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WELCOME
We hope you will join us and enjoy exploring the worlds of comics, graphic novels and manga at the annual Comica Festival and other special Comica events held throughout the year.—Paul Gravett, Megan Donnolley and Peter Stanbury, Team Comica
COMICA NEWS
Comica Conversation with Jaime Hernandez of Love & Rockets, Thursday May 30th! More Tickets On Sale!
Posted: May 7, 2013
IMPORTANT UPDATE! CHANGE OF VENUE AND START TIME!
Due to massive demand for tickets which have almost sold out already on WeGotTickets, we have moved Jaime Hernandez’s Comica Conversation with Woodrow Phoenix to a bigger venue, the fantastic Ciné Lumière Cinema at the Institut Francais.
This lets us offer you a further batch of tickets through their own Box Office - here is the booking link - click now and book asap or ring the box office on 020 7871 3515 - these will also be snapped up fast!
New venue address: Institut Français, 17 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2DT
Nearest tube station: South Kensington on the Piccadilly, Circle & District lines
New Earlier Start Time: 6.00pm to start 6.30pm SHARP! Runs till 8pm, followed by signing.
We’re thrilled that this extra-special Comica Conversation is being hosted by BD & Comics Passion Festival!
Over the last ten years, Comica Festival has brought you some of the biggest and best names in international comics, from Charles Burns, Joe Sacco and Chris Ware in our first year in 2003, and Art Spiegelman, Marjane Satrapi, Daniel Clowes, Shaun Tan and Craig Thompson in-between, to sell-out events with Robert Crumb, Aline Kominsky and Alison Bechdel last November. And when these guests come, we programme something memorable. We’ve asked many of you who you’d like us to invite over and we’re thrilled to confirm that, by popular demand, we’ve finally arranged to bring Jaime Hernandez to London for an exclusive Comica Conversation on Thursday May 30th.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to meet and hear JAIME HERNANDEZ, one of the most talented contemporary comics creators in America, if not the world. Jaime will be discussing the lives and loves of his crazy ‘locas’ - Maggie and Hopey - and other much-loved characters from the independent phenomenon LOVE & ROCKETS.
Jaime and his brother Gilbert and Mario self-published the first issue of LOVE & ROCKETS in 1981, before Fantagraphics launched it in 1982 as a continuing magazine with graphic novel collections. Still going today, it’s stronger than ever and Jaime is at the top of his game. Last year he won the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Artist and he’s a nominee for Best Writer/Artist in this year’s Eisner Awards.
From his childhood through his teenage punk years to today, Jaime will talk about his inspirations and creative process and demonstrate his art techniques by drawing live, projected onto a giant screen. There will also be a chance to put your questions to him, to buy his books and to get signatures and sketches in them. His latest acclaimed titles are a delirious take on superheroes in GOD AND SCIENCE and the ongoing LOVE & ROCKETS: NEW STORIES volumes.
Jaime will be interviewed in depth by connoisseur Woodrow Phoenix, author of Rumble Strip and Plastic Culture, editor of Felt Mistress: Creature Couture, co-editor of the award-winning Nelson and co-creator of Sugar Buzz.
DON’T DELAY, DEMAND WILL BE HUGE, BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW!
Tickets have just gone on sale, so now is the time to book your tickets at £10.00 each from the WeGotTickets website or from the new venue, the Institut Français - here is their booking link for these extra tickets!
When: Thursday May 30th, Doors open 6.00pm for 6.30pm start
Where: Institut Français, 17 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2DT. Nearest tube station is South Kensington. This Comica Conversation is hosted by BD & Comics Passion Festival
This exclusive Comica Conversation is organised by Comica Festival with generous support from our sponsors: The Copenhagen Comics Festival, where Jaime is among the guests, and Gosh! Comics, who hold his only London in-store signing on the Wednesday before from 5 to 7pm.
This event marks is the first time in over twenty years that the LOVE & ROCKETS co-creator has been here in the UK. It’s going to be a really special evening, running till 9.30pm latest depending on the signing queue - make sure you are part of it. Early booking is recommended. See you there!
Comica MangAsia Comes To Asia House Sat May 18th!
Posted: April 21, 2013
IMPORTANT UPDATE! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED!
Comica and Asia House apologise for cancelling this event and hope to stage a comics event together later in the year as part of Comica Festival.
Comica is collaborating with our friends at Asia House in London to bring you Comica MangAsia, a Saturday of talks, workshops, panels, kamishibai paper theatre, cosplayer activities and a Free MangAsia Comiket Fair, all on the theme of manga and Asian comics. This marks the very first time that comics have been included as part of Asia House’s prestigious Festival of Asian Literature.
TALKS & PANELS WITH HELEN McCARTHY, SARAH RUNDLE & MORE!
Comica MangAsia takes place in the three beautifully re-appointed Georgian Fine Rooms of Asia House, not far from Oxford Circus, Regent’s Park and Great Portland Street tube stations. In Fine Room 1, we’re offering you three fascinating talks starting at 12.30pm. Award-winning expert and Osamu Tezuka biographer Helen McCarthy (above) joins us live from the USA via Skype to guide us through the fascinating migrations and colonisations of comics art across Asia, from manga and anime in Japan to other popular graphic forms in China, Korea, Malaysia and elsewhere.
Then Sarah Rundle (above) will introduce us to Kamishibai or paper theatre, entertaining picture-based stories performed live by bicycling Kamishibai men, touring Japanese villages selling sweets, and present her own re-tellings of a variety of traditional stories. And thirdly and finally, Comica Festival co-director Paul Gravett hosts a lively panel discussion with Kripa Joshi (Nepal), Yishan Li (China), Tim Yu (Taiwan) and Canan Marasligil (Turkey), exploring the connections and differences between different Asian traditions of comics.
You can book an Afternoon Pass for all three talks for only £12, or Concessions £10 or Friends of Asia House £8. Book now on Eventbrite.
COSPLAY AND MANGA WORKSHOPS WITH EMILY BASTIAN, ADELAIDE FILIPPE AND INKO!
