May the 4th be with you!

Opening on May the 4th (Star Wars Day) and ending on 25th May (the 30th anniversary of Return of the Jedi), Manchester's award winning Generation Gallery will be hosting an art event with a difference.

Generation Gallery will be flying the official Star Wars fine art collection over from America, each piece of art is accompanied by certification from Lucasfilm, original artwork as well as pieces limited to less then 95 worldwide will be on show.

“The 14th is also George Lucas’s birthday so the month of May is turning into a Star Wars extravaganza," says Robert Marks, Gallery Manager. "We are the only art gallery in the UK with this collection so we envisage this event being hugely popular."

Lucasfilm have worked with some very exciting artists for this collection including one of Hollywood’s most impressive illustrators, Ryan Church. Ryan not only created the concept artwork for the most recent Star Wars films but many of Hollywood’s latest blockbusters including Avatar, Zero Dark Thirty, Transformers, War of the Worlds and more.

Fans from all over the country will be attending the invitation-only launch event on the evening of the 3rd May, where they can mix with Darth Vader and a squad of his Stormtroopers while enjoying the artwork.

• Generation Gallery, New York Street, Manchester, M1 4BD. Web: www.generationgallery.com. The exhibition is free to attend. Tickets to the opening event are free but fans need to call 0161 247 7870 to be added to the guest list.

Dennis the Menace, Daleks and Darth in Cover of the Century poll

Dennis the Menace, Daleks and Darth Vader rub shoulders with other memorable magazine covers in a new poll celebrating 100 years of the Professional Publishers Association - Britain's trade organisation representing more than 200 publishing-related companies.

The PPA Cover of the Century Poll is part of the organization's 100th birthday extravaganza, looking back at some of the greatest covers ever made.

The 10 covers span different decades and genres and include covers of Time Out, Mac User and Harpers Bazaar - and three covers in particular will surely appeal to most of our readers.

Star Wars Darth Vader features on Empire's 'Breathing Vader' cover published in 2005, which "breathed" when you opened it. Vader's famous rasping drew in people of all ages and still the biggest-selling issue of all time.

A Dalek threatens readers on a 2005 Radio Times cover that celebrated the Daleks’ return after two decades away from Doctor Who, coinciding with the 2005 General Election.

The publisher neatly brought these two events together by recreating a famous 1964 scene of Daleks crossing Westminster Bridge – and had to clear coachloads of tourists to get the shot. A memorable image, topped off with the cheeky coverline: “Vote Dalek!”.

The 1999 Beano cover selected is the issue that first featured Dennis The Menace in non-comic-strip style. The editor faced strong internal opposition to choosing this bold child-like graphic, but his innovation delivered a sale of 202,528 copies, the highest of that entire year.

The Professional Publishers Association represents more than 200 companies, covering everything from consumer magazine publishers to business-to-business data and information providers and smaller independents.

They promote the industry in all its forms, protect members through lobbying activities, and advise the industry through communications and training work.

• Vote Here: www.ppa.co.uk/coverofthecentury. Voting closes in December.

Dead lie Waiting for Midlands Comic Con!

From a metal band's new comic to the galaxy's most bad ass bounty hunter to two of the best new games to come out of Japan, this Saturday's MCM Midlands Comic Con at Telford International Centre comes jam-packed with geeky goodness.

Guests for their Comics Village area, with an emphasis on manga, include creators Josh Clarke, Kit Jo Yuki, Lily Mitchell, Lisa Cummins and Lyndon White; and indie publishers such as Subversive Comics, T Publications and Vimanika Comics UK.

Here are a few other highlights:

• Star Wars fan favourite Boba Fett will be touching down in Telford as British actor Jeremy Bulloch meets fans, signs autographs and hosts a panel. As well as playing the iconic bounty hunter, Jeremy's credits range from James Bond movies to TV shows such as Doctor Who, Spooks and Robin of Sherwood.
• Metal band The Dead Lay Waiting will be at the show to promote their new comic book. Nominated for the Best British Newcomer award by the readers of Kerrang! in 2011, the band have recently been touring the UK and Europe
• The sci-fi theme continues with Primeval stars Andrew Lee Potts and Hannah Spearritt. Andrew is currently playing palaeontology student Connor Temple in the show's hit spin-off, Primeval: New World, while former S Club 7 star Hannah appeared in all five seasons of Primeval as zookeeper Abby Maitland.
• Find out first-hand why gorgeous-looking new Japanese RPG Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is flying off the shelves courtesy of Namco Bandai. Fans of the game will also discover the voice of Ni no Kuni's lovable Drippy - Gavin & Stacey actor Steffan Rhodri - over in the signing area
• Voice actor Alix Wilton Regan is also at the event. Best known as the voice of Samantha Traynor in BioWare's Mass Effect 3, Alix's other roles include Mhairi in Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening and Calista in Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi's The Last Story.
• Konami is giving visitors the chance to get hands-on with the eagerly-anticipated Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ahead of its 22nd February release date, as well as its ever-popular Yu-Gi-Oh! collectable card game.
• Telford also sees the first comic con appearance by Eoin Macken, best known as Sir Gwaine from BBC fantasy series Merlin. Eoin also recently appeared in Roman war epic Centurion, playing opposite Michael Fassbender.

