Malta Comic Con 2013 Annoounced

Malta Con organisers Wicked Comics have just announced the 2013 show will run the weekend of Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December at St. James Cavalier Valletta.

The guest list has yet to be revealed, but, says Chris Le Galle, "Fans can look forward to another killer roster of foreign creators who are not only gifted but are also really nice folks,, more local creators and locally created comics, cosplay events and competitions, gaming events and competitions, free movies and animations showing during the whole duration of the convention, impressive exhibitions and a healthy number of talks, workshops and discussion panels. There will be something for everyone!"

If you've never been to Malta Con, then check out comic creator and guest Richmond Clements review of last year's event, posted here on downthetubes back in December).

"There is a vibrant and exciting comics community in Malta," he noted. "What they need now is support to help make it grow. So, buy their comics and visit their convention! And don’t think it’s out of your price range either. It cost me less to go to Malta than to the Bristol Convention..."

Inside the Malta Comic Convention 2012 at St James Cavalier in Valletta. Photo courtesy Malta Comic Con

His enthusiasm for the event is echoed by fellow 2012 guest, legendary comic artist Herb Trimpe, whose comments suggest that while this event may be outside the UK, it's also one well worth getting to.

"I have to reiterate and say what a great time we had in Malta, and all because of your show," he enthused to the organisers. "Selling points:  great people; great location (the fort); great environment (your country, five+ stars, fantastically beautiful); hospitality tops; weather; the Med; oh, yeah, and... the food!  If I left anything out, you can add it, as we're sure it's the best of whatever. I honestly can't think of anything you could do better!”

The sun-soaked venue for Malta Comic Con. Photo courtesy Malta Comic Con

As customary, Wicked Comics have designed a number of packages for fans wishing to travel to the Malta Comic Con from abroad, which include heavily discounted accommodation rates and local transport from hotel to convention.

Similarly, Wicked Comics have a number of packages tailored for foreign creators who whish to exhibit at the Malta Comic Con including heavily discounted tables.

• Anyone wishing to know more about these packages, and local creators/retailers wishing to exhibit at the Malta Comic Con 2013 are kindly requested to email us for more details on info@maltacomic-con.com

• For more details visit: www.maltacomic-con.com

STRIP finally hits the high streets

Print Media's STRIP: The Adventure Comics Magazine, an all-ages British adventure anthology comic, is now on sale in selected UK high street newsagents (and available to order from any newsagent).

The title will be on sale in UK comic shops from next week and is already available digitally for iPad.

The new comic – inspired by the great adventure comics of Britain’s comics past such as Eagle, Valiant and Lion - features some great art and stories from some brilliant creators including John McCrea (Hitman, The Boys), Smuzz (2000AD), John Freeman (Doctor Who), Milo Horvatic (Marvel) and Richmond Clements (Renegade) - plus comics news and interviews and other features.

The move to Britain’s high street is the latest stage of publisher Ivo Milicevic's desire to bring the anthology to a wider audience in the UK, in addition to its continued sale in comic shops and as a digital edition for iPad, in association with ROK Comics.

Headed up by long time comic creator Ivo Milicevic, Bosnian-based comics publisher Print Media began the long road to bringing a British version of their action adventure anthology to the UK back in February 2010, after their re-publication of Dan Dare from the 1950s comic Eagle drew the attention of comics fans.

Print Media publishes three comics-related magazines in Bosnia, including Strip Magazin and a localized edition of Metal Hurlant.

Mr Milicevic began to investigate the possibility of bring his STRIP brand to the UK, horrified to discover the British comic characters he had grown up reading such as Steel Claw, the Spider and Black Archer were nothing but distant memory. Although these incredible heroes had been re-published in the former Yugoslavia and indelibly helped shape his life-long love of comics, the British titles that spawned them - weekly comics like Lion and Valiant - were long gone from the news stand, replaced largely with licensed fare and more magazine-based titles for teenagers.

Unimpressed, he decided to take the plunge and trial a new action adventure anthology through UK comic shops. The first volume of STRIP was intended to road test the title and story ideas - and iron out any issues arising from its long distance publishing.

Although Mr Milicevic freely admits the journey has not been easy at times, with the support of some of Britain's best and brightest comic creators those first seven issues got the positive reaction he was hoping for. The response made him all the more determined to join the likes of 2000AD, Commando and The Beano in WH Smiths and other select newsagents.

