Tag: Alex Fitch

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Tempo Lush Launch Night at Gosh: Photos, Videos and Report

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Thanks to everyone who came along to the Tempo Lush launch night at Gosh Comics last Friday.  There was an amazing turnout which made for a fantastic evening (for me anyway)!

GETTING READY FOR THE LAUNCH

So glad I was working with Rich Hardiman of Comic Printing UK who got all four of the new titles ready and delivered in time for the big day… 01Always important to compare a printers proof of your book with your cat…03Other things that needed to be done included practicing the musical section of the party with Bang! Crash! Whizz! artist Sally-Anne Hickman!  Much of this went down in Hyde Park.02THE LAUNCH NIGHT

So arriving at Gosh I knew I was in good hands as Hannah, Andrew and Steve, part of Gosh’s crack team helped get everything just right.  Nice to see the new books laid out on display!
04One thing I’d forgotten to organise was someone to take some nice event photos, so I was delighted and relieved that amazing photographer Mauricio Molizane De Souza was on hand taking some wonderful pics.  Unless otherwise stated, all the photos of the night in this post were skillfully taken  by Mauricio!

The shop soon had a busy and friendly buzz inside…
06 07 08 10I was thrilled that so many contributors to the new comics turned up for the occasion.  For those who couldn’t make it, we displayed their portraits, as drawn wonderfully by Keara Stewart (see below) so Francesca Cassavetti, Tim Hassan, Mike Medaglia and Aaron Murphy were certainly there in spirit!

After some fun mingling, Steve Walsh Of Gosh and South London Hardcore fame got the crowd’s attention…

11CHATTING WITH ALEX FITCH

Alex Fitch made me feel very comfortable chatting through the new releases as we stood on a make shift stage made up of two benches!
Nice to hear the people’s cheers as each artist’s work was displayed on the screen to our right.
Alex is such a skilled interviewer and comics and film journalist he makes it very easy to chat to him even in front of a crowd!12 13Pic below by David O’Connell…14ROSIE AND JACINDA: DEMON CLOUD

Here’s the amazing team behind one of the books launched on the night, the second volume of teenage fairytale Manga, Rosie and Jacinda.

Top row left to right: Jade Sarson (For the Love of God Marie!, Cafe Suada), Francesca Dare (Penny Blackfeather), Chie Kutsuwada (King of a Miniature Garden, Self Made Hero’s As You Like It), Van Nim and me
Far right: Zarina Liew (The Art of Sleep, Le Mime)
Bottom middle: Inko (Ketsueki (Markosia), Rachel Moves To Brighton)
15So proud to have worked with this lot!

Inkos’ cover looked amazing projected as a backdrop to the party!16Inko (left) and Chie travelled up from Brighton for the evening, with Inko cosplaying as one of the Rosie and Jacinda characters, Aaron!
That’s the first time anyone’s cosplayed as a character I’d co-created.  So cool!17Award winning creator, Jade made it to the event all the way from Milton Keynes.
28Here’s Francesca chilling with our good friend and Limehouse Comics associate Chantel Beaven.18Was touched that Francesca had painted me a lovely pic of the Pumfles (introduced in the new comic), to mark the event.  So cute!19BANG! CRASH! WHIZZ!

Also launched was my first creator-owned kids comic, Bang! Crash! Whizz! as drawn by the amazing Sally-Anne Hickman.
20Sally-Anne and me had great fun performing a musical version of the story, to a visual display of the illustrations.  Engineered with great skill by Richard Carter.21 22 23 24 Photo above by David O’Connell.

So nice that crowd seemed to enjoy it, no guitar strings broke, we remembered most of the words and we didn’t fall off the benches!   26TEMPO LUSH TALES

The biggest book launched on the night was Tempo Lush Tales, an anthology of stuff I’d written with no less than thirteen artists handling drawing duties!

Here’s good bud and artist Paul Shinn…27 The talented Matt Boyer…29Portrait artist  Keara Stewart… 30The cheery smile of Steve Walsh, writer of many fine things including the Tempo Lush Tales foreword…31 Martin Eden chatting with comic creator Tammy Taylor and fellow Tempo Lush Tales artist Karen Rubins… 32Keara and her fella checking out the anthology…33Matt and Paul soaking in the launch party vibe.
There’s comic maker Anna Dowsland on the left!34Signing a copy of the book…35For the second musical performance of the night Sally-Anne and I were joined by musician and Tempo Lush Tales artist Steve Horry.  We only had two run-throughs (in the Gosh offices!) with Steve who had learned the song on the day, but being the smooth professional he is, he sounded fantastic.
Pic below by Inko.37