We’re also presenting two brilliant Workshops in Cosplay and Manga! Emily Bastian (veteran cosplayer and UK organiser for the World Cosplay Summit, see photo above © Adam Robertson/Bandai Namco) and Adelaide Filippe (cosplayer and professional prop maker / creature artist) lead a three-hour, hands-on workshop where you can have a go at creating your very own cosplay accessories! They’ll be taking us through the basics of putting your own brilliant cosplay costume together - including an introduction to sewing, prop making, wig styling and traditional Japanese clothing. You’ll have a chance to try some of the techniques hands on - bring along your own projects or have a go at making your own cosplay accessories using the materials provided! Everyone who takes part in the workshop will receive a worksheet and fabric sample pack to take home with them. This workshop runs from 1.45 to 4.30pm in the Studio.
Cosplay workshop tickets £10, Concession £8, Friends £7. Tickets can be booked here.
The second Workshop in Fine Room 3 is a Manga Masterclass for 16+. an ‘Inko-redible’ opportunity to learn how to improve your drawing and storytelling from Inko, the popular, widely published Japanese manga artist. Inko has created 19 manga posters for the Embankment tube station in London, and has collaborated with David Blandy on comics, film and animation projects. She recently illustrated the manga Ketsueki (above) written by Richmond Clements (Markosia). Numbers are limited. You are welcome to bring your own manga projects. Art materials supplied.
Manga Masterclass tickets cost £20, Concessions £15, Friends of Asia House £10. Book your places now here!
PLUS FREE MANGASIA COMIKET FAIR, AND TEA ROOM TREATS!
Also throughout the day from 11.00am to 4.00pm, you can visit our MangAsia Comiket Fair and meet and buy from Asian comics creators and other exhibitors offering their books, posters, original art, personal commissions, cosplay accessories and more. As space is limited to Fine Room 2, we are able to invite only a certain number of exhibitors. There’s delicious catering in the venue too, in Mackwood’s Tea Room (above), offering English afternoon tea treats alongside Asian main courses – curry of the day, sweet and sour chicken, stir fried noodles – and café staples like sandwiches and jacket potatoes. Look out for a Maid cosplayer to welcome you!
When: Saturday May 18th, 11.00am to 5.00pm.
Where: Asia House, 63 New Cavendish Street, London W1G 7LP.
Whether you already love manga, anime and other kinds of Asian comics or you’re curious and want to discover and explore these rich traditions and vibrant cultures for yourself, don’t miss the first Comica MangAsia at Asia House. It’s going to be a really enjoyable and memorable day, so see you there!
Comica MangAsia Saturday May 18th 2013
Click e-flyer to enlarge.
Comica Festival At Central Saint Martins Is A Big Hit!
Posted: April 21, 2013
A great response from the public, creators and publishers alike to Comica Festival’s amazing new home in the Platform Theatre, Foyer, Studio Theatre and White Lab at Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design near King’s Cross. The venue is so cool it’s not on Google Maps yet and it’s in a whole new London postcode, N1C. Here are a few photos from Comica’s friends. Do send or link us to your own and we’ll add some more here. And it all looks set for Comica to come back, even braver and bolder, this October. Details to follow!
Andy Poyiadgi emailed: “Just wanted to say a big thanks for a brilliant Comiket on Saturday, the venue went down really well and there seemed to be a great atmosphere all round. My table neighbours and I had a really successful day so looking forward to the next!”
And Andy Oliver over at Broken Frontier posted this great report from a punter’s perspective - many thanks, sirs!
Comica Comiket Spring 2013 Exhibitors List and Floorplans
Posted: April 18, 2013
Here it is, your A to Z guide of exhibitors you can meet this Saturday in our biggest Comiket yet, from Aben maler to The Zoom! and the floorplans for our fab new venues in the Platform Theatre Foyer with Bar and adjoining Studio. See you there!
Aben Maler 60
Aben maler is a Danish publishing company devoted to putting out books of quality, including books by Danish authors, such as From Wonderland with Love, an English language collection of some of the best Danish comics from the past decade, co-published with Fantagraphics. The 676 collection now includes 28 original Danish comics. Translations are available for all of them. Latest titles include Mårdøn Smet’s Stig & Martha and John Kenn Mortensen’s Post-It Monsters. MORE:
Accent UK 12
Fresh from trips to New York’s MoCCA festival and Dundee’s Comic Expo, Accent UK return to Comiket with their latest books featuring a
Victorian funeral wake, Monster hunting in the Louisiana swamplands
and a search for an invisible Man. Colin Mathieson and Dave West will
have (nearly) all the answers! MORE:
Adventures in Comics 33
Adventures in Comics takes place each year in February at Marine Studios, Margate. An exhibition of comics, graphic novels and sequential narratives, Adventures in Comics has now become a strong annual event which will get bigger and better every year! We have just collated this year’s entries to THE GREAT TREE into a full-colour newspaper. MORE:
Alex Brady 32
Alex is an illustrator and comic maker who works mainly with lino. She will be selling original prints and self-published comics Ordinary Street and Chorley Jack. Come and say hello! MORE:
Alex Potts 37
Alex Potts will be selling his most recent comic, Hand, some of his other self-published comics and all four issues of the Comix Reader. Alex will be sharing the table with David Greene. MORE:
