Erica Henderson Signing In London

I read a lot of comics and graphic novels and one of my favourites is The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. Writer Ryan North and artist Erica Henderson have turned what was a bit of a joke character into an excellent heartfelt comic character with a lot of heart. So it with great excitement that I can inform you that Henderson will be signing from 5-7 pm on Friday 11th November at Orbital Comics in London, and this will be followed by an after-hours Director’s Commentary on The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Beats Up The Marvel Universe.

I've been to a few of these signings and Director Commentaries and I've always had a great time. If you're a Squirrel Girl fan it's a must go! Eat nuts and kick butts guys!

I loves me some Squirrel Girl!

Giant Days John Allison Signing in London

Giant Days was a small mini-series but has been extended as a full blown series, which is great as the chronicle of the lives, loves and comedic mishaps of a group of university friends is an essential read. The art style is very cartoony and the writing is very culturally aware without trying to be too hard. It is very easy to spot traits in the characters and relate them to your own friends and people you know.

Well writer John Allison will be doing a signing at Gosh Comics in London on Saturday 12th November from 2-3pm. I'd love to go but am doing an event at school but maybe you would like to go. It's a free signing but get there early as I'm sure it will be busy!

John Allison has a very cartoony art style.

Mark Millar Signs My Swag

Mark Millar is the writer of such amazing works like Kick-Ass and Wanted, both of which were turned into pretty solid Hollywood films. Millar has a skewed take on the traditional superhero tropes and stories and it is this original take that I and many other comic fans find so interesting.

When I heard he was doing a signing at Gosh Comics in London I knew I had to get some of his comics signed and meet the great writer. The queue was really long, about 50 people long when I got there half an hour early to beat the rush.

However it was worth the wait and I had a chance to chat with him. I have been told that the next script for Chosen (American Jesus in some territories) has been written so after 10 years we will finally see what happened to anti-Christ Jodie Christianson.

London Gaming Market

Wondering what to get your other nerdier half for Christmas. Well, if they are into computer games why not get them some old skool video games? According to their website:

The London Gaming Market is THE place to buy retro video-games, board games and merchandise all in one place.
London Gaming Market will be held every 4 months at the Royal National Hotel in Russell Square London. The launch will be on Sunday 15th of November 2015. Future dates will be March 6th 2016, July 3rd 2016 and November 6th 2016.
The doors open at 11am, tickets available on the door. Early entry tickets cost £5, tickets after 12PM cost £2. Children under 14 can enter for free when accompanied by a paying adult.

I'm looking to go when it open on the launch day and will post pics online, but hopefully it will be a chance to catch up on getting those few rarer items I'd like for my man-cave.... I'm looking at you Donkey Kong Game and Watch.

Manga Now Exhibition at the British Museum, London

The British Museum is one of my favourite place s in the world; not only is it a magnificent building but it houses some of the worlds greatest treasures. I go there every month at least for a couple of hours to take in the wonders of the ancient world. However the British Museum has teamed up with some manga artists to create a new free exhibition called Manga Now; the displays feature newly commissioned and recent pieces by Chiba Tetsuya, Hoshino Yukinobu and Nakamura Hikaru. Out of these the only artist I know is Hoshino Yukinobu from his masterpiece 2001 Nights. I loved the 10 part space opera and look forward to seeing some of his more recent work. I am also excited to see the work the other two artists have produced and maybe discovering new artists to follow, always a boon! The exhibition is on from now until 15th November 2015. I'm going this weekend to see it and will post some pics and give a report on the exhibition.

My collection of 2001 Nights, from the original 1990 run- a real collectors item!

Mark Buckingham, Fables Artist, Doing a Signing in London

Fables has been a much loved Vertigo title for over 10 years now and with it's final graphic novel (volume 22) coming out Mark Buckingham is joining people in London to sign off the end. As well as a signing in Orbital Comics on August 1st from 5-7, Mark will be giving away 22 pages of his original artwork from the final comic in a prize draw. As a huge Fables fan I will be there with a few of my favourite trades. Will you? For more details about the event check out the official Orbital Comics website linked below.

My Fables collection. There have been a few offshoots and they are great too!

Charlie Adlard, artist of The Walking Dead, Does A Signing in London

Charlie Adlard is a British comic book artist who is best known for his work on The Walking Dead. He has been with the series since the beginning and his art style is very distinctive for using large blocks of black to create moody shadow effects. I've been a huge fan of his work since my friend turned me on to the Walking Dead comics years ago and it was great to finally meet him and get some stuff signed. I would have loved to have taken my Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1 but as I going to a Stag do in London straight after it wouldn't have been practical to carry it. So as it is I bought the latest graphic novel trade (volume 23) and a single issue (#115) to sign.  I'll add these to my growing pile of signed comics and trades.