We performed the song Save Night-Time for my Dreams which Mike Medaglia had visually interpreted for the collection. You can see one of Mike’s pictures in Keara Stewart’s photo below.38What an honour to have all these talented artists work with me!
Top row left to right: Chie Kutsuwada, Karen Rubins, Paul Shinn, Matt Boyer, Steve Horry, Martin Eden and Steve Walsh
Bottom row left to right: Inko, Van Nim, me and Keara Stewart39Keara was kind enough to give all the contributors framed original drawings of the portraits she’d done.
My one is now hanging in my studio…
40LUCY THE OCTOPUS: ANY LESS THE FREAK

Fun to see my artwork from the third volume of Lucy the Octopus projected in Gosh...42So the line up of creators working on the final comic released on the night is… just me!41 Excellent then that someone else had been up to something Lucy related.
Why it’s cake maker and blogger, Jess Cave!
43Jess made a big and delicious batch of Lucy the Octopus cakes!
Dr Pepper flavour no less!44 45Photo above by Paul Shinn.
The cakes made for a perfect combination with comics and music – my kind of night!
46SO THERE YOU GO!

Thanks to all the amazing people who were involved with the comics and the party!

Back row left to right: Karen Rubins, Paul Shinn, Matt Boyer, Martin Eden
Next row left to right: Zarina Liew, Chie Kutsuwada, Sally-Anne Hickman, Francesca Dare, Jess Cave, Steve Walsh
Next row left to right: Jade Sarson, Inko, Van Nim, Keara Stewart
Me in the centre
Richard Carter at the bottom
47You can buy any of the four comics plus other Tempo Lush stuff here!
Bang-Crash-Whizz-CoverCover-for-PromoR&J2-cover-for-promoLucy3Cover8updateI’ll leave you with one final Lucy cake that made it home.48Peace!

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London Super Comic Convention Round Up

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I had a great time over the weekend of 23-24 February 2013 at the London Super Comic Con, sat next to my usual table buds Zarina Liew and Van Nim…

Thank you to everyone who came along to my table, and especially those of you who bought comics and prints. Much appreciated!

Also had lots of fun doing Lucy the Octopus style commissions…

It was very cool meeting David Mack, Klaus Janson and Bill Sienkiewicz there.  I got to see half inked pages of future issues of Daredevil End of Days and listen in as Alex Fitch interviewed them for an upcoming episode of his Panel Borders radio show.
So great to meet creators you’ve admired a long time and have them turn out to be friendly, generous and despite their immense talent, modest.
I drew a Lucy the Octopus style version of David Mack’s creation Kabuki (one of my favourite comics ever) and gave it to him.

Another highlight of the event for me was getting a very cool Buffy sketch from the talented and pleasant to chat to artist of Darkhorse’s Angel & Faith, Rebekah Isaacs.

All in all, a great weekend and start to a year full of cons…

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Podcast Interview Roundup

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A couple of recent podcasts I was interviewed for…

Alex Fitch for the comics podcast, Panel Borders.
Initially broadcast on Resonance 104.4 FM.
Alex talks to me, Zarina Liew, Nich Angel and Naniiebem about WASP.
First broadcast 3/3/2013.

South London Hardcore presenters, Steven Walsh and Jack McInroy talk to me about growing up in South London, my comic work and WASP.
The WASP chat starts at around 44.24.
First podcast 19/2/2013.

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Caption 2012: Summer Special

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I had a fantastic weekend at the Caption Festival in Oxford.  It’s an amazing annual comic convention (the UK’s longest running) with a focus on creators talking on panels and running workshops.  Lovers of the comic medium and creators alike mingle freely, without hour long queues for book signings or paying to get an autograph from your favourite 1980’s TV star.  I enjoy huge shows like MCM Expo and Thought Bubble too, but it’s good to get a picture of the whole spectrum of comic conventions out there!

I’ve been to Caption a few times before (including my first one five years ago, when I had to rush back from Oxford after my wife’s waters broke) but I think this has been my favourite.  There was a good mix of smooth running panels, I knew lots of the lovely attendees plus I got to meet for the first time some amazingly talented people…

Some of the casts of panels on editing and Myriad Editions

Above you can see my doodling done during a panel entitled Shedding Light on the Dark Art of Editing Comics.  It was great to hear perspectives on editing – a side to comics which is often overlooked by fans and publishers.  The panel included Woodrow Phoenix, Corinne Pearlman, John Anderson and Hannah Berry, held together by one of hard working Caption organisers David O’Connell.