Alizéé De Pin 54
Alizee brings short story comics and semi-conceptual zines to you. Autobiographical compilations, caricatures, social comments, and semi-conceptual home-printed books such as Badly DrawnGirls, Made in France, Breaktime with Frankenstein, and more… Come say hi, first comic festival in UK! MORE:
Anaseed Man 25
Anaseed Man will have titles including GART, 52KG and also has a new art zine in the in the works which should be available especially for Comiket! MORE:
Andy Poyiadgi 23
I’ll be selling copies of my short comics Teapot Therapy and On Reflection, plus a new print of The Barkling and the first of my Teabag Tales micro comics. There will be biscuits. MORE:
Anorak Magazine 20
The Anorak Press is an independent kids publishing house established in 2006 by proud Mum Cathy Olmedillas. Anorak Magazine, the ‘happy mag for kids’ is aimed at boys and girls aged between 6 and 12 years old. Anorak’s main philosophy is to encourage children to tap into their imagination, use their creativity to learn and is here to amplify their voices. It has at the core of its offering a passion for words and images that challenge and stimulate. MORE:
Apes ‘n’ Capes 18
Representing the Dead Universe Publishing label are Matt Rooke and Grainne McEntee with Apes ‘n’ Capes. Other titles published under the DUP banner include Bertie Bear, The Mystery Boys, Nowehereville, The Vale, Little Terrors and Aylesbury Dead and will also be available. We are
an eclectic bunch of creators! MORE:
Atlantic Press 46
Our rare and collectable books present imaginative ideas or tell intriguing stories. We are an independent press, publishing limited edition first books by authorial illustrators. Our newest publications include a murder mystery comic book, a WW1 hand-cut illustrated metanarrative and the world’s first academic book on Authorial Illustration. MORE:
Avery Hill Publishing 8
Our flagship titles are ‘Reads’, a comics anthology and ‘Tiny Dancing’, an arts and humour magazine. At Comiket we’ll have the new print of ‘Grey Area’ #1 from writer/artist Tim Bird, the long awaited Close Up Masterchef Vol.2 and Reads Vol.3 will be hot off of the press. MORE:
Becky Bagley 30
My titles are a collection of short stories, long musings and general idiocies that I’ve dreamt up and scribbled down. From Robots to Boxing animals, they cover a range of interests and art styles which, when observed together, contain the answer to the meaning of life. Probably. MORE:
Blank Slate 43
A graphic novel publisher of new talent from the UK and translated work from all over Europe. We are responsible for titles such as Psychiatric Tales, Luchadoras, the Trains Are… Mint series, Sparky O’Hare, Spleenal, Nelson and more! Recent titles include The Silver Darlings & Felt Mistress. Advance preview copies of the latest releases The Suitcase and Swear Down are available at Comiket and author Dan Berry and Oliver East are attending. MORE:
Cass Art 24
Looking for Art Supplies, London? We’re a leading independent retailer of art tools for creative people. Whether you’re 3 or 103, we have the finest art supplies. You could win a £100 Cass Art voucher in our Draw-A-Comic Competition on our stand using our easels or at the tables in the White Lab. Also sign up to our mailing list and enter a prize draw for a £50 Cass Art voucher. Cass Art is also supporting the three CSM student competitions. MORE:
Captain Jihad 51
‘Captain Jihad!’ is an independent comic book series following the titular Captain Jihad as he struggles to come to terms with being a) the world’s first Islamic-extremist superhero and b) generally a bit rubbish. This is the launch of the series, with the first two issues for sale and signing.
Chie Kutsuwada 42
Chie Kutsuwada will be there to sell my manga comics, including The Story of Lee and the most recent book about the famous samurai worrier, The Book of Five Rings, and some postcards as well. I will take sketch commissions and do book signing too. MORE:
Cliodhna Lyons 13
Ztoical offer a range of comics such as Underground, Threes & Cheap Thrills, plus prints, cards and on-the-spot caricatures. MORE:
Crom - Cristian Ortiz 26
Crom - Cristian Ortiz is the creator of comic book Golden Campaign which sold out in its first week of release in 2012. This year a second edition will be available to buy along with some posters and a chance to go through the sketchbooks and original pages used for the making of the project. MORE:
Dan Berry 44
Dan is an artist, lecturer and host of the comics podcast ‘Make It Then Tell Everybody’. Dan will be signing and drawing on copies of his comics, prints and taking drawing requests throughout the day. He draws comics such as After We Shot The Grizzly and Cat Island. The first advance copies of his book The Suitcase from Blank Slate Books will be available on the day. MORE:
Daniel Merlin Goodbrey 59
Daniel Merlin Goodbrey is a pioneer and guru of webcomics and hypercomics, and creator/curator of the Black Hats In Hell! exhibition, with CSM students and guests Sean Azzopardi and Douglas Noble, on show at Comica in the Platform Theatre Gallery. Come and discover his latest print-based experimental comics. MORE:
David Lander 32
Decadence is a comic anthology and collective that publish’s science fiction stories . Their comics feature psychedelic altered states and dystopian visions. Futures and alternative realities are projected while an awareness of the past and present are retained. Decadence comics attempt to break down reality and confront the idea of duality within the Cosmos. MORE:
Dimple Goswami & Isabel Stewart 50
Isabel and Dimple are a pair of London based illustrators who like to make zines, illustrations and short comics together about a range of themes and things they are inspired by.
