Fake news!

According to today's Metro, I designed Dennis the Menace's iconic red and black jumper. That's quite an accomplishment I should be proud of... considering it happened in 1951, eight years before I was born!
http://metro.co.uk/2017/03/17/freddie-fox-is-the-new-voice-behind-dennis-the-menace-this-is-going-to-be-blam-6515147/

The article even quotes me on stuff. I've never even spoken to the Metro but my quotes are from a BBC item from a while back. However, Metro didn't do their research properly, and somehow confused me with David Law. Heck, they even reckon that Dennis "made his debut" on the back of a cigarette packet, intimating it was published like that.

The facts: when The Beano were creating Dennis the Menace in 1951, editor Ian Chisholm did a rough sketch of the character on the back of a fag packet to show artist David Law what he wanted. As we know, David Law did a fantastic job on the character, later adding the distinctive striped jumper.

While the Metro mistake amused me, there's also a serious edge to it because it denies David Law his credit, and there's a possibility the error will be copied by other sources in the future. Ironically, the Metro's tagline is "News... but not as you know it".

Unless, of course, I'm a time-traveller and the story is true. With the crackpot way the 21st Century has gone so far anything is possible. 

Team Toxic in space!

Team Toxic begin a three-part adventure that has them head into space in the next issue of Toxic, on sale Wednesday 22nd March. Signal from Space sees the team respond to a distress call in deep space. What will they find? A bloomin' great Space Shark for one thing! 

Toxic No.286, available from newsagents and supermarkets from Wednesday. 

New event: BIRMINGHAM COMICS FESTIVAL in June

I'm very pleased to be able to add another event to my "gig guide" this year as I'll be one of the guests at the Birmingham Comics Festival on June 24th and 25th 2017. 

The convention takes place at Birmingham City University and other guests will include David Lloyd, Hunt Emerson, Phil Winslade and more!

There'll also be an exhibition of comic art at the university from June 1st, and other events related to the show taking place in June. Keep an eye on the festival website for more details...
https://birminghamcomicsfestival.com

MCM Comic Con report

Comic conventions! I can't get enough of 'em. Like minds coming together to display their art and talk comics. Therefore, although I wasn't a guest at the MCM Comic Con in Birmingham today I thought I'd drop in for a browse as it wasn't far for me to travel. 

Very busy day with attendees of all ages.

I knew a few of my friends in the comics industry would be there so it'd be a good opportunity to catch up with them. Admittedly, the MCM Comic Con doesn't devote a lot of floor space to actual comics. Most of the tables in the vast hall at the NEC are taken up with dealers selling merchandise related to comics, film, and tv. There's an area called 'Comic Village' where you'll find people who create comics, covering the small press, independents, and full time professionals.

One of the few stands selling U.S. comics.

The MCM events also give priority to guests from film and television, where today you'd see people from Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Red Dwarf and more. And a couple of wrestlers too, which seem to go down well with some attendees.

I've no idea why a wrestler was dressed as the Scarlet Witch.

I know that events such as MCM have been criticised by some for not being "true" comic cons because of their emphasis on actors. Personally, I think there's room for events like this and the smaller, comics-only shows. Talking to friends today echoed that view, and we agreed that these multi-media shows bring in people who wouldn't normally attend a comics-only event and some of them are happy to discover or rediscover comics. (I found this to be very true at ones I was at last year.) Hopefully some of those fans will then check out more events, including the shows dedicated to comics.

Here's a few of the comics creators who were there today...

Steve Tanner, whose Time Bomb Comics company has now been running for ten years. 

http://www.timebombcomics.com

Rachael Smith, creator of wonderful books that deserve a place on your bookshelf.

http://www.rachaelsmith.org

Laura Howell, fellow Beano artist and self-publisher.

http://www.laurahowell.co.uk

It was also great to see Jessica Martin, who as a comic creator and actor was at home in both sides of the hall (http://www.artymisspublishing.com), Stuart Gould, who does a fine job printing my comics and those of others (http://www.ukcomicscreative.co.uk), Adam Cadwell, who produces some amazing comics (http://www.adamcadwell.com) and several other pals from the comics world. 

MCM Comic Con is on all over the weekend, so there's still time to visit on Sunday 19th March if you're in the area. 

http://www.mcmcomiccon.com/birmingham/

Next Saturday, 25th March, I'll be a guest at Robot: Illustration and Creative Arts Convention in Sheffield. See you there! 

http://www.robotcon.co.uk

2000AD hits the readers with a new line-up

This coming Wednesday is a good chance for new and lapsed readers to start buying 2000AD as it features the start of a new line up of stories. Here's the info from Rebellion...

• UK & DIGITAL: 22 March 2017 £2.65
• NORTH AMERICA: 22 April 2017 $7.99
• DIAMOND CODE: JAN171931
• COVER: CLIFF ROBINSON

In this issue:
Judge Dredd: Get Jerry Sing by John Wagner (w) Carlos Ezquerra (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)

Brink: Skeleton Life by Dan Abnett 9w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon Bowland (l)

Future Shocks: The Best Brain In The Galaxy by Andrew Williamson (w) Tilen Javornik (a) Ellie De Ville (l)

Scarlet Traces: Cold War - Book 2 by Ian Edginton (w)  D'Israeli (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)

Cursed: The Fall of Deadworld by Kek-W (w) Dave Kendall (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)

Available in print from: UK newsagents and all good comic book stores via Diamond 

Available in digital from: 2000 AD webshop, 2000 AD iPad app, 2000 AD Android app, 2000 AD Windows 10 app