarperCollins)

World Book Day was designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and is marked in over 100 countries around the globe. A partnership of publishers, booksellers and interested parties who work together to promote books and reading for the personal enrichment and enjoyment of all, a main aim of World Book Day in the UK and Ireland is to encourage children to explore the pleasures of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity to have a book of their own.

National Book Tokens are the perfect gift for book lovers everywhere and are the onlygift cards sold and accepted in bookshops across the UK and Ireland, including all the major chains and local independents. As proud sponsors of World Book Day, National Book Tokens supports lifelong learning and improving literacy and access to reading for everyone.

Other partners in World Book Day are The Reading Agency, an independent charity working to inspire more people to read more (www.readingagency.org.uk); and Book Aid International which aims to increase access to books and supports literacy, education and development in sub-Saharan Africa. It provided over 515,000 new books to more than 2000 libraries in 2011 and has sent over 30 million books to partner libraries since 1954. (www.bookaid.org/worldbookday).

• The World Book Day app is available now for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch

• World Book Day web site: www.worldbookday.com

• Visit www.nationalbooktokens.com for more information

A chance to win a signed book by Neil Gaiman, courtesy of the Open Rights Group

Britain's Open Rights Group - the UK’s leading voice defending freedom of expression, privacy, innovation, consumer rights and creativity on the internet - marks its fifth birthday today, and is offering anyone who joins by donating or than £5 between now and 10th December a book by the organistion's patron, Neil Gaiman - and the chance to win a signed copy by the author.

Celebrating Open Rights Group's 5th birthday, ORG says our digital rights face an increasing number of challenges: the government has put widespread internet surveillance back on the agenda, Net Neutrality is slipping away and the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (which has been rejected by the European Parliament) is being used to further restrict copyright provisions.

By joining ORG now, you'll receive a free copy of graphic novel Tales from the Public Domain: Bound By Law? and could win a unique signed book from Neil Gaiman, who recently sent a video message in support of the organisation (above).

Founded in 2005 by 1,000 digital activists, the Open Rights Group campaigns to change public policy whenever citizens' or consumers' rights are threatened, by talking to policy-makers and mobilising supporters to stop bad laws in the UK and EU.

The group is funded by donors and depends on regular contributions to run and win their campaigns.

• Read more about the Open Rights Group's birthday here


• Open Rights Group on Facebook

John Hicklenton's '100 Months' Goes on Sale

100 Months, the final work of the late, great 2000AD artist John Hicklenton is now available from publisher Cutting Edge Press. Pat Mills describes it as "magnificent" and hints that despite John's passing earlier this year there is more work yet to be seen.

100 Months is John Hicklenton's final graphic novel, a parable of environmental devastation in which Mara, Warrior and Earth Goddess, seeks revenge against the Longpig: a satanic personification of capitalism, red in tooth and claw, whose followers, a legion of the damned, look quite a lot like... us.

John is best known for his work on 2000AD, Nemesis the Warlock and Heavy Metal Dredd was one of Britain’s leading comic book artists, famous for the brutal, visceral draughtsmanship he brought to the 2000 AD/Judge Dredd titles, transforming their cartoon dystopia into a circle of hell. His artwork was and remains uniquely disturbing and powerful, and often too much so for some comic book fans, and his career was dogged by requests that he 'tone it down'.

In writing and drawing 100 Months, John faced no such censorship, and gave free reign to a vision that is both starkly beautiful and apocalyptic. The world of the Longpig is rich in killing fields and scenes of mass crucifixion recalling Goya at his darkest.

The title, taken from HRH Prince Charles's warning that there were 100 months remaining to prevent cataclysmic climate change, reflects the urgency of both the book's prophetic voice, and the spirit and circumstances in which it was written.

"I was lucky enough to have Johnny Hicklenton draw my first published story, and I knew from the start that his was a unique and powerful vision," says Neil Gaiman. "100 Months is a heartbreaking final vision: one man going head to head with death, and with Death, and with life. I felt lucky to be allowed to read it and fortunate that Johnny made it for us before he left. It lingers and it haunts, and, ultimately, affirms."

