New Comic Surprise!!

Well I usually joke that when its quiet here it means I'm working on something but its true! Here in all its glory is my newest comic featuring an old friend, The Curious Chancer! Featuring two short stories of my reluctant escapologist character, told in three episodes, the longest of which is coloured by Owen Watts of Hocus Pocus & David Copperfield fame - yes that one!.

I'm pleased with how its turned out but as usual dashing off for another event, the splendid Asylum Steampunk Festival, so no time for further details or to tell you how my recent events have been but maybe next time when time allows, I've a few boxes to unpack!

Double Header Part 2: Lymm Historic Transport Day!

Saturday's Macc-Pow is followed by Sunday's Lymm Historic Transport Day in nearby Lymm, half-way between Altrincham and Warrington! 

This is something very different but aligns with my sensibilities and aim of seeking new suitable events for making comics more visible away from the traditional comic-con venues. The festival is long-running inspired by Lymm's canalboat and transport heritage links and is a popular event on the local calendar.

This year for I believe the first time, they're having a 'Steampunk Section' co-organised by the team at the Portland Basin Steampunk Group and I'm very lucky to be included alongside a small but talented crew of traders, makers and vehicles!

I'm really looking forward to this as its a step into the unknown to see how my comics are received but I do like to challenge myself now and then! Being local its also too good an opportunity to miss and being with fellow steampunks, guaranteed to be fun, I've even bought a gazebo for the occasion!

If the event is anywhere as good as their fab looking posters then I'll be happy!

"Is it Dusty in Here?"

Last few years I've been honoured to be invited as a guest artist to a number of steampunk festivals and events which are great fun with my good lady and I really enjoying them, getting dressed up, meeting friends and making many inspiring creative discoveries along the way, not to mention the gin!

We made several comic strips inspired by the people we met at the UK's (and arguably the world's) largest steampunk festival, the Asylum, held annually late August in Lincoln and this comic page is from the second of them, titled Heart's Desire about a romance which may or may not run smoothly..... 

Colours again provided by the excellent and adaptable, Matt Soffe.

All the characters in the comics were based on real people and their respective steampunk personas encountered at the festival and used with their permission. We were always though a little nervous anticipating their reactions when the comics were released, but luckily everyone seemed to enjoy them and were pretty pleased seeing their alter-egos in the comic spotlight!

The comics were published by Accent UK under various 'Asylum' titles and became nice little souvenirs of the event. The first one quickly sold out and I have limited supplies of the second and third titles available directly from me - see convention appearances on the right, or from contacting or visiting Scott's Pops & Comics comic shop in Warrington, UK.

Journey To The Centre of Space!

This weekend marks my final event of the year and an enjoyable one it promises to be too, Steampunks in Space at the National Space Centre in Leicester.

This will be my third voyage there and its become a firm favourite, the steampunk spectacle dotted around the amazing Space Museum exhibits with this year's Jules Verne inspired theme Journey To The Centre of the Earth - see Doctor Geof's fun homage to the 1959 James Mason classic movie above!

Saturday also marks #ScottishComicBookDay as a celebration of Scotland's contribution to the comic book industry with a few different events happening on the day across Scotland itself so with apologies to the aforementioned, Doctor Geof, here's my adaptation of his poster for Scottish Comic Book Day!

Well every time we head North we usually end up staying or stopping in Perth so it's a fun wee journey we make there and of course amongst its great history, Perth is home to the Royal Scottish Geographical Society so I think they would approve!

Anyway for those journeying to Leicester, here's a wee map to help you find me and the other fine artists, authors and attractions this weekend including ZULU: Water Cart Rescue (Deluxe) cover artist, Paul McCaffrey and that fine fellow, Doctor Geof himself!

Return To Space!

My busy wee spell of late will come to an enjoyable end this weekend as I return to Steampunks in Space at Leicester's National Space Centre. 

I had a fun time last year in what is an amazing venue, truly out of this world! Including a real thrill seeing the massive rocket tower for real after drawing it for Accent UK's Return to The Asylum anthology comic!

