Nottingham Comic Con - Part 3.

Wow.... Part 3 already.

What else can you find at Nottingham Comic Convention on October the 20th? 

Well, look no further I am here to assist.

How can I fail to include my old pal Kev Brett. He’s not only the organiser of this convention but also a very talented and funny cartoonist who I have had the great pleasure of working with in the past. He wears his UK humour comics influences on his sleeves and everything he chooses to point his pencil and brush at makes me laugh. Find some examples of his strips collected for you to buy at his table. 

http://www.kev-brett.co.uk/illustration/comics/

Michael Robertson is a writer of many stories some are in the form of prose and some are in the form of comics. He predominantly writes science fiction with a darker edge to it. He releases comics under the imprint of Off-Kilter Comics. He’s got a draw full of ideas that should interest any comics reader. I can recommend his comics anthology Gods as a good place to start.

http://www.off-kiltercomics.com

Reckless Hero. What else is there left to say about these guys? Bombastic and in your face straight up well written action comics that will keep punching until you spit blood! I’ve just read issue 3 of Operation Boom and thoroughly recommend it! With art by Chris Imber, Chris Jenkins and Brian Vander it is a pacy page turner! Who doesn’t love a bit of violent spy fun.

https://recklesshero.com/the-last-sheriff/

Cog Life Comics are a group of creators out of Liverpool. They attack the gates of banality with their thoughtful and exciting new comics. Guys with chat and enthusiasm that will inspire you to buy their books and create for yourself. Their books are full of murder, thrills, psychos and even the odd Yeti. 

https://coglifecomics.co.uk

Horde Comics! Shout it loudly (and they wont flick you in the balls). Some of the funniest guys I know who make some of the most fucked up comics! They launched a hugely successful Kickstarter earlier this year for the first issue of their horror anthology and have more coming soon. They also make a mean Sunday Roast (feel free to ask them about it!).

https://www.hordecomics.com/about/

So...... what are you waiting for? Head over to http://www.nottinghamcomiccon.co.uk/tickets/ and grab a ticket.

See you there.

Many thanks for reading.

What to Look Out For at Nottingham this year (Small Press Special).

Part 2 is here.  What to look out for at Nottingham Comic Convention on the 20th of October.

Tickets for this excellent event are available here http://www.nottinghamcomiccon.co.uk/tickets/

This time I’ve gone for some Small Press that you may previously have missed.

(Part 3 will follow soon).

Some of my favourite small press books of the last year. Rachel Leigh Carter has that dry sense of humour that is really infectious. Why not grab yourself a potted history of the greatest actor of a generation in ‘Nic Cage: Actor for Hire’ or some jangly 1980s northern pop with ‘Morrissey: Misery in Bitesize Chunks.’ Trust me when I say that these make great bathroom reading.

https://tinynoggin.wordpress.com

Jason Garrattley has come to my notice over the last year with his comics and sketches that often celebrate the rock stars of days gone by. Books that cover the obvious touchstones like Bolan and Bowie to even The Bassists of the 70s. He has a great ability with ink and colour to make some stunning images.

https://betweenclarkandhilldale.blogspot.com

We Are Happy Clam is the micro publishing project of Emily Owen. After living with an artist this creator thought she’d have a go and has produced some thoughtful zines for the discerning reader ever since (I also have some unspoken thoughts about the name of her company? Emily?). Stop by and chat to one of my favourite people.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WeAreHappyClam

I first noticed Chris Arkham when I read and reviewed his Yeti vs Nazis horror comic Abominable Glory (written by Martin Hayes) in 2015. The art was next level and told a great story. He has since been working with Aces Weekly and I’m keen to catch up with more by this creator. Well worth a stop by his table.

http://www.chris-askham.co.uk

Little Heroes is a charity organisation that is close to my heart. A UK charity that also trades under the comics imprint Fair Spark Books, that helps distribute comics and comic making kits to sick children in hospitals. They have been producing some great books. May I thoroughly recommend their Gallant and Amos series which has huge amounts of great art, energy and chuckles. If you are feeling particularly generous you might fancy purchasing the Little Heroes Anthology (full disclosure that I’m in issue one).