Offering a mix of action adventure, science fiction and fantasy strips, stories in the pipeline include Dragonrir, a stunning fantasy tale by Miljenko Horvatic and Damir Zitko; a thrilling story of the criminal underworld, Deliverer, by Miljenko Horvatic, drawn by Bernard Kolle; WarWorldz by Stephen Walsh and Giancarlo Caracuzzo; the tale of an ancient warrior battling magic, Thracius, by James Hudnall and Mark Vigoroux; plus the return of other strips, including Age of Heroes by James Hudnall and John Ridgway and The Devil’s Heritage by Jerome Felix and Paul Gastine.

"I am really excited our plans for STRIP Magazine are finally developing as I planned three years ago" says publisher Ivo Milicevic. "There is no certain formula for success, but the Magazine will have some good stories and really great art."

• List of stockists: http://stripcomicmagazineuk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/strip-magazine-1-wh-smiths-store-list.html
Please note you can order STRIP from any newsagent. STRIP is distributed by Warners


• Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Strip-Magazine-UK/107449926009722) or Twitter (https://twitter.com/StripMagazineUK)

STRIP - THE ADVENTURE COMICS MAGAZINE Issue 1 (Volume 2) 
Cover by Alan Robinson, colour by Wamberto Nicomedes

• KING COBRA (written by John Freeman, art by Wamberto Nicomedes) A classic British hero resurfaces when the Bank of England is robbed!

• BLACK OPS EXTREME (written by Richmond Clements,  art from Stephen Downey) The anti-terrorist team head for Eastern Europe when a nuclear power station is raided!

• WARPAINT (by Phil Hester and John McCrea) Re-told from the very beginning - one teenager's deadly battle with ancient forces!

• CRUCIBLE (by John Freeman and Smuzz) A deadly task for a mis-matched team of adventurers - in a world where not everything is as it seems!

• OPERATION INFERNO (by Richmond Clements and Nick Dyer) Steampunk spies battle to defence the British Empire!

• DENIZENS (by Miljenko Horvatic and Maxim Simic) Modern civilization has been wiped out and the world is a greener, deadlier place...

• STRIP: THE ADVENTURE COMICS MAGAZINE #1 is available from selected high street newsagents now and in UK comic shops from next week (Diamond order code for UK comic shop orders is MAR132384.)

• The first issue is also available digitally now for iPad: https://itunes.apple.com/app/strip-magazine-2.1/id619259147

STRIP Magazine publisher announces March relaunch date

STRIP Magazine is heading for the UK news stand at last - with a launch date of 28th March 2013.

While the move to get the magazine into WH Smiths and other stores has been delayed several times, Bosnian-based comics publisher Print Media seems confident it has overcome its delivery issues and its owner, Ivo Milicevic, says he is ready to bring the adventure anthology to newsagents is finally underway, after a “test run” of seven issues in UK comic stores.

The line up of the monthly anthology magazine will be a mix of action adventure, science fiction and fantasy strips, alongside feature material about the world of British comics, including the continuation of Black Ops Extreme, centred on a secret anti-terrorism team; Crucible, a creator-owned story described as “science fiction - with swords!”; teen heroine thriller, Warpaint; and the return of 1970s action hero King Cobra, in all-new stories, under license from original publisher DC Thomson.

Creators in the launch issue include Jim Campbell, Richmond Clements, Stephen Downey, Nick Dyer, John Freeman, Phil Hester, Miljenko Horvatic, John McCrea, Wamberto Nicomedes, Maxim Simic and Smuzz.

Plans and strips for the Magazine are fully commissioned for the next 12 months but include:

In Issue 1 -

Black Ops Extreme © Print Media

• Black Ops Extreme by Richmond Clements and Stephen Downey

Continuing the adventures of a covert military unit taking on terrorists across the globe - but facing its own troubles with a possible traitor in its midst!

King Cobra © DC Thomson

• King Cobra by John Freeman and Wamberto Nicomedes

A major action hero for DC Thomson who first appeared in Hotspur in 1976, a new King Cobra takes on old enemies and new

Warpaint © Phil Hester & John McCrea

• Warpaint by Phil Hester and John McCrea

A homeless teen finds herself drawn into a cataclysmic struggle between mankind and elemental monsters bent on the destruction of our world.

• Operation Inferno by Richmond Clements and Nick Dyer

British and French steampunk spies take on the might of the dangerous Prusssian Empire in a feature-length adventure starring teen ninja Black Dragon!

Crucible © John Freeman & Smuzz

• Crucible by John Freeman and Smuzz

Swords meet science fiction as a mis-matched team of adventurers are tasked to recover a sacred relic from an ancient and deadly mine…

Denizens © Print Media

• Denizens by Miljenko Horvatic and Maxim Simic

Spurred by personal tragedy, humanity’s very existence is threatened with destruction when fast-growing plants are released, wiping out all organized centres of civilisation!