John took his own life with the assistance of Dignitas in Zurich on the 19th March 2010, following a heroic struggle with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (His life, work and illness are the subject of the Animal Monday documentary Here's Johnny, which was broadcast on More4 and was the first film in history to win two Grierson awards). 100 Months was drawn and written in foreknowledge of his own imminent death, and its quality of intimate insight into universal themes of life, death and the planet's own survival seems at times to come from a place between worlds, to have been transmitted from the Hades, Western Lands or Sheol of the ancients to the 21st century as a cry of warning.

Despite Johns death, in a recent Facebook post, Pat Mills praises 100 Months, calling it "magnificent", and also hints that John left a lot of other unpublished work, including "artwork for a book with the title Bedlam," which he would love to see in print, too.

"You can imagine what that looks like!" he enthuses. Johnny lives on...

• More info: www.cuttingedgepress.co.uk/100months.html

Tube Surfing: Chief Judges, Troll Bridge and 100 Days of Winter

Just spotted this ace 'brief history' of the various chief judges of Mega-City one over at the 2000AD Covers Uncovered blog. Well worth a read.

Cartoonist Sean Azzopardi sent me his 100 Days of Winter collection. It's great and reviewer Richard Bruton of the Forbidden Planet International blog agrees with me:

"It’s Azzopardi’s skill in communicating the day to day ups and downs of everyday life, his worries and his eventual withdrawal from the project, that really makes the whole thing," writes Bruton, "especially the difficult and heartbreaking task of being forced to find a home for his aging and ill cat, incredibly engrossing and absorbing. As Azzopardi opens up and reveals himself he delivers a very touching and interesting autobiographical comic."

The Forbidden Planet International blog also draws our attention to this fun strip by Tom Gauld. Tom's work is always worth your time...

Johnathan Ross has interviewed comics legend Jim Steranko for the Guardian. Ross will also be blogging from the San Diego Comic-Con for that paper this weekend.

Something else I've only just noticed. Steve Holland has posted two beautiful illustrations by Mark Buckingham over at Bear Alley. These were published in Comic World,(edited by Steve) in 1994 to accompany Troll Bridge, a story by Neil Gaiman.

And finally, have you checked out the (previously mentioned) Fractal Fiction web-comic yet?

Bye for now!

Gaiman, Eddie Campbell at Sydney Opera House - no, really...

 Above: One of the images from GRAPHIC's Neil Gaiman competition, which ran on Facebook.

(with thanks to Peter Stanbury): Neil Gaiman will appear at Australia's Sydney Opera House in August, 'performing' in what can only be described as a unique collaboration of words, comic art (by Eddie Campbell) and music as part of a wider Graphic Festival at the world-renowned venue.

Regular readers of downthetubes already know that comic books, illustration, animation, music, multimedia and other new ways of telling stories have not only changed the face of our popular culture, they now define it. Graphic novels and comic art are now a leading source of inspiration for films, television, clothing, designers, musicians and artists the world over.

GRAPHIC at the Sydney Opera House will be celebrating this brave new world in a weekend of specially commissioned productions – with musical responses to graphic art and stories, workshops, panels, a film festival, a games exhibition and an animation competition.

Part of this major Australian event will see a world first; British Sandman and Neverwhere author Neil Gaiman reading aloud the previously unreleased story "The Truth Is A Cave In The Black Mountains”, in the spectacular surrounds of the Opera House Concert Hall.

The Opera House have commissioned renowned artist Eddie Campbell (whose work includes From Hell, Bacchus and Alec, to name but a few) to illustrate the story, while the FourPlay String Quartet have been commissioned to create an entirely new underscore to the tale.

FourPlay shot to prominence in Australia and Europe in the very late 1990’s as a unique musical phenomenon – an indie rock band that just happened to be a string quartet.

Kevin Smith and Gary Groth are also appearing at the GRAPHIC weekend, while other highlight events include the Anime classic Akira with a live rescore by Regurgitator; and Shaun Tan’s The Arrival live scored by Ben Walsh and the Orkestra of the Underground.

• This Neil Gaiman event will take place on 7th August 2010 - you might want to tell your Australian friends or check out information here on the Sydney Opera House web site.