https://fairsparkbooks.co.uk/product/gallant-and-amos-issue-2

‘Hello! I’m Gareth Sleightholme. I draw and write comics amongst other things, mostly about monsters and the people that hunt or are hunted by them…’ That is what you need to know! This guy is really climbing the ladder. His work is easily worthy of a major publisher and I highly recommend buying something from Gareth. It can only be a matter of time before you see this artist working for a publisher like Dark Horse.

https://ironshodape.wordpress.com

More to come....

Many thanks for reading.

Nottingham Comic Con - What to Look For! Part 1.

Nottingham Comic Convention is heading our way fast!

Now in I t’s a one day event being held on Saturday the 20th of October at The Nottingham Conference Centre, Nottingham, NG1 4BU.

You can find tickets here http://www.nottinghamcomiccon.co.uk/tickets/

I’m going to be posting about it over the next few weeks. Here is a ‘Part 1’ of what to look out for there.

This is one of the best events of the year and I’ll be there with my Awesome Comics Pod brothers Vince and Dan. We’ll have issue 3 of the Awesome Comics anthology for sale there and as of 10am this will be the first time you’ll be able to get your hands on it.

You can order it from this link if you aren’t attending and catch up on issues 1 and 2. We’ll also have some special offers on prints that go along with the series, Watch this space.

https://awesomecomicpod.bigcartel.com

Nottingham has turned into the sort of comics event that I always reserve the date early. This year,once again, has some cracking guests.

First up is Luke Pearson, the man behind Hilda. A long running comic series out of Flying Eye books (aka Nobrow’s children’s imprint) this is also now a highly successful Netflix tv series. I’ve been ranting about how great this series is for years. It is a wonderful oasis from the daily grind that the kids will also (maybe) get a look at. 

Find Luke’s books at https://flyingeyebooks.com/creator/luke-pearson-2/

What about some hardcore action adventure? Marc Laming has been drawing the kind of comics that make you miss your tube stop for years now. A regular on The Avengers, The X-Men, Flash Gordon, Star Wars, Planet of the Apes and his new series for Dynamite Comics with James Bond!

This is the sort of guy who can run circles round the other artists out there! Find more about him at http://monkeymarc.blogspot.com/

Who are the power couple in UK Comics I hear you ask? For my money it’s Laura Trinder and Chris Wildgoose. Each of them have produced some of the most amazingly beautiful comics of the last ten years. 

Why not come to their table and have a taste!

You can find Laura at http://www.lauratrinder.co.uk/

And you can find Chris at http://christianwildgoose.blogspot.com/

So.... who else?

How about an Eisner winner? Oh go on then. Hamish Steele is the creator of numerous comics but is perhaps best known for Deadendia and Pantheon from Nobrow. I’ll be road tripping up to Nottingham with this talented fella. Come to his table for some sketches, signed books and good old fashioned chat.

https://www.hamishsteele.co.uk/

One more?

THE ETHERINGTON BROTHERS. Literally the most enthusiastic people in comics. Chatting to them for five minutes will push you on creatively and that is a solid gold promise. I cannot stress how much you need to look at their books. Both brothers are favs of ours on the podcast. So if you are looking for some help on making your own comic or just reading some great series....these are your guys!

Go to their website now and get excited! http://theetheringtonbrothers.blogspot.com/

Those busy people at Nottingham Comic Con also have a Kickstarter that will be running for a couple more days. Every year they produce a comic that helps raise money for some great charities. I’ve done a four pager with the mighty Dave Broughton so get over now and pledge!

It has this ace cover by my comics brother Nick Prolix!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1478064521/nottingham-comic-con-comic-anthology-inter-space

Many thanks for reading.

In Preview - ‘Dead Singers: Volume 4’ from Good Comics.

