If you enjoyed The Silence of Unicorns, the first Tara Togs book by Stref and Fin Cramb, a loving homage to Tintin, then you won’t want to miss out on a new collection of stories, Tara Togs: Year One.
You certainly won’t be alone. Featuring stories written by James Charkow, the Kickstarter, organised by Comic Scene, has already raised £6000 in its first week, well above its initial target, to the delight and appreciation of the book’s creative team.
Buckle up, for a rip-roaring, rollercoaster-ride of a read, because in Tara Togs: Year One, Tara’s’ dream of becoming a professional freelance photographer has finally come true – but her assignments are fraught with danger!
Tara has been hired by her local newspaper, the Tattiebogle Times, to cover five assignments that take her all around Scotland, on a journey filled with mystery and adventure.
She’ll go monster hunting at Loch Ness, and join a Hollywood movie set in Dumfries. She’ll discover a secret, hidden in plain sight, about Greyfriars Bobby, and even find herself on a quest for the Holy Grail.
She’ll also be taking a little time out, on what she plans to be a relaxing trip to Orkney, before getting involved in a major art theft by a dangerous criminal…
As always, she’ll be helped along the way, by her good friend, Private Detective Heggy, and her faithful, feathered companion, Major Myna.
You’ll also get a look into Tara’s day to day life, and see how things are for her, between adventures.
Tara Togs: Year One will feature six beautifully realised short stories, each including a striking cover image. A veritable compendium of comics thrills, it’s aimed at children of all ages, and comes filled with fun and adventure. If that sounds like you, then don’t miss out!
Check out Sref’s work in progress on just one panel from Tara Togs: Year One, bringing Urquhart Castle to the page… amazing!
It’s also a celebration of Scotland, featuring many real locations… and quite a few myths! Landmarks that appear in the stories include: Eileen Donan Castle, Scone Palace, Edinburgh Castle, Arthur’s Seat, Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness, Robert Burns’ House, and Rosslyn Chapel.
The Kickstarter also offers the first Tara Togs book, The Silence of Unicorns, in softback and hardback as an add-on.
Even if you have a copy, it may be a nice birthday or Christmas present for someone this year, as you can enjoy Tara’s adventures whatever age you are.
Also in the add ons is Stref and Fin Cramb’s absolutely wonderful book, Peter Pan, in both softback and hardback.
• Check out Tara Togs: Year One by Stref here on Kickstarter
Meet the Creators
James Charkow is a TV editor with over 25 years’ experience across all the UK’s major broadcasters, including the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, Discovery, FOX and Paramount+.
Working across all genres, including drama, factual, formatted entertainment, quiz shows and children’s television, he shapes clear, entertaining narratives, bringing character, story and tone together to create engaging television that works for audiences and broadcasters alike. He is highly experienced in handling complex stories, editorially demanding material, and high-pressure schedules.
Beyond editing, James has written a Netflix feature film, in French, and a BAFTA-winning children’s series.
Stephen White is a brilliant Edinburgh based illustrator who also works in the world of comics, under the pen-name “Stref“. He provides professional illustrator services for a vast range of clients on a wide variety of projects, and has had four graphic novels published since 2009, most notably the UK’s first ever graphic novel adaptation of J M Barrie’s Peter Pan.
Comic publications he’s contributed include Beano, The Dandy, Commando, Falcon, Oor Wullie and The Broons, and Viz. He also provided illustrations for the Tattoo Fox children’s books, written by Alasdair Hutton.
Fin Cramb is a Scottish artist, screenwriter and comic creator who can usually be found happily working into the wee small hours in his studio in Edinburgh. Projects include: Savant and Evelyn Evelyn for Dark Horse, Planet of the Apes, Mono and Treatment for Madefire), Peter Pan the Graphic Novelm for Birlinn, The Johnny Cash Project, and co-creating Walk Don’t Run, with Sean Watson.
His projects also include colouring the ongoing series White Ash, with writer Charlie Stickney and artist Conor Hughes, a title coming to television as a live action series, following a deal with Story Mill Entertainment; and illustrating Not There, a comic spotlighting Functional Neurological Disorder, co-created with writer Gavin Inglis.
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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