Isabel Stewart
Dimple Goswami
Dilraj Mann 58
Dilraj Mann - prints, original art and risographs.MORE:
Douglas Noble 19
Douglas Noble was raised in the Borders. His previous work includes the comics “The Silent Choir”, “Built of Blood and Bricks”, and “Live Static”, and his comics have been exhibited internationally. He is also the author of the play “Phist”, which was performed by Dundee’s Going Nowhere theatre troupe. MORE:
Eat, Sleep, Sniff 27
Drawing comics with a feline persuasion, Rus of Eat, Sleep, Sniff has been known to create stories that don’t include cats. But it’s rare. At Comica Comiket there’ll be some brand new mini-comics as well as the usual stock plus cards, prints, badges and anything else that a cat looks good on… MORE:
EdieOP 56
EdieOP will be selling an assortment of zines, prints,badges and other arty goodies. Including Jonah; a morbid tale about the importance of feeding your fish and 7 Blows to the Head; 7 stories about 7 head injuries. MORE:
Elemental Micah 49
First editions of the unconventional super human graphic novel Elemental Micah will be available at Comiket! Containing the first four books from the series, volume one called “Just Exhale” also features new art, words from the artist and a foreword by novelist CJ Lines. MORE:
Elliot Baggott 37
Elliot Baggott is a Comic artist whose work explores processes of urban decay and regeneration, and their parallels in the field of conservation. One recent work, The Athlete, explores the impact of Olympic events on vulnerable sections of society. MORE:
Eternal Believer 61
Hello! I will be selling the first issue of my comic called, “Stampede: Jessica’s story”. This comic is about
social inequality amongst poor urban youth and friendship. I will also be selling postcards and badges. MORE:
Frank Fiorentino 28
Frank Fiorentino is an award-winning graduate of The Ontario College of Art and Design. He is the publisher of Sparrow Press, and author/illustrator of several indie graphic publications, including The Atlantic, I Don’t Blame You, and most notably, The Song of Otto. MORE:
FROGMAN 55
FROGMAN is a not-so-super superhero who kicks, punches and shags his way through his rubbish life, sort of fighting crime and sort of saving the day. It’s got action, romance, jokes, puns, nerd-references and scenes of hardcore sex and violence. What more could you want? MORE:
GIUDA edizioni 9
G.I.U.D.A., Geographical Institute of Unconventional Drawing Art, is an Italian magazine born in 2009: the main focus is the relation between Geography and Comics. The first 4 issues were dedicated to Montparnasse cemetery (1st),
PreRaphaelites movement in London (2nd), Happy Days and Milwaukee
(3rd) and Durand Line in Afghanistan and Alighiero Boetti (4th). MORE:
Goldflower Illustrations 53
You can choose to buy between 4 self published original illustrated books for children and adults from Anthi Chrysanthou and single page hand-drawn comics. Also, a list where the visitors can sign to a newsletter list. MORE:
Howard Hardiman 38
After graduating in 2011 from the MA in Visual Arts at Camberwell, Howard has completed The Lengths, a 200-page series based on interviews with male sex workers in London. Howard is currently the artist in residence at Quay Arts on the Isle of Wight. MORE:
Inko 42
Inko will be signing her action manga “Ketsueki” on purchase at the table. Manga postcards and commissions are also available. And get your manga portrait drawn by Inko, see how you turn into a manga character! MORE:
Ink + Paper 40
Ink+PAPER is the chunky little comics magazine packed with stories and features to entertain, challenge and amuse. We’ll have issues #2 and #3 on sale. Over 100 pages each of full-colour comics. We’ll also have Tozo, Monster & Chips and minicomics! Come by and say hello. MORE:
Isabel Greenberg 30
Isabel Greenberg is a London based illustrator and comics artist. She has just finished her first graphic novel for Jonathan Cape ‘The Encyclopedia of Early Earth’ , which is due out in the Autumn. She will be selling her small press books, zines, badges , prints and other stuff too! MORE:
Joe Sparrow 39
Joe Sparrow is a freelance Illustrator & Animator living and working in London. His comics include Omnipathy #1 & #2. MORE:
John Miers 59
The eternal lunchtime of the spotless plate. Details to follow…
MORE:
Jonathan Cape 10
Jonathan Cape Graphic Novels present advance preview copies of Stephen Collins’ eagerly anticipated debut book, plus authors of other recent titles such as S.J. Collins and Warren & Gary Pleece signing on their table. Come and discover The Acclaimed Graphic Books List. MORE:
Karen Rubins 40
My comics include Blood Magic, 28 page black and spot colour comic fantasy, produced in association with the V&A as part of the Comics Artist residency. I am always working on new projects, and welcome interest from any writers, publishers or educators. MORE:
Knockabout Comics 2
Hunt Emerson will be signing Dante’s Inferno and his other titles. Also on sale, Krent Able’s Big Book of Mischief, Robert & Aline Crumb’s Drawn Together and Lost Girls by Alan Moore & Melinda Gebbie. Plus lots of other Knockabout stuff. MORE:
Kripa Kreations 50
Miss Moti books including the recent Miss Moti and her Short Stories and merchandise like greeting cards, magnets and mirrors. MORE:
Lizz Lunney 38
Lizz will be selling copies of all of her latest comics including “At The End of Your Garden” and “Depressed Cat- Nine Miserable Lives” as well as badges, prints and other awesome gifts. MORE:
LOAf Magazine 51
Get the first issue of LOAf Magazine, a new bi-annual comic featuring work by over 30 writers and artists. Comics and prints from our contributors will also be for sale. And we’ll be jamming some comics, playing some games - bring a pencil, join us! MORE:
Lyndon White and Tyler Wilson 41
My table will include copies of Where were you? my 24 page comic, along with a range of A3 prints and original drawings. I’ll happily sign any of my work throughout the day. MORE:
Marc Ellerby / Great Beast Comics 29
Marc Ellerby is a comics illustrator based in Essex, England. He is the creator of the graphic novel Ellerbisms: A Sporadic Diary Comic and the ongoing series Chloe Noonan: Monster Hunter. He has work published by Oni Press, Image Comics and Boom! Studios.
Marc Ellerby:
Great Beast Comics:
Mark Cooper 25
Details and website to follow…
Martin Eden 3
Independent creator Martin Eden will be selling his award-nominated comics at the Comiket this Spring: Spandex, a ground-breaking comic about an all-gay superhero
team, and The O Men, an epic supehero soap opera! MORE:
Melon Shrub 45
Jack Burston, Murray Somerville and Daisy Wolff-Whitehouse will be on the table and we’ll be selling all six issues of our bi-monthly comic-filled zine, Macro Shrub, as well as assorted other individual pieces of work. MORE:
Michael Lomon 25
CRIMINAL! (Issue 2 launching at Comiket!) is a series of one shot, short stories, following the trials and tribulations of Nova City’s
most deprived, most debauched and mostly daft criminal elements.
Metal Between Two Faces is a science fiction adventure story set in
the not too distant future, involving the misadventures of one 16
year old Toby Alastor as he becomes embroiled in an unravelling
series of events that will shape the future of the earth itself.
Original artwork from these titles will be available to purchase.
MORE:
Myriad Editions 17
Independent publisher offering a distinctive selection of unconventional viewpoints, new voices and new ways of seeing. Its graphic authors include Woodrow Phoenix, Kate Evans, Aneurin Wright, Darryl Cunningham and Nicola Streeten. At Comiket, Hannah Eaton will sign a limited number of advance copies of her graphic novel Naming Monsters. Later in 2013 Myriad will publish Gareth Brookes, winner of the
First Graphic Novel Competition .