This was followed by another great panel on publisher Corinne Pearlman’s Myriad Editions.  This included creators who have had their books released by Myriad: Nicola Streeten, Darryl Cunningham and back for more panel fun, Woodrow Phoenix.

Lovers of the comic medium and creators alike mingle freely…

Caption organiser and Journalist Alex Fitch reading the new Almost Naked Animals magazine which I wrote a comic for

Day Two of the show started in a delightfully social way with some familiar friendly faces from the usually London based Comic Gosh!p Book Club, a fantastic graphic novel reading group run by Mike Medaglia and Mark Haylock.  In this session we were discussing Maus (Art Spiegelman) and My Cardboard Life (Philippa Rice).  The general consensus was they’re both a bit good!

Other Gosh!pers included David O’Connell, Selina Locke & Jay Eales (former Caption organisers who stepped in to help out this year too), Lisa Woynarski and Elliot Baggott.

Gosh!pers try to find stuff to say about Maus and My Cardboard Life

Next up, I was on a panel myself alongside some amazingly skilled creators: Playing in Someone Else’s Sandbox (Self-published vs licensed characters) featuring creators who have done incredible work on their own characters as well as other people’s… The line up featured David Baillie (via Satellite), Charles Cutting (creator of a webcomic based on characters and situations by H. P. Lovecraft entitled The Dream Quest of Randolph Carter), Al Davison (artist for Dr Who comics) and Robin Etherington (who has written for… pretty well everything, including Star Wars, Wallace & Gromit and Transformers).

It was so nice to hear about the process and struggles that other creators go through in working on licensed characters.  I talked about capturing animated characters in comic form and the difference between the two mediums, so Wallace & Gromit and Almost Naked Animals came up a lot!

Robin Etherington watches David Baillie discuss his writing work on 2000 AD and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Al Davison, me, Charles Cutting and Robin Etherington

Next up was a panel from creators of the fabulous Phoenix Comic.  Great to hear the magic involved in putting that together.  Seems like everyone is really having fun working for it!  Great to get to meet and chat to these talented folk!

Doodles of some fine Phoenix Comic creators.

The line up featured (as below) Adam Murphy (Corpse Talk), Robin Etherington (writes Long Gone Don), Patrice Aggs (creator of Blimpville), Neill Cameron (artist on Pirates of the Pangaea and Daniel Hartwell (writer on Pirates of the Pangaea).

Real Phoenix Comic creators, and mediator David O’Connell

The final panel of the event was entitled America is not the Only Fruit which discussed looking outside Anglo / American comics for inspiration, with manga creators Rebecca Burgess, Sarah Burgess, Joe Morgan and Jade Sarson, and bandes-desinées-inspired David O’Connell (Tozo) and Garen Ewing (The Rainbow Orchid).  All were kept in line by Caption organiser and Comics Journalist, Alex Fitch.

Creators inspired by a world of comics

So well done Caption!  Another great year.

Looking forward to hearing some of the panels being broadcast on the Panel Borders Radio Show and podcast over the next few months.

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MKomix write up

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It’s been a long time since I’ve sold my wares with a table at a comic show and the MKomix event last night was a lovely one to return to.  There was a friendly and chilled vibe in the MK Gallery in Milton Keynes as I joined some familiar and some new to me indie comic creators, including organiser Paul Rainey plus David Baillie, Jay Eales & Selina Lock, Sean Azzopardi, Karen Rubins, Jon Scrivens, Dan Lester, Jade Sarson and Amy Letts.

I had the pleasure of meeting Laura Watton for the first time in person and realising I’d bought a Sweatdrop collection she’d worked on many years earlier.  Was also great meeting my table mates and fellow Londoners, Avery Hill Publishing.

All in all, a good evening.  Thanks to all who came and asked me about my work and those who bought some of it!  My new Lucy the Octopus Tasty Taster Comic was my best seller of the evening!

The night was rounded off by driving home with Alex Fitch, David Baillie and Dan Lester, failing to find a Little Chef so opting for a Chinese take away eaten in the open air in Dunstable.  If anyone passing through Dunstable, pops into the China Express, I recommend No 74.

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Spring Comiket 2012

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Had a great time at Spring Comiket in the Bishopsgate Institute, East London on Saturday.  The Comica organisers Paul Gravett, Peter Stanbury and Megan Donnolley did an amazing job, as always, pulling such a big shindig together, and bringing in the crowds.