• Tickets for MCM Midlands Comic Con on 16th February are available at www.midlandsmcmexpo.com/tickets And remember: KIDS GO FREE! *

Website: www.www.midlandsmcmexpo.com
Twitter: @MCMExpo
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mcmexpo
YouTube at www.youtube.com/mcmexpo

* The ‘Kids Go Free’ offer applies to General Entry tickets only. Children aged 10 years or younger gain free entry if accompanied by a full paying adult, to a maximum of two children per full paying adult.

Stan Lee Excelsior Award 2012 Winners announced

The full results of the Stan Lee Excelsior Award 2012 can now be revealed!

This award for graphic novels is fully endorsed by The Stan Lee Foundation and the School Library Association. Seventy seven UK schools took part this year and, of the eight shortlisted graphic novels, hundreds of students (in the 11-16 age bracket) chose the following titles as their winners:

1st Place - Star Wars: Blood Ties by Tom Taylor and Chris Scalf (Dark Horse)

A multigenerational tale of honor and redemption, starring two of the heaviest hitters in the Star Wars galaxy -- the father-and-clone team of Jango and Boba Fett.
 
Shortly before the start of the Clone Wars, Count Dooku sends Jango Fett on a mission that will affect the course of Boba Fett's life some 20 years later. But for now, neither of them knows what the future holds in store, and besides, they have their schedule filled dodging monsters and fighting bad guys! It's Jango Fett and Boba Fett together in a series featuring fully painted art by Purge artist Chris Scalf.

2nd Place - Chimichanga by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)

When Wrinkle's Travelling Circus' most adorable little bearded girl trades a lock of her magic beard hair for a witch's strange egg, she stumbles upon what could be the saving grace for her ailing freakshow - the savory-named beast: Chimichanga!

3rd Place - Green Lantern: Secret Origin by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis (DC Comics)

Witness the beginning of the career of the bravest Green Lantern who's ever lived as the secret origin of Hal Jordan is revealed. This title helps you to discover how and why Hal received the power ring. It also helps you to uncover the mystery of Abin Sur's death - and why Jordan's teacher and mentor, Sinestro, became obsessed with the prophecy of the apocalyptic end of the universe 'the Blackest Night'. 


There were also two further awards up for grabs:

Winner of the JABBICA (Judge A Book By Its Cover Award, voted for by school librarians) - Sita: Daughter of the Earth by Saraswati Nagpal and Manikandan (Campfire)

The winner of the TRUE BELIEVERS AWARD (for the school that returned the most Rating Forms) was Chilwell School, Nottingham.

• See the website at www.excelsioraward.co.uk shortlist2012.html for more details

In Memoriam: Ralph McQuarrie

We're sorry to report the passing of SF visionary Ralph McQuarrie, aged 82.
Along with artists such as Chris Foss, Roger Dean, Frank Bellamy and Mike Noble, Ralph McQuarrie's singular vision was another influence in my love of SF art that continues to this day. His design work on the original Star Wars universe and the orignal Battlestar Galactica TV series will be most remembered by many, but he also brought his singular vision to other creations, even if some were not used - a remake of Forbidden Planet, for example.

His contribution to SF art is and always will be, immense. His influence on many young artists, inspiring them to follow in his footsteps, is incalculable.
A tribute posted on his official web site reads:

"It is with the deepest sadness that we announce the passing of Ralph McQuarrie.

"People say you should never meet your heroes. Ralph was the exception to that rule. We were all fans of his amazing art long before we were blessed with his friendship. But once you got to know Ralph it was impossible not to become a fan of Ralph the man.

"Ralph was a very special person for many more reasons than his undeniable brilliance with a brush. He was an especially kind, sensitive, deep, modest, funny and fascinating gentleman. And as fine a role model as any one could have wished for.

"His influence on design will be felt forever. There's no doubt in our hearts that centuries from now amazing spaceships will soar, future cities will rise and someone, somewhere will say...

'that looks like something Ralph McQuarrie painted.'"

He will be much missed and our thoughts go out to family, friends and all those whose work he influenced on this sad day.

- Ralph McQuarrie, 13th June 1929 - 3rd March 2012. Official web site: www.ralphmcquarrie.com

Titan Star Wars Galaxy Comic in Review

Amidst all the excitement surrounding the re-launch of The Dandy, another new comic has slipped almost unnoticed onto the shelves of British newsagents. Star Wars Galaxy is a new 4-weekly title from Titan, published in the same format as their Batman/DC inspired titles.