Dragonrir

Strips in the pipeline include Dragonrir, a stunning fantasy tale by Miljenko Horvatic and Damir Zitko; a thrilling story of the criminal underworld, Deliverer, by Miljenko Horvatic, drawn by Bernard Kolle; WarWorldz by Stephen Walsh and Giancarlo Caracuzzo; the tale of an ancient warrior battling magic, Thracius, by James Hudnall and Mark Vigoroux; plus the return of other strips, including Age of Heroes by James Hudnall and John Ridgway and The Devil's Heritage by Jerome Felix and Paul Gastine.

WarWorldz

Print Media publishes three comics-related magazines in Bosnia, including Strip Magazin and a localized edition of Metal Hurlant.

"I am really excited our plans for STRIP Magazine are finally developing as I planned three years ago" says publisher Ivo Milicevic. "There is no certain formula for success, but the Magazine will have some good stories and really great art.

Ivo, who grew up with British comic characters such as Black Archer, Steel Claw and The Spider, which were reprinted extensively in former Yugoslavia, has been working in publishing for nearly 25 years. After college, he worked as journalist, and later as a publisher. Print Media's business centres on print for the comic industry.

Complementing the re-launched magazine will be more UK comics albums, adding to its current titles - Iron Moon, Frontier and Mirabilis. Plans include collections of some of the strips published in the first limited edition run, including Black Ops Extreme, drawn by PJ Holden.

• The magazine is not accepting submissions or story pitches at this time

• STRIP Magazine blog: http://stripcomicmagazineuk.blogspot.co.uk

• Find STRIP Magazine on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Strip-Magazine-UK/107449926009722

• Follow Strip Magazine UK on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/StripMagazineUK

All images © respective creators

I Went to Malta and all I got was This Great Comic Convention

Guests are greeted for the Malta Comic Convention. Photo courtesy Malta Comic Con

Writer, editor and comics event organizer Richmond Clements reports on his visit to Malta as a guest of the island's increasingly popular annual comic convention. British guests this year included Dave Gibbons, Sean Azzopardi, Tim Perkins, Dez Skinn and other creators from around the globe...


I was lucky enough to be a guest at the Malta Comic Con this year.

So, while this is a kind of review/overview of the event, I will freely admit that a lot of what I say may be swayed by my position as a guest.

Sunny Malta! Photo courtesy Malta Comic Con

First off: Malta itself. It is gorgeous. A truly stunning place with thousands of years of history oozing out of every corner, and inhabited by some of the most warm and friendly people I have ever encountered. The weather was, for the most part, great. (Well, I thought it was great. The locals seemed to consider temperatures in the mid-teens to be signalling the next Ice-Age, but it was t-shirt and shorts weather for me!)

Inside the Malta Comic Convention at St James Cavalier in Valletta. Photo courtesy Malta Comic Con

The venue, St James Cavalier in Valletta, is one that any other convention on the planet would struggle to match. Certainly, it’s the only convention that I am aware of that is held in a 700 year old fort! Tables are spread throughout the venue on multiple floors. This did make for an initial bit of confusion when finding your way about, but after a lap or two, things were a lot clearer.

And there were an impressive array of books for sale. They ranged from the usual dealers selling graphic novels and action figures, to some incredible local talents.

The Pilot team. Photo courtesy Malta Comic Con

One of these books is Pilot. The publishers and creators, all local Maltese folks, had just published the second edition in time from this convention. It is an astounding book, both in the production value and content. It is something all involved should be very proud of. In my opinion, it’s matching in quality anything I have seen for a UK publisher. Seek this book out and order yourself a copy if at all possible.

Tim Perkins delivers a comic art workshop for Maltese schoolchildren. Photo courtesy Malta Comic Con

Sean Azzopardi sketching at the event. Photo courtesy Malta Comic Con

Emma Emma Ríos delivers a Guided Tour of her exhibition. Photo courtesy Malta Comic Con

 Dave Gibbons meets Maltese comic fans. Photo courtesy Malta Comic Con

As usual, the event was held over the weekend, and even though there were a few last-minute cancellations, most of the guests managed it, and from what I heard, all of them enjoyed themselves.

The venue and general size of the event help lend it a wonderful, friendly atmosphere. The kind of atmosphere that Hi-Ex!, which I co-organize in Inverness has, in fact. There were a lot of families and children there, and all were enjoying themselves.

Richmond Clements with cosplayer and cosmaker Federica di Nardo. Photo courtesy Richmond Clements

It is always pleasing to talk to people who don’t read comics, but thought they’d turn up and have a look, and then they end up buying some stuff. This, to me, is what these events are all about: introducing comics to a new generation and showing them the possibilities and scope of the medium.