• More about the GRAPHIC Festival at www.sydneyoperahouse.com/about/program_graphic.aspx or click here to download a PDF of the festival program from the Opera House web site

• GRAPHIC on Facebook 

• The GRAPHIC Festival ran an online animation competition in the run up to the event and you can view the winners here

New Sandman Collections Announced

DC Comics imprint Vertigo has announced new, re-mastered editions of Neil Gaiman's critically-acclaimed series, Sandman.

Beginning next year, Vertigo will publish new trade paperback editions of Sandman in ten volumes - remastered and corrected versions of the comic the Los Angeles Times Magazine called “the greatest epic in the history of comic books,” featuring newly designed covers using Dave McKean’s spectacular and innovative art.

The series was initially re-coloured for the four oversized Absolute Sandman editions.

Vertigo previewed the covers of the first two volumes - Preludes and Nocturnes and The Doll's House - on its Graphic Content blog.

Tube Surfing: Doctor Who, Gnasher and Dave Gibbons

• Ace media site Den of Geek has the latest pics from BBC TV's Sarah Jane Adventures here. Panini, publishers of Doctor Who Magazine, have just put out a great special on the show, featuring a full rundown of episodes and a terrific interview with its lead, Elisabeth Sladen, but sadly no comic strip. A missed opportunity, perhaps, although Sarah has featured in a few Marvel UK/Panini produced strips so even a reprint might have been fun.

• Still, we doubt such concerns will worry many Doctor Who fans who are, as usual, divided over the latest change to their beloved show - a new logo. Melding a modern look with a nod to the Doctor Who styling of the 1960s, not everyone is happy about the TARDIS/Police Box-inspired branding.

Speaking from experience as a former editor of Doctor Who Magazine, changing the Doctor Who logo is almost as controversial as a new England football strip, and the feedback often as rabid...

• Talking of Panini, they're currently running a poll on their website asking for views on digital versions of their comics. Options range from sticking with paper versions (currently in the lead with 43% of votes) to digital versions as long as you can still buy in print (18%). Vote here

• Fancy a science fiction-inspired comedy night? Alex Fitch of Panel Borders has organised one in London. The Sci Fi London Comedy Night on 24th October is part of Sci-Fi London Oktoberfest, from 9.00 p.m staring Rob Deb from GNO, Sara Pascoe, Mould and Arrowsmith and many more. It's beaming into the Apollo Picadilly Cinema, more details here on Facebook.

• An updated version of classic game Beneath a Steel Sky (the original is now offered free through sites, such as GOG.com) is being released for iPhone and iTouch featuring art by Dave Gibbons this week, via the iTunes store. Gamespot UK reports on a BAFTA event last night that included Dave as a guest, talking about his work on the update. "I think what this remastering has done for me has reminded me exactly how much I enjoyed working on the game originally, and [game designer] Charles [Cecil] and I have kicked some ideas around," Gibbons said. "With the way I now understand technology better, the way that we could more efficiently put a game together, it's something that I'm really quite interested to do." Watch the video of the event...



• The Edinburgh International Book Festival folks were kind enough to give Forbidden Planet International a copy of their recording of the Neil Gaiman and Ian Rankin event (chaired by Denise Mina) from this summer’s event, now converted to web friendly format and available to enjoy on the FPI blog. "There are a couple of times when you can hear laughter with no obvious joke," says Joe Gordon. "This is Neil and Ian in naughty schoolboy mode enjoying adding in phrases like balls and sphincter-tightening to see how the nice woman who was signing in BSL for the hearing impaired would cope..."

• Since we're reporting from north of the border, I'm sure many of you may have already picked up on the news that the real-life inspiration for Dennis the Menace, mischievous star of The Beano comic, has been revealed as a mechanic from New Zealand. New Zealand? Just think - Gnasher could so easily have been the last Moa...

• And finally... Bleeding Cool recently reported the estate of Jack Kirby, co-creator of Marvel's Captain America, The Fantastic Four, The X-Men, The Avengers, Iron Man, Hulk, The Silver Surfer and Thor and has sent notices terminating copyright to publishers Marvel and Disney, as well as film studios that have made movies and TV shows based on characters he created or co-created, including Sony, Universal, 20th Century Fox and Paramount Pictures. You have to wonder what would happen if British comic creators started these kind of proceedings...