The first issue, with an eye-catching Darth Vader cover, features three stories that all take place at different points in the Star Wars timeline. Purge: The Hidden Blade features a post-Revenge of the Sith Darth Vader trying hard to keep the Emporer happy and not entire succeeding. In Invasion: Refugees, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo fight off a new evil enemy. And The Old Republic: Threat of Peace takes place thousands of years before Luke Skywalker was born when the Sith were at their peak. There's also a chance to win an Xbox 360 and a copy of The Force Unleashed II game.

For me this title really does fill a gap in the market and it's one I've been hoping to see from Titan for a long time. I'm a big Star Wars fan but I don't really want the in-depth analysis of Star Wars Insider. The Star Wars: Clone Wars comic on the other hand is aimed at much younger readers with its larger page size and seemingly-endless flood of free gifts. This is a title older comics fans should be able to buy without feeling embarrassed at the checkout! And I really do feel that Star Wars (like Spiderman) is a big enough franchise to support three regular titles.

I would love to see Titan do a similar thing for Transformers which has a lot of older fans who read the Marvel UK comic in the 1980s.

And I also think it's time Panini did a Doctor Who comic (just comic strip, no features) in the same format as its Classic Edition titles such as Astonishing Spiderman etc. Doctor Who's popularity is as high as it's ever going to be so I think now is the time. True, the IDW titles fill this gap in the market to an extent but they are only available in comic shops and not newsagents. I'd like to see something similar to the old Doctor Who Classic Comics title with a new Matt Smith strip backed up by reprints of classic material.

The Star Wars Galaxy title seemed to be selling well when I popped into WH Smith yesterday with only 2 copies left on the shelves. British comics truely are in a better state than they were ten years ago, thanks to Titan and the other publishers. With Strip Magazine on its way, things are looking up!

Glory Be! creator joins Who actors for Harlow Sci-Fi weekend

Writer and artist David C Hill will be attending the renowned Comic Book & Sci-Fi Weekend at the Harvey Centre in Harlow, Essex to sign copies of his esteemed yet off-beat comic, Glory Be! – and is offering fans the chance to grab an exclusive ‘Norton Mouse’ mini-comic.

The bank holiday weekend also kick-starts a fantastic new competition, open to every reader who purchases a copy of the comic between 1st May and 1st July 2010 (either at the event or via the website). By answering the set question correctly, one lucky winner will be immortalised in comic book form and featured as a guest character in the next issue of Glory Be! - "an accolade that money just can’t buy," say the publishers

Glory Be! is an 84 page full-colour comic book set within the fictional community of Riverdale Church. Not a traditional comic per se it is, for the most part, a series of extraordinarily random "off-the-wall" email exchanges between a charismatic church pastor and his Machiavellian band of troubled sheep.

Albeit that there is a clear Christian premise within the story, Glory Be! is designed to appeal as much to non-believers as to avid church-goers.

Taken from the main Glory Be! comic, Norton Mouse is a particularly popular character with his own fansite and ever-spiralling fan base on Facebook and Twitter. Followers include television legend Jonathan Ross, Peter Serafinowicz and he natters with Christine Hamilton, Murray Gold and Josie D’Arby – to name a few.

The Comic Book & Sci-Fi Weekend, hosted by 3 Darths Comics and Collectables, is the second comic book and SF weekend in the Harvey Centre, with a host of special guests and events line up. Visitors can collect a free comic and meet the Stormtroopers from the UK Garrison who will be on hand to meet and greet Star Wars fans and will be collecting for their nominated charity NSPCC.

As well as David, other guests at the Bank Holiday weekend event include (subject to work commitments): Sixth Doctor Colin Baker, from Doctor Who; Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok in Star Wars VI: The Return of the Jedi and Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter films); R2D2 actor Kenny Baker; Scott Capurro (Beed’ in Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace); plus Tim Rose, Mike Edmonds and Nick Briggs, who supply the voices of the Daleks, Cybermen and other monsters in Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

• Glory Be! Magazine web iste: glorybemagazine.tumblr.com

• Glory Be! on Twitter: www.twitter.com/glorybemagazine


Where: The Harvey Centre, Harlow, Essex, CM20 1XR
When: Bank Holiday 1st – 3rd May 2010 – 10am to 5.30pm (4pm Sunday)

• For more information and guest listings/timings please visit this page on the Harvey Centre web site

Vote Imperial - Vote Hi-Ex

Inverness' Eastgate Shopping Centre had extra security at the weekend in the form of a Stormtrooper of the 501st UK Garrison who was helping Richmond Clements and Vicky & Ish Stonebridge promote the Hi-Ex comics convention to the locals, as well as collecting money for Hi-Ex's nominated charity Children 1st, the Scottish version of the NSPCC.

