A record number of artists and writers will be flocking to MCM Expo London Comic Con’s Comic Village next month – and the organisers have just announced that acclaimed American comic book writer Gail Simone and best-selling British science fiction… Read More ›
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British comics on the UK news stand – where next?
Last week, I was contacted by two newspapers, the Sunday Times and the Independent on Sunday, to offer my views on the state of the British comic industry. Specifically, comics on sale in UK newsagents. The requests were prompted by… Read More ›
Tube Surfing: Three-panel Comics, Interviews, Reviews, Birthday Greetings and Fan Art!
(Above: a piece of fan art for Garen Ewing’s Rainbow Orchid by Sarah McIntyre.) Tube surf time again… • The Forbidden Planet International blog has really gone to town with their reviews of the DC Comics ‘52‘ re-boot (re-launch?) Here’s… Read More ›
Panel Borders: Children of the Atom
For this week’s Panel Borders show, in a panel discussion recorded at last month’s Comics and Conflicts conference at the Imperial War Museum, London, Paul Gravett talks to Mikkel Sommer about his graphic novella Obsolete, to publisher Adrian Searle and… Read More ›
Commando: Bumper Rations For September
As other British comics titles struggle to survive with some, like CLiNT, reducing their frequency, Commando increased its frequency this year from eight issues a month to four every two weeks. This means there are now 104 Commandos published in… Read More ›
Commando Webbing: Comics History, Interviews & Downloads
DC Thomson’s official Commando website has recently added a lot of content inspired by the Draw Your Weapons exhibition of Commando artwork at the National Army Museum in Chelsea. The entire section of the website is indexed here and, while… Read More ›
MCM Expo Expands Comic Village as Tables Sell Out In Record Time
MCM Expo London Comic Con is expanding its Comic Village area after tables for the 28-30 October show sold out in record time. Due to the massive demand, the Comic Village will now be enlarged by 50 per cent to… Read More ›
British Comics in the spotlight at 26th Helsinki Comics Festival
(With thanks to Paul Gravett): Britain is the guest country at this year’s Helsinki Comics Festival , which takes place this coming weekend. As part of this, Comica Festival is originating an exhibition ‘Great British Comics Nows’ spotlighting the festival’s… Read More ›
Tube Surfing: Midnight Openings, Shocking Twists and Some Ace New Comics
(Above: Sarah McIntyre doodling for charity.) Time for another tube surf… Richard Bruton of the Forbidden Planet International blog has posted a preview of Will Kirkby’s magnificent looking Tuk Tuk comic. See it here. Also at that blog, there’s the… Read More ›
New Merlin magazine out today in the UK
Newly launched, a new Merlin magazine from Attic Media
Turf Sequel in the works?
Bleeding Cool reports that Jonathan Ross and Tommy Lee Edwards are considring a sequel to Turf, which was published in CLiNT in the UK and has just been releasd in a smashing hardcover edition by Titan Books. Jonathan Ross announced… Read More ›
So how did Comics Barcamp go?
Cross-posted with permission from Andy Luke’s LiveJournal Comics Barcamp, an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment, happened on 3rd September 2011 at Blick Studios, Malone Road, Belfast. Sponsored by Blick,… Read More ›
Leeds Alternative Comics Fair in October
The 3rd Leeds Alternative Comics Fair will take place on Saturday 1st October, in A Nation of Shopkeepers, Leeds, just behind the Leeds City Art Gallery. In keeping with previous events, this small but perfectly formed event hopes to bring… Read More ›
2000 AD Prog 1750 – Start Reading Here…
Greg Staples cover for 2000 AD 1750. © Rebellion 2000 AD Prog 1750 is a big jumping on point for potential 2000AD readers, on sale today (7th September) Lowlife by Rob Williams and D’Israeli The issue comes wrapped in a… Read More ›
Little Lemming Books launched by Dave Windett
Sci Fi Art Now contributing artist Dave Windett and writer John Gatehouse have just launched Little Lemming Books, a new publishing imprint for print and digital media, kicking their line off with Trick or Treat, the first story to feature… Read More ›
BD & Comics Passion weekend in London in October
(With thanks to Paul Gravett): London’s Institut Français in association with Comica Festival will hold the first of its annual BD & Comics Passion weekends in October (7th-9th). The graphic novel medium has grown over the years to become an… Read More ›
In Review: XIII – Thirteen To One
Who is XIII? Book 1 – Mr Alan Smith? Books 2&3 – Captain Steve Rowland? Book 4 – Corporal Ross Tanner? Book 5 – Agent Jason Fly? Books 6&7 – Writer John Fleming? After the linked stories of the first… Read More ›
You Tube Channel From Cinebook
Here on downthetubes we have been reviewing Cinebook’s English language bandes dessinees titles for some years now, from the mature action adventure of Largo Winch, Lady S and XIII, to the child-friendly fun of Clifton, Papyrus and Yoko Tsuno. You… Read More ›
Toffs, Killer Condors and deadly Paras in new Commandos
The latest issues of Commando are on sale now in all good newsagents – and there’s a fine mix of stories this month, which also sees the start of the exhibition of art from the long-running comic at London’s National… Read More ›
Favourite Comics from the Fabulous Fifties
Paul Gravett is giving a talk titled “Favourite Comics from the Fabulous Fifties” at Wokingham Library, Berkshire next week (Thursday 8th September 2011). ‘Comics Brainiac’ and editor of the forthcoming 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die (which is… Read More ›