Porcelain signing at Gosh tonight

Don't forget that this is happening tonight people...

The Gosh facebook page here has just announced a signing by the creatives behind Porcelain, as it says on the website...

The creative team behind the fantastical, gothic fairytale Porcelain, Benjamin Read and Chris Wildgoose will be joining us for a signing on Thursday the 30th of November, 6-7pm!

Porcelain: Ivory Tower, number three in the much loved series (out right now from Improper Books!), continues to explore the themes of consciousness, self-determination and the corruption of power in a beautifully illustrated and tightly plotted journey through a fully realised and troubled world. Mixing gothic horror, sci-fi, a fairy tale sensibility and an epic sense of scale we're certain the Porcelain series is a future classic of young adult fiction so we're thrilled to have the creators with us!

Ben and Chris will be here on Thursday, 30th November, 6-7pm. If you can't make it but would like a signed copy, drop us an email to info@goshlondon.com to arrange a reservation or a mail order.

Bond bargains afoot on the Forbidden Planet website

Following on from their very cheap Charley's War volumes I've noticed that the Forbidden Planet website (here) has a number of cheap James Bond omnibus volumes - all the below are at £2.99 plus postage, so what are you waiting for?

Isle of Wight comic Con 2018

Following on from the inaugural Isle of Wight comic con, earlier this month, the organisers have announced big plans to expand Island Con for 2018....

As they say themselves...


ISLAND CON returns in 2018 with a NEW venue, NEW look, NEW set up and pretty much NEW everything! We listened to your feedback and took as much on board as possible to craft for you the show you all want. We've learned, we've adapted, and we're stepping up a massive level in 2018!

First off, in case you don't know already, we would like to introduce you to our new venue - the Cowes Enterprise College, AKA: CEC, AKA: COWESEC.

The event is taking the entire ground floor of the CEC - and more - which is a seriously massive amount of space for us to give you the show we always wanted to give you. It's a real hidden gem of a venue with exhibition hall style areas, car parking and state of the art visual and audio capabilities. Best of all, it's still only a few minutes walk from the Red Jet terminal!

So WHEN is this all happening!? - Sat 20th & Sun 21st October 2018!!


Search Facebook for 'Island Con 2018'.

In 2018, on top of everything we can improve on, we will have gaming zones, kids zones, fully fledged workshops, large pre-show and after-show parties and... well, we better leave some surprises 

Tickets are already on sale here
 

Charley's War art for sale

About a month ago I highlighted 3 Joe Colquhoun pages of Charley's War art that were for sale for £2100, here, they failed to sell. The first board was then listed separately (here) with bidding starting at £599 and eventually selling for £624.

Now another of the original batch is up for sale here, again the bidding starts at £599, good luck

Striker volume 4 now available to order

Pete Nash has announced that volume 4 of his newspaper Striker strip is now available to order here for £25 (unsigned) or £30 (signed) plus P&P.

Pete says...
This collection features every adventure from January, 1999, through to the start of 2001. This is the period when Striker said goodbye to pen and ink and became the first comic strip in the world to be created entirely in 3D computer-generated software. This 320-page blockbuster also heralds the introductions of schoolboy striker Callum Angelo and the irrepressible Fabian De Guisson.

As with all the books in the collection, there's a fascinating introduction with photos by Striker creator Pete Nash, who looks back on the amazing milestones and events in this period that continued to shape Striker's history.

Unsigned books will be despatched from the first week of December and signed books from December 7, as we have to get over to Belfast to sign them.

Please note that orders received after December 17 may not arrive in time for Christmas so be quick.

Ian Livingstone @ Forbidden Planet London this lunchtime!

Don't forget that this is happening today people...


As Forbidden Planet say on their website (here) ...join a fabulous Fighting Fantasy line-up at Forbidden Planet, signing Titan Comics’ FREEWAY FIGHTER on Saturday 25th November from 1 – 2pm!
Forbidden Planet are pleased to welcome back Gamesmaster Ian Livingstone and artist Jim Burns, bringing us the last leg of this furious road trip.

Celebrating 35 years in 2017, Fighting Fantasy brought together choice-driven storytelling with a dice-based role-playing system to create a world in which ‘YOU are the hero!’ The series sold over
18 million copies worldwide and has been translated into over 30 languages.

In the new comics series, an unknown virus has wiped out over 85% of the world’s human population. Former I-400 Driver Bella De La Rosa is one of the 15% – living every day as if it were her last. Now, eighteen months after the collapse of civilisation, faced with a new world order where violence and chaos rule the Freeway. She must hone her racing skills and survive any way she can!
Also available ONLY at the event are two very Limited Edition Prints!

Stepping away from the usual mix of orcs and goblins, FREEWAY FIGHTER is a road trip like no other. Dare you take it? If yes, turn to paragraph 132!

Gilbert Shelton signing tomorrow afternoon

Just a reminder about this signing tomorrow afternoon...

Counter culture hero Gilbert Shelton will be with here from Saturday the 25th November, 1-2pm, signing his work to celebrate fifty freakin' years since the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers!

For those who've been in a green haze since 1960, Gilbert Shelton might be considered one of the godfather's of stoner comics, starting with the Superman parody strips Wonder Wart Hog, in 1961 followed by the equally iconic Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and the spin off Fat Freddy's cat in 1977. He never made it to Vietnam (as was considered unfit after admitting to having taken LSD), but his cartoon creations did, becoming a significant part of the cultural and emotional resistance that defined the era. He was also active in San Francisco music scene, after moving to the city in 1978, designing LP covers, for the Grateful Dead's 1978 Shakedown street among others. 