Unsurprisingly he proved a hit with the local children and, as well as the more typical Stormtrooper poses behind kneeling captives, this 'trooper brought the Imperial agenda to the fore by proving that in an election year you don't have to be a democratic politician to kiss babes in arms.

Hi-Ex will be taking place in Inverness' Eden Court on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 March 2010 with doors open from 11am each day (although we fully expect that at least some people will forget that the clocks go forward on the Sunday). Last year the convention raised over £1600 for Children 1st and this year once again they will have their raffle and charity auction. Items in the charity auction include artwork from David Lloyd, Simon Fraser and Bryan Talbot and all auction items can be bid on by non-attendees to Hi-Ex by following the details on their website.

More details of the Hi-Ex convention including directions to the venue and ticket prices can be found on the Hi-Ex website.

Star Wars stormtroopers storm Inverness!

If you’re out and about in Inverness this coming Saturday (20th March) you best watch your step. Because at around mid-day, the Eastgate centre will see a mini invasion, in the shape of stormtroopers from the Star Wars movies, courtesy of members of the 501st Garrison.

They’ll be there to raise awareness of Children 1st, Scotland's leading welfare charity, and to let people know about the Hi-Ex - The Highland International Comic Expo - which will take place on the 27th and 28th at the city's Eden Court venue.

As well as the outreach programme funded by the Highland Council, HiEx also supports Children 1st with a raffle and auction during the weekend. Details of the auction items can be found on their website.

All items have been donated from various companies and comic artists, who have given pages of original art, including David Lloyd, co-creator of V for Vendetta and John Higgins, both of which have been recently been made into hit movies.

"Last year, the raffle and auction raised over £1600 for Children 1st," notes HiEx organiser Vicky Stonebridge, "with people bidding online from all over the world, and we hope to surpass that this time."

2010 will see the third time HiEx has been held in Inverness, and the first time they have succeeded in securing funding from the Highland Council. It's hoped there will be another HiEx event next year, but as Vicky explains, "It’s all very much dependant on future funding and how this years event goes.

"We have some very exciting guests this time, some coming from as far afield as Paris and New York, so we’re hopeful that HiEx 2010 will be a big enough success for us to continue next year."

• Details of the weekend events and discount weekend tickets can be found on the website: www.hi-ex.co.uk

All New UK Comic for Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Upcoming issues of Titan Magazines Star Wars: The Clone Wars Comic are to include all-new comic strip stories specially created for the title.

The new-look 32-page comic, on sale from 12th November, will include a self-contained eight-page mini-story in every four-weekly issue and feature tales written by Spider-Man and former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Tom DeFalco, Robin Etherington (Monsters vs. Aliens, Monkeynuts) and SF novelist and Disney Comics writer Rik Hoskin. The strips will be drawn by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles artist Andrés Ponce and comic newcomer Tanya Roberts.

As well as a brand new action-packed comic story every issue, Star Wars: The Clone Wars Comic wil also include its usual mix of puzzles, posters, competitions, news, fun facts about all your favourite Clone Wars characters and more.

"It's not just The Clone Wars TV show that's moving into a thrilling new era with the bounty hunter-filled season two," commented editor Andrew James, "with our great new format and awesome new comic strip, there's never been a more exciting time to be a Clone Wars comic fan."

• More info and exclusive sneak peeks will feature on www.titancomicsuk.com

2D Festival Begins in Derry

If you're in Northern Ireland this weekend, then head along to the 2D Festival at the Verbal Arts Centre in Derry, which is now up and running with guests David Lloyd, Liam Sharp, Glenn Fabry, Mike Collins, Bryan Talbot, David Hine, Garry Leach, Rufus Dayglo, D’ Israeli, Declan Shalvey, Andie Tong, PJ Holden, Nick Roche, Phil Barrett, Bridgeen Gillespie, Andrew Brenner, Cartoon Saloon, Stephen Mooney, Simon Furman and Will Sliney.

Here's details of the full Festival Programme:

Friday 5th June @ Verbal Arts Centre 3pm - 4.45pm All-Star Comic Workshop (15yrs+)
Learn to draw comics with a host of top comic creators.

Friday 5th June @ Sandinos Bar
7pm Panel - The State of Comic Art
8pm Panel - Eclectic Micks present Homegrown Heroes

Saturday 6th June @ Verbal Arts Centre
Comics Open Day 11.30am - 5pm

• Get Sketches of your favourite comic characters from top comic artists (All Day)
• Get your Comics Signed by Comic creators (All Day)
• "Monster Me" Sketch Stall - get turned into a MONSTER by a top comic artist (All Day)
• Comic Stalls - Loads of comics for all ages to buy. (All Day)
• Monster Drawing Wall - in association with the Campaign for Drawing (All Day) Draw your own monster on our massive Monster Drawing Wall, spot prizes for the best efforts.