Moore on Marvelman at Marvel

Alan Moore has commented on Marvel's acquisition of Marvelman, saying he's pleased the deal, which will mean his Marvelman stories will be re-published, will see the character's creator Mick Anglo benefit once again.

"After being initially informed by Neil Gaman’s lawyer, I had to think about it for a couple of days," he told Kurt Amacker at mania.com. "I decided that while I’m very happy for this book to get published—because that means money will finally go to Marvelman’s creator, Mick Anglo, and to his wife. Mick is very, very old, and his wife, I believe, is suffering from Alzheimer’s.

"The actual Marvelman story is such a grim and ugly one that I would probably rather that the work was published without my name on it, and that all of the money went to Mick," he continued. "The decision about my name was largely based upon my history with Marvel—my desire to really have nothing to do with them, and my increasing desire to have nothing to do with the American comics industry. I mean, they’re probably are enough books out there with my name on them to keep the comics industry afloat for a little bit longer.

"..." Neil will [also] be able to finish his Marvelman story because he has a completely different relationship with Marvel than I have with them — or rather, don’t have. The main thing is that I will feel happy to know that Mick Anglo is finally getting the recompense he so richly deserves. And, I will have distanced myself from a lot of the deceit and ugliness that surrounded the relaunching of Marvelman as a character."

• Read the full interview, in which Alan also talks about the origins of his Marvelman story for Warrior, the first part of an ongoing interview with Alan, here


• News story compiled thanks to Paul Eldridge

Gaiman And Rankin On BBC2 On Wednesday

As the Edinburgh International Book Festival continues this week under canvas in the Scottish capital's Charlotte Square Gardens, BBC2's Edinburgh Festival Show will feature a taster of what was one of the best BookFest events of last week.

Fantasy author Neil Gaiman and crime author Ian Rankin were interviewed on stage by crime author Denise Mina about their work on comics and graphic novels and for the sold out audience of 600 last Thursday night it was a case of paying for two Constantine writers and getting a third for free. With Ian Rankin's first graphic novel, Dark Entries, soon to be available from DC Vertigo the two men talked about their comics work and how it related to their prose novels with Gaiman doing his impression of Alan Moore and Rankin displaying his impressive comics knowledge. For more details on this excellent event check out Joe Gordon's review of it over on the FPI blog.

Prior to the talk, the three authors had recorded a piece for the BBC's Edinburgh Festival Show and this is due to be broadcast on Wednesday 26 August at 7 pm on BBC2.

Tube Surfing, 30 June 2008: Baxendale, Bernice Summerfield and Graveyards

Above: The Bash Street Kids, drawn by Leo Baxendale, start a circus in a story from Beano Issue 1063, published in 1963. Bash Street Kids © DC Thomson

• (via FPI): Leo Baxendale features in The Times today, recalling the early 1950s and his first approaches to DC Thomson, them taking on Little Plum, Minnie the Minx then the immortal Bash Street Kids. More details and links over on Forbidden Planet International's blog, or jump straight over to The Times. Talking of Leo, his next volume of memoirs, Hobgoblin Wars, is due fairly soon.

• Big Finish have announced that Simon Guerrier's book, Bernice Summerfield - The Inside Story, will be out in August. The book is a warts-and-all guide to the character first created for Virgin's Doctor Who New Adventures by Paul Cornell, but who quickly grew to feature in the Doctor Who Magazine comic strip and get brought to life by Big Finish in several audio adventures, voiced by actress Lisa Bowerman. More info here on the Big Finish web site.

• (via Bear Alley): The latest Eagle Times (Volume 22 Issue 2, Summer 2009) continues a run of excellent issues with more of the same. The cover story is a look at the nature artwork of Tom Adams, nowadays best known for his covers for Agatha Christie novels but who has had quite a diverse career over the past sixty years. Other features include looks at the Dan Dare stories Operation Saturn and The Man from Nowhere, Eagle Autographs, Rex Keene (the first in a new series of 'Rivals of Jeff Arnold'), the third part of a look at Heros the Spartan, a P.C. 49 text story, pop music in 1965 and a look at Eagle Holidays.
Subscriptions are £22 (overseas £34 in UK pounds) for four issues a year from Keith Howard, 25A Station Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 2UA. More info at: eagle-times.blogspot.com

• Congratulations to Neil Gaiman, who has picked up yet another award for his novel, The Graveyard Book, this time the 2009 Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book.

