
This year’s Comica festival in London, has announced the addition of North American superstar guests James Jean and Tara McPherson to its line up.
Their appearances will be a free instore signing on Thursday 12th November at Comica partner and sponsor Orbital Comics, and an evening discussion and illustrated presentation at Comica, in the Nash Room of the ICA, on Friday 13th November from 6.45pm to 8.15pm, followed by signings.
Their presence in London is also made possible by Comica partner Offset 2009, the Dublin design conference on November 6-8th, where James and Tara are joined by Dave McKean, David Shrigley, Chip Kidd and many other luminaries.
“I’m hugely grateful to Offset for supporting Comica to bring two of their major invitees to London,” says Comica director Paul Gravett. “From Comica’s debut with Ware, Burns and Sacco in 2003, collaborations and co-operations of this kind with other European festivals have been fruitful and successful, enabling this festival to host world-class international creators.”
Born in Taipei, Taiwan and based in Los Angeles, James Jean has emerged as one of the 21st century’s most dazzling illustrative visionaries. Within the comics field, he’s probably best-known for his lusciously inventive covers for the Vertigo series Fables. He has also exhibited his paintings and designed wallpaper, fabric prints and an animated video for fashion label Prada.
Jean will be launching in the UK his latest productions: The Kindling Portfolio, a collection of 12 oversized frameable prints of new paintings housed in an attractive portfolio from Chronicle Books; and Process Recess Volume 3 from AdHouse Books, which collects his sketchbook drawings into a classy hardcover.
Named “the crown princess of poster art” by Elle magazine, the San Francisco-born Tara McPherson has fashioned her own world of seductive, thought-provoking imagery, collected into the hardback artbooks Lonely Heart and Lost Constellations from Dark Horse. As well as illustrating numerous gig posters for Kings of Leon, Beck, Depeche Mode and other rock bands, she’s evolved into a hugely influential commercial artist and fine art painter based in New York and developed a range of sculptures, installations, apparel and merchandise. She has contributed covers and comics to Vertigo, including Sandman Presents, Witching Hour and Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall.
• For more about ComiICA visit: www.comicafestival.com
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “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.
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