Talks and Other Events:
• 1.30pm: Like Sherlock Holmes Directed by Quentin Tarantino...With Animals!
Comic artist Bryan Talbot gives sneak preview of his forthcoming steampunk graphic novel Grandville
• 1.30 - 2.30pm: Star Wars Stormtroopers
Get your photo taken with the amazing Emerald Garrison of the Knights of the Empire (Irelands Premier Star Wars Costuming Group).
• 3.00pm: 2D Competition Prize-Giving
• 3.30pm: How I Got Into This Crazy Business And Ended Up Bringing V For Vendetta Into The World
Talk with Legendary artist David Lloyd

Saturday 6th June @ Sandinos Bar 7pm - late
• 7.00pm Panel - Q & A with artist David Lloyd
• 8.00pm Panel - Burn Hollywood Burn
• 9.30pm - Late Closing Party

All events are completely FREE of charge.

• For more details contact the Verbal Arts Centre on 02871266946 or check the website www.2dfestival.com or Facebook group

Tube Surfing: 13 March 2009

• Lucasfilm has published a feature on Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore’s connections to Star Wars, documenting the pair's early Star Wars work. Alan wrote several Star Wars tales for Marvel UK while Dave's first contribution was as an artist on the second set of Star Wars Galaxy cards from Topps. Moore's Star Wars contributions went largely unknown outside the UK until the mid-1990s, when Dark Horse Comics collected them into a two-issue limited series, Classic Star Wars: Devilworlds. Pictured here is a frame from the story Rust Never Sleeps.

• The Guardian reports a man dressed as Batman villain the Joker has been shot dead by police in America after pointing a loaded shotgun at them...

• The splendid fellows at Doctor Who podcast Radio Free Skaro have posted up an MP3 interview with Simon Guerrier, conducted at the Gallifrey convention in LA last month. "Hear me stumble my way towards the articulate without ever quite getting there," says Simon.

• As part of the Bradford Laisterdyke Business & Enterprise College's innovative mini-literary festival and literacy promotion event Leap Into Books, Tony Lee will be doing two days, Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th April at the college. Also as part of the evening programming, he'll be live on stage at the Bradford Playhouse on the night of Wednesday the 8th from 7.30pm - 8.30pm, doing a 'one man show' for the more mature comic reader. The He's Only a Writer event is at 7.30pm-8.30pm, Wednesday 8th April. Tickets are £5.00 (£3.00 concession) and are available from the Playhouse Box Office (01274 820666), or online from www.leapintobooks.org.uk (payment is either using Paypal or personal cheque)

• The upcoming Cold Day in Hell collection of early Seventh Doctor Who stories from Panini, out in May, will include a background feature on the 'making' of the stripsincluding interview material with Lee Sullivan, Ricard StarKings, Mike Collins and others. (I know this because I just filed it...) Richard Starking also provides an introduction to the volume.

• More Watchmen "and I know there’s been plenty of those around recently, but I think this one is a bit different," says Forbidden Planet International's Joe Gordon. New York writer Tom Crosshill kindly offered FPI a combi review/interview piece on the Watchmen: Portraits book after he met the photographer Clay Enos at the MoCCA Art of Watchmen exhibition and interviewed him. "I know some folks were less than impressed with the idea of that book but I thought it had some gorgeous photography and I like the fact Clay avoided Photoshop in the work," says Joe. "There’s plenty of gorgeous, luminous black and white photos to enjoy in the article too." Read it here

• Jim Boswell has posted pages of his Michael Owen strip from Kick! that is on sale now in the UK.

• (with thanks to David Hughes) Hungry? This won't help but it's worthwhile swinging by Rob Jacksons website as a matter of regularity, his work on a Pasty Anthology is continuing apace with a great planet of the apes painting, erm with a twist. The anthology is based around Greggs Pasties - the food of modern Britain. "The story of Greggs is a Viz style tale of the centuries of loyal service done for the people of Britain by the bakers, and lots of other stuff about pasties too," Rob explains. Small press at its best, although my favourite food-related comics idea was one from former Fantasy Advertiser editor Martin Skidmore who, when asked to contribute a recipe to a fanzine wrote soemthing along the lines of: "Get Some Money. Go To a Fish and Chip Shop. Buy Fish and Chips. Eat Them." Priceless...

• And finally on Comic Relief Day, over on Bear Alley Steve Holland has uncovered a classic comic-styled cookery book from Disney: Cooking with Pooh. No, really...

Tube Surfing: 25 February 2008

• Comics artist Doug Noble, whose past works include work for Marvel, Live Static and The Silent Choir and who was recently interviewed by fellow creator Sean Azzopardi, is about to launch a new longform strip called Complex. "Hopefully some of you will be interested in checking it out once it starts," he pitches. "It’s going to be fairly interesting, I hope. An end of the world story, a love story, a murder mystery." Check it out from Monday on www.strip-for-me.com
Doug is currently working with Daniel Merlin Goodbrey on the webcomic The Rule Of Death at serializer.net.