Anyhow, following on the Prisoner theme from this year's Asylum Festival, I'm going to be suitably accommodated within the venue at location Number 6!

Have fun and hope to see some familiar faces there :)

Return To The Asylum!

Well that was fab! Very busy and very hot, but a full on Return to the Asylum Steampunk Festival was splendid fun as always. A lot to digest and with an immediate trip North, I'll have to make do with just a few of the many photos and familiar faces I caught up with again for now. Many of whom are featured in our comic of the same name, freshly released at the festival where, flying solo, I was busier than normal, conducting comic chats and a well received drawing workshop - more later, when time allows!

Full Steam Ahead!

Anna Schiraldi's Lincoln Cathedral artwork from our Enter The Asylum comic

It doesn't seems 3 years but it is since the previous full blown Asylum Steampunk Festival and we can't wait for it to return next week!

It's fast become one of our favourite events with it's friendly atmosphere, immersive environment, packed inspirational programme, attractions and of course all it's splendid people. This will be our 5th time attending and each event has been different, either in it's themes, locations, headline acts or weather! But the constant has been the fun and creative inspiration encountered on almost every corner of the streets of Lincoln where the festival is held, all under the wide all embracing umbrella theme of 'Steampunk'!

There are many definitions offered for 'Steampunk' but for us it's become a fun, friendly way of sharing creative ideas, imagination (and gin) with like minded folk!

A Glimpse of the Steampunk Festival fun!

This year, our regular comics crew are a little depleted but teaming up with our long time pals - and fellow Asylum 5th timers - at Time Bomb comics we are delighted to return and provide a little creative comics corner at the festival with our latest art and releases. This time though, for our sins, we've been 'banged up' and find ourselves, innocent or not, displaying our wares in Lincoln Castle's Old Victorian Prison under the event heading 'COMICS in the CELLS! '.

We will also - parole allowing - be presenting a couple of sessions/workshops during the event;

SATURDAY 27^th August 

Heritage Skills Centre – 12pm     

COMICS CHAT ROOM!

Join comic creators Steve Tanner (Time Bomb Comics) and Colin Mathieson (Accent UK Comics) as they are temporary released from their Victorian Prison Cells to reveal the secrets behind their latest and forthcoming comics. Including the dramatic conclusion of the Flintlock series, the origins of the mythical Asylum Q, the exciting return of an iconic favourite, Captain Scarlet and a graphic novel inspired by one of Michael Caine’s finest! May contain freebies and surprise guests!

SUNDAY 28^th August      

Castle Talks Marquee – 12:30pm             

MAKE YOUR OWN PENNY DREADFUL!

Ye Asylum Chronicle editor is demanding a sensational headline and illustration for their latest issue, can you oblige? Have you been attacked by rats or witnessed an extraordinary scene? Perhaps you’ve been party to a shocking failure of fashion or just misplaced the gin?

Comic artist convicts Colin Mathieson (Asylum Comics, Moments of Adventure) and Dave Morris (Flintlock, Norton The Dragon) are on reprieve from the Victorian Prison and will guide you through the process to create your very own Penny Dreadful broadsheet to take away with you.

Remember today’s gossip is tomorrow’s news!

Paper, templates and pens will be provided in this informal workshop, suitable for all. 

Plus a mysterious 3rd session on Monday afternoon in the Heritage Centre at 2pm which may or may not involve 'Dave and Drawing'!

See the full packed events programme here!

It all promises to be splendid fun, so if you're thinking of attending why not give it a go and if so please stop by the prison and say hello to help prevent any miscarriages of justice!

Oh and did I mention a 'Q'? Thought not!😉

New comics work coming along!

Well when I'm quiet, it usually means there's things cooking away in the background, which is indeed currently the case!

Firstly we're gearing up for the long awaited return to the world's largest steampunk festival, Asylum in a few weeks time, which means work is now finished on Accent UK's third in the trilogy of Asylum themed comics, featuring stories and fun all inspired by people and events encountered at the awesome event, edited by Dave West with many fab contributions.

