CHRONICLE: THE ARCHIVE & MUSEUM ANTHOLOGY

Cover by Letty Wilson.

This new comic was edited by Hailey Austin, inspired by her time working in the University of Dundee Archive and Museums. It's being launched this Thursday 5pm at the Dundee Comics Creative Space.

The comic features Hailey Austin, Elliot Balson, Zu Dominiak, Katriona Gillon, Matthew Gow, Eve Greenwood, Olivia Hicks, Rebecca Horner, Calum Laird, Catriona Laird, Norrie Millar, Nicole Munogee, Chris Murray, Golnar Nabizadeh, Megan Sinclair, Faye Stacey, Letty Wilson, and Adina Ziebart.

My story, "Into the Comics Archive" is included too.

Here's a wee preview:

Another comic book - one that I conceived, wrote and drew for Universe Publications - is also being launched that evening. More details on that one tomorrow.

V&A OPENING WEEKEND

This is an exciting time in Dundee, as the V&A has its opening weekend.

Yesterday, a special edition of The Beano was unveiled, as part of the 3D festival in Slessor Gardens. The last panel of the comic is blank, inviting visitors to the "pop-up" Beano tent to complete it. This was also a Guinness World Records attempt - the largest finish the comic strip competition! It was open to all ages; as Mike Stirling of The Beano said on the day, the youngest was 2 years old, and the oldest was 80. One of these final panels will be chosen to be exhibited in the V&A building.

Photo from the @BeanoOfficial Twitter feed.

I was pleased to be in the tent alongside my Dundee Comics Creative Space colleagues Rebecca Horner and Catriona Laird. We gave encouragement and advice to the people taking part. It was a lot of fun and great to be involved in this new era for Dundee. The building is open to the general public starting Monday.

PS. It was also nice to catch up with my old chum Gary Robinson. I didn't know he was going to be there until he bounded out onstage acting as MC for the bands on stage. An excellent day all round!

THAT COMIC SMELL 24: Inkthology

The new episode of That Comic Smell is now online.
A discussion with Rebecca Horner and Catriona Laird on Inkthology - the Ink Pot studio anthology.
Have a listen at iTunes, Soundcloud and YouTube.

From the web:
"Cause it's Friday, Friday, Gotta get down on Friday!! Everybody is excited for the... New episode!!
Yes, in this weeks episode we sat down with the incredibly talented, dedicated and hard working pair behind the Ink Pot studios (twitter.com/InkPotStudio) Inkthology comic, Rebecca Horner(twitter.com/reekus) & Catriona Laird (twitter.com/OwlRoostArt)
We talk what, where, when and who was involved in creating the anthology coming from the Dundee Comics Studio within the Dundee Comics Creative Space (twitter.com/DundeeComicsCS)
We also just have a general comics chit chat and enjoy some biscuits.
You can find Rebecca's work here:
www.rebeccahorner.com/
You can find Catriona's work here:
www.catrionalaird.co.uk/
*MUSIC: Chartsmasher - Dial Up*
chartsmasher.bandcamp.com/album/chart-smasher
AKA. Jon Adam (Twitter: @JoanEdam twitter.com/JoanEdam)"

INK DRIVE

Inkthology - the Ink Pot Studios anthology - was launched this week at Dundee Comics Creative Space.

There were DeeCAP performances from Damon Herd, Norrie Millar, and Andrew Strachan.

I read my story from the anthology, "Ink Drive":

After the performances, Olivia Hicks moderated a discussion on anthologies with Letty Wilson, myself, and Catriona Laird.
I talked about Lewis Trondheim's "Boomerang", from Fantagraphics' Measles anthology, and about my own experiences working for anthologies.

Photo by Damon Herd.

An enjoyable launch event for the anthology comic.

WILMA

Cover by Ashling Larkin.

A new anthology has been released featuring comics by Olivia Hicks/Katie Quinn, Joan Ormrod/Zu Dominiak, and Julia Round/Catriona Laird.

During the summer I worked on a project for the MLitt comics course which included making a photostrip. This caught someone's attention, as I was asked to shoot and put together another one for Wilma. I was sent a script written by Alexandra Craven, did pencil layouts, and shot the pictures. I then cut and pasted the thing together.

Here's a wee preview of the finished page:

UOD 50 YEAR MURAL

The University of Dundee is celebrating its 50 year anniversary. To mark the occasion Dundee Comics Creative Space and Ink Pot artists Elliot Balson, Anna Coughlan, Damon Herd, Rebecca Horner, Catriona Laird, Norrie Millar, Andy Strachan and myself designed a mural running across part of the campus floor.

The mural is split into sections, each highlighting important events from down the decades. The artists chose topics to work on. I picked keyhole surgery which was pioneered at the university in 1998.

We were given 2 colours to use (3 if the grey of the slabs was included). Our designs were to be turned into stencils.

Here's the design I did and sent to the team:

The design as it appears on the walkway:

The designs all in a row on the path:

A very interesting process!

REWORKING WALTER SCOTT

Cover by Helen Robinson.

Today was the launch of Reworking Walter Scott, as part of an event at the University of Dundee.

It includes comics from Monica Burns, Damon Herd, Rebecca Horner, Norrie Millar, and Helen Robinson. There is art from Elliot Balson, Catriona Laird, Ashling Larkin and Andrew Strachan. There are also essays from Lucy Linforth and Chris Murray.

It's a nice package, and I am glad to be in there too with a four page comic called "Patriotism".

It was nice to see a page of mine blown up to poster size.

As a preview of the comic, here are the other images that decorated the room.

Elliott Balson, Norrie Millar/Rebecca Horner, Ashling Larkin.

Monica Burns.

Damon Herd.

Catriona Laird.

Helen Robinson

Andrew Strachan.

Reworking Walter Scott was produced by Ink Pot Studio and published by UniVerse Comics.