• Fans of Star Wars: The Clone Wars will be pleased to hear the Cartoon Network has announced a second season is in the works. Now showing on Cartoon Network UK, the series features in Titan Magazines' Star Wars Comic, available in all good newsagents. The latest issue sees the start of Shipyard of Doom, an epic Clone Wars action spectacular... As the Republic and Separatist forces race to build their armies, a desperate battle rages at the crossroads of the hyperspace lanes of Nexus Ortai. Our heroes, meanwhile, head beyond droid enemy lines…

• Happy Birthday to the Forbidden Planet International blog! The team there, headed up by Joe Gordon, celebrate four years of comics and genre news blogging, encompassing US and European comics as well as British coverage. "Growing out of our increasing online presence we wanted a way that we could discuss and highlight good comics, graphic novels, SF&F, cool merch - all the things we do through our stores and the webstore and our catalogues," Joe says of the blog's aims. "Mostly we wanted to be able to use it as a platform where we could share our love of comics and SF; we’ve posted news, reviews and interviews and some great comics art, we’ve talked to folks who make comics in their bedroom in their spare time and make up part of the vibrant small press and we’ve talked to some of the best known creators and all of them have been interesting, all of them a part of the medium we love." Never mind all that, where's the cake?

• Dynamite writers Leah Moore and John Reppion will be giving a talk on their latest project The Complete Dracula, a new five issue comic book version of Stoker’s novel illustrated by Colton Worley, at the prestigious Dublin Writers Museum on Saturday 18th April. The talk will begin at 3.00 pm. More details here

• As reported previously, Captain Jack Harkness actor John Barrowman has written a Torchwood comic strip with his sister Carole Barrowman - and she's been interviewed by the Newsarama.com guys about the story that appears in current issues of Torchwood Magazine.

• The Times features an interview with Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons this week. Dave reveals that he was not involved in any earlier attempts to turn the comic into a film but when it came to the eagerly-anticipated Zach Snyder film, it was the top British comics artist who approached him about making it. "I’d been invited along to the London premiere of 300," he tells Michael Moran, "which was based on the graphic novel by my friend Frank Miller. I thought it was a fantastic, a wonderful, true adaptation of Frank’s work. I think it had been announced then that Zach was in the frame to direct Watchmen, so I thought, I’ll have to go and shake him by the hand. I grabbed him on his way to the VIP enclosure at the premiere party and shook him by the hand and introduced myself. I just really wanted to say hello but we ended up talking for half an hour. I realised then that he did understand Watchmen. I got such a gut feeling that he could do it justice.” Read More...

• Talking of Watchmen, Bear Alley notes that the graphic novel has sold around 750,000 copies since it was first published in 1986. Following its appearance in Time magazine's Top 100 English Novels since 1923 and the release of the Watchmen movie trailer, it has been racking up sales at an astonishing rate these past few months and was the highest-selling graphic novel in the USA in 2008. "Brian Hibbs revealing recently that Bookscan figures put the 2008 US sales at 308,396 copies," notes Steve Holland, "and that's probably a low figure as Bookscan does not cover all outlets)." Read More...

(Compiled with thanks to Matthew Badham)

Wilson's Star Wars Project Revealed

We've previously mentioned in passing 2000AD artist Colin Wilson's upcoming Star Wars project for US publisher Dark Horse, but now details about Star Wars: Invasion, which launches online in May, have been officially announced.

The series, set 25 years after the Battle of Yavin (when the first Death Star was destroyed, as seen in the original Star Wars film), kicks off in print on 1 July from Dark Horse.

The series features an older Luke Skywalker and other long established characters.

"Although Tom [Taylor]and I have been working together on a variety of projects over the last couple of years, this is the biggie, and we are both giving this new series our best shot," says Colin via his blog. "Invasion introduces the readers to the Galfridian family, and the peace-loving planet of Artoria. Unfortunately the Yuuzhan Vong are about to arrive..."

"The Vong are a real challenge," Colin told Comic Book Resources, "because so little is known about them. But early on I realized that this was also a huge advantage, as well.

"Once I got a good visual handle on these guys, I could pretty much do what I want with them, at least visually. The important thing I’d like to retain about the Vong is their aura of mystery. With these guys, anything can happen, and usually does. Big, bad, threatening... what else does a comic artist need?"

• For more details on the Invasion project, check out the Comic Book Resources New York Comic Con coverage here, and online interviews on CBR with Tom Taylor and Colin Wilson.

• Star Wars: Invasion launches on www.starwars.com in May with an eight-page preview web-only issue, followed by a second eight-page preview web-only issue in June.

Star Wars Comic That Never Was...

