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2D 2013 Video
Here’s a lovely compilation video from the wonderful 2D – Northern Ireland Comics Festival this year, probably the best comic book festival in Ireland when it comes to promotion of Irish talent, the variety of creators, and access for the public. There are a ton of people interviewed in this video praising the event, including Herb Trimpe, William Simpson, Emma Vieceli, Dan Berry, Aiden Courtney, Jordie Bellaire, Will Dennis, and Nicholas Gurewitch, with sightings of plenty more in the background. It makes me look forward to next year’s event!
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Laydeez do Comics Two
Lynda Rucker and I can finally release the details of our second Laydeez do Comics – Dublin event, which we’ve been working on since the success of the first meeting in May. It will be happening from 7pm – 9.30pm on Wednesday, 11 September, 2013 in the Rooftop Bar, 3rd floor, of the Odessa Club, 13 Dame Court, Dublin 2. Our guests for this meeting are: Sarah Bracken, Paddy Lynch, and Arja Kajermo – check out their bios on the web site, as they represent a wide range of experience in the independent comic book/cartoon/zine scene. We’re looking forward to the night already!
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Laydeez do Comics – Dublin
I’m pleased to announced that together with writer Lynda Rucker we’re setting up Laydeez do Comics – Dublin. Laydeez do Comics is an international network of meetings celebrating the diverse expressions of the comic book medium. Started in 2009 in London, it now has groups across the UK, America, and now Ireland. The events are women-led, not women-only, and usually feature speakers with a variety of comic book experiences. The inaugural meeting of Laydeez do Comics – Dublin, will take place from 7pm – 9.30pm on Wednesday the 22 May, 2013 in the Rooftop Bar, 3rd floor, of the Odessa Club, 13 Dame Court, Dublin 2. Our guests for the first…
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Octocon 2012
In a few hours I’ll be heading to Dublin for Octocon, the Irish National Science Fiction convention. It’s always a fun event and I’m looking forward to meeting people. Here’s my schedule: Saturday, 13 October Noon in the Abbey Room – Brains, Brains and Brains! With Emmet O’Cuanna, Derek Gunn, and Lynn Moran 1pm in the Pavilion Room – Masterclass in Modern Science Fiction. With Peadar Ó Guilín, and Carol Connolly 5pm in the Tivoli Room – Serialisation vs graphic novels. With C.E Murphy, Michael Carroll, Alan Nolan, and Rob Curley Sunday, 14 October Noon in the Tivoli Room – Why so violent? With Oisin McGann, Heather Turnbull, Celine Kiernan,…
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Loncon 3
Yesterday at Chicon 7, the 70th World Science Fiction convention in Chicago, the membership voted for the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention to convene in London in 2014. It will be called Loncon 3, and the Guests of Honour are Ian M Banks, John Clute, Malcolm Edwards, Chris Foss, Jeanne Gomoll, Robin Hobb, and Bryan Talbot. Several months ago I was asked by the Division Head of Programming, James Bacon, to be the Head of the Comic Book Programme. I accepted the position without hestitation as it’s a chance to showcase the vibrancy and diversity of the comic book scene currently. We’re already in discussions about the programme, and I…
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British Fantasy Awards 2012 – nominees
The short-lists have been announced for the 2012 British Fantasy Awards: Novel 11.22.63 by Stephen King (Scribner) Among Others by Jo Walton (Tor Books) Cyber Circus by Kim Lakin-Smith (NewCon Press) A Dance with Dragons by George R R Martin (Bantam) The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie (Gollancz) The Ritual by Adam Nevill (Pan) There will be two awards in the best Novel category: The August Derleth Award for best horror novel and The Robert Holdstock Award for best fantasy novel. Novella ‘Alice through the plastic sheet’ by Robert Shearman (A Book of Horrors, Jo Fletcher Books) ‘Ghosts with Teeth’ by Peter Crowther (A Book of Horrors, Jo Fletcher Books) ‘Gorel…
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Eagle nomination
Yesterday the final short-list of nominations for the Eagle Awards was released, and much to my delight, Jennifer Wilde, the comic book I write for Atomic Diner, is one of the contenders in the Favourite European Comic Book category. A special shout-out to Stephen Downey, whose artwork brings Jennifer to life, and to Robert Curley at Atomic Diner, who also nabbed a couple of other nominations. Voting is open now in all sections until April 2nd. The final results will be announced at the Eagle Awards ceremony at London’s MCM Expo on Friday, 25 May 2012. It’s a fitting category for Jennifer Wilde, especially as the series is decidedly European…
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bound for Squarebound
This Saturday, 18 June 2011 there is a one-day Irish comic book creators’ convention going on in the Irish Writers’ Centre in Dublin called Squarebound. The Guest of Honour is Gerry Hunt (In Dublin City, Blood Upon the Rose), and there is a €5 Entrance Fee for the entire day. Here’s the schedule of events: 10.00 Comic Cast Panel: Liam Geraghty, Craig O’Connor 11.00 Atomic Diner Panel: Robert Curley, Barry Keegan, Maura McHugh 12.00 Michael Carroll: How to Write for 2000AD 13.00 Lunch Break 14.00 Gerry Hunt Interview 15.00 Alfonso Zapico 16.00 O’Brien Press Panel: Ivan O’Brien & Alan Nolan 17.00 Irish Small Press Comics Creators’ Panel I’ll be there…
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here comes the sun
It’s a goregeous summer day and I’ll be spending a chunk of it travelling up to the 2-D Comic Book Festival in Derry. I’m looking forward to showing the first issue of Róisín Dubh to a new audience, and meeting old friends and new. It’s a bank holiday weekend in Ireland so I hope the sunshine lasts to warm up our bones over the next three days. Enjoy it while we have it!
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A day out
That’s an action shot – taken using my mobile phone – of the delightful Naomi Bomb, dressed as Harley Quinn, giving her bearded antagonist what for during UCD’s FanSciCon on Friday. The event was a good day out for meeting my fellow comic book creators. In particular it was great chatting to Hilary Lawler and Deirdre de Barra. After months of correspondence it was brilliant to meet Jennifer Wilde artist Stephen Downey for the first time. I got to see the physical inked and pencilled pages of Jennifer Wilde, as thus far it’s all been virtual. As lovely as it is to see the artwork online, it’s another experience to…
