At the Kapow! Comic Con last Saturday, I met artist Stuart Jennett who gave me a flyer promoting a brand new originated British comic that's coming our way this autumn. Chronos Commandos is its title and from the sample pages Stuart showed me on his iPad it's definitely one not to miss!
Stuart used to be a comic artist for Marvel UK back in the good old days and has since worked as a concept designer in the computer games industry. He's now the co-founder of his own company, Alien Apple Studios Ltd, who will be publishing this new comic book series.
This really is top class artwork with a story that involves Nazis, dinosaurs (yes, that combination again!), time travel and Albert Einstein kicking ass. Yes, all great escapist fun!
To gaze upon Stuart's magnificent artwork and to keep up with developments visit http://www.stuartjennett.com and http://www.alienapplestudios.com
I was unable to attend the Bristol Comic Expo last week so to compensate for missing the camaraderie with my comic pals I bought a ticket to the Kapow! Comic Convention in London - and thoroughly enjoyed it. Here's a bunch of pics from today's show at the Business Design Centre in Islington...
Smaller than I expected, but a good venue. This is the scene just a few minutes after the doors opened before the majority of the fans arrived...
It was good to meet up with my old pals David (Psycho Gran) Leach and Bambos (multi-talented artist/writer/letterer/editor) Georgiou...
John Freeman, editor of Strip Magazine and Rok Comics...
A variety of guests including.... wrestlers?
Yep, wrestlers!
Jonathan Ross turned up and had a fight. See video here.
By mid-day the hall was packed, but still comfortable...
Fiona Stephenson (http://www.fionastephenson.com/) and Dean Ormston (http://comicbookdb.com/creator.php?ID=934) were just two of many artists who were exhibiting there...
Saturday afternoon, and Green Lantern shops for comics...
Indie creators Yel Zamor, Ian Sharman and David Wynne of Orang Utan Comics with Holly Rose as Loki, God of Mischief in the background...
What's better than comics and cakes? Comic themed cakes! More tasty stuff at http://www.cherryscupcakes.co.uk/
It's Noel Clarke from off the telly and films being interviewed about his career...
It's Clobberin' Cosplay Time!
Writer Mark Millar (Kick Ass, The Secret Service, The Ultimates, CLiNT and tons more) being interviewed about his work...
The event continues tomorrow, but I only decided to go for Saturday. (Tickets only folks, so don't turn up to pay on the door.) I haven't been to a London convention for years and although Kapow! has a different vibe to the old, much missed UKCAC events it was well worth attending. Great to meet up with Ian Edginton, Mike and Cassandra Conroy, Steve and Suzanne Tanner, Yel Zamor, G.M. Jordan, Tim Pilcher, Shane Chebsey, Emma Viecelli, Brady Webb, Ed Hammond, David Lloyd, Martin Averne and others again. Always good to see Dave Gibbons (albeit briefly this year), whose infectious enthusiasm for comics is always appreciated, and I was pleased to meet Kieron Gillan, Mark Millar and his wife Lucy Unwin, again too briefly.
Well done to Lucy and Sarah Unwin for putting on a smashing event. Unlike some comic shows these days which downplay comics in favour of being autograph events for actors, Kapow! has the right ratio of comics and related media. Comics are definitely to the fore, but there's a small inclusion of media guests as well which adds more variety to the lineup without it overshadowing comics. Hopefully there'll be another Kapow! in 2013 so roll on next year!