MORE:
Newfangled Press 58
Come and meet this collective, recently re-branded from Inanimate Objectives, including work by the artist Kooky Cherry. MORE:
Nicholas Angell 14
Nich Angell is a comic-book illustrator who has worked for Titan Magazines and other kid’s comic strips. He has his own graphic novel ‘7STRING’ which he will be selling from his table. Nich also draws the daily webcomic Cat and Meringue. MORE:
Nobrow & Flying Eye Books 4
Nobrow works with talented illustrators from around the world to produce books, prints and other fine collectable objects. Flying Eye books bring together illustrious illustrators and awesome authors to create beautiful, wonder-filled works of fiction and non-fiction. MORE:
Oliver Lamden 6
Modern Monstrosity have been self-publishing their action/adventure sit-com comic book, Tales From The Flat since 1999. Come and see Oliver’s latest titles. MORE:
Orful Comics 49
Rob Cureton is the writer and artist behind Scene City and the auto-bio web-comic Orful Comics. MORE:
Owen D. Pomery 28
I create the graphic miniseries ‘Between the Billboards’ and will be releasing Part V, the penultimate episode in the saga. I am also responsible for ‘The Megatherium Club’ and ‘Benson’. MORE:
Paulina Vassileva 31
Paulina will be selling limited edition prints of her artwork and will also be available for questions regarding her work, future projects or anything else that may come to mind. MORE:
Paul Rainey 35
I will be selling copies of Thunder Brother: Soap Division. In it, all soap operas are real. The comic is told from the point of view of the organisation, Soap Division, which secretly records the lives of these people for our entertainment and, more accurately, the security officer, Thunder Brother, and his young apprentice, Sally, whose job it is to protect these soap-worlds from unofficial external influence. MORE:
Penny Blackfeather Comics 23
Francesca Dare presents “Penny Blackfeather”, her continuing adventure story set in a world once described as “Jane Austen on Steampunk Crack”! Join Penny and her friends as they encounter ghosts, sinister magic and other worlds. And a parrot. MORE:
Philippa Rice 11
Titles include My Cardboard Life, Recylost, St. Colin and the Dragon, plus risograph prints, mini-comic, mugs and more. MORE:
The Phoenix 57
What is THE PHOENIX? A weekly 32-page full colour comic, in both print and digital versions, full of 100% original stories and incredible competitions, amazing value for money and the best way to get kids reading! Gary Northfield from ‘Gary’s Garden’ and Neill Cameron from ‘Pirates of Pangaea’ will be on our table drawing and signing. MORE:
Richy Chandler 21
Visit Richy’s table for prints and comics from the Tempo Lush range including a grizzly bear shaped box of mini-comics, Rosie and Jacinda, a fairytale inspired romantic comedy Manga plus the newly released Lucy the Octopus collection, Better in Small Doses. MORE:
Robert Wells 35
Robert Wells is the creator of the comics Crisp Biscuit, Crisp, Colin Comix, and Crisp Biscuit Comics. His latest series is the superhero comedy Department of the Peculiar, written by Rol Hirst, two issues of which are now available. He will be selling comics and sketching on demand. MORE:
Robin Barnard 52
Robin Barnard will be here in person with his creation WHAT MEN, a 96 page parody in black and white dynamite taking creators rights, work for hire, internet pundits, the death of mainstream creativity, the death of mainstream comics and so much more all in a unique experiment that will blow your mind. Chris J. Thompson of Pop Culture Hound said: “An ambitious and unique comics experiment—What Men takes what you think you know and makes you look at it again with fresh eyes.” Free hand drawn sketch with every copy of WHAT MEN sold. MORE:
Rob Jackson 19
Rob Jackson is a cartoonist from Bolton. He will be bringing his new book ‘The Storytellers’ and the four issues of his new series ‘California’. He will also bring his older comics such as ‘It’s a Man’s Life in the Ice Cream Business’ , ‘The Gods must be Bastards’ and ‘Goblin Hall’. MORE:
Sammy Borras & Sarah Fogg 56
Comics and Zines created by Sammy Borras and Sarah Fogg such as This Is Not A Serious Music Publication, Eat Me, What’s The Time Mrs. Woolf?, Bad Fairy Bakery, Best Day Ever and Jumping The Shark. MORE:
Sam Webster 55
Details to follow…
Sarah Graley 34
I am a illustrator, author, comic book artist and a ukulele wizard! My comics include Adventures in Angst Volume 1 and Our Super Adventure Book 1, plus art prints, pocket mirrors and badges. MORE:
Sarah Jones 52
I will be selling my atmospheric comic The Doll Maker. I will also have available to purchase, beautifully dark illustrated prints and postcards and my hand made books about the the silly adventures of a young lady called Plain Jane. MORE:
Sean Azzopardi 5
Titles on sale include Twelve Hour Shift, Same Day Return, Ed, 100 Days of Winter, Sketchbook 3, Dark Matters with Douglas Noble, and Necessary Monsters with Daniel Merlin Goodbrey, plus D’Accord, an anthology of international cartoonists. MORE:
SelfMadeHero 15
SelfMadeHero is a publisher of the finest fiction, biography, history and humour in the graphic novel medium that showcases leading authors and artists from around the world: from the quirky and humorous to the political and profound. Previewing at Comiket will be The Man Who Laughs by Mark Stafford and David Hine and Don Quixote Vol.2 by Rob Davis. MORE:
Sequential 47
Sequential is the unique digital graphic novel storefront app for the iPad, bringing together literary graphic novels from the world’s leading publishers and creators. Suitable for ladies and gentlemen of taste and sophistication. Published authors Darryl Cunningham, Hunt Emerson and Terry Wiley will sign the stand. Complete our quiz on the stand and enter a draw to win an iPad Mini, announced 6.30pm Saturday - you must be there to win! MORE:
Soaring Penguin Press 45
Soaring Penguin Press is an eclectic publisher of both graphic fiction and poetry. Titles include Ellen Lindner’s Undertow, Chrissy Williams’ The Jam Trap, and Little Death, hailed by Bleeding Cool News as the next comic cult hit. MORE:
Space Babe 113 1