Mike Carey Signing in Orbital Comics, London

Mike Carey, writer of comic books, novels, and films, will be signing comics at Orbital Comics in London. For those who don't recognise the name Carey is the wonderfully talented author of works including Vertigo's Lucifer, Hellblazer issues 175 to 215 and most recently the highly literate The Unwritten. The event, which will run on Saturday 6th June from 6-7pm, will celebrate the release of the final collection of The Unwritten. Afterwards Carey will give a directors commentary on this final piece of work. So if you are free why not head down? I'll be there with a couple of The Unwritten and Hellblazer graphic novels.

Web We Want Festival at the Southbank, London

The World Wide Web has transformed the world and the Southbank Centre is celebrating by holding its annual Web We Want Festival from 28th to 31st May 2015. The festival is comprised of workshops, exhibitions and talks to celebrate how the internet has changed the world for the better, but it also looks at the dark side of the net too. I went to the event last year and found the talks insightful and engaging. A lot of the events are free such as the Southbank Minecraft build but there are also ticketed events such as a talk with Julian Assange, creator of Wikileaks. If you are free and have some time why not head down?

Scott McCloud Signing In Orbital Comics, London

I'm very excited to report that comic artist and commentator Scott McCloud will be doing a talk and signing in London at Orbital Comics on Saturday 7th March 2015. McCloud is most recognised for his books on comic critiques such as Understanding Comics as well as creating his own comic works, the most notable being  ZOT! He is  meastro at exploring the comic universe, and analysing it in great detail with meaning and possibilities.

I have already spoken about how his idea of projection makes sense and leads to greater empathy for characters here . I was re-reading Zot! and the humanity in his stories really affected me, particularly the story Normal. At a time where homosexuality was not allowed in mainstream comics due to the comics code censorship, he added the mature theme in a comic book as one of the cast confronts the idea that she may be lesbian. McCloud was way ahead of the curve in the late 80s and early 90s when this particular comic issue came out.

I look forward to meeting him and asking him about his works, the event is free so why not come along? For those still not sure be sure to check out his amazing TED talk below. It might just convince you to come along!

Andi Watson Signing at Gosh Comics, London

I'm very excited to announce that Andi Watson is doing a signing of his new comics Princess Decomposia and Count Spatula at a launch party at Gosh Comics, London on Friday 27th February 2015 from 7-9pm. Now, I’ve long been a fan of Watson’s work since reading the most beautiful and moving Breakfast Afternoon. After that I read Slow News Day and his wonderful collaboration with Simon Gane, Paris.

What I find is that Watson delivers quality storytelling, beautiful artwork, and stories that have a genuine and true mass appeal due to the very human charcaters in his works. I look forward to meeting him and getting my graphic novels signed!

RGB- Retro Games Base

I am a bit of a games collector, not as hardcore as many of the collections you've probably seen online, but a collector nonetheless. I have kept all my games systems I've owned since my first Amstrad CPC 464, (with the exception of the Master System 2, which I swapped along with many games and my spleen for a Megadrive during the height of Sonic-mania) so I have a vast amount of systems. I keep them for a sense of nostalgia but also for a halcyon idealised future when I will have time to sit down and appreciate the games of my formative years. Emulation makes playing the old games easier but I've always had issues with controllers, games feel better with the original controllers.

Being the proud owner for the Retron5 makes playing my old games easier as I can use the original controllers but I need to build up my collection again. In my youth I didn't have much money so I'd part exchange my games for different titles. Now, with the equipment to revisit these titles I want to purchase the old games but eBay is too expensive. Enter RGB, Retro Games Base. This shop in Streatham has a prodigious assortment of retro games, consoles and paraphernalia. The shop  is well organised, bountifully stocked and reasonably priced, they also have a website with many rare and unusual items for sale. So, if you're in the mood to dig through old games or just travel back in time to a wonderful time in gaming, then RGB is for you!

'Welcome to Nightvale' Comes to Shepherds Bush Empire, London

As I left my warm cosy house earlier this evening to make my way from east to west London on a dark wet evening, I felt that it was appropriate that I was off to see the live show of Welcome to Nightvale.
For the uninitiated Nightvale is a cult podcast, similar in style to shows like Twin Peaks, X Files and the works of H.P.Lovecraft but presented in the format of a radio show. The podcast is an online phenomenon, being one of the most downloaded podcast of all time.
I went to the show having heard most of the podcasts and purposely avoiding any videos of the live show. I wanted to go in blind and experience the show without any preconceptions, my concern was how would the intimacy and stark simplicity of the podcast translate onto the stage?

The Shepherds Bush Empire is a cozy sit down venue and for tonight's performance was packed, I was high in the nosebleeds; the unreserved third floor. However I did have a clear and unobstructed view of the stage, though it was from a high angle. There was a real buzz and excitement and when the live theatre show started there was a huge roar.
For fans of the show this was an excellent live performance, there was the usual 'weather report' (music performed by Mary Epworth) and great lines like "If horses were wishes, they'd all run away," "... a librarian is on the loose," "... My dress is made of spiders" and my favourite of the night "The gazebo is on fire due to a routine maintenance check."
The stage was simple but effective and Cecil (played with his usual flair for the dramatic by Cecil Baldwin) delivered his lines with the usual gravitas and knowing wink. The audience were receptive and cheered when names, locations and tropes from the podcast were spoken, particular mention must go to 'Steve Carlsberg,' his name got the biggest cheer of the night!


