April 2011 Archives

CLICK ON the Farmageddon strips below and feel free to chuckle along - It's all part of our friendly customer service!
Below is a preview video for the Farmageddon animation series that is in development!

For more on Farmageddon visit: www.farmadeggon.tv

For more on Gordon Fraser visit: www.freewebs.com/gordonfraser/

THE LIVES of Sacco & Vanzetti is the latest book by Rick Geary in his A Treasury of Murder series, wherein he tackles one of the most controversial case of the 20th century.

Anarchists Sacco & Vanzetti were accused of robbery and murder but so many supposedly damning pieces of evidence were questionable their guilty verdict elicited massive protests around the world.

Published by NBM, the longest established publisher of graphic novels in America, The Lives of Sacco & Vanzetti is said to presents all the twists and turns, appeals and dubious evidence after offering the human face of the two men, demonised by many, turned to martyrs by many others, and all in award-winning cartoonist and comic book creator Rick Geary's reliably unflappable way.

The Lives of Sacco & Vanzetti will be available in comic and book shops, a small limited edition featuring a special bind, a tip in sheet of art specially along with signature and its limited numbering all done by Rick himself is available direct from NBM only.

For more about The Lives of Sacco & Vanzetti visit: www.nbmpub.com

THIS MORNING featured Mike Collins and Rich Johnston chatting about Kate & William: A Very Public Love Story today.

Below is a Youtube video with the couple (the creators not the Royal couple-to-be!) about the comic.

West Bromwich-born Mike Collins has also been interviewed for special Royal wedding edition of The Birmingham Mail.

To find out more about Kate & William: A Very Public Love Story visit: www.markosia.com

THIS MORNING, the popular British daytime television programme featured on ITV is scheduled to feature the West Bromwich-born Mike Collins (whose art is featured to the left) along with Rich Johnston today.

Collins and Johnston, along with Gary Erskine are the creators behind Markosia's popular graphic novel Kate & William: A Very Public Love Story about the forthcoming Royal wedding.

Written by England's Rich Johnston, Kate & William: A Very Public Love Story tells the life story of the Royal couple in two directions. The front half of the book was drawn by Mike Collins who now resides in Wales, and the back half by Scottish artist Gary Erskine, making it a truly Great British collaboration.

Told in the form of a fictional diary, Collins drew the life story of Kate Middleton in the style of a 1970s girls' comic book, albeit with some very modern touches.

While Erskine delineates Prince William from the rugby pitches of Eton to army officer training at Sandhurst before his army and RAF exploits, narrated by newspaper headlines and mission briefings evoking the popular war and boys' sports comics of yesteryear.

In the greater scheme of things (daytime TV being what it is), Collins and Johnston's appearance will possibly be short, but scheduled for around 11.55am, so you're advised to record the programme... Erskine could not make the show as he is away on honeymoon himself!

To find out more about Kate & William: A Very Public Love Story visit: www.markosia.com

This summer, a unique event takes place at The Studio, Birmingham, bringing together seasoned professionals and aspiring creators from around the world with one thing in common: a passion for comics.

The first event of its kind, Launch Pad includes a full programme of workshops and seminars designed to inform and inspire budding writers and artists, along with opportunities for portfolio reviews and face-to-face feedback.

Speakers at the one day conference include legendary creator Klaus Janson, DC Comics Senior Editor Joey Cavalieri and 2000ad Editor Matt Smith, and the event is officially supported by Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Rebellion Entertainment, Diamond Distribution and a host of other major publishing companies worldwide.

Join International Comics Shows at The Studio in Canon Street on Saturday, June 18 and find out how to make your career take off.

The Conference is limited to 300 delegates and includes an option to attend the exclusive after event roof garden party with complimentary food and drink.

To find out more or to book your place go to: http://www.comicslaunchpad.com

MICHAEL GOLDEN has been honored with the I-CON Artist Guest of Honour Award at the renowned, 30-years running, Long Island festival of science fiction and pop culture.

Co-creator of the X-men's Rogue, Spartan X and Bucky O'Hare, Golden is known for his groundbreaking work on "The 'Nam, The Micronauts, G.I. Joe Yearbook and Dr. Strange, and is counted as one of the best cover designers and storytellers in the business.

The I-CON Artist Guest of Honour Award is added to other honors including the Lille Guest of Honor Award as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

Michael has served as an Editor at DC Comics as well as Senior Art Director at Marvel Comics, and has worked on scores of movie production projects, with new ones currently in development. His art has been the focus of gallery shows in places as diverse as Gijon, Barcelona, New York, Antwerp and Brussels, while his class on storytelling has been conducted from Spain to Brussels to France to Canada to the United States, and most recently China.

Golden was also an international guest at BICS 2008 in Birmingham.

2011 B.C. is an all-new comic convention to take place in Birmingham, the heart of England on Saturday 27th August.

Birmingham hosted the very first comic book convention in the UK back in 1968, was home to the fondly remembered Birmingham Comic Art Shows back in the eighties, and in this millennium has been the annual place-of-residence to what has become the largest dedicated comic book convention in Great Britain; the British International Comics Show - originally the Birmingham International Comics Show, and more affectionately known as BICS.

