Comics In Northern Ireland

With the good news of the return of 2D, Northern Ireland's Comics Festival, for its fifth year in the Verbal Arts Centre in Londonderry at the beginning of June, perhaps it is an appropriate time to take a look at what else is happening comics-wise in the Province.

In Derry, 2D has inspired and supported local small pressers who have combined into the 2D Collective. As well as a blog the Collective has published, with the help of the Verbal Arts Centre, two collections of comics, Fear and If Stones Could Speak.
There are more details about the 2D Collective on their blog.

Meanwhile Belfast has already played host this year to the Guardian's political cartoonist Steve Bell who gave a talk at the Out To Lunch Arts Festival in January. Also in Belfast the Crescent Arts Centre is currently running two ten week long courses, an illustration class with David Haughey entitled Visual Narrative which runs on Wednesday evenings and a Cartoon Masterclass with John Farrelly which runs each Saturday.
There are more details of the Crescent Arts Centre courses on their website.

For Ulster otaku the Forbidden Planet International store in Belfast (despite still being called "Talisman" by some locals) has joined in with the rest of the UK stores in arranging manga evenings, including quizzes, cosplay and money off offers with the last one being just this week.
There are more details of their events at the FPI Belfast Facebook page.

Also in Belfast there is a regular meeting of local comics people, both small press and professionals, in the Cloth Ear bar at the Merchant Hotel in Waring Street. They also run a well designed and informative blog under the simple name of Belfast Comics using the Belfast Big Fish as their logo. If that wasn't enough they also sell both their own small press comics and those of other creators from both north and south of the Irish border at the monthly Black Market indoor indie/alternative fair at the Black Box arts venue in Belfast. The next Black Market will be held on Sunday 6 March.
There are more details of the Belfast Comics group on their blog and details of their meetings are listed on their Facebook page.

The downthetubes Comics Events calendar is available for Northern Ireland organisers (as well as those in the rest of the UK) to advertise their events for free, and while tagged as British Comics Events, we are more than happy for organisers in the Republic Of Ireland to use it to promote their events as well.

10thology project to debut at Cardiff comic expo

The Cardiff International Comic Expo takes place at the end of this month - and with it, the launch of 10thology, an exciting looking comics project featuring a host of top Welsh comic creators, including Mike Collins, Si Wyatt and Dylan Teague.

10thology features 10 stories, each 10 pages in length, written and illustrated by some of Wales' brightest and best creative talents. From comic industry legends such as Mike Collins, to Indie/Small Press creative studio Monkeys with Machineguns, and newcomers to the world of comics from the fields of film and animation, these creators have come to together to create a unique set of stories all linked with a distinctly Welsh theme and flavour.

Welsh artist Stu.Art (Stuart Tipples) is the man behind the project and explains the idea behind the book.

"I would go to regular social meetings with the writers  and artists that feature in the book to get together, catch up, and see what everyone was working on or meet up at the various comic conventions (usually taking place on the other side of the bridge).

"It occurred to me that there was such a wealth of Welsh talent from creators living and working in Wales at these events that we could create a very original and unique book."

The Knights of Craig Y Ddinas:
Words Stu.Art Art Mike Collins
Colours Kris Carter

The line up, is impressive and is as follows:

• The Knights of Craig Y Ddinas written by Stu.Art with art from Mike Collins and colour by Kris Carter
• Dai Hard by Rich McAuliffe with art by Jenny Clemments
• Devoloution by Chris Lynch with art by Patrick Goddard, Dan Harris, Mark Smith, Craig Lewis & Stu.Art
• The Valley of the Gwadni by Si Wyatt
• Humour Rights by Steve Morris
• The Hidden Flame by Dave Clifford & Jamie Lambert
• Project Phoenix by Terry Cooper
• Mallt Y Nos by Chris Lynch with art by Stu.Art
• The Edge of World by Jon Rennie, art by Dave Young & Lucy Artis
• The Valley of the Gwadni by Si Wyatt
• Red Cave by Pete Rogers, art by Stu.Art
• Plus an exclusive pin-up by Dylan Teague

Dylan Teague's stunning pin up
for 10thology

•  10thology will be released at the Cardiff International Comic Expo on Saturday 26th February 2011. Tickets are available for pre-booking online at http://www.fantasyevents.org/cice - but they've almost sold out, so hurry along now! 

• All advanced ticket holders to CICE will receive a promotional 10thology postcard that gives them £2.99 off the RRP of £14.99 and entry into a competition to win original 10thology art. 10thology goes on general release summer 2011.

• Web: www.10thology.co.uk or Email: infoAT10thology.co.uk
• Story thanks to this report on Geek Syndicate

"It's... Jokes" is latest Signature Publishing title for kids

Signature Publishing, whose titles include Dinosaur King and Dinomite, are to release It's... Jokes magazine later this month.

The new magazine is the fourth in their successful “It’s…” series, aimed at 5 to 10 year olds and, say the publishers, will feature "tonnes of side-splitting gags, crazy puzzles and sneaky pranks.

"Every issue comes with a mega-mischievous joke pack, containing five free tricks; a whoopee cushion, fake spilled glue, pretend nail through the finger, a creepy cockroach, snappy chewing gum plus a free packet of Haribo sweets."

There's no indication from their press information on whether the title will include strip material, but you'd at least expect some cartoons with a name like that.

Signature Publishing’s portfolio includes Dinomite, Turbo Xtreme, Easy Peazy, Fantastic Funworld.

• It’s… Jokes Issue 1 goes on sale 22nd February 2011 for 8 weeks and priced at £3.99

Skyjack to launch Moshi Monsters title

Skyjack Publishing, the company behind their own title, Megaton and who have also packaged comics such as Ben 10 for Egmont, launch a new UK monthly magazine, Moshi Monsters, later this month.

Based on the hugely popular online game that lets you adopt your own monsters, the 52-page magazine is aimed at boys and girls aged six to 12-years old, and will feature have puzzles, activities, recipes, comic strips - including work from comic creators such as former TOXIC artist Jon Rushby - and competitions about the Moshi Monsters world.

Issue 1 includes two free in-game items for kids to decorate their monster's rooms, as well as two packets of Moshi Bandz and a pack of Topps Mash Up! trading cards.

Described as Tamagotchi meets Brain Training online for kids, Moshi Monsters is the phenomenally successful web game for children that allows them to create virtual pets, which they then maintain by way of educational based gameplay.

Launched in January 2009, Moshi Monsters now has over 30 million players worldwide and is not only one of the largest children’s websites in the world, but is also one of the fastest growing children’s entertainment properties ever - and it's estimated that one in three British children in the target age group have created a Moshi Monster online.

As an added bonus for Moshi fans, the magazine will feature secret codes to hidden levels and exclusive redeemable in-game items.

• Moshi Monsters goes on sale on 17th February, with a cover price of £2.99.

• Skyjack Publishing: http://www.skyjackpublishing.co.uk/


• Moshi Monsters Magazine: www.moshimag.com