Comic Book Alliance puts out charity comic appeal to help earthquake victims

Britain's Comic Book Alliance is putting together a fundraising comic to help raise funds to help earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan and New Zealand - and has put out an appeal for contributions.

"I’m sure, like me, you’ve been horrified at the devastating effects of the two enormous earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan," says CBA's Tim Pilcher. "Thousands that have lost friends, family, their homes and entire communities."

The CBA -- a not-for-profit organisation, primarily run by volunteers, dedicated to the promotion of British comic books, graphic novels, webcomics and sequential art in its many forms -- is looking for creators to provide some work free of charge so that they can put together an impressive package that will hopefully sell thousands and to raise as much money as possible to help those affected get back on their feet and to rebuild their lives.

"The contributions can be around any theme (earthquakes, tsunamis, loss, hope, survival, what that country means to you, personal tales, whatever…)" says Tim, "and could be a pin-up, or a one to four page comic strip. We may accept the odd prose piece from writers, but we’d like to like to keep these to a minimum, so please team up with an artist you normally work with."

"Obviously, time is of the essence here, so we would like to get the work in within the next two weeks (Deadline Saturday 2nd April). I know that doesn’t give a lot of time considering your busy schedules but I do hope you’ll agree that it’s for an important cause.


"Let’s show the world that comic creators care and how we can galvanise ourselves into positive action."
 
• If you would like to take part please contact Tim by email via  foundersATcomicbookalliance.co.uk for further details about formats, deliveries, or any other questions you might have. 

• The Comic Book Alliance:  www.comicbookalliance.co.uk

New Issue of Whotopia Celebrates David Tennant Years

A quick mention for the latest issue of Whotopia, the Canadian Doctor Who fan magazine, which is a David Tennant special.

Amongst the varied content is 'The Tennant Legacy', a look at how the David Tennant episodes have changed the show forever, by downthetubes contributor Ian Wheeler.

The great thing about Whotopia is that is is available online and is absolutely free for everyone - check it out here.

Eagle Awards voting opens

Voting is now open for the Eagle Awards, the annual prize given to the best American and British comics as decided by comic readers.

We're pleased to report that as befits their British origins, the nominations include a substantial amount of homegrown talent and publications - including DC Thomson's Commando, some wonderful small press titles such as Futurequake and Paragon, and creators such as Paul Cornell and ace letterer Jim Campbell.

We're also pleased to report that included in the nominations is the recent Charley's War collection by Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun (and edited by me for Titan Books) - and Doctor Who Magazine (also edited by me in the dim and distant past, though I'm claiming no credit in the nomination, just delighted the comic strip creators for the title are getting some well-deserved recognition).

Founded in 1977 by Mike Conroy and Richard Burton, the Eagle Awards are named for the groundbreaking UK. comic Eagle. Nominees are chosen with the help of comic book fans and the final victors are decided by popular vote.

You can support your favourite creators, titles and publishers in 38 categories, which can be voted upon at this link. An awards ceremony will be held at London's MCM Expo on May 27, where the winners will be announced.

The full list of nominees can be found below. Where possible, links are to official sites where known; if not, then to Wikipedia entries. Book links will direct to amazon.co.uk.

Favourite Newcomer Writer

• Paul Cornell
• Al Ewing (also on Twitter)
• Bryan Lee O'Malley
• Scott Snyder
• Nick Spencer

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents
by Fiona Staples

Favourite Newcomer Artist

• Rafael Albuquerque
• Bryan Lee O'Malley
• Sean Murphy
• Sara Pichelli
• Fiona Staples

Favourite Writer

• Ed Brubaker
• Warren Ellis
• Robert Kirkman
• Grant Morrison
• John Wagner

Favourite Writer/Artist

• Gabriel Ba with Fabio Moon
• Darwyn Cooke
• Jeff Lemire
• Mike Mignola
• Bryan Lee O'Malley