The bustling Comiket floor. Where's Timothy Winchester?

I’ve been to Comiket for the last four years, starting back when all I had to sell was Delicate Axiom and the Lucy the Octopus Mini Comic, when Comiket consisted of around twelve tables of creators selling their wares in a relatively small room in the Institute of Contemporary Arts.  Good to see how its snowballed!

This time around I wasn’t selling, but catching up with old comic scene friends and meeting creators.  I also managed to pick up a lovely bounty of small press comics…

Suki Kabuki displays small-press comic goodness

Top row:
Sevillana featuring the Alien Battle Monkey of Doom by Marina Williams
Jumping the Shark by Sammy Borras
Middle Row:
Panic Attacks 1: In the Beginning by Francesca Cassavetti
Places I Left You by Douglas Noble
Cafe Suada Vol 1. by Jade Sarson
Wu Wei by Mike Medaglia
Bottom row:
The Human Beings and Social Notworking by Sofia Niazi
Fecal Depot 3 by Aaron ‘Smurf’ Murphy
The Life of Noise by Emma Mould and Andrew Godfrey
The Phoenix Issues 14 & 15

Alex "Smurf" Murphy holds Fecal Depot 3

Very nice running into Aaron ‘Smurf’ Murphy and picking up the latest volume of his compendium of work, Fecal Depot.  The issue contains Zardok Infiltration, a story that I’d written for the hugely talented Aaron to illustrate.  It was great to see how good his art for the story looks in print.

Marina Williams and Sevillana featuring the Alien Battle Monkey of Doom, plus cup cakes

Nice to meet Kiwi, Marina Williams and get a copy of Sevillana featuring the Alien Battle Monkey of Doom.  Note to the Comics Industry: Free gourmet cupcakes with every comic is an excellent idea.

Jade Sarson hides behind Cafe Suada

Next up I spotted future comics megastar Jade Sarson.  I’m loving Cafe Suada!

Douglas Noble holding Places I Left You

Picked up a cool looking stand alone comic from Douglas Noble.  After the show in the pub, we reminisced about growing up playing games on a ZX Spectrum (coincidentally 30 years old today).  We both agreed Horace and the Spiders kicked monkeys compared to Horace goes Skiing.

Andrew Godfrey holdsThe CF Diaries 1 while Emma Mould holds Secret Language 1

Good to see the lovely Andrew Godfrey and Emma Mould again, who despite hailing from Bristol seem to manage to make it to all the London comic events!

Hooligans, Sally-Anne Hickman and Francesca Cassavetti

At every comic show there’s always a few bad apples who spoil the tone for everyone else.  See Sally-Anne Hickman and Francesca Cassavetti above.

Alex Fitch interviewing James Turner

My final pic is of the great comics journalist / interviewer Alex Fitch having a chat with Super Animal Adventure Squad creator James Turner.  Alex did a marathon session totaling four hours on interviewing various comic talents.  You’ll be able to hear the results on Panel Borders (the UK’s only weekly broadcast radio show about comics), broadcast on Resonance (104.4 FM in London and available online everywhere).

It was a good day – always inspiring!  In fact, I’m off to draw a comic right now.

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A Southbank Chat with Simone Lia

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Today I had the pleasure of interviewing one of my biggest comic creator inspirations, the hugely talented and as it turns out, great fun to interview, Simone Lia.

Aside from creating some fantastic work in newspapers and magazines, setting up a small press comic publisher Cabanon Press with Tom Gauld, writing and drawing four children’s books (Billy Bean’s Dream is on a constant loop at my son’s bedtime right now) and churning out weekly strips for children’s comics The DFC and The Phoenix, Simone is probably best known for graphic novel Fluffy about an extremely cute bunny and the build up of crises that his human parent has to deal with.

In Simone’s new graphic novel Please God, Find Me a Husband!, she tackles the theme of looking for a new partner while relying on her spirituality for guidance.  She also introduces a new protagonist… herself, sometimes depicted very much like Penelope Cruz for reasons you’ll have to read the comic to find out!

Simone Lia and Richy K. Chandler

With Simone Lia on the Southbank

The interview is due to be broadcast at 8pm on Sunday 15 April on Resonance (104.4 FM in London and available online everywhere), as part of Alex Fitch’s Panel Borders (the UK’s only weekly broadcast radio show about comics).

You can also listen to the interview online whenever you like here…
http://archive.org/details/PanelBordersDepictingThePersonal

Despite my rambling questions and less than slick interview technique, Simone gives some great insite into the creative process of the graphic novel and what’s behind the story.