Bannockburn: On Dangerous Ground!

Wonderful panoramic panel of Conor Boyle's Battle of Bannockburn artwork!

Just a quick mention of an unexpected comic bonus from my Dundee Comic Expo trip when avoiding our usual motorway service station stops, we instead stopped for lunch at the newly refurbished Bannockburn visitor centre near Stirling.

Mighty impressive the centre looked, befitting for the forthcoming 700th anniversary and is one we will defiantly plan to visit properly when we have time, maybe as part of this year's Homecoming festival?. However my wee foray into the gift shop provided unexpected dividends when I discovered that the much anticipated Battle of Bannockburn graphic novel had been released and was on sale!

My excitement stemmed not just from my natural Scottish historical and comic connections but from the fact that the book's art is provided for by the talented and very good friend of Accent UK, Conor Boyle! I first heard about the book over a year ago from Conor and his wife, Lizzie, (of Disconnected Press fame!) and had short updates as we bumped into each other at last year's comic shows. I've not seen them so far this year so this was indeed an unexpected find and one i look forward to reading.

The graphic novel written by historian Fiona Watson comes partly in colour and 3D no less and can be purchased direct from the National Trust for Scotland's website here. Good luck to all involved with its production.

ZULU DRIFT ......

Ian Knight's facebook post on the 135th anniversary of the little known Anglo-Zulu War Battle of Ntombe Drift reminded me that I'd  a couple of videos of our trip there in 2010.

These feature the Holts 2010 tour group at the scene of the battle with a plucky Jonathan G doing his 'Mr D'arcy' routine.....

Firstly the gloomy river itself....

 Then Jonathan's careful crossing.......

 

  

And his safe return........