Not sure I should yet reveal Gary Crutchley's enticing cover, but here's a wee look at designer, Andy Bloor's contents page;

We decided not to kickstart this one, allowing festival goers to be the very first to get their hands on it, with subsquent details and appearances to follow. Where best to find us at Asylum is also subject to final confirmation with strong rumours that Lincoln's Castle's old Victorian prison may be the best place, unless we can find a decent lawyer of course!

Gearing up then for an autumn/fall release will finally be the new collected Zulu:Water Cart rescue graphic novel, inspired by true events during the victorian Anglo-Zulu War at Rorke's Drift. It's been a wee while coming but hopefully be worth the wait for everyone!

More details on these releases and future appearance at events, including Asylum to follow!

Steampunks in Space!

 

In a surprisingly busy end to a fairly quiet year for events, we have the middle of our three November events this weekend with Steampunks in Space!

Being held at the National Space Centre in Leicester, a venue familiar to me after I featured it in my popular 'Heart's Desire' story for Accent UK's Return To The Asylum anthology comic! 

The event has run for several years in conjunction with the Space Centre and The Ministry of Steampunk who host Asylum, The Town That Never Was and other splendid events that we try to attend or exhibit at when we can. Finally the stars have aligned allowing us, (well me really as the others can't attend), to countdown our liftoff to space!

Full details can be found at the Space Centre's website but be warned I think they have already almost sold out of tickets!

Newark here we come!

At this time of year we're normally gearing up for one of our favourite events, the Asylum Steampunk Festival, but well for obvious reasons it's not happening but we are attending a much smaller scaled back, steampunk market in nearby Newark-on-Trent! 

It's obviosuly not the same - what is these days? - but it's a lovely gesture by the Ministry of Steampunk and the local council to accommodate those, like us, who had booked their accommodation in good faith and were intending to travel just for a well deserved break, so now there will be a steampunk flavour to Newark's regular artisan and food market this Sunday, market place, 10 am to 3pm.

We're looking forward to it and if half as enjoyable as both Blists Hill and Scott's Free Comic Book Day event we'll be happy - Dave may even wear his shorts! 

I've done a few English Civil War Sketches for Newark!

Back To School!

 

We are delighted to confirm that our comics collective, Accent UK will be returning to the convention scene this coming weekend at The Town That Never Was, the annual Steampunk Festival at Blists Hill Victorian Town, part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums group!

We've had this event penciled in for some time, but with a change of dates, various ongoing restrictions - and sadly the continuing cancellation of most other conventions and festivals, we'd remained cautious, possibly too cautious in announcing it, but here we are! 

The Cthulu Party's succesful mayoral campaign of 2019

It'll - gulp - be my first event since Copenhagen in 2019 and the first together with Dave West in almost two years. In fact it's almost 18 months since we've last seen each other so you can see why we're getting a wee bit excited about being allowed out in the wild again!

The event is again run by the Ministry of Steampunk, (those splendid people behind the excellent Asylum Steampunk Festival, sadly cancelled again this year despite best efforts) in conjunction with the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust and this will be it's 4th appearance with us attending them all, exhibiting at the last three.

Everyone welcome from Hopeless Main to Mars (doesn't) Attacks - ack! ack!

It's a remarkable place a town literally rebuilt brick by brick around a foundry to preserve a lost way of life with working printers, blacksmiths, bakers, pub, sweet shop, chippy & much more! Special as all this is, when enhanced by the splendour of steampunk visitors it really comes into its own with attractions, musical acts, dancing, demonstrations, dinosaur detectives, artists, traders, makers & more, really bringing the town alive.

Colin meets his Asylum comic story stars!

This time, we are to be housed in the Stirchley Board School (site 46 on the map below!) dating from 1881 where along with other artists and imagineers we are presenting the perfect Back To School tonic of ABC.....Art, Books & Comics!

We are, as you can see, quite excited by actually having an event to go to and an opportunity to catch up with visitors and the wonderful steampunk community that we are privalged to be a small part of. Please do consider popping in if your logistics and personal situation allows as you are guaranteed a very different, refreshing and inspiring experience and if you visit the school we promise to go easy on the homework!