The celebratory meal in Valletta, in front of the St John's Co-Cathedral. Photo courtesy Malta Comic Con

So, on our final night in Malta, we had a wonderful meal with all the remaining guests and organisers. I was forced to eat octopus. (Not like in Oldboy, though).

After the meal, there were, of course, a few speeches.

During one of these, organiser Chris Le Galle said that one of their ambitions is to try to create a comic community in Malta.

Well, Chris, from what I seen over the weekend, you can stop trying. You have already done it. There is a vibrant and exciting comics community in Malta, and these guys are to be thanks for it.

What they need now is support to help make it grow. So, buy their comics and visit their convention! And don’t think it’s out of your price range either. It cost me less to go to Malta than to the Bristol Convention, after all...

• For more information about the Malta Comic Con visit www.maltacomic-con.com or find them on Facebook

• The Pilot Comic Anthology Richmond mentions above  is a collection of short comics, each drawn and written by a different artist or author. Every volume of Pilot features a new theme, the first one being Steampunk and the second and latest book being Medieval. The book places a strong emphasis on variation of comic styles and stories that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of audience.
If you're interested in purchasing Pilot, drop an email to  info@maltacomic-con.com 

Opinion: Women in Comics (Again)

Sugar Glider by Sarah Dunkerton

Comics writer and editor Richmond Clements is fed up with people saying there aren't enough women working in comics. Here's why...

Yet again, at this year’s Thought Bubble comic festival, we had another Women in Comics panel.

I don’t know how to feel about this, to tell the truth. I may well upset some of my female friends with this.

But... come on!

And I hope Lisa and the amazing people behind Thought Bubble will not take this as a personal slight – because I’ll happily go on record and say they run the best convention in the UK – but how many times do we need to have this same panel?

Here’s a better idea, and one that was enacted at the last Hi-Ex! Convention I co-ran in Inverness. This was how we did it. We didn’t have a woman’s panel, we have a woman on every panel.

And this does not take too much imagination. We had a variety of panels on many different subjects, but, even in the relatively small convention we organise, we managed to find a female guest who could speak on whatever subject.

Imagine that! It’s almost like women are, oh I dunno, people.

Revolutionary, I know, but bear with me if you can. I know it’s an amazing concept to the comic writer – and when I say that I of course mean Tony Harris – that women can be more than a pair of ridiculously tight pants who know next to nothing about the X-Men.

(And if I may digress for a second..? I’m constantly amazed that Princess Leia from the Star Wars films is always cited as a ‘strong’ female character. I presume this is by people who have never seen the movies. Look at the evidence: Episode 4: only function is to be rescued. Episode 5: Rescued twice and falls in love. Episode 6: Yes, almost rescues man, while disguised as man, captured, then rescued by man, later gets lost in forest and is rescued twice by her future husband.

Leia is not a strong female character. Any supposed strength comes from the massive charisma of Carrie Fisher.)

And you’re back in the room...

My main problem with the women in comics argument is this: the people who say that there are no women in comics have obviously never took a walk around an exhibitors hall at a comic convention. In the two dealers rooms at Thought Bubble, there were literally hundreds of amazing women creating some of the best, funniest, scariest and most moving comics around. They are producing Art that is important, vital and exciting.

It would be tempting here to list a number of them, but that’s silly. I will say though, that the last time I came close to becoming star-struck was when I met Sugar Glider artist Sarah Dunkerton at a convention. Not some ‘big name’ American artist, but someone who draws a very good comic and draws it very well. I would even go as far as to say it is incidental to me that Sarah happens to be a woman.

No, to me the real problem is this: when we say that there are not enough women working in comics, what we’re really saying is that there are not enough women working for Marvel or DC.

And my point is, if I ever manage to get to it, is this: we have many brilliant women working in comics. How about we celebrate the brilliant things they are producing at the minute, and not worry about how they’re not writing and drawing Spider-Man, Ghost Rider or some other silly superhero nonsense?

(This Opinion piece was cross-posted with the Forbidden Planet Blog)

New Futurequake, Zarjaz now on sale

The latest issues of the ace indie comic titles FutureQuake and the 2000AD-inspired Zarjaz are now on sale.

Behind the cover of Futurequake Issue 21 by Gibson Quarter and Keiren Smith there are eight strips to astound you, including 'Aclonement', a two-pager by writer Dominic Teague and artist Charlie Parsons and letterer Bolt-01; 'Before Tomorrow Comes' by writer Joshua Spiller, artist John Cahill; 'Call of Nature' by writer Lee Robson and artist Jason Smith; and other contributins from creators Dan Fox, Ben Michael Byrne Pete Hobson, Max Dunbar, Gary Robinson, Dave Thomson, Ricky-Marcel Pitcher, Gibson Quarter, Craig Collins, Sam Weller, Derek Hamill, and artist Dan Cornwell.

