More postcards and man-cave stuff

More postcards, more man-cave and some original comic art as well, happy me

Striker comic launches on Kickstarter!

As reported 3 weeks ago (here) Pete Nash, the creator of the Striker newspaper comic strip, was looking at ways to be able to launch a brand new weekly football comic.

And now he's found a way, all the details are on the Kickstarter campaign here. If the project gets funding, and it needs a lot of cash, then the plan is as follows...

...Launching in September 2018, the comic will be A4 size with a minimum 32 pages, all in colour. The first section will be devoted to the main serialised storyline, and we also plan to do at least one secondary strip focusing on the young wannabe footballers at the academy. At the back of the comic will be four or five pages of classic football strips from the seventies and eighties. In between will be news, interviews and features on the characters, plus stats on the world league clubs and players. 

Pete has already printed 4 volumes of the Striker archive, these are great collections, and very reasonably priced for the amount of content you get (hundreds of full colour pages in the latest volume).

Pete's looking to raise a whopping £35,000 - but that's not to print one comic - this is to print a dozen comics, so if (like me) you'll probably back the first dozen issues in print format that'll cost you £30 - so that's £2.50 a comic, the price of a cup of coffee. That's great value for money. 

Striker was a comic once before of course, and it lasted a very respectable 87 issues. It ran from August 20th 2003 - May 12th 2005 and also featured Billy's Boots reprinted strips as well as reprints of early Striker strips. 

So, a big target but Pete's 10% of the way there in less than 24 hours, watch this space for more updates on this ambitious comics project.

Comic Treasures: The Current Reading Pile

It's an eclectic mix...and it's going to take me bloomin' ages to read all of it...

Major new Frank Hampson exhibition announced

Peter Hampson, Frank's son, has revealed that the Atkinson in Southport (here) are planning a major exhibition dedicated to all aspects of Frank Hampson's work - starting on 15th September and carrying on into March 2019. This period will cover the centenary of Frank's birth.

Beyond this details are unknown at this stage but more details should start to emerge soon, after all it's only 5 short months away!

For more on the world's best public Dan Dare collection head here 

Here are some images from the 1990 exhibition that the Atkinson hosted...
Flyer

Window display, reconstruction of a rocket ship and entrance signage

Toys, original art and books on display...

Guardian cartoonists signing @ Gosh comics

Gosh comics have just announced here that a bevvy of cartoonists from The Guardian will be helping them to celebrate Free Comic Book Day on Saturday 5th May... 

as they say...
From 1-2pm, we have a Guardian Cartoonists Signing, with Tom Gauld, Stephen Collins and Simone Lia!

And what about those free comics? We'll have a massive range of FCBD 2018 titles available on the day, especially ones aimed at a younger audience. Because if comics can't be for kids, we're all doomed to future irrelevance as a cultural curiosity! We'll be opening early to accommodate the day, so get in the queue nice and early. Here are the rules:

Free comics will be available behind the counter downstairs.
Five per person, maximum one copy of each.
First come, first served.
Please respect your fellow comic fans on the day.

So mark it in your diaries and get your butts down here! There are things going on all over town, all day long, so make it a West End comics day (but especially a Gosh! Comics day!)

Cam Kennedy masterclass is tonight!

This is tonight, don't forget people!

The Cam Kennedy masterclass has now been re-scheduled to Wednesday 11th April @ 7pm (having previously been called off due to snow) - the event is free, you can register for tickets here

An evening with Cam Kennedy? Sounds great to me

The complete adventures of the Three Musketeers

The Book Palace have just announced here the publication of their next reprint volume of classic British comic strips

As they say...

Collected in a single volume for the first time, this classic of comic strip adaptation brings to life all the action and poignancy of Dumas's novel and its sequel (the enthralling mystery surrounding the Man in the Iron Mask).

Arturo Del Castillo was one of the greatest masters of Argentinian comic strip. His artistic skill is recognised internationally and his work on The Three Musketeers, The Man in the Iron Mask, and The King's Musketeers (all included here) is regarded as some of the finest pen and ink work ever created for comic strips.

These 3 comic strips originally appeared in the British comics Film Fun and Lion in the early 1960s. This is the first time they have ever been reprinted in this complete form. The quality of his penmanship is simply stunning on these strips. Also included here are 14 pages of rare reproductions of original del Castillo artwork.

The Three Musketeers are amongst the handful of literary characters who are known to virtually every person on the planet! Unlike most literary characters, the Musketeers are fashioned out of history: there really was a d'Artagnan and historical counterparts for each of his companions, although the romance woven around the characters came from author Alexandre Dumas's imagination.

I've already ordered my copy, so what are you waiting for?

Author: Alexandre Dumas; edited by Steve Holland
Artist: Arturo del Castillo
Publisher: Book Palace Books, due 30 April 2018
Number of pages: 112
Format: Flexi Cover; Black & White illustrations
Size: 9" x 11" (216mm x 280mm)
ISBN: 9780955159688

priced at £20 (plus £3.95 UK postage)

Mike Allred signing for FCBD @ Gosh comics

Gosh comics have just announced here another special signing to tie in with Free Comic Book Day on Saturday 5th May...

As they say...
Laura Allred and Mark Allred will be here from 5-6pm to sign for you lucky, lucky people!