Space Babe is John Maybury’s surreal, naughty SF comedy. It features stylish and stylised, minimalist artwork, big-hair and talking knickers. MORE:
Subversive Comics 48
Publisher of the Zombie Bears comic “Bearlands”, as well as the Bladerunner-meets-black-mirror science fiction epic “Metal Made Flesh”. Described by one reviewer as “The best indie comic I’ve read in years.” Writer Jeremy Biggs will be in attendance for signings. MORE:
Thunderbolts Comics 54
Presenting the latest titles including Power Punks, The Midnight Ninja and Fatman by creator Michael Adebayo. MORE:
Valeriya F. 48
Valeriya F. is a young aspiring manga and comic artist, working hard on introducing her world to you. At the Comica Comiket this April, she’ll sell a lot of prints of her original artworks, preview to her upcoming manga and original illustrations. So please don’t forget to stop by her table! MORE:
Walker Books 36
Walker Books offer a range of graphic novels and adaptations. At Comiket they will be promoting their latest titles: The Sleepwalkers by Viviane Schwarz, Teeny Tinysaurs by Gary Northfield and the second book of Gum Girl by Andi Watson. MORE:
The Westies of West London 53
The Westies of West London is a cartoon about West Highland Terrier dogs living in West London and the mischief they accomplish! The inspiration for this cartoon is based on an office dog, Casper, who comes into “work” everyday with his owners causing havoc and mayhem along the way. MORE:
T’sao Wei 34
Windrush is a Wuxia/Superhero ongoing comic book series about the assassination of the superhero Windrush, and how her daughter Lauren takes the mantle. The brand new issue 2 of Windrush will be available on the table, alongside the usual comic books such as Through These Slanted Eyes and Neon Loneliness. MORE:
Woodrow Phoenix 16
Rare collectibles from Woodrow Phoenix, an artist and writer who has amassed too many toys for one studio. He is the author of Plastic Culture. Sugar Buzz and Rumble Strip. MORE:
Zarina Liew 22
Zarina Liew is a London-based, freelance fashion illustrator and award-winning comic artist. Her work has appeared editorially in various publications and advertorial campaigns across Europe. Her comics include Le Mime, Art of Sleep and Rosie & Jacinda. She will be selling art prints and her self-published comics during this event. MORE:
The Zoom! 7
12-year-old Zoom Rockman selling copies of his 7th comic. The latest jam packed issue includes: Another collectible ‘Zoom’ badge, free food vouchers for ‘George’s Fish n Chips’, more from ‘Rajco’ the newsagent, ‘Kebab Shop of Horrors’, ‘Crasher’, ‘Ace’ and introducing new cover star ‘Skanky Pigeon.’ MORE:
Comica Symposium Spring 2013 Programme
Posted: April 18, 2013
Here’s the timetable for tomorrow afternoon’s Comica Symposium, including the Brian Bolland talk, and the bonus for ticket-holders to come to the Sequential Preview from 6.30-7.30. Tickets can be purchased on the door at the Platform Theatre Box Office at Central Saint Martins, subject to capacity, for £12 / £8 for the whole day or £F8 / £4 for Bolland.
COMICA SYMPOSIUM AT CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS
FRIDAY APRIL 19th 2.30-6.30pm plus SEQUENTIAL PREVIEW PLATFORM THEATRE
Comica Festival in association with Central Saint Martins, Sequential and Cass Art, present the first Comica Symposium, a programme of professional development talks and panels aimed at students, graduates and tutors and everyone interested in working within today’s vibrant comics medium in the UK and internationally.
2.30-2.35 Welcome by Dr. Roger Sabin from CSM & Paul Gravett, Comica
2.35-3.10 Frazer Irving: The Life of a Comics Artist
A candid talk about the realities of becoming a comics creator, breaking in, working on legacy characters like Batman and X-Men, and making comics your own way.
3.10-3.30 Comics Festivals in the UK
This October 18th to 20th, Britain gets an exciting new comics festival in Kendal, The Lakes International Comic Art Festival. Its director Julie Tait and Bhavit Mehta from the South Asian Literature Festival discuss the inspiration and opportunities which festivals offer to comics creators and readers. Followed by a Short Break
3.50-4.20 Chie Kutsuwada & Inko: Making Manga and More
Two Japanese CSM alumni, now successful creators of manga and more, reveal their postgraduate paths, working for publishers in Britain, America and Japan and collaborating on diverse narrative and art projects.
4.20-5.10 Getting Published: Tony Bennett, Alex Bowler, Tom Fickling, Corinne Pearlman & Alex Spiro
Four leading UK publishers, from Knockabout, Cape, The Phoenix, Myriad and Nobrow share invaluable tips on what they look for in a proposal, how best to pitch it, the editing process, and how they envisage the market and the medium developing. Followed by a Short break
5.30-6.30 Comica Conversation: Brian Bolland - Artist and Author
A rare opportunity to meet the acclaimed CSM alumnus, illustrator of iconic versions of Judge Dredd and Batman, talking about his career and creative processes from his small press roots to his self-penned projects like Mr Mamoulian.
6.30-7.30 Sequential Exclusive UK Preview:
Sequential is the unique digital graphic novel storefront app for the iPad, bringing together literary graphic novels from the world’s leading publishers and creators. Join publisher Russell Willis and authors Brian Bolland, Darryl Cunningham, Hunt Emerson & Terry Wiley for this Preview.
Followed by Sequential Party in the Foyer with artists’ signings 7.30-10.00pm.
Central Saint Martins Student Winners of Comica Competitions!
Posted: April 18, 2013
As part of Comica’s engagement with Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design, their talented students were set three challenging creative briefs over their Spring break. Prizes included books from publishers Nobrow and Thames & Hudson, portfolio reviews, a visit to Nobrow’s studio and a slot in the next Nobrow anthology, and three vouchers from Cass Art for £100 of art supplies. The entries poured in and after much deliberation, the judges have picked the following three winners.
Designer and illustrator Rian Hughes joined Team Comica in selecting Josh Saunders to win the Comica Festival poster brief (above) and his image is also being used on A5 postcards and other festival signage and promotion.