Dead Singers: Volume 4.

Edited by Paddy Johnson and Samuel C. Williams.

Published by Good Comics.

The idea is fairly simple. This is an anthology series that deals only in the dead variety of singers. That’s something of a niche market but one that has been pursued by many creators over the four issues of this comic. I have enjoyed each and every volume as it has come out from those enthusiastically cool folks at Good Comics.

This is what they have to say about this new release:

‘The fourth and final (and by far biggest!) issue of our flagship anthology Dead Singers Society is here. Features over twenty artists and writers talking about their favourite Dead Singers, including Scott Hutchison, Gord Downie, Chester Bennington, Eartha Kitt, Dusty Springfield, Dolores O'Riordan and many more!’

However.....as I read the introduction I learn that this is the final issue! Say it ain’t so!? Don’t leave me this way? Go now? (OK, I admit that last one was a bit of a stretch).

But those gentlemen at Good Comics were kind enough to send me an early copy. So I’ll happily forgive them.

Listen, its an anthology. Not everything lands for each and every reader but this has more hits than flops! (I really need to stop). The cover isn’t as strong as I would have expected from this firm. I see what they are doing with it but it seems a tiny bit under rendered and on the nose? Maybe that’s just me. It does however communicate the content and in a way harks back to the punk fanzines from the last century. This will be getting a release at the Bristol Comics and Zine Fair on the 6th of October. Then it’ll be available from the web shop from the 8th (see link below).

So I thought that I would name a few of my favourites. In no particular order here are a few that really caught my eye.

PS I swear quite a lot in this piece....it is rock and roll for fucks sake, deal with it!

‘Warren Zevon’ by Ethan Edward.

This one is particularly impactful for a number of reasons. The first being the fact that I am sat in Soho reading this comic and the song that springs up in the Zevon section is Werewolves of London’. I’ve also been racing through his back catalogue on the commute recently and loving the lyrics. This is a single image one pager that could easily be a 1978 7” cover. It uses two punchy examples of Zevon’s lyrics, makes a point and leaves. I suppose that in itself is a spot on sentiment. (Cough, this would make a great print, cough).

Ethan can be found at www.ethanedward.weebly.com

‘Chrissy Amphlett’ by Frank Candiloro.

This is a short story that has so much energy you can feel the floor jumping as the guitars kick in! The art is nutty, square and rectangular, solidly inked punky madness. The clashing of the black and white sets up a solid chord strike on the page. Gloriously a 1980s punk fanzine of a strip. I’ll be on the look out for this creator in the future.

Frank can be found at www.gumroad.com/frankencomics 

‘Marissa Veres’ by Conan Fiori-McPhee.

This looks like a Peter Bagge strip crossed with some of the best of Viz (just with less ejaculate!) and in my eyes there can be no higher compliment. This is also colourfully cool period specific post flower power comics. This could easily have come from the inside of a gatefold cover from a blues rock band of the mid seventies. I want a whole comic like this - now, let’s Go!

Conan can be found at www.catsmeat.com

‘Captain Beefheart’ by Gareth Hopkins.

This is another one pager. It is powerful, edgy, vibrant and striking. It has a teeth grinding amphetamine angle to it but also seemingly at the same time explores the lysergic side of the musical world. It is in your face with intelligence and experimental confidence, much like the music itself. Fucking bravo!

Gareth can be found at www.grthink.com 

‘G. G. Allin’ by John Tucker.

If there was ever a singer who was both dead and suited to the storytelling skills of Mr Tucker this is the one. John tells a brilliantly hilarious story of the poop obsessed shouter’s attempts to read poetry to his audience. They demand more poo! (It doesn’t end well, but then again the stories in this comic aren’t really meant to?)

Find John Tucker storing downstairs items at his website http://www.johntucker.co.uk/

One more.....?

Oh go on.

‘2Pac’ by Miguel Peres and Tainan Rocha.

