Tag: Comics

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Caption 2010 Report

I went to Caption Comics Convention at the weekend, which is based in the city I live, Oxford. Considering I’ve been here for the past 7 years I should probably have attended it before now, especially since last years theme was ‘Away with the Fairies’ of all things. I love faeries! And I missed it! But in my defense I’ve never seen it advertised anywhere locally.

But this year I made it and it’s totally unlike any other comics convention. I mean, at most of them the exhibitors rent their table and sit behind it all day gradually getting a numb-bum. Not so here. Comics are checked-in at the beginning to be sold at a big table by the organisers and then everyone is free to enjoy the show, fans and creators alike. It’s much more of a social, rather than commercial, place. It’s about meeting new people and sharing art. Boy, do I know a lot more people in the UK comics community now!

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Dialogue Free Comics Day

Today, May 14th, is ‘Dialogue Free Comics Day.’  It’s a challenge to create a silent comic, a mute comic, a comic where actions speak rather than words.  Talking heads can take a hike.  Show – Don’t tell!  Text, in the form of signs or sound effects are allowed however.

Conceived by Noel Curry of D. J. Bogtrotter to reaffirm comics as a primarily visual artform forty other webcomics decided to participate.

I think it’s a great idea! It’s easy to fall into the trap of explaining the story through dialogue rather than trusting the images.  The pictures in a comic need to be important otherwise they’re superfluous.  Creating a silent page is a great exercise.  They say a picture paints a thousand words which makes them capable of greater impact.  Some jokes are purely visual – they’re simply not funny in the telling.  And of course silence breaks all language barriers.

“Saying nothing…sometimes says the most.” – Emily Dickinson

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Comix Thing 2010 Report

I went to the UK Web & Mini Comix Thing this Saturday (March 27th). I visited it last year and it was a lot of fun but this is the first time I have exhibited a comic anywhere. It was quieter this year (I suspect because of the constant rain) but traffic picked up around lunch-time and there was a steady flow of people thereafter. Quite a lot of my online friends turned up and said hi, amongst them prestwick creator of Hard Graft and fellow member of the Webcomic Planet Collective. It was great to meeting people in the real world.

There were also a lot of people who read Epic Fail online, which suprised me, because my UK readership is comparatively small. Still I guess a lot of my readers are comics lovers and just the sort of person who would go to a comics convention! So many thanks to all the readers who came and visited my table, it was extremely gratifying. At only one year old Epic Fail is doing extremely well and that’s down to you guys.

Everyone was extremely complimentary about Epic Fail and my artwork in general (I was selling prints and hand-made jewelry as well as the comics). The comic book is very beautifully printed and has a gloss effect which made it the shiniest comic at the Thing! Several people asked me where I got it printed and it was from Pulse Print.

Now I hate travelling in London, but thankfully JJ (aka Martin in real-life) was there to guide me through the Underground and helped me at my table throughout the day. I shared my table with Rob Cureton of Orful Comics who is an awesome guy and had cake which he used to spell out the name of his comic. Later these started to get eaten which lead them turning into ‘U ROLO SCUM!’ I couldn’t get away from my table much to meet the other exhibitors, so I made my flyers into paper aeroplanes and delivered them to everyone within range.

Overall a really fun day and I hope to be back next year.

Waiting for the Coach on my way home a lady asked my why I was wearing the pointed ears and face paint. I said I had been to my first ever Comics Convention and wanted to stand out. She told me I was very brave and she didn’t know how anyone could stand in front of a whole bunch of people and tell jokes like that.

webcomic planet teaser

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Epic Fail at the Comix Thing 2010

Next weekend, Saturday the 27th of March, Epic Fail will be exhibiting at the UK web & mini Comix Thing 2010. You’ll be able to get your hands on copies of Epic Fail #1 so hot of the press they’re on fire!  I also hope to be selling my mini-comic Breakfast Surreal, a collection of random and hopefully amusing cartoons by yours truely.  Aside from that there will be hand-made jewelry and original artwork!

I will be sharing table 26 with Rob Cureton of Orful Comics and appearing on a discussion panel on ‘Latest Technology and Webcomics’ at 11am (on the stage area at the back of the hall).  I’ve also contributed 2 pages to the Thing’s Anthology the theme of which is ‘Dinosaurs.’  What will Clodin and Amuletts get up too?

It would be wonderful not to mention suprising if someone who actually read my comic turned up!  This is a really fun convention with lots of talented artists plus me.  So if you’re free on the 27th come along.  Hell, if you’re not free cancel your plans and come along anyway!  It’s totally worth it.

And right after the con I’ll be back to updating. Huzzah!

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Webcomic Cameos Completed

Thought I would never finish this didn’t you? Well I have, and it only took a year! I started tis during the last Webcomic Planet War and it took another to chivvy me into finishing it!

If you recall I was very unhappy about the crowd scene in page 11 Appreciation and wanted to improve it by bringing in characters from other webcomics.  And you can fianlly see the results:

webcomiccameos

Here is a list of everybody in the crowd and the comics they are (from top left to bottom right):

Matilda and Constance from A Mad Tea Party
The Whizz from Maskerman
Alfonso the Paladin from Recombobulated
Keith from Karmic Debt
Talon and Vrin (well, she has her head cut off) from The War of Winds
Future Paladin from The Best of What’s Left (TBOWL)
Lana from Spying with Lana
Patty from Galaxion (in her hat)
Lena from Sunset Grill
Haylus and Jaze from Atomic Elements
Gabriel and Falahil from Between Places
Kishandren and Kinrou from Childern of the Tiger
Zelda and Louise from Life’s a Witch
Nogi of Dungeon Legacy
Hippolyte and Cyrene of Amazoness

If you like you can use it as your WALLPAPER. This is the first wallpaper I have ever made so I hope you like it.

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Pre-Order Epic Fail #1 (please)?

On the 27th of March this year I will be taking Epic Fail to The UK web & mini Comix Thing.  It will be my first time as an exhibitor so I am both excited and nervous.  And, of course, if I’m going to show at a Comics Convention I will need some comics!  That’s where you can help out.  By pre-ordering your copy now, in advance, it will help pay for the printing costs.  In addition to the 32-page full-colour comic book everyone who pre-orders will also get a unique, signed sketch, free, as a thank you.  If I raise enough to make buttons, etc. I’ll be throwing them in as well!

I’m working on improving the pages for print – shading them all, fixing spelling mistakes, continuity errors and generally making them pretty.  Oh!  And I have to make a cover, a proper cover, not just a bit of interior artwork stuck on the front!  There will be 30 pages of story and 2 of bonus content.  I’m hoping they’ll be off to the printers sometime in February.

Come along loyal readers – Epic Fail needs you!  Pre-Order your copy today! (please?)

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Fanart from Spying with Lana

martin I just got this fabulous piece of fanart from Sean Harrington of Spying with Lana. It’s of Martin, with his shirt off, looking extremely buff and attractive – as indeed he should! It’s nice for him to get the chance to show his muscles off as they are usually hidden by his armor.

Inked in black & white with red as an accent colour Spying with Lana is a titillating action webcomic with a hint of humour. It throws you right into the middle of the plot, with storys told on a case-by-case basis, generally involving sexy Lana getting naked along the way! The comics are grouped as a storyline per page so they are easy to read by scrolling down. So far they seem pretty stand-alone so this is easy to get into. You should definately check it out.