Behind the ace Judge Dredd cover for Zarjaz 15 by Edmund Bagwell, Peeps the butler droid delivers Judge Dredd strips aplenty and more from the likes of Samson Horn, Phillip Vaughan, Lee Robson, David Broughton, Mark Howard, Alex Paterson, Bolt-01, Kevin Levell, Shaun Avery, Simon Bennett Hayes, Rich Wells, Nora Rodriguez, Richmond Clements and Stephen Prestwood.

The samples sent to intrigue and tantalize simply leave us urging you check out both great titles.

- Check out both titles at: www.futurequake.co.uk

 

Comics Creators At Hi-Ex 2012: Part 1

Having taken a lot of photos of the various creators at the Hi-Ex comics convention, which took place at the Eden Court complex in Inverness last weekend, there was never going to be enough room in the main downthetubes review of the con to include all the images. Instead we present a selection of those images of the creators along with links to their websites, blogs and/or Facebook pages. They are in no particular order, but let's start with "A" anyway.

Dr Chris Murray's distinctive shirts are now well known around comics events in Scotland and, along with fellow Dundee University lecturer Phillip Vaughan, had the Anthology One book on sale. It presents the work of the students of the 2011-2012 University of Dundee's DJCAD Comics Art and Graphic Novels module as well as the winner and runners-up of the 2011 Tartan Bucket Prize that was run as part of last year's Dundee Comics Day.

Details of ordering Anthology One by post are available by e-mailing : universecomic@gmail.com

Dr Chris Murray and Phillip Vaughan are interviewed on downthetubes here and here.

Colin MacNeil is a former student at Dundee University's Duncan of Jordanstone College Of Art And Design where Phillip Vaughan lectures and supplied the rather excellent cover for Anthology One. As can be seen here, he uses chalks on a black background for his convention sketches.

Colin MacNeil's professional website is here and his Lambiek entry is here.

Another title that Colin provided the cover for is the 2012 edition of the A5 size Doctor Who comic Doctor WTF?! Contributor James Feist (left) and editor Owen Watts were there to sell both issues of this title which chronicles short adventures of 'other' incarnations of the Doctor.

There are more details of Doctor WTF?! on the title's Facebook page.

From Doctor Who to Star Wars and Star Wars: The Clone Wars artist Tanya Roberts who has been working on the junior title for some four years now. It was good to see former Star Wars Dark Empire artist Cam Kennedy comparing notes with Tanya during the weekend and it will be intriguing to she what comes of her ideas for non-licensed work in the future.

There are more details of Tanya Roberts art on her Enolian Slave DeviantArt page.

Hi-Ex co-organiser Richmond Clements is a creator in his own right as well as being an editor for Futurequake Press. As well as writing for Strip Magazine, Rich wrote the two part Turning Tiger for Renegade Arts Entertainment which is just about to be released as a special edition graphic novel.

There are more details of Richmond Clements' writing on his blog and his FQP work of the Futurequake website.

Rich's co-creator on Turning Tiger is artist Alex Moore and she was at Hi-Ex as well showing of the new title and her small press work. Alex is currently working on The Liberty graphic novel due from Markosia.

There are more details of Alex Moore's work on her website and blog.

There are more details of Turning Tiger on the Renegade Arts website.

Writer and artist Dave Shelton's comic strip Good Dog, Bad Dog was originally published weekly in The DFC and then collected into one of the hardback DFC Library titles. New episodes are due to appear in The Phoenix, a comic that he had copies of to show prospective readers which was a good thing considering that the nearest Waitrose to the venue was 155 miles away in Edinburgh. He also had copies of his new illustrated novel A Boy And A Bear In A Boat.

There are more details of Dave Shelton's work on his blog.

Manga artists Chie Kutsuwada (left) and Inko (right) were some of the hardest working of the creators over the course of Hi-Ex's two days. Both seemed to have a never ending stream of attendees wanting their portraits drawn manga style with Inko even having Cam Kennedy sit for her.

There are more details of Chi Kutsuwada's work on her blog.

There are more details of Inko's work on her blog.

