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Slayers and their Vampires
As part of the Bram Stoker Festival in Dublin (27-30 Oct), I’ll be taking part in the Slayers and their Vampires panel from 1 pm – 2.30 pm on 28 October, in the Albert Lecture Theatre, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 123 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2. I’ll be joining Bruce McClelland, (Slayers and Their Vampires: A Cultural History of Killing the Dead) and David Skal (Something In the Blood: a Biography of Bram Stoker) in discussing the modern cultural significance of vampire legends. As some know, my first M.A. thesis investigated themes in 19th century supernatural Irish fiction, which included a detailed look at Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I’ve…
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The Power of Superheroes
I’ll be part of a panel discussing ‘The Power of Superheroes‘ at the Galway International Arts Festival, at 4pm on 22 July in the O’Donoghue Theatre in NUIG. My fellow panellists are Barry W Fitzgerald, Author of Secrets of Superhero Science and Comic Artists and Declan Shalvey, an acclaimed comic book artist for Marvel comics (and other publishers). Our moderator is Theatre Producer Jen Coppinger. We’re part of the First Thoughts track of talks at the GIAF, which also includes the fantastic cartooning legend Tom Tomorrow. His talk, Cartoon Power, is on earlier on the same day, so it’s a terrific twofer for anyone interested in sequential art.
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Celebrating Nigel Kneale
As mentioned recently I’ve an essay in the forthcoming anthology, We Are The Martians: The Legacy of Nigel Kneale, which is edited by Neil Snowdon and published by Spectral Press. Tied into the launch of the book there will be a rehearsed reading of Kneale’s lost drama The Road at the Horse Hospital, London from 7pm – 10pm on 10 December, organised by Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies. It will feature the voice talents of Jonathan Rigby, Mark Gatiss, Jason Morrell (son of Quatermass actor Andre), Claire Louise Amias, Clarence Smith, Annabel Bates, James Swanton, Michael Shaw, and David Morely Hale. After a short break there will be a discussion…
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Loncon 3 schedule
I’m heading over to London on Wednesday evening for the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention (Loncon 3), which is taking place in the ExCel, London Dockland from 14 – 18 August. Here’s my schedule of events during the weekend: 12pm Friday, August 15 What Do You Mean You Don’t Watch … Orphan Black, Grimm or The Returned Capital Suite 17 (Level 3), 12pm – 1pm Mark Slater, Jeanne Beckwith, Maura McHugh, David D Levine (I’m speaking on behalf of The Returned.) 1:30pm Friday, August 15 Best 21st Century Comics: Predicting the New Classics Capital Suite 13 (Level 3), 1:30pm – 3pm Ada Palmer, Maura McHugh, Hannah Berry, Adam Rakunas, John…
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Octocon 2013 schedule
It’s that time of the year again, which means I’ll be in The Camden Court Hotel in Dublin this weekend (12-13 October) attending one of my favourite conventions: Octocon. There are two terrific guests of honour that I’m very excited about meeting: comic book writer Gail Simone, and author Richard K Morgan. Both of them have created work I both enjoy and admire, so it will be a privilege to hear them talk about their interests. Here’s my schedule: Saturday 13:00 – Masterclass in Contemporary Fantasy (Pavilion) with Peadar Ó Guilín and Liz Bourke 15:00 – I Don’t Believe It, But It’s True (Abbey) with Ruth Frances Long, Leann Hamilton,…
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Wonder Women!
I’m extremely pleased to have been asked to appear on one of the Banter discussion panels – which are regularly organised by Irish Times journalist Jim Carroll to discuss cultural topics. During the GAZE International LGBT Film Festival there will be a screening of the fabulous Kristy Guevara-Flanagan documentary Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines, at 4.30pm on Saturday August 3 at the Lighthouse cinema. After the screening there will be a Banter discussing pop culture’s representation of female power on screens and in print, hosted by Jim, and including me, director Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, and Film Fatale’s Anna Taylor. The ticket price for the documentary includes the Banter discussion. There are…
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2012 Junior Film Fleadh
Since 2009 I’ve been involved with jury work for the Junior Film Fleadh in Galway, and I’m delighted to be on the jury of the Script Pitching Competition again this year. The competition is organised in association with the Galway Film Centre and SpunOut (a leading national youth organisation). The three short-listed finalists will have to deliver their film concept in front of an audience of their peers, and the jury, at noon tomorrow in the Town Hall Theatre. I have nothing but admiration for these young people who are brave enough to enter this competition and describe their ideas to a live audience. The Junior Film Fleadh starts today…
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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…
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warren ellis in Galway
Last night at the National University of Galway the Literary and Debating Society and the Comic Book Society showcased a public interview with legendary British comic book writer Warren Ellis. When I arrived for the event I met Galway cartoonist/caricaturist Allan Cavanagh and writer/editor Stan Carey, and we all sat together. This turned out to be a dogsend because we discovered the Lit and Deb Soc were going to have an hour of their usual debates before the event. Thus, the three of us were subjected to two discussions: “That the House Welcomes the Queen of England to Ireland with Open Arms” and “That the House Endorses Gender Quotas in…