It should come as no surprise that this new day and-a-half event of 2011 B.C. (Birmingham Comicon) as well as Comic Launchpad that takes place on Saturday June 18th (until the early hours of Sunday morning) is being organised by International Comic Shows, the people behind BICS itself.

Despite rumours and certain actual lies that have been propagated, it was established last year that BICS could not exist as a two day event at the Thinktank in Millennium Point this year because of work being undertaken related to Aston University. BICs organisers did investigate other venues, and on a national level - including the London Design Centre that subsequently became home to the comics and related media event Kapow that took place recently - but no suitable venue was located for the size of show that BICS had become.

2011 B.C. should prove a more than suitable replacement with guests already confirmed including Eisner Award winner Chris Sprouse (Tom Strong, Batman) flying in from the USA, Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons and Peter Hogan (author of books on bands such Queen and R.E.M. and comics ranging from The Dreaming to Tom Strong).

2011 B.C. will take place at the Holiday Inn, a large spacious venue in Birmingham's city centre, and right next door to Nostalgia & Comics, one of the longest established comic speciality shops in all of Europe! And what's more, kids under 12 accompanied by an adult can get in for free!

Meanwhile Comics Launchpad recently announced that DC Comics Senior Editor Joey Cavalieri will be attending the show as well as renowned artist Klaus Janson as Marvel Comics' representative, and many other comic book professionals offering master classes, tips and practical advice on the comics business.

Comic book fans look set to find their Summer fun in Brum this year!

For more information on 2011 B.C. visit: www.thecomicsshow.co.uk

For more information on Comics Launchpad visit: www.comicslaunchpad.com

CLICK ON the episode below and it will expand to fill your screen!
If you're new to Carter's Column head over to the Search button and check out the previous online serials where you'll find previous featured artists have included John Royle (Wolverine: Evilution, Spider-Man) and Gary Crutchley (2000AD, Death Race).

What's more it's not just the previous serials you'll find but features about the series along with exclusive character sketches and special interviews with the various creators and news about their other current projects.

For more information on the creators:

For Andrew Dodd: www.andydoddartoons.co.uk

CLICK ON the Farmageddon strips below and have a laugh with some fools on the hill!
Below is a preview video for the Farmageddon animation series that is in development!

For more on Farmageddon visit: www.farmadeggon.tv

For more on Gordon Fraser visit: www.freewebs.com/gordonfraser/

The Adventures of Tintin: The Seven Crystal Balls

Methuen

While I knew the scenario behind Tintin and its main cast, and recall a b/w live-action TV series from long ago, I had never actually ever read an album. Disgusted that I had lived as long as I have without doing so, my friend the comic book artist Shane Oakley sent me this book.

The Seven Crystal Balls is an interesting book to come on board as a first read for it was published in Le Soir during the German occupation of World War II, and with the liberation of Belgium the newspaper staff, including Tintin's creator Herge (whose real name was Georges Remi) were investigated for being collaborators - To be frank that might make an even more interesting movie than the one Spielberg intends to make about Tintin.

The story begins in England, on a train where Tintin reads about seven explorers who've returned from South America after a two year long trip where they found the mummy and gold crown of an ancient Incan called Rascar Capac.

Tintin is visiting his old friend Captain Haddock, a bellowing loud but likeable type whose sea-faring days appear to be long gone for his lauding it up in a British stately home, also visiting is Professor Calculus. There's later a visit to a music hall where yet another acquaintance or two are seen, and it's all quite some time before we get to see a mystery of any kind unfold.

Slowly, and almost surely, we discover the explorers have been falling into strange comas, and Tintin finds out that the remains of crystal balls that have been smashed are left at the scene of the crimes. Calculus is now staying with Professor Tarragon, an explorer yet to succumb to the crystal's strange powers but the game is afoot and before long he does.

Mysteries ensue until Tintin comes to suspect that the stage assistant of General Alcazar (who they had seen at the theatre before) is behind it all, for she is supposedly a descendant of the Incas. Amidst this Calculus is kidnapped, taken on board a ship for Peru, and the story concludes with Tintin and co catching a plane to attempt to rescue him; this story being resolved in the following album, Prisoner of the Sun, that was serialised in the new Tintin magazine that debuted in 1946 after Remi was absolved of collaboration involvement.

There is no denying that the artwork is excellently delightful, each panel a studied drawing in itself, and save for the fact that the British bobbies populating this book are all dressed as French gendarmes most of the English countryside scenes wouldn't look out of place in an episode of the latest Midsomer Murders TV series.

It's a chatty book, an awful lot of casual talking and friendly banter with old chums and even passers-by, and some asides done for comedic effect that take up half a page but don't really move the story on - An aspect of its original serialised nature perhaps. Much as my natural inclination was to say "Get a move on" it's all done so endearingly, with charm and precision. There's no doubt why this has remained a children's favourite worldwide with each passing generation, and is a series that adults can find themselves lost in time with.