Artist Rob Davis, whose work includes Doctor Who and who's one of the contributors to the ongoing webjam Huzzah! has posted some intriguing pages from a planned Star Wars comic for the UK that had only limited distribution.

"Doing Huzzah! has reminded me of my last foray into Space Opera," he notes on his blog, "when I produced four issues of Jedi Academy for Lucasfilms and Deagostini a few years back.

"It was aimed at the kiddies (the younglings!?!?) and followed the jolly japes of four padwans as they go through their Jedi training."

This title should not be confused with the four-issue Star Wars: Jedi Academy series published by Dark Horse in 1998, written by Kevin J. Anderson.

Davis reveals the comic had limited distribution as a test but didn't materialize into a widely pubished title. Part work publisher Deagostini went on to produce the Official Star Wars Fact File.

• View more pages and designs on Rob's blog

Stormtrooper on a Spacehopper

... probably one the dreaded Copyright Police will be jumping on, but what the heck: more madcap pop culture designs can be found on RedBubble. They include a Star Wars Eco-Saber and a Starbucks parody. These guys obviously like to live dangerously...

Catch up on the Clone Wars Comic

With the latest issue of Titan Magazines' Star Wars Comic firmly moving to Clone Wars mode (it's a giant-sized issue with two cover variants available, coming with a free Star Wars sweatband), Star Wars fans might also be interested in some all-new Clone Wars web comics exclusive to StarWars.com, which are released prior to broadcast of each new Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode and "fill the gap" between the animated stories.

Located here on the official Star Wars web site, each comic is five to seven pages in length and every installment contains a side or bridge story that ties in directly to that Friday's episode.

Here's a recap of the tales that have been told and a preview of future installments:

• "Prelude" -- A tie-in to the premiere episode, Ambush, this story features the clones that
accompany Yoda to the moon of Rugosa -- Rys and Jek -- as they are given their assignment. It
also debuts Skytop Station, a Separatist listening post that now, a month later, will begin to be
featured in the episodes.

• "Shakedown" -- Before the Republic definitively discovered what General Grievous' new secret weapon was in "Rising Malevolence," many warships fell to the experimental ion cannon. This comic story depicts an ill-fated mission.

• "Procedure" -- Anakin is determined to do something about the threat of the Malevolence, and
his characteristic reckless initiative takes him to a Republic military testing facility where he secures the weapons he'll need in the episode "Shadow of Malevolence".

• "Agenda" -- When Padme Amidala emerged from hyperspace right into the path of a Separatist
warship in Destroy Malevolence, she was on her way to a diplomatic mission. In this tie-in comic, she not only gets this crucial assignment, but also has to shuffle priorities in a busy day-in-the-life of a Galactic Senator, even if it means ignoring a plea for help from an old friend.

• "Mouse Hunt" -- In Rookies, Clone Captain Rex and Clone Commander Cody have finished an
inspection tour of a tracking station on Pastil -- this comic tells that story. A Separatist spy droid is discovered on Pastil, and the clone officers mobilize the troops to stop it.

• "The Fall of Falleen" -- In Downfall of a Droid, we learn that the Separatists have been enjoying a string of successes, including the conquest of Falleen. This comic documents Asajj Ventress' role in that victory.

Other stories coming up include "Discount," wherein droid dealer Gha Nachkt brokers a shady sale for a Separatist leader. In "Transfer," Anakin dispatches Ahsoka Tano on a personal errand despite the wishes of the Jedi Council. And in "Departure," a simple attempt to prep a ship for transit ends up in a nightmare when C-3PO and Jar Jar Binks are involved.

In the first issue of the new British Star Wars: The Clone Wars comic, Asoka goes back to her roots for thrills and explosive spills in the awesome debut of the Clone Wars comic strip.

• More about the UK's Star Wars Comic on the Titan Magazines' web site
• All-new Clone Wars episodes air on Sky Movies, Saturdays at 5:30pm in the UK. Click here for more details.

Tube Surfing: 17 August 2008

• Warren Elllis notes the completion of the first book his ace online webcomic drawn by Paul Duffield, FreakAngels, which will be released as a nice cleaned-up print edition from Avatar Press in time for Christmas, in three flavours: hardback, paperback, and as a special limited signed edition.
FreakAngels is a free, weekly, ongoing comic. Drop by the Whitechapel Forum to discuss the week's installment.
You can also bu FreakAngels Tees and Tanks are here,

• Garen Ewing has completed his "Garen's A-Z of Comic Strip Characters" project, as suggested by members of the Facebook group of the same name. You can learn more and view the completed gallery here. "This was remarkably well suited to a site such as Facebook, " says Garen, "where the network aspect attracted new people, the discussion board allowed for user participation, and the gallery presented the results. An actual useful use for Facebook!"
The baton has been passed on to Jonathon Dalton, who begins his A-Z earlier this month,. "It would be great if someone else took up the challenge when he's finished," Garen suggests.