Favourite Artist - pencils

• Becky Cloonan
• Carlos Ezquerra
• Mike Mignola
• Dave Ryan
• J.H. Williams III

Favourite Artist - Inks

• Becky Cloonan
• Gary Erskine
• Carlos Ezquerra
• Mike Mignola
• Bill Sienkiewicz

Favourite artist - fully painted work

• D'Israeli
• Jock
• Alex Ross
• Ben Templesmith
• J.H. Williams III

Favourite Colourist

• Laura Allred
• Jeff Balke
• Laura Martin
• Len O'Grady
• Dave Stewart

Favourite letterer

• Jim Campbell
• Chris Eliopoulos
• Annie Parkhouse
• Richard Starkings
• Russ Wooton

Favoorite Editor

• Scott Allie
• Tom Brevoort
• Todd McFarlane
• Matt Smith/Tharg
• Steve Wacker

Favourite publisher

• Dark Horse
• DC Comics/Vertigo/WildStorm
• IDW
• Image Comics (inc. Top Cow)
• Marvel

Favourite American comic book - colour

• Amazing Spider-Man by Various (Marvel)
• Batman and Robin by Grant Morrison plus Various (DC Comics)
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight by Various (Dark Horse)
• Doctor Who by Tony Lee plus Various (IDW Publishing)
• Hellboy by Mike Mignola plus Various (Dark Horse)

Favourite American comic book - black and white

• Age of Bronze by Eric Shanower (Image Comics)
• Demo Vol.2 by Brain Wood and Becky Cloonan (DC Comics)
• Echo by Terry Moore (Abstract Studio)
• RASL by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Comics)
• The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard (Image Comics)

Favourite British comic book - colour

• 2000AD by Various (Rebellion)
• Dandy by Various (DC Thomson)
• Doctor Who Magazine by Various (Panini Comics)
• The Man of Glass by Martin Flink (Accent UK)
• Torchwood by Various (Titan Books)

Favourite British comic book - black and white

• Commando by Various (DC Thomson)
• Dogbreath by Various (Futurequake Publishing)
• Futurequake by Various (Futurequake Publishing)
• Paragon by Various (David Cavendish)
• Zarjaz by Various (Futurequake Publishing)

Favourite new comic book

• American Vampire by Stephen King, Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque (DC Comics/Vertigo)
• Daytripper by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba (DC Comics/Vertigo)
• Alan Moore's Neonomicon by Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows (Avatar Press)
• S.H.I.E.L.D. by Jonathan Hickman and Dustin Weaver (Marvel)
• War of the Independents by Dave Ryan (Red Anvil Comics)

Favourite Manga

• Berserk by Kenatro Miura (Hakusensha/ Dark Horse Comics)
• Bleach by Tite Kubo (Shueisha/Viz Media)
• Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa (Square Enix/Viz Media)
• One Piece by Eiirchiro Oda (Shueisha/Viz Media)
• Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto (Shueisha/Viz Media)

Favourite European album

• Blacksad by Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido (Darguad/Dark Horse Comics)
• L'Histoire Secrete by Edward Gauvin and Jean-Pierre Pecau (Delcourt/Archaia Studio Press)
• The Scorpion by Desberg Desberg and Enrico Marini (Dargaud/Cinebook ltd)
• Requiem: Vampire Knight by Pat Mills and Olivier Ledroit (Nickel Editions/Panini Comics)
• Sky Doll by Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa (Soleil/Marvel)

Favourite Web-based comic

• Axe Cop by Malachai and Ethan Nicolle
• Freak Angels by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield
• Hark! A Vagrant! by Kate Beaton
• Questionable Content by Jeph Jaques
• xkcd.com by Randall Munroe

Favourite single story

• Amazing Spider-Man #625: Endanger Species by Joseph Kelly and Max Fuimara (Marvel)
• A Cat Named Haiku by Mark Poulton and Dexter Weeks (Arcana Studio)
• Daytripper #8 by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba (DC Comics/Vertigo)
• Legends: The Enchanted #0 by Nick Percival (Radical Comics)
• Sea Bear and Grizzly Shark by Ryan Ottley and Jason Howard (Image Comics)