Artist Graeme Neil Reid as well as having his own blog is the founder of the Scottish daily art-blog Scotch Corner. Graeme normally does his sketches before conventions which allows him to relax more during the events, as well as using them on the two blogs and compiling them into limited edition convention sketchbooks. However as the Sqaxx Dek Thargo know that he is an artdroid, he was convinced by several Hi-Ex attendees to draw them Dredd while one little girl even managed to get him to draw her a dinosaur.

There are more details of Graeme Neil Reid's work on his website, blog and on Scotch Corner.

Artist Gary Erskine is another member of Scotch Corner as well as being Eagle Award nominated this year in the Favourite Artist: Inks category. He is also rather well known nowadays for liking girls in roller skates and is working with his wife Mhairi on the Roller Grrrls title which has manifested itself before publication with rather a lot of comic conventions now having female Roller Derby teams attending - including Hi-Ex.

There are more details of Gary Erskine's work on his blog, on Scotch Corner and on the Roller Grrrls Facebook page.


The second and final part of Comics Creators At Hi-Ex will follow soon.

The Hi-Ex website is here.

The downthetubes review of Hi-Ex 2012 is here.

In Review: Hi-Ex 2012

Begun in 2008 by Richmond Clements and Vicky Stonebridge, the Highlands International Comics Expo, Hi-Ex, takes place at the Eden Court Theatre and Cinema complex on the banks of the River Ness in Inverness and, after a break in 2011, Hi-Ex was back for its fourth event over the April Fool's weekend of Saturday 31 March and 1st April 2012. As a helper on one of the sales tables this will be more of a view from "the other side" in the dealers' room than a review of the convention and its panels.

Vicky Stonebridge

Traditionally, due to its location as the most northerly comics convention in the UK as well as its pre-Easter timing, Hi-Ex and the threat of snow tend to go together. After a direct hit during the first year when heavy snow in Scotland prevented its more distant attendees from reaching Inverness, a pre-con deluge on the second year across the entire country which had been sorted in time for Hi-Ex 2, a post-con fall trapping lorries on the main road south from Inverness the day after Hi-Ex 3, it meant that travelling into a hot and sunny Inverness on the Friday before the convention was something of a culture shock for seasoned Hi-Ex-ers (although no more of a shock than the Inverness region waking up to inches of snow four days later.)

The dealers' room was open on the Friday night for setting up and it gave people a chance for a catch-up chat while they set up tables even if co-organiser Vicky Stonebridge's voice was already failing her - she would eventually give up the struggle, turn her ID badge around and write "Sorry I have lost my voice" on it.

Saturday morning was cooler but still pleasant and, with the event opening to the public at 11am, this gave the exhibitors a chance to both set up and look around the dealers' room as well as have a chat with some of the guests before the doors officially opened. Illustrator, artdroid and Scotch Cornerer Graeme Neil Reid (above left talking to Judge Burdis of the Hi-Ex Hell-Trek) is an old friend and I was behind his table as 11am brought the start of a very busy couple of hours as comics fans young and old, newbies and seasoned con-goers, streamed into the large room to see what they could find to buy.

The first panel of the day was on the subject of current British comics and included Strip Magazine and downthetubes editor John Freeman who, needless to say, had already been into the dealers' room for a chat.

The Saturday panels have been well covered by Joe Gordon over on the FPI blog and they included a talk by artists John Higgins about his multi-media concept RazorJack, artists Nigel Dobbyn and Monty Nero's art workshops, the Hi-Ex Charity Auction with all proceeds going to Children 1st (the Scottish equivalent of the NSPCC) plus discussion panels on current British and Irish comics and an exploration of Celtic (Irish and Scottish) comics.

The Saturday was so busy in the dealers' room that it wasn't that noticeable when panels started or ended as the number of attendees kept the hall busy whilst the Nasty Nessie Roller Girls provided a little excitement as they whizzed past helped on by artist Gary Erskine's Roller Grrrls concept. Meanwhile the Imperials and a solitary Tusken Raider of the 501st UK Garrison patrolled the venue at a more leisurely pace.

Saturday night was the tradition retiral to the local Chinese buffet conveniently situated between the venue and the con hotel before either a return to Eden Court for a screening of the Edinburgh-set short film Electric Man or back to take over the hotel bar. There were a few bleary eyes the next morning...

Sunday is normally a quieter day but this then allows for more chatting between the guests and exhibitors as the number of attendees in the dealers room is more affected by the panels which included workshops by Chi-Tan and Inko on Manga and Dave Shelton on children's drawing. Indeed considering how busy the two mangaka girls were doing portraits over the weekend, the workshop may have come as something of a break for them. As can be seen above, one of Inko's portraits was of artist Cam Kennedy - more a case of Kenny Yu than Kenny Who. From the old guard of Star Wars artists to the new and Clone Wars artist Tanya Roberts was showing off her new work while artist Colin MacNeil seemed to have managed to do more than his fair share of covers of many of the books and comics that were being sold in the room.