I have to admit to knowing fuck all about the man, his music or his demise but this first page wants me to shit the bed and get my head into some of his lyrics. This is like Sienkiewicz had a baby with Tom Scioli and Jim Mahfouz and decided to draw/paint a rap song. The words and images combine to make a ruddy beautiful page. To coin a more London friendly 420 phrase ‘I want what he’s smoking!’

Find Miguel Peres at www.miguelperres.myportfolio.com and Tainan Rocha at www.tainanrochailustracao.tumblr.com

Oh, and this by Jamie Howard is fucking spectacular! (Find Jamie at www.themookscomics.tumblr.com )

This is a great showcase of an anthology. I could easily head off now and pick up comics by many of those involved here. It’s a real shame to see it stop but sometimes it’s better to get off at the top. (The Only Way is Up?) I’m now wondering what the next subject area will be all about? For future releases? I have a few suggestions for those Good Comics industry bigwigs.

Movie stars with a Safari-suit obsession? 

Elderly ladies in 1980s Detective tv series? (‘Murder She Drew’?)

The later movies of Eddie Murphy? (‘Murphy The Wilderness Years’ or ‘Desperate Spice’?).

‘Tiswas vs Swap Shop? (‘Only Communists Liked Tiswas’).

1990s confectionary and UK indie movies? (‘Curly, Hurly, Burly’? ‘Kes nicked my Star Bar’?)

The Carry On Movie series vs On The Buses.

The Singles of Go West?

I’m now off to listen to some 2pac on Spotify (I’m so down with the kids!)

Find Good Comics at http://goodshop.bigcartel.com/product/pre-order-dead-singers-society-iv You can also find them on Twitter @Good_Comics

Many thanks for reading and ‘Just Go’!

In Review - ‘A Place for Birds’ by Robbie Cathro

A Place For Birds.

Created by Robbie Cathro.

Black and White - 20 pages.

A5 - £6.00.

The Story - ‘The artist waits each year for the birds to pass over her home during their migration’.

What will come from their visit?

The Review - I met Robbie last weekend. He was actually at a table opposite mine at Thoughtbubble. The weekend was a busy rush of people and comics and we grabbed a couple of moments to chat. He kindly gave me this comic during one of those conversations. I read it this morning over the morning coffee and found a little moment of peace. And for that I thank him.

Let’s start with the cover shall we? It is a fluid like sketch on a white card background. It shows a castle from afar. The castle sits in the countryside. The battlements are overgrown by bushes and tress. It sits there alone and solitary as two egrets approach from each side of the page. Their beaks point towards this structure. It is a minimal and ethereal image that reflects the mood and style of the rest of the book. It has a gentle style that drew me in immediately.

As the story opens inside we see a woman sat on this structure. She has a stoic ladylike aloofness to her arched back poise and beehive coifed hair style. She wears golden hanging earrings and has strange otherworldly markings on her forehead. She sits and waits and watches the horizon for the birds to arrive.

‘A CAW on the horizon is the beginning....’

As the eye of the reader scans the page you notice bird boxes and feeder tables that she has prepared for their arrival. You realise that this is a moment that she prepares for all year long, it is the point in many ways of her life. This is a genuinely interesting and original way to guide a story that Robbie has achieved here in this short comic.

Then the storm, the flock, the flurry, the charge of the birds arrive. All manner of shapes and sizes, egrets, sparrows, crows and others swarm the castle. The woman opens her sketchbook and draws them and the reader is invited in to watch this art grow and the notations of what each species is all about. The woman is the narrator and tells us little short stories about her visitors. But this goes beyond an observation this is contact and communication. I’ll let you read the later pages and see what you think.

I’m going to hazard a guess that Robbie has great fondness for our feathered friends. In the book he describes each species as a personality with a background based on folktales and science and he draws them with a real sense of personality.

This book is a visual poem in a lightly sketched style. It reaches out and touches the reader and grants them a few minutes of tranquility.

Grab a copy and make you day all the better for it.