Well, I can say that the show was well worth a view and I enjoyed it immensely. For people excited by the fantastical and slightly unsettling, Welcome to Nightvale is well worth a look and listen.

The Knife Perform Amazing Gig in Brixton Academy, London

I first heard of The Knife, like many millions of others I'm sure,  through Jose Gonzales'  cover of Heartbeats. I liked his warm version but preferred the more driven original version. Once switched on to the sound of The Knife I went through their albums,  Silent Shout: An Audio Visual Experience became a firm favourite.

I have fond memories of going for a drive through the streets of London late at night with my best friend, when neither of us could sleep. We would wind the windows down and the cold breeze would blow through the car, the deep sonorous bass vibrating around us, surrounding us in its deep cocoon and we wound our way around the bright lights of the City and the dark streets of the East End.

With the CD came a DVD of the album performed live in Gothenburg, Sweden; it became  my benchmark for quality live performances. The songs on the live performance were amazing and dark, it lifted their music into darker soundscapes and the vocals became more distorted and eerie. As a result of this The Knife had gained a reputation for being dark moody individuals with many claiming them satanic. This gained ground as the years passed by without an album proper. Then in 2013 Shaking The Habitual dropped and whilst gaining critical acclaim was for many a slow burner, taking many listens to love. Many claimed it was a sign of their pretentiousness and high mindedness however I really liked it, my favourite track being A Cherry On Top.

Going into this gig I didn't know what to expect, I thought I'd see something akin to the Silent Shout tour but when the support act came on, a female Mr Motivator a-like, and started to perform DEEP aerobics "Death Electro Emo Protest Aerobics" I knew that this was going to be different.

When The Knife did get on stage it was suitably atmospheric with a black silhouette and a group of all-female dancers but then this all switched into bright electric blues and shocking pinks. The songs came thick and fast but were unlike the album versions. Karin announced that this was "Shaking the habitual, the Shaken Remix" and that perfectly captured the mood for the night. The songs came with a carnival vibe, with lots of samba, aruba and fast percussion. Pass This On got a samba beat,
Shaking the Habitual got a flamenco clapping and the finale, Silent Shout had everyone rapturous with a high tempo rhythm...

This was performance art at its best, loud, fun and jovial like with a deep rhythmic carnival sound and feel, all moving ecstatically to the beat. This was performance art at its best... powerful in places but very tongue in cheek, some of the dancing reminded me of an old timey musical, like West Side Story. I left the gig buzzing, and in the words of The Knife, 'Without you my life would be so boring.'

 

       The Setlist

  • Wrap Your Arms Around Me
  • Raging Lung
  • We Share Our Mother's Health
  • Bird
  • Without You My Life Would Be Boring
  • A Tooth for an Eye
  • One Hit
  • Full of Fire
  • Collective Body Possum (Poem) Spoken Word
  • Ready to Lose
  • Pass This On
  • Stay Out Here
  • Silent Shout

Zoltar Makes Wishes Come True

Do you remember the fortune telling Zoltar machine from the classic 80's movie 'Big'? If you don't move on, there's nothing for you to see here, but if the name Zoltar rings a bell then read on...

Whilst mooching around London with my wife I popped into Namco Arcade, next to the London Dungeons and Aquarium and to my delight we found the Zoltar Fortune Telling Machine. The machine was made famous in the film 'Big' where it has a central role when it grants Tom Hanks' character the wish to be big (well, older... not obese or anything). Well my wife made a wish and whilst not knowing what it was, I got a real buzz finding the machine, giving it a try and getting a 'Zoltar Speaks' card. For those who want to give it a try, go on... it's only 1 pound and your life may change, for the better...

My wonderful wife with her 'Zoltar Speaks' card...

Chiptune Rockers Anamanaguchi Touring in UK

It is with extreme excitement that I am writing to inform you, our lovely readers, that the amazing  chiptune rockers Anamanaguchi are touring in the UK. For details of dates and cost of tickets go to their official site. I have purchased two tickets and Simon and I will be going to the gig in Heaven, London.

For those who don't know Anamanaguchi are a 4 piece band from New York who play music with hacked hardware from the 80's and 90's, namely the Gameboy and NES. This chiptune band have been around for a while but rose to prominence for producing the soundtrack for the Scott Pilgrim vs The World Game. They have slowly gained in popularity and broke into the mainstream mid-last year with a performance on the Jimmy Fallon Show (not quite the Ed Sullivan Show and the Beatles but pretty impressive I assure you).

I leave you with their favourite tune of mine and with a promise to upload pics from the gig. For those who are interested in getting tickets there were still plenty at the time of writing. Good luck!