Nobrow set a brief to create a 4-page black-and-one-colour comic on the theme of ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’. Alex Spiro picked ‘The World’s New Clothes’ by ‘Doralice’, pen-name of Yu Dukai. Her entry will go on show at Comica Festival.
And Daniel Merlin Goodbrey invited students to collaborate with him on his cowboys vs. demons hypercomic exhibition, going on display at Comica in the Platform Theatre Gallery. He’s chosen Alex Hedworth’s six-frame strip as the winner. Come to CSM to see his whole strip and rest of the project, with guest contributions from Sean Azzopardi and Douglas Noble.
And a fourth £100 Cass Art voucher and other book prizes can be won in our Draw-A-Comic Competition, being judged by graphic novelist Woodrow Phoenix with Team Comica, on Saturday at the Festival. You have to be there to enter and to win. You must submit your one-page comic in person by 5.30pm (no digital or email entries). You can create your strip in the White Lab or at Cass Art’s own stand where they will have paper on easels. Winner announced 6.30pm.
Here’s this Saturday’s Drawing Parade Line-Up at Comica Comiket!
Posted: April 18, 2013
Once again, this Saturday April 20th at Central Saint Martins, King’s Cross, London, Comica Comiket invites you to watch a dazzling roster of comics creators drawing live and projected onto a big screen at our Drawing Parade - and it’s all completely free.
Drawing Parade Schedule: Saturday April 20th 2013 - 11am to 6.30pm
11.00-11.30: Stephen Collins The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil (Cape)
11.30-12.00: Terry Wiley Sleaze Castle (Markosia) and VerityFair (Sequential)
12.00-12.30: S.J. Harris Eustace (Cape)
12.30-1.00: Viviane Schwarz The Sleepwalkers (Walker Books) & Welcome To Your Awesome Robot (Nobrow)
1.00-1.30: Gary Northfield Derek the Sheep (Bloomsbury), Gary’s Garden (The Phoenix) and Teeny Tinysaurs (Walker)
1.30-2.00: Oliver East Trains Are… Mint, Proper Well High, Berlin, Swear Down (Blank Slate)
2.00-2.30: Hannah Eaton Naming Monsters (Myriad)
2.30-3.00: Dan Berry The Suitcase (Blank Slate)
3.00-3.30: Warren & Gary Pleece Montague Terrace (Cape) and The Great Unwashed (Escape Books)
3.30-4.00: Frazer Irving Batman (DC), Uncanny X-Men (Marvel), Gutsville (Image)
4.00-4.30: Chie Kutsuwada As You Like It (SelfMadeHero), The Story of Lee (NBM), Hagakure (Kodansha)
4.30-5.00: Darryl Cunningham Psychiatric Tales (Blank Slate) and Science Tales (Myriad)
5.00-5.30: Mark Stafford The Man Who Laughs (SelfMadeHero) and Cherubs (Dark Horse)
5.30-6.00: Inko Ketsueki (Markosia) and Fantasy World (Adjiey Media)
6.00-6.30: Neill Cameron Mo-Bot High (The DFC Library) and Pirates of Pangaea (The Phoenix)
All of the artists will be happy to sign their books for you and several will also be giving interviews in the Platform Theatre, details to follow. Paul Gravett and Karrie Fransman will be hosting the Drawing Parade in the Studio Theatre. This rounds off at 6.30pm with Closing Announcements, including the presentations of the winners of the Sequential iPad Competiton and Cass Art Draw-A-Comic Competition. See you there!
Comica Is Coming! Book Now for Symposium, Brian Bolland & Battle Of The Eyes!
Posted: April 13, 2013
Comica Festival at CSM Poster - Illustration by winner Josh Saunders
Click image to enlarge.
Spring is well and truly springing, as we head towards two days of amazing Comica events in the Platform Theatre, and the adjacent venues of the Foyer (with bar), Studio Theatre and White Lab, all at Central Saint Martins, our fabulous new venue near to King’s Cross, London. See floorplan of these spaces below.
Tickets are now on sale at WeGotTickets for our First Comica Symposium on Friday April 19th, 2.30-6.30pm offering a series of professional development talks and panels aimed at students, graduates and everyone interested in working within the comics medium in the UK and internationally. Speakers include CSM alumni Brian Bolland, famed for his iconic renditions of Judge Dredd and Batman, Nobrow co-publisher Alex Spiro, and acclaimed manga creators Chie Kutsuwada and Inko. Also participating will be graphic novel commissioners from Jonathan Cape, Knockabout, Myriad and Phoenix editor Tom Fickling, Julie Tait, director of the first Lakes International Comic Art Festival, and the 2000AD, Marvel and DC superstar illustrator Frazer Irving.
Your tickets to the whole Symposium or to Brian Bolland’s talk will also grant you entry to a world exclusive preview from 6.30 to 7.30pm, also in The Platform Theatre at CSM, of Sequential, the deluxe digital graphic novel storefront app for the iPad, bringing together literary graphic novels from the world’s leading publishers and creators. Sequential’s Tokyo-based pioneer, Russell Willis, will be joined by Brian Bolland, Hunt Emerson, Terry Wiley, Darryl Cunningham and others on the roster to launch the deluxe digital versions of Bolland Strips!, The Essential Hunt Emerson, Psychiatric Tales, VerityFair and more. Followed by signings and a launch party in the Foyer Bar till 10pm.
To book the whole afternoon and evening, you can book Comica Symposium tickets online here for £12, or only £8 for all concessions (students, unwaged, OAP). Doors open 2.15 for 2.30 start.
Or you can book tickets for just the evening’s Brian Bolland event from 5.30pm onwards, and also come to the Sequential preview, for £8, or only £4 concessions here.
And the next day, Saturday April 20th, brings our Spring Comica Comiket from 11am to 7pm, admission totally free. As well as two adjoining rooms, the Foyer and the Studio Theatre, packed with exhibitors, and our much-loved Drawing Parade with a different artist every 30 minutes demonstrating their skills on a big projection screen, we’ll have extra talks and screenings in the Platform Theatre, and a drawing competition in the White Lab to win a £100 Voucher for art materials from Cass Art. You can also win an iPad from our sponsors Sequential by answering their quiz. You have to be there to enter, and to win!