• A new web portal, Talenthouse launches today, aggregating the works of artists from multiple disciplines including music, fashion, fine art, graphic design, film and photography.
Based in California, the site is the brainchild of British recording artists Amos Pizzey and run by CEO Roman Scharf. It allows artists to build their own profiles for free to display their work in full screen mode, gather followers and alert friends when new work is posted.
Cynopsis Digital reports the site's business model includes selling subscriptions to its database to TV and film studios and talent agencies (like the Amazon-owned IMDBPro), as well as launching brand-triggered creative competitions to source the community for new designs (sort of a multidisciplinary Filmaka)

• Bloggers and other writers may be interested to know Google-owned YouTube has launched its own portal to help instruct citizen journalists about how to practice better reporting. YouTube's Reporter's Center features house-made videos, clips from seasoned Pros from Dover including Katie Couric and Bob Woodward and practical shooting tips from sources such as Howcast. Check it out at www.youtube.com/reporterscenter

Comics Events At the Edinburgh Book Festival

It is almost that time of the year again when the chaos of Festival hits Edinburgh. International, Film, Fringe, Television and the Tattoo as well as many other smaller festivals invade the city, but the one of most interest to comics readers is the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Last year the BookFest put on more comics related events than ever before which downthetubes reviewed here. These proved to be so successful that the Festival in 2009 has a similarly diverse selection of comic and graphic novel related events.

They begin on Saturday 15th August when former Dandy editor, DC Thomson archivist and author of The History Of The Beano, Morris Heggie, former Beano editor and current BeanoMAX editor Euan Kerr and Minnie The Minx artist Jim Petrie will take over the Studio Theatre to create a new Beano inspired character with the help of the children in the audience. Later that day My Diary writer and artist Mio Matsumoto will talk about her autobiographical graphic novel which charts her fight against cancer. Following her talk she will take a comics workshop aimed at at teenage audience.

Wednesday 19th August brings political cartoonist Gerald Scarfe to the RBS Main Theatre to talk about his his life and work. This is followed by Neil Gaiman who will talk about his books and his graphic novels.

The following day, academic Dr Mel Gibson will discuss the theme of Visual Literacy, Learning and Graphic Novels before Neil Gaiman returns in the evening this time with Scottish crime author Ian Rankine to discuss their work on graphic novels.

On Monday 24th August Dan Dare artist Gary Erskine returns to the Festival for a second year to give a workshop aimed at teenagers on creating comics, while the next day brings a Writing Workshop on Graphic Novels. The writer due to take this event remains to be announced but it is worth pointing out that Tony Lee will be talking about his new Robin Hood graphic novel later the same afternoon.

Wednesday 26th August brings Metaphrog duo, Sandra Marrs and John Chalmers, to the workshop tent for a workshop on creating a comic strip aimed at teenagers. Metaphrog have done many of these workshops in Scotland this year and last, but this is the first time that they have lead a workshop at the Book Festival.

Saturday 29th August bring Scottish writer Mark Millar to the RBS Corner Theatre to discuss his graphic novels which include Wanted and Kick-Ass, while the comics events conclude rather more sedately on Sunday 30 August with Manga Shakespeare artist Chie Kutsuwada (also known as Chi-Tan) taking a manga inspired workshop once again aimed at teenagers.

As with last year the Book Festival is once again providing a comics programme for a wide variety of tastes.

• Details of the Edinburgh Internal Book Festival as well as details of how to order tickets are available on their website. The Festival runs in Edinburgh's Charlotte Square Gardens from 15th to 31st August 2009.

Tube Surfing: One Man Lord of the Rings, Manga Cross Stitch and Space Hoppers!