Comics education in the UK also came under the spotlight helped by Dr Chris Murray and Philip Vaughan of Dundee University while film maker John Vaughan gave a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the 1970s bee movie, The Swarm, a presentation format that he has been doing at Dublin's Octocon for the last ten years. In fact those of us at the guest/exhibitors meal on the Sunday night soon discovered that John hadn't so much kissed the Blarney Stone as tickled its tonsils!

Hi-Ex had a big Irish presence this year from both north and south of the border. From Belfast came artists and writers Andy Luke and Paddy Brown who chatted around the dealers' room as well as taking part in panels while the guys of Londonderry's Uproar Comics did a good trade in their Zombies Hi comics as well as doing zombie portraits of the attendees. From the south, as well as John Vaughan, came writers Maura McHugh and Mike Carroll both of whom had their work recognised in the Eagle Award nominations this year.

And all too soon it was over save for one very important fact - the £1907 that Hi-Ex raised for the Children First charity. In these times of austerity when people are counting their money more carefully than ever before, and when so many other comics events are now run to make a profit for their organisers, Vicky Stonebridge and Richmond Clements are to be congratulated for such a enjoyable and family-friendly event that raised so much money for charity.

OTHER VOICES...

• Vicky Stonebridge and Richmond Clement's own thoughts on how it went on the Hi-Ex website.

• Joe Gordon's account of the Saturday's events on the Forbidden Planet International blog.


• Highland News coverage of the event and a pre-con interview with John Freeman about the Team MOBILE project for ROK Comics

• Georgina Coburn's review on the Northlings blog.


• BBC News concentrates on the Star Wars cosplayers.

• Hi-Ex attendees can play spot the familiar faces in the background in Breaking News North's video report on the weekend.

And finally... Scottish Television's news section not really understanding what was going on - "workshops, art classes and discussion panels with leading comedy writers."

In Review: Turning Tiger Special Edition

Written by an Ulster man living in Scotland, drawn by an English woman, published by a Canadian company and set in small town America, Turning Tiger is quite the international collaboration. Originally published as a two issue mini-series, it has now been collected into a Special Edition and bolstered with a selection of extras.

Three fighting robots have been created for the US military which their scientist creator thinks of as her children but the general in charge of the project thinks of as tools. During their first, initially successful, live weapons test, one of the robots, JEN, stops and then flies away from the test range and abducts Sarah, a young girl who has just survived a car accident. Having been taken into the woods by the robot, Sarah discovers that JEN wants to play with her.

Writer Richmond Clements takes a concept that could so easily have been just a big robot story and gives it a tweak that turns it into something much more. The concept of how the robot and child react to, and then interact with, each other becomes the core of the story leaving the reader with a touching if somewhat unusual story of sibling love. While it feels short for an American style offering, if this had have been presented as a European style book then it would probably be just the right length.

Alex Moore's slightly stylised artwork works well with both the robots and the characters while her character designs page at the end of the book shows just how far the robots came from her original design concept for them. The selection of pin-ups at the end of the book gives her the chance to have a little fun with the characters and if anything I prefer the tongue-in-cheek illustration of the robot playing softball with Sarah using a tree stump as a bat to the one that was used on the front cover.

Richmond Clements is a familiar name in the small press comics scene in the UK and is well known for writing for and editing a number of titles, including the A4 anthology Futurequake and the A5 2000AD zine Zarjaz, as well as organising the Hi-Ex comics convention in Inverness with Vicky Stonebridge. Alex Moore on the other hand is relatively new to comics having previously worked as a story board artist but, based on this offering, I would be interested to see more of her work and she is currently working on The Liberty graphic novel written by GM Jordan for Markosia.

Turning Tiger is a story that could so easily have been a Transformers movie style shoot-em-up but overcomes all initial assumptions to be a nicely touching character piece.

There are more details of Turning Tiger on the Renegade Arts Entertainment website including details of how to purchase e-copies.

There are more details of Richmond Clements' work on his blog.

There are more details of Alex Moore's work on her website.

Richmond Clements, Alex Moore and Renegade Arts Entertainment will be attending the Hi-Ex comic convention in Inverness this weekend, Saturday 31 March and Sunday 1 April 2012.