Creating Comics!

Catching up with things, here's a wee link to the short  'Creating Comics' video I made for Sanctuary Online, the virtual alternative to the annual Asylum Steampunk Festival.

In the video, I run through my process behind the 'Heart's Desire' story featured in last year's Accent UK Return to the Asylum comic - see also an earlier blog post featuring this and also here for a short animation of this, now famous wee story, prepared for 2020's earlier virtual steampunk gathering, Steam over Ether!.

 The whole youtube channel from the Ministry of Steampunk is worth a look for many other fun and informative videos, talks & music. Speaking of music, if you watch my video and like mystery's you can also discover my secret 80's musical crush :)

2020 Gone ?

Ah, in not unexpected news both September's re-arranged Edinburgh Comic-Con and November's Thought Bubble Festival have now been cancelled due of course to the coronavirus pandemic. Both events immediately confirmed their return for 2021 at their respective venues and regular calendar spots. Obviously everyone's health, well being and safety have determined that this was the sensible course of action but does starkly lay bare the massive impact the virus has had on our shared hobby and community with this year's calendar of events effectively wiped out.

There are still a couple of potential events in the autumn/winter timeslots that have yet to make an annoucement, (or to invite exhibitor applications) but it seems unlikely they will be able to proceed for the same health & safety reasons and/or for logistical, economic reasons as the UK, and sadly most of the world, face an uncertain immediate future.

Thought Bubble have quickly confirmed that they will fill their now vacated November dates with a virtual event so we'll see how that goes and there are similar recent announcements about  Asylum, our cherished steampunk festival doing likewise, which should be fun, if the earlier 'Steam Over Ether' event was anything to go by, so there are a couple of highlights to look forward to in an otherwise empty landscape.

At Accent UK HQ, we are, like all independent creators feeling the pinch as planned releases, appearances and of course earnings have taken a hit. We remain though optimistic and with the likes of Kickstarter - still time to check out the current succesful Kia Wordsmith campaign - we are exploring available avenues and platforms to make our future endeavours available and are using the unexpected free time to develop a surprise or two.

Heart's Desire - The Movie!

Ha! Ha! That was truly wonderful! Thhe splendid Steam Over Ether virtual Steampunk Festival has unvieled the world premiere of the first Accent UK comic strip to be animated!

Heart's Desire was one my strips from last year's Return To The Asylum comic, ably coloured by the very talented Matt Soffe. As stated, the strip was inspired by a truly lovely moment at the previous year's festival, involving two members of the longstanding steampunk community (and Asylum Festival family), which I used as the basis of a story featuring their ertswhile personas, Count Rostov and Lady M.

The story was fun to produce and thankfully well received by readers and the couple themselves and that was more or less that, until a fairly recent online discussion between the Count's alter ego and myself led to a suggestion to apply the 'radio-play' treatment to the comic strip and well that was the easy part, Keith himself and of course Malika did the rest with a wee nod from Mr B.

Well you can now see for yourself how things turned out here where the finished video was revealed in all it's splendid glory, there's even an 'after credits' bonus scene of the moment that inspired the whole undertaking! Oh, the video starts about 2 or 3 mins in but worth watching the whole thing including the Brigadier's short reading before and some Scottish chap chuntering about comics afterwards :)

The SteamPaper Shopping Channel!

As part of this weekend's splendid and fun SteamPunk Over Ether virtual festival, support of the contributing artists, musicians and performers is encouraged, all of whom have had their incomes directly affected by cancellation of events and gatherings so if you are in a position to show them any support, please do so.

There will be a dedicated shopping channel featured on the Steampaper page at or around 3pm today  but please check the channel's schedule for confirmation. Don't forget though that all performances, demonstrations and chatter will be subsquently available for 'catch up' on videos on the Steampaper facebook page.

In that spirit, you can also purchase copies of some of our comics in print or digitally by contacting me or checking out the etsy store, any difficulty, please comment below, thank you.