You can find aa copy at http://www.robbiecathro.com/shop/a-place-for-birds or follow the creator on Twitter @RobbieCathro

Many thanks for reading.

In Preview - ‘Kingdom’ from Jon McNaught

Kingdom.

Created by Jon McNaught.

Hardback - 128 pages - £16.99.

Published by Nobrow.

The Story - ‘Jon McNaught returns with another beautiful comic that makes the ordinary, extraordinary. A family sets off for a long weekend at a caravan park on the British coast. We follow them through the familiar landscapes of a summer holiday: motorway service stations, windswept cliffs, dilapidated museums and tourist giftshops. In this atmospheric and contemplative work, Jon McNaught explores the rhythms of nature, the passing of time, and the beauty and boredom of a summer holiday.’

The Review 

Have we all felt this way?

Have we all been in these moments?

A family on holiday in a seaside town. They make the most of their time. The mum drags the kids around museums and seaside tourist spots. The son loses himself in the coastline and at moments alone or with people he sees, eavesdrops on or meets. It is a little sad, profoundly quiet, a lot familiar and an awful lot impressive.

Nobrow and Jon McNaught do this so well. They capture a moment, a feeling, a place, a face, a time so brilliantly well in their books. Genuinely without hyperbole this is one of the best things I have read over the last twelve months. Insightful, sensitive, hypnotic and gloriously a comic.

I remember as a kid on this exact same holiday. Of course, I’m far too old to remember being frustrated looking for a phone signal whilst wandering over rock pools or up hills but the feeling this book projects gave me shivers nonetheless. Another world at the end of the motorway. As the rain comes down you hear it on the roof of their caravan and the following morning as the daughter wades lonely through the deep puddles you can feel the air as it clears as the day begins anew.

‘...we spend our lives searching for a magic door and a lost kingdom of peace.’ - Eugene O’Neill.

As a kid I’d head on holiday with my parents. Long and almost endless journeys down the side roads and highways of England sitting in the back of my parents’ estate car with just a comic for company and looking forward to the next wee break. The breaks on the trip for a fizzy drink and maybe a toy if you were lucky are described perfectly here by McNaught.

I have to admit that I was totally entranced by the beautiful art and the melancholic and never overly sentimental story. It is a book of realistically few words but some complicated emotions are displayed slowly over a period of days. The frustration of the journey, the family dynamic, the saving money, the bickering. I also have to admit that I found this an emotional read. It speaks to the loneliness of people on levels you rarely see in comics. Slowly building that picture of three members of a family with such realism it’ll bring a lump to your throat.

The mother and the son and daughter come across as totally real and you understand their lives from this little emotional Polaroid photo album of a graphic novel. The slow pace is never a problem, rather it is a strength. With at moments up to thirty-five panels on a page the progression of movement and story only exemplifies the feelings projected up to the reader from the deeply carved pages. Then you see a landscape or a sea or a long lamp lit road as a splash page. ‘This is now, this is here!’ We know these moments all too well.

As I stare at the art on show here I am at once instantly in love with the craftsmanship and totally confused at how this level of accomplishment is created. The pages have a linocut look to them but are more measured, never clinical but with none of the Lino cut trademarked double edges and accidental overlapping. The lights on the motorway give away the shapes of maybe a knife that carves them but the water and sea and reflective rain puddles are far more detailed. It is absolutely breathtaking!

This 128 page hardback will be available for the first time at Table 28 in the Victoria Hall. Come past whilst stocks last.

If you can’t get to Thoughtbubble this year then order your copy online here https://nobrow.net/shop/kingdom/?

The Creator

Jon McNaught graduated from the University of the West of England in 2007 with a degree in illustration. He now lives in Bristol where he works as a print maker and a freelance illustrator. He has contributed stories and art to Nobrow, Art Review and Stripburger.

You can find more about his art at http://www.jonmcnaught.co.uk/ and follow him on Twitter @Jon_McN

Many thanks for reading.