Cliff Robinson draws Dan Dare

Another image fished out of the back of the cupboard...got this from ebay a few years back and know nothing about it apart from I've never seen Cliff Robinson drawing Dan Dare, it's dated 1991 and shows that Cliff could have made a decent fist of drawing Dare.

Anyone else come across this before?

Bryan Talbot @ Orbital - part 2

...there's also a rare opportunity to buy some of Bryan's original pages from previous Grandville volumes. In total there are 25 boards on display priced from £270-£420; the more expensive ones feature, as you might expect violence, LeBrock and Ratzi

Bryan Talbot @ Orbital - part 1

Last Thursday (15th November 2017) Bryan Talbot was at Orbital comics in central London (more details here) signing copies of Grandville - Force Majeure (and other Grandville volumes), I popped along and took a few snaps..

Bryan signing and talking to fans

Hard at work signing and sketching in people's books

I'm nearly at the front of the queue by now

Well worth the wait (1)

Well worth the wait (2)

Dan Dire - a 2nd helping

A second helping of Dan Dire from the pages of Private Eye nearly 30 years ago....

From #687, 15/04/88

From #683, 19/02/88

From #688, 29/04/88

Dan Dire - part 1

From the pages of Private Eye, from about 30 years ago, I have an incomplete collection of Dan Dire - pilot of the future? cartoons, here are 3 early episodes.
You may have to cast your mind back to work out which particular politicians are being lampooned but you can see the details of the original strip being fed through into this rip-off versions that tells you that the artist is a fan.

From # 673, 2/10/87

From # 675, 30/10/87

From #682, 05/02/88

Winnie the Pooh to star in V&A exhibition

Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring A Classic Opening Saturday 9 December at the Victoria & Albert Musuem Get ready for the UK’s largest ever exhibition on Winnie-the-Pooh, for ages two to one hundred and two. A multi-sensory and playful exhibition, Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring A Classic will explore the magical world of the charismatic bear, star of the most popular children's book of all time.   Around 230 works from the 1920s to the present day will be on show, including original illustrations, manuscripts, proofs and early editions, letters, photographs, cartoons, ceramics and fashion, all featuring the much-loved character and his friends.

'The bees are getting suspicious', pencil drawing by E. H. Shepard, from Winnie-the-Pooh, chapter 1. © The Shepard Trust, reproduced with permission from Curtis Brown

'Bump, bump, bump', pencil drawing by E. H. Shepard, from Winnie-the-Pooh, chapter 1, 1926. © The Shepard Trust, reproduced with permission from Curtis Brown

Christopher Robin ceramic tea-set presented to Princess Elizabeth, hand-painted, Ashtead Pottery, 1928. © Royal Collection Trust

Wimbledon Comic Art Festival

Saturday saw the inaugural Wimbledon Comic Art Festival taking place at Merton Arts Space within Wimbledon library. The event was organised by Rik Jackson (@gojacksongo) and brought together a diverse selection of creators and publishers in a small but perfectly formed venue.

While the advertising outside the library itself was a little thin on the ground (eventually an A-board with an A4 poster on it appeared outside) the location of the space within the library itself seemed to draw people in really successfully. I certainly saw plenty of people wander in slightly cautiously from the library, enticed I'm sure by the absence of an entrance fee and the 'comics for kids' opportunities.

Rik had managed to get the venue for free so was able to offer free entry for punters and free tables for creatives. The event had a really friendly vibe and eventually was able to run later than anticipated. The following selection of photos hopefully gives you a flavour of what was on offer...

Here's Rik in his trademark black shirt...

I had a good chat to David Broughton (@DBroughtonDavid) about our shared love of Dan Dare, I caught up with a number of back issues that I'd wanted to get hold for a while, thanks for the VCs print Dave!

Here's Matt Garvey (@Matt Garvey1981) who tells me he's writing a dozen comics at the moment! We chatted about his work on Cordelia Swift, Matt had copies of The Ether, Transfer and Chunks and was chatting to all and sundry about his work. A pleasure to meet. I really enjoyed The Ether #1 and will be looking forward to future issues.

Some of Rik's comics...

Rik's comics (and Dave Broughton eating a banana I think)

Most of the Awesome comics podcast team were there as well selling merchandise and not really recording as many interviews with people as they should, on the other hand as episode 124 of their podcast proves, they did spend plenty of time with creators and really enjoyed their time in Wimbledon.

The Centrala stand, they can be found here

The 'space' and interested punters

The Avery Hill team (more details here) had a diverse selection of material available...

Here's Rik again, standing proud!

Gareth Brookes (@brookes_gareth) had a fantastic selection of material on offer...

The man himself standing proudly over his books

Hawk and Cleaver (more details here) were also there successfully selling books (well, we were in the library) and comics, including El Marvo #1, as they themselves say about this...

In the distant future, nuclear war and disease has ravaged the planet once called Earth and all that is left alive of the damaged and often horribly mutated human race live on a singular continent called Muck, where they worship Sokrates - a dictator whose rule has enslaved many and is using up all that is left of the lands resources on hideous weapons, physically altered beasts and super-soldiers.
Luchador wrestler vigilante El Marvo awakes from a self-imposed cryo-sleep with a fractured memory and a missing limb, hell-bent on piecing together his past and taking on the evil oppressors of Muck with the help of a pair of teenage heroes – Go Get ‘Em Girl and Knuckle Duster.

My other comics creator of the day was Paul Shinn (more details here) with his (only slightly) penguin obsessed array of material to purchase, including

Comics and posters at the entrance to Wimbledon Library...

A great start from Rik, here's hoping for more of the same next year...