• Heading to Edinburgh's Fringe later this summer? Perhaps to catch up with Kev Sutherland and the Falsetto Sock Company, who are sure to be there? Then you might also be interested in a new show from Canadian actor Charles Ross, who first made an impact on the Edinburgh Fringe when his debut show, One Man Star Wars Trilogy, which was a surprise sell-out hit of the 2006 event. He's back this year with his equally hilarious follow-up One Man Lord Of The Rings in which he recreates the enchanting world of Middle-Earth, armed with nothing more than a pair of elbow pads and his outrageous imagination, at the E4 Udderbelly, E4 Udderbelly's Pasture, from 6-16th August 2009. More info: www.onemanlotr.com (Photo: Lisa Hebden)

• With the nominations collected, the ballets are about to open for the 2008 Eagle Awards, the comics industry's longest-running awards. Co-founded in 1976 by Mike Conroy, editor of Comics International and author of new Ilex Press release War Comics: A Graphic History (see news story), the awards offer UK comics fans a unique opportunity to nominate their own choices and vote for their pick of bunch in each category. The award categories cover comics and creators, as well as comics-related titles. Vote for nominees in the Eagles Awards here

• Via numerous upset comic creators, worrying news appeared in The Sun reporting that one-time 2000AD artist Ron Smith, 80, was in court over alledged child abuse. We can now report that at 3.00pm today the jury unanimously found him not guilty. Guildford Crown Court confirmed the details

• To quote blogger Giles Poitras, "Oh god it was only a matter of time. And who else but the wonderful Helen McCarthy could do a book called Manga Cross-Stitch." Who else indeed! Helen McCarthy, author of ILEX's 500 Essential Anime Movies and many titles on Japanese manga and anime, is the UK's leading expert in this area, and now she has turned her hand to teaching how to incorporate the skills of needlecraft with this popular Japanese graphic art form. Manga Cross-Stitch, available from ILEX, will be out soon, but in the meantime the Japan Foundation is presenting a lecture and workshop held by Helen McCarthy, on Wednesday 1 July, in London. Places are limited so get your tickets quick, as there will a chance to stitch your own manga design on the day.

• (via Bear Alley): A number of British creators have made the shortlist for the British Fantasy Awards 2009, amongst them Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean (best novel (and best non-fiction for his blog) and best artist respectively) and numerous others in the Best Comic/Graphic Novel section.

• This sounds fun: CBBC has commissioned a new science series, Space Hoppers, an interplanetary adventure series featuring Professor Brian Cox. Using animation and CGI and experiments, the series investigate what one might need to go on vacation in outer space and the extreme environments in the Solar System. Set to launch in 2010, which happens also to be the BBC's Year of Science, the seven episode series is produced in conjunction with BBC Science's series Seven Wonders Of The Solar System, also hosted by Cox.

• The British Cartoon Archive, based at the University of Kent's Templeman Library, recentlylaunched a new website and is now featuring a gallery of old Andy Capp cartoons by Reg Smythe.

• Tim Pilcher, author of Erotic Comics: A Graphic History, has been talking to Salacious Scribbles about the relationships between erotica, porn and the comics genre; how Volume 2 was stopped by Australian customs; and a whole lot more with Louise Bak, poet and radio show co-host, for men's magazine Toro. In Tim's own words: "Good erotic comics have to abide by the same basic rules that any comic book genre has to. That is, good story pacing, believable/ empathetic characters, an involving storyline and quality design and page layout." Erotic Comics is a guide though the talent and artwork of this much maligned art form. Read the interview here

Dave McKean Retrospective in Scotland

Dalmuir Library, Scotland is hosting a retrospective of artist Dave McKean's work until 30th May.

This free exhibition in the Library's Backdoor Gallery, part of the Booked! Festival which inclues appearances by SF writers Ian McLeod and Iain M. Banks, focuses on of framed works of original comic book art, book illustrations, photographs, and printed album covers is particularly aimed at a teenage and young adult audience -- although anyone with an interest in contemporary popular culture will find it exhilarating.

Dave McKean (www.davemckean.com) grew up with the exciting potential of New Comics - with the idea that for the artist the comic medium could be a means of creative expression and not merely an exercise in drawing graphic stereotypes.

