Returning manga heroine at BICS 2009

By Neil Elkes on Aug 12, 09 04:19 PM

A JAPANESE manga artist, who honed her skills with the Birmingham comic community,
is making a welcome return to the second city for BICS 2009.

Tokyo born Michiru Morikawa, was a highly successful graduate of the Hi8us Stripsearch course winning an International Manga and Anime Festival award in 2005.

Now thanks to the Sasakawa Foundation, an organisation dedicated to encouraging cultural links between the UK and Japan, Michiru will be launching her new comic Buskers at the British International Comics Show at Millennium Point on October 3 and 4.

Known for her singular style of art that merges children's illustration with manga Michiru will be helping to launch the new book "Buskers" drawn by her, written by Sean Michael Wilson and published by Insomnia Publications.

BICS spokesman Shane Chebsy said: "She is reported to be "very excited" about visiting Birmingham, as she lived there earlier in her career and never expected to have the opportunity to visit her favourite British city again so soon."

In addition to overseas guests BICS will be increasing other multi cultural elements of the show including a special panel hosted by comics historian and writer Paul Gravett called "Found In Translation" that helps readers to discover translated works form all over the world that they may not previously have encountered.

These include graphic novels and comics from France, Spain, Japan and Germany.
Also, flying in from Spain, is renowned Marvel artist Pasqual Ferry (Ultimate Iron Man) to help UK fans celebrate 70 years of Marvel Comics along with other legendary creators like Alan Davis and Mark Farmer.

Other recent additions to the guest list include Angel artist Stephen Mooney and Doctor Who and Captain Britain writer Paul Cornell, both of whom will be available for signings all weekend.