Favourite continued story

• 2000AD #1650-1693: Judge Dredd: Tour of Duty (Rebellion)
• Fables #94-98: Rose Red by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham (DC Comics/Vertigo)
• Hellboy #47-49: The Storm by Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo (Dark Horse)
• Invincible #71-continuing: The Viltrumite War by Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley (Image Comics)
• The Walking Dead #73-79: Too Far Gone by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard (Image Comics)

Favourite 2010 cover

• 2000AD Prog 1700 by Jonathan Davis Hunt
• Axe Cop: Vol 1 by Ethan Nicolle
• Batwoman #0 by J.H. Williams III
• Daytripper #2 by Gabriel Ba
• War of the Independents by Dave Ryan

Favorite 2010 original graphic novel

• At The Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft and Ian Culbard (SELFMADE HERO)
• Hellblazer: Pandemonium by Jamie Delano and Jock
• Richard Stark's Parker: The Outfit by Darwyn Cooke
• Scott Pilgrim Vol 6: Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Fourth Estate)
• Superman: Earth One by J. Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis (DC Comics)

Favourite reprint compilation

• Absolute All Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly (DC Comics)
• Batwoman: Elegy by Gregg Rucker and J.H. Williams III (DC Comics)
• Charley's War: Great Mutiny by Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun (Titan Books)
• Doctor Who: Fugitive by Tony Lee, Al Davison and Matthew Smith (IDW Publishing)
• The Walking Dead: Volume 13 by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn (Image Comics)

Favourite comics-related book

• 75 Years of DC Comics by Paul Levitz (Taschen GmBH)
• Cover Run: The DC Comics Art of Adam Hughes by Adam Hughes (DC Comics)
• The Horror! the Horror!: Comic Books the Government Didn't Want You to Read! by Jim Trombetta and R. Spiel (Harry N. Abrams, Inc.)
• Icons: The DC Comics and WildStorm Art of Jim Lee by Jim Lee and Bill Baker (Titan Books)
• Mega-City One Archives by August Hann and Aaron Dembski-Bowden (Mongoose Publishing)

Favourite comics-related movie or TV show

• The Big Bang Theory
• Iron Man 2
• Kick Ass
• Scott Pilgrim Vs the World
• The Walking Dead

Favourite comics-related website

• Bleeding Cool
• ComicsAlliance
• Comic Attack
• Comic Book Resources
• Girls Read Comics Too
• Newsarama

Favourite magazine about comics

• Alter Ego (TwoMorrows)
• Back Issue (TwoMorrows)
• Comic Heroes (Future Publishing)
• Tripwire (Tripwire)
• Wizard (Wizard)

Roll of Honour

• John Byrne
• Carlos Ezquerra
• Dave Gibbons
• Bryan Lee O'Malley
• David Mazzuchelli

•  Vote in the Eagle Awards 2010

The Sunday Post Celebrates 75 Years Of Oor Wullie And The Broons

On Sunday 8 March 1936 the headline on DC Thomson's newspaper The Sunday Post was "Europe Alarmed - France's Retort to Hitler's Move - All Army Leave Cancelled". Inside however there was something a little more light hearted with the first episodes of the twin humour strips The Broons and Oor Wullie. That was the 1593rd issue of the paper.

3907 issues later, with a photo of the aftermath of the Japanese tsunami, the headline is "Death Toll Mounts" but The Broons and Oor Wullie are still there with two new stories and, especially for the 75th anniversary, a 16 page souvenir pullout. This covers the history of the two strips with details of their background and the people who worked on them including original artist Dudley D Watkins.

Published for the first time is an early strip in which Daphne Broon attempts to elope with her lover, considered too strong for the paper at the time, and a panel that shows Wullie's younger sibling, simply referred to as "The Bairn", who was quietly ignored in later strips. The pull-out continues the fallacy that Watkins was on a Nazi death list but includes an "A-Z Guide To Broon's Blethers" for those who find the Scottish dialect in the two strips a challenge.

The Sunday Post is on sale today, Sunday 13 March 2011, and costs £1.10.