Saturday in The White Lab will also see the unveiling of Dave Gibbons’ provocative response to WHAAM!, Roy Lichtenstein’s iconic, ironic painting now showing at Tate Modern. Gibbons, famed artist and co-creator with Alan Moore of Watchmen, has gone back to Lichtenstein’s comic book source, a panel by Irv Novick, and remixed it as WHAAT?, his witty commentary on Pop Art (below). The two-part, giant-sized framed print will be on show to the public for the first time. Gibbons will be producing limited edition, signed prints of it and offering this sole enlargement for sale in aid of the Hero Initiative charity helping comics creators in need. Read more about Gibbons’ masterpiece, WHAAT? here!
Comica has also set some challenging creative briefs for Central Saint Martin students, with three winners each getting a £100 Voucher for art materials from Cass Art and other prizes. Firstly, they were invited to design a poster for the Festival, and we got some excellent entries, but in the end, Team Comica and guest judge, graphic designer & comics creator Rian Hughes chose the entry by Josh Saunders. You can see the finished version with logos, sponsors and details at the beginning of this post.
Another Comica/CSM collaboration brings together web wizard Daniel Merlin Goodbrey and CSM students to work on a crazy Hypercomic on the walls of the Platform Theatre Gallery. Black Hats In Hell! starts from Daniel’s own multi-path storyline mixing the Wild West and the Underworld, cowboys and demons, and then adds the students’ own new strips spinning off from the core narrative. Here are some of Daniel’s characters. Come and see the results next Saturday!
And thirdly and finally, students had the chance to demonstrate their storytelling chops to acclaimed UK publisher Nobrow, to win the chance to appear in the next issue of the prestigious Nobrow magazine. One lucky winner will be announced at the Festival!
For the grand finale of Comica at CSM, from 7.30pm in The Platform Theatre on the Saturday night, Comica presents Battle Of The Eyes in The Noise Of Our Art, the first amazing collaboration between live performance painters Chris Long and Edwin Pouncey and leading musician and DJ Trevor Jackson. An unmissable mash-up of comics, painting and music, before your every eyes, and ears! There’s also a chance to see Mario Cavalli’s film of BOTE, What We Do. Book your tickets now for only £5 or £3 concessions. The evening ends with our Comiket after-party in the Foyer till 10pm - do join us.
A last chivy to any exhibitors still interested in booking tables, you should act right away please, using these PayPal links.
When: Friday April 19th, 2.30 to 10pm, and Saturday April 20th, 11am to 10pm.
Where: The Platform Theatre, Foyer, Studio Theatre & White Lab, Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design, Handyside Street, London N1C 4AA.
Don’t miss Comica Festival at Central Saint Martins. Come and see our amazing new venue. It’s going to be a really special two days - see you there!
Tables Now Booking for Spring Comiket April 20th at Central Saint Martins!
Posted: March 4, 2013
A New Year and a fabulous New Venue, as Comica Festival teams up with Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design to stage the biggest and best Comiket Independent Comics Fair yet in their spectacular new headquarters, mere minutes away from King’s Cross rail and tube stations.
The date is set for Saturday April 20th for our Spring Comiket, where once again the public will be able to discover the very best in comics and enjoy the Drawing Parade of superstar artists, all for free! We’ll be announcing the first in our Drawing Parade line-up very soon.
With lots more space in the Platform Theatre in Handyside Street, London N1C 4AA (above), and the adjoining Studio and Foyer, complete with convenient and affordable all-day Student Bar (below), and with the White Lab space right next door too, we can present a wider range than ever of creators, publishers, exhibitors and events throughout the day. We’re also programming an extra session of Comica Conversations on the Friday afternoon, April 19th - sign up to the Comica Newsletter for exclusive details of who’s participating and how you can join the audience.
Meantime, now’s the time to book your tables, at the same rate as before. Comiket is a premium event and major attraction of Comica Festival, a not-for-profit social enterprise promoting public appreciation of and involvement with the comics medium in all its forms.
Please select from the choices on the buttons below if you wish to display a banner. Banners can only be displayed behind wall tables within the Studio. This avoids the Drawing Parade view being blocked. Small Press Tables can be booked via PayPal using the buttons below. Professional Tables can be requested via the email link below and will be invoiced.
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Professional Publishers & Other Businesses:
Whole Table: £150
Click here to email your Booking Request
and we will be pleased to send your company an Invoice.
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Individuals, Small Press & Self-Publishers:
Whole Table: £75
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Individuals, Small Press & Self-Publishers:
Half Table: £40
Upcoming Comica Events in April and May!
Posted: February 26, 2013
Here are some unmissable dates for your 2013 diary! Our second Spring Comiket Fair is coming up in less than two months on Saturday April 20th at an amazing new venue, Central Saint Martin’s fab new building just five minutes from King’s Cross. We’ll be taking over their Platform Theatre (below), Foyer (with great value Bar!) and Studio spaces, and possibly more. Booking details for exhibitors’ tables will follow soon, and we’re lining up another stellar Drawing Parade as well as other extra live comics-making happenings throughout the day. We’re also programming an afternoon of talks and panels, especially useful to aspiring comics creators, on the Friday afternoon of April 19th and an exciting launch and reception on the Friday evening.
Further ahead in May, Comica is programming the first Comica MangAsia Day celebrating manga from Japan and all kinds of comics from right across Asia as part of this year’s Asian Word Literary Festival, held in the three beautiful Fine Rooms, Mackwood’s Tearoom (below) and Studio of Asia House in New Canvendish Street, not far from the BBC and Oxford Circus. Talks, workshops, kamishibai theatre, cosplay demos and a MangaAsia Comiket room are among the many attractions on Saturday May 18th.
Be sure to sign up here for our Comica Newsletter to get all the details of these events, as well as news on the 3rd BD & Comics Passion Festival on May 30th to June 2nd at the Institut Français in South Kensington, London.