McKean quickly emerged as an artist of rare innovative ideas, adapting mixed media and collage techniques to the compelling design of covers and layouts for comic books and Exhibitions the new graphic novels. Often working with Neil Gaiman, his reputation was spread through such works as Violent Cases, Arkham Asylum, Signal to Noise, Sandman, and Mr. Punch.

McKean embraced the new disciplines and possibilities of computer graphics from the 1980s onwards. He has already created many memorable pieces of work, which have assured him a place in the international history of 21st century graphic art.

In 2005 he made his directorial debut in film with Mirror Mask - a visually stunning fantasy story co-written with Gaiman, who in addition to comics projects, he has also worked with on the children's books The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish and Wolves in the Wall. (The latter has been interpreted for theatre by the Improbable Company together with the National Theatre of Scotland).

• The Dave McKean Retrospective is at the Backdoor Gallery, Dalmuir Library, 3 Lennox Place, Dalmuir G81 4HR. Open Mon, Wed - Fri: 9.30am - 5pm; Tue: 1.30pm - 8pm; Sat: 10am - 1pm
• Go to www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/library to download the Booked! 2009 programme of events, which includes more information on the McKean exhibition on Page 9

Tube Surfing: 9 February 2009

• The animated feature based on Neil Gaiman's Coraline is now on release int the US and seems to be doing well both critically and at the box office. "A lot more people than anyone expected are going to see it," Neil notes. "...Which is good for Coraline, and good for Laika, and good for the Portland animation world, and good for [director] Henry [Selik], and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't good for me."

• IDW has announced it to publishe a new ongoing Doctor Who title by Tony Lee, which will launch in July from IDW. The first two issues will be set in 1920's Hollywood.

• Fans of US comics will adore the concept behind Covered, a blog where people redraw famous comic covers. The results are mixed but have prompted Paul Harrsion-Davis, one of the artists involved in the upcoming TOXIC Comic Supplement (see news story), to come up with his own interpretation of a Blue Devil cover.

• Graeme Neil Reid is finishing his illustration work for The Dangerous Book of Heroes, a new follow up to The Dangerous Book for Boys that became a massive hit for the authors Conn and Hal Iggulden back in 2006. There will be around 100 of Graeme' s illustrations in the book and Graeme has posted a marketing sampler for the new title on his blog.

• Talking of books, Lee O'Connor has posted his latest book cover commission, Short Stories from a Troubled World, soon to be published by Iconoclast Publishing. The book is a collection of the beautiful thoughts of one Tony Paul "who takes 'a Humorous, yet heard-hitting swipe at some serious issues. Among the book's targets are Ruling Elites, Globalisation, Dumbing Down, Think-Tanks and the unholy alliance between government, Big Business and the media," Lee notes. Check out the cover on his LiveJournal and if you can guess who all the personalities are in the drawing " you get a fictional prize!"

Coraline Game Released, New Trailer...

Games company D3Publisher, publishers of titles diverse as Shaun the Sheep and Ben 10: Alien Force (due for US launch February 2009) has released the Coraline videogame in the US for Wii, Nintendo DS and PlayStation 2.

Based on Laika's new stop-motion/3D animated movie of Neil Gaiman's Coraline, the game allows players to take on the role of the adventurous Coraline and interact with the characters from the movie. It features the voices of Dakota Fanning (Coraline Jones), Keith David (Cat), and Robert Bailey Jr. (Wybie Lovat).

“The Coraline movie is absolutely mesmerizing," Bill Anker, vice president of business development, D3P said when development of the game was announced last October, "and we feel that the visual style and tone of the game will bring the amazing stop-motion animated film and thrilling storyline to life for players.

“We’re confident that Coraline will offer a truly immersive and interactive gameplay experience that gamers as well as fans of the movie and best-selling book will enjoy.”

Gaiman himself reveals he's been busy for the past few days, promoting the film as part of the international press junket. "While I am completely frazzled and braindead and hoping that room service will come while I am still awake, I am also happy that I can point to twitter.com/neilhimself for today, and to the blog of my ultracompetent assistant Cat Mihos, to tell you what happened," he notes on his blog.

Directed by Henry (The Nightmare Before Christmas) Selick the Coraline movie is released in the US on 6th February and 8th May in the UK. Here's a new trailer for the film...