• Titan Magazines hass just published a special Star Wars: The Clone Wars-focused issue of Star Wars Insider to celebrate the release of Star Wars: The Clone Wars in cinemas, the new CGI-animated film charting "a bold new direction for the Star Wars saga". Includes are interviews with Clone Wars writer Henry Gilroy is interviewed and there's a special feature on stars of The Clone Wars, plus take a trip behind the scenes of the amazing new video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. The Star Wars Comic released earlier in the month also has an extended Clone Wars feature.

• Comics artist Jon Haward will be signing issue 1 of the new Wasted from Bad Press at Forbidden Planet London on Saturday 27th September from 1-2pm with Publisher/Editor Alan Grant, cover artist Frank Quitely and Jamie Grant Publisher and colourist /letterer of Tales of the Buddha which Jon draws. Alan Kerr, artist on Lusi Sulfura will also be on hand. (There will also be a Wasted signings at Edinburgh Forbidden Planet International – Alan Grant, Frank Quietly, Dave Alexander, Alan Kerr and Jamie Grant will all be there on Sunday 5th October from 2 to 3pm. More details here on the FPI blog.
Alan and Jamie's Wasted should not be confused with Philippines-based artist Gerry Alanguilan's comic book of the same name, which can be read for free online here.

• Talking of events, the FPI Blog notes that this year’s MeCon SF convention will be held in the Student’s Union of Queen’s University, Belfast from the 29th to 31st of August. The guest of honour is the brilliant Charlie Stross, one of the most innovative, clever and often pretty damned funny writers in science fiction at the moment. Among the other guests in Belfast will be some from the comics world, inlcuding John McCrea and PJ Holden. For more details check the official MeCon site.

• Several reports on last week's Caption event are now on line: as previously mentioned, Selina Lock's multimedia report can be found here on YouTube, while D'Israeli has two reports, one on his blog and photographs on flickr. Sarah McIntyre presents her take on what sounds like one of the best Captions ever here, and Jenni Scott has a short report on her LiveJournal. There are also pictures from Damian Cugley and Teacake, again also via their Flickr photostreams.

• Over on Facebook (membership required), Thomas Cochrane has just posted a set of production roughs and character studies by Alan Tanner for his The Fat Man charity comics project. The first run of the book will be a limited release (a thousand copie). If you haven't already pre-ordered a copy you might want to do so soon as they are being snapped up pretty quickly. Orders are through Paypal - and as an extra bonus to Facebook members if you add a note to say you are part of this group your copy will be signed and you will get an exclusive set of four cool postcards. Pre-order at www.the-fat-man.co.uk

• Among others, comics artist and publisher Tim Perkins notes the passing of Argentinean comic book artist Carlos Meglia. He was only 50 years old. According to initial reports on the Internet, he was admitted to hospital after suffering from problems related to his heart. Meglia, who made his first artistic foray in 1974 as the assistant for the illustrator Oswal but is probably better known to American audiences for his more recent work on projects such as Adventures of Superman, Superman – Infinite City, Tarzan & Superman, Spyboy, Monster World and a brief stint on Marvel comics' Elektra. Read Tim's full post here

Star Wars invades San Francisco...

... literally, it seems. Thanks to Frank Garcia for the link (via Gizmodo, Current - the original source, I think - and presurfer among others)....



Informed by the Bush Administration that a Rebel base is located in the heart of San Francisco, Imperial forces surrounded the city in advance of a full-scale invasion. While Imperial Admiral Piett promised administration officials that the assault would commence only if the Rebel forces fail to surrender by 8PM PDT tonight, video reports on the ground reveal that Imperial fighters have already begun flybys and the Death Star battle station has moved into position above the city.

Admiral Piett assured Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that concerns the Death Star’s weapon systems would wreak havoc on much of the state were without merit, stating that damage to the city’s outlying areas would be minimal. Reached for comment from his bunker, Mayor Gavin Newsom pleaded to baffled reporters, “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi; you’re my only hope.” Rebel forces have yet to respond to demands for their unconditional surrender...

Turn your iphone into a light saber

Warning: video above includes swearing...

If there was ever a reason to buy an iphone, surely the PhoneSaber app is it, now available free from the Apple "App Store".

This fun little app fires up a virtual lightsaber that uses the iPhone accelerometer to crackle and fizz as you swish your phone around.

For Star Wars fans this is possibly the greatest technological event of the year... and with tongue in cheek, the sugust techie organ ITPro has declared "this alone proves that the iPhone is an elegant device for a civilized age, rather than the crude mobiles that most people have by their sides."

Apart from the demo above, here's a video I found on flickr of another Star Wars fan enjoying their find -- part of a continuing series, apparently.

Alternatively, how about a much more useful application: iBeer. Sadly, virtual...