Happy Birthday, 2000AD! From writer, editor and fan Richmond Clements

Name: Richmond Clements

Blog: http://thequaequamblog.blogspot.com 

Hi-ExConvention:  www.hi-ex.co.uk

Currently working on:

Turning Tiger has just been released by Renegade Arts Entertainment.
I'm also working on a couple of books for Markosia and one for Com.X. I have a series called Operation Inferno, drawn by Nick Dyer, starting soon in Strip Magazine and a Brian Ború bio-strip for the new Irish comic imprint Lightning Strike.






First memory of 2000AD?

The TV ad with Tharg floating down over London (yes, I really am that old! Amazing, isn't it?). I do remember suffering what I now know to be a Thrill Power Overload at the sight of dinosaurs and cowboys and Volgan invaders and the like too.

Favourite Character or Story?

Torquemada is, I think, not only the greatest villain ever created in comics, he's arguably the greatest villian in fiction. Hyperbole? I don't think is.

The strip Strontium Dog and lead character Johnny Alpha are my favourite strip and character in comics, not just in 2000AD. I feel really fortunate that we're allowed to play around with these characters in our SD fanzine Dogbreath.

What do you like most about the 2000AD? 

Anything and everything goes. It isn't afraid to experiment. Yes, sometimes it fails, but mostly, when this happens, the fails are still more spectacular than a thousand lycraed muscle men hitting each other.

What would you most like to see in 2000AD as it heads to its Forties?

It just needs to keep doing what it's doing. I'd like to see it sell more, but then I'd like to see every comic sell more!

If you worked on 2000AD, do you have an anecdote you'd like to shareabout your experience of Tharg and his minions?

I haven't worked for 2K, but I could tell you some tales, and will do in exchange for a drink at the nearest comic convention.

• This post is one in a series of tributes to 2000AD to mark its 35th birthday on 26th February 2012. More about 2000AD at www.2000adonline.com

2000AD © Rebellion

STRIP Magazine overseas subscriptions, news stand plans

Non-UK subscriptions to Strip Magazine are now available online at www.printmediaproductions.com.

Previously, the only ways for non-UK comic fans to get the Print Media Productions-published title was via mail order from comic shops, or by purchasing the iPad edition, co-published in association with ROK Comics.

In the UK, a six-issue subscription now costs £16.99; Europe (including Eire), £36; US and Canada, £56 (air mail only); Rest of World, surface, £45, air mail £60.

12-issue subscriptions, part of the title's introductory launch, are no longer available online.

In other STRIP Magazine-related news, PMP have confirmed the comic magazine will go news stand with Issue 7, on sale in May. The price of the Magazine will also rise, but PMP have not stated what the cover price will be.

The initial plan is to target a range of top high street stores and the new title will include at least two new strips - Black Dragon, a steampunk-inspired story by Richmond Clements, editor of Futurequake and Judge Dredd artist Nick Dyer, and Crucible, an SF adventure masquerading as a fantasy tale, by John Freeman and Smuzz.

• Visit http://www.printmediaproductions.com/ to subscribe

Jonathan Ross praises "Tales of the Fallen" in special intro

Jonathan Ross (left) with Barry Nugent (right)

(with thanks to Barry Nugent) Turf witer and TV broadcaster and presenter Jonathan Ross has provided a special intorduction to Tales of the Fallen, the latest project set in the Unseen Shadows universe.

"If, like me, you like rip-roaring testosterone fuelled pulp fiction," enthuses Ross, "with soldiers, and mysteries, and all round weird stuff in, then this is the book for you."

"The above sentence is a very small portion of a special introduction," says Barry, who's also co-founder of the smashing cult news site Geek Syndicate. "As most of us in the comic world know Jonathan is also a huge comic fan and has recently become a comic writer with his Turf mini series published by Image Comics.

"I approached Jonathan a while back with Tales of the Fallen and asked him if he would be interested in writing the introduction for the anthology," he reveals. " To say I was pleased when he accepted is a little bit of an understatement. Since then I’ve kept Jonathan’s involvement under wraps, from pretty much everyone on the creative team, as I wanted this to be one last surprise before the book went off to the printers."

Tales of the Fallen offers the stories of murderers, martyrs and mercenaries in the no-man’s-land between adventure and crusade – soldiers of fate and fierce honour, bound together in mystery, darkness and blood. Their enemies are shadows haunting the outermost borders of a darkening world, and as night approaches the shadows grow long.

Creators on the four stories are Richmond Clements, Cy Dethan Pete Rogers and Dan Thompon (Writers); Conor Boyle, Rob Carey and Steve Penfold (Art); Gat Melvin, Roy Huteson Stewart and Vicky Stonebridge (Colours); Paul Mclaren and Nic Wilkinson (Lettering).

• To read full Jonathan’s full introduction pre-order your copy of Tales of the Fallen now at special price of £8.50 with a free digital version