And what about those comics? We'll have a massive range of FCBD 2018 titles available on the day, especially ones aimed at a younger audience. Because if comics can't be for kids, we're all doomed to future irrelevance as a cultural curiosity! We'll be opening early to accommodate the day, so get in the queue nice and early. Here are the rules:

Free comics will be available behind the counter downstairs.
Five per person, maximum one copy of each.
First come, first served.
Please respect your fellow comic fans on the day.

So mark it in your diaries and get your butts down here! There are things going on all over town, all day long, so make it a West End comics day (but especially a Gosh! Comics day!)

Saturday, May 5th: Free Comic Book Day 2018. See you there!

Simon Bisley to be joined by very special guest at Forbidden Planet signing

Forbidden Plant have announced (here) that not only will SIMON BISLEY will be signing 2000AD Digest: Batman/Judge Dredd at the Forbidden Planet London Megastore on Saturday 21st April from 4 – 5pm... 

If you can't make the signing you can pre-order a sign copy of Judgement on Gotham here

Simon will surely need to no introduction to readers of this blog but have you ever seen his work for 'Shit the dog' comic / magazine? Packed full of great artists I covered

issue 1 here

issue 2 here

issue 4 here

...but also that Cam Kennedy will be making a rare appearance in the nation's capital to join him, yay! 

Two rare sketchbooks that I picked up from Cam at the 2000AD 40th birthday bash...

ComicScene magazine launches!

Just a quick shout-out (not just because I'm published in it) for a great way to get an early look at Comic Scene - the new UK comics magazine...

GET COMICSCENE UK TODAY WORLDWIDE! Get a digital pdf copy of the new ‘ComicScene UK’ magazine in advance TODAY (within 24 hours) & your 64 page print copy by launch date 1st May for only £10 (approx. 12 euros, $15)! Pay PayPal comicsceneuk@gmail.com leaving name, email & address or email us at comicsceneuk@gmail / text 07734884320 for bank transfer details. Other options at www.comicscene.org

Don't forget that this is what you can look forward to inside issue zero...(which I've seen and it looks fantastic)...

ComicScene UK launches 1st May in print and digital format. You can’t buy it in the shops – it’s via mail order only.  You can see all subscription details and offers below and here..

Celebrating all that is great about comics in the UK and worldwide what should you expect in the 64 page launch issue of ComicScene.

In the launch issue, issue 0, we have;

Nuts and Bolts – John Freeman on the comic scene

Changing Face Of Dan Dare – Richard Sheaf takes a monthly look at the Pilot of the Future

How Comic Books Help Us Relive Our Childhood – Benoit Peeters.  How comic books help us to relive our childhood” was first published – in French and in English – by The Conversation (http://bit.ly/2BSYYk8). French graphic novelist and critic Benoît Peeters is Visiting Professor in Graphic Fiction and Comic Art, the first such appointment in the UK. With thanks to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (12th – 14th October 2018 www.comicartfestival.com) for arranging this representation.

The Prisoner – Stephen Jewell interviews Pete Milligan and Colin Lorimer on the new title from Titan Comics

OK Computer – Luke Williams debates digital v print comics

21st Century Flashback – Fred MacNamara on Thunderbirds

Art Gallery –  original unseen art with a story from Rufus Dayglo

Shiver and Shake – Martin Dallard takes a look at a fabulous first issue!

Hatch, Match and Dispatch Valiant & Lion – David Moloney speaks to Chris Lowder and Steve MacManus about the merger of two great titles.

The Growth of Cosplay – Louise Saul provides an insiders guide to the growth of cosplay at comic conventions

Creators Writes – Co Creator of Judge Dredd John Wagner tells us how his new character Rok of the Reds was developed

The Cartmel Factor – Ian Wheeler takes a monthly look at Doctor Who comics, including the new series of 7th Doctor adventures from Titan Comics

Free Comic Book Day – Richard Bruton on previous Comic Book Day issues

25 years of Batman Mask Of Phantasm  – Tim Hayes looks back at 25 years of Batman animation as Batman Ninja hits the screens

Captain Scotland – A new strip followed by an interlude by writer Tom J Farmer and art by Jose Rodriguez Mota and Valentina Mozzo.  Catch up with the story so far at https://comicsflix.org/2017/11/30/captain-scotland-back-to-the-future/

Through the Looking Glass: The secret history of Toxic – John McShane takes a look at Toxic and the influence Scotland has had on comics.

That Whooshing Noise: 30 Years of Deadline – Tim Pilcher speaks to the original creators of Deadline

30 years of Tank Girl – Chris McAulay reads Tank Girl for the first time

Remembering Steve Dillon – Joel Meadows on one of the creators of Deadline, Steve Dillon

Judge Dredd v Batman – Karl Stock on the meetings of the Mega City Lawman and the Caped Crusader of Gotham

Rachael Ball: Creator of Wolf – Tony Esmond takes a monthly look at Small Press

Stuck in the 18th Century – Steve Tanner on the creation of Flintlock

Fanscene – 50 Years of Fandom.  David Hathaway Price takes a regular look at fandom over the last 50 years with the infamous Unicorn

50 years of Apollo Landings – Stephen Jewell takes a look at the new graphic novel Apollo, launched a year before the 50th anniversary of the Apollo landings

Collecting Roy of the Rovers – Richard Sheaf regular column on Roy of the Rovers and sport/adventure comics

The Last Word – 2000AD creator Pat Mills writes his new and regular column. #tlw

Whackoman – Marc Jackson new strip