Today being the 147th anniversary of dramatic events in Zululand & Natal, I'm pleased to confirm my participation in a forthcoming community day honouring the spirit, history and heritage of 1879.
The event is hosted by our friends and trustees of the Royal Welsh Museum at Brecon Barracks where the 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot - later the South Wales Borderers - who served in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 were based.
I've been lucky enough to visit the remarkable museum there several times over the years most recently for their Goodwill Zulu Festival of two years ago which was a memorable day.
Members of the Zulu Royal Family were in attendance with a guard of honour and drill presentations from longtime re-enactment chums the Die Hards. Zulu dance and music troupe led by Busi Mhlanga , a Welsh Male Voice Choir (from Aberhonddu I believe) and lots of other attractions and activities including yours truly all ably compared by Glyn Baker (son of the ZULU movie produce Stanley, no less) and historian John Young among others.
It was quite something I'll be honest, being able to discuss and present my ZULU: Water Cart Rescue graphic novel to HRH Princess Zama-Zulu Shange and Glyn Baker and celebrate a shared heritage and connection of echoes past amongst so many like minded people.
I'll certainly be looking forward to making a return trip to Brecon this March to re-connect with so many of the fine folks who were there and see what new adventures await.
Excited for my first event of the year this coming weekend, SALUTE at London's Excel Centre, Europe's largest independent one day wargaming and hobby show! This will be my third appearance but the first with my deluxe expanded hardcover Zulu Water Cart graphic novel!
The graphic novel has also had a timely nice wee mention by wargamer, Big Lee on his friendly and informative youtube channel, Miniature Adventures!
Check out his whole interesting video below, (Zulu's mentioned in the book review section) and also Lee's blog which covers a lot of wargaming and related subjects.
If you're at Salute, please say hello - I'm at stand TE05 - and check out the limited Zulu sketch & print packs and my other comics. If you can't make Salute, my 2024 schedule is filling up with a few other appearances around the UK, hopefully see you at one of them!
A page from 'Pointy Heads', the epilogue story in my ZULU: WATER CART RESCUE graphic novel, about a couple of Zulu children making the dangerous journey to Rorke's Drift, looking for their missing warrior fathers, who haven't returned from the battle there....
The graphic novel is currently only available direct from me - see convention appearances on the right, or from contacting or visiting Scott's Pops & Comics comic shop in Warrington, UK.
With the current Zulu War anniversaries, here's another chance to see Chris Parkinson's fun wee interview with me on his excellent Redcoat History Channel regarding the Rorke's Drift Water Cart Rescue sortie and my adaptation of it into my comic strip!
The expanded deluxe hardcover is exclusively available from Scott's Pop's & Comics in Warrington or direct from me at forthcoming convention and festival appearances!
With everything going on I forgot to let you know that my ZULU:Water Cart Rescue graphic novel is available at Scott's comic shop in Warrington, Cheshire; Scott's Pop's & Comics in both standard (£12) and signed 'n' sketched print packs (£15) (plus applicable postage).
The above photos were taken on their first day in store and their prominent display attracted a lot of attention as they've now almost gone - Santa and quite a few folk were giving these as Christmas presents this year to the Zulu fans in their families!
Don't worry though, we're arranging a restock so if you're local, why not pop in for a browse or if further afield, message Scott through his Facebook page or leave a message below and we'll take it from there :)
Thanks for everyone's support and interest and don't forget, Channel 4 are showing the movie that started it all this Sunday afternoon, New Year's Eve!
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!
Really looking forward to a long awaited return to Bristol's Comic Expo this Saturday! This is The comics event from back in the day (was the first in 1999?) which inspired me to make my own comics and put them out there, first fully tabling as an exhibitor in, I think, 2002, after assisting for a bit a Shane Chebsey's Smallzone table the year before.
So, many happy memories and pleased that the guest and exhibitor list includes so many of us who went to those early events and have carried on in the UK comics scene ever since. Just shows the power of comics and following your 'dreams' which can bring great joy and satisfaction if not riches!
The one day event is actually in the same hotel that it moved to all those years ago, so should bring back a few good memories, come and say hi and find out what's changed in the 20 years or so as fittingly I'll have a few more advance copies of my expanded ZULU Water Cart Rescue deluxe hardcover with me, back at the show where it originally debuted!
I'll be in the ballroom, with a bunch of talented folk with guests both there and the Park Suite :)
Busy, busy but anyone missing my dulcet tones should listen to Chris Parkinson's interview with me discussing the inspiration and development of my Zulu War Comics! This was our full chat as featured on Chris's You Tube channel as part of the Clash of Empires exhibition.
Download the episode here and check out Chris's library of other interesting military history interviews and discussions and if you've not seen Chris and I's fun video chat here.
Well this was fun, please check out the excellent job, Chris Parkinson has done of our wee interview chatting about my Zulu Wars comic :)
Also check Chris's own Redcoat History youtube playlists and archives for lots more of Zulu and many other Victorian campaigns, its a real treasure trove of great interviews and historic content you don't find anywhere else, click here for the link or go to my sidebar.
And don't forget that the Clash of Empires Anglo-Zulu War exhibition is now in full swing and is really excellent, if you have any interest in the period or just want to see things you wouldn't normally encounter and chat to folk who are passionate about the history, you don't want to miss out!
Aha, coming round quicker than a fast approaching Zulu impi is the much anticipated Anglo-Zulu War Exhibition, 'Clash of Empires' which opens tomorrow at the Spear Museum of The Royal Philatelic Society in London!
This has been a long road and a real labour of love for everyone involved, but with challenges overcome promises to be very special with the largest public display of artifacts from the period in living memory.
Much more to follow including the special symposium on the middle weekend with loads of authoritative speakers including yours truly making a presentation on my Zulu Wars Comic!
In the meantime, you can find out more and order tickets on their website here , see the youtube channel here and more including a short interview with co-curator, Alex Haimann, at the always excellent Redcoat History channel here
Really looking forward to seeing everything and catching up with many old friends not seen since my last trip to Kwa-Zulu Natal, including this fine looking fellow!
Ian Knight, Alex Haimann & Me meeting for the first time since 2019!
Wow, that was fun! All that preparation, planning, travelling and then the day itself just speeds by, far too quickly and SALUTE50 was over as quick as it begun!
I was delighted with the response that my new release, ZULU: WATER CART RESCUE received and felt justified in attending the event with the interest and many encouraging comments received. That said, SALUTE is of course a wargaming show with models, figures, paints and the many, many game displays being people's priority, so this remains very much an outreach event for comics and one that I'm willing to invest the time and energy in to see if a successful crossover can be made to justify the expense in attending.
One thing I may have to do is make the fact that my books are comics more obvious, as despite the various signage and displays, many thought that I was selling Zulu War gaming rules and were interested if any figures were being produced or recommending manufacturers existing sets to suite such a venture! Most saw the funny side and were intrigued enough by the comics concept to give them a try but it is something I need to address in future.
Check out Warspite's video for a great SALUTE50 overview and a wee cameo after 09:30!
The event itself was certainly much busier than the previous covid hit 2021 one and everyone was saying that it was 'back' in terms of attendance and atmosphere so it was nice to fully experience the show that had enticed me previously. Certainly the new organising committee seemed to pull out the stops by adding many features such as panel talks, increased demonstration and participation games to give attendees more to do than just shop, which in turn encouraged them to stay at the show for longer so it didn't markedly drop off early afternoon like before.
With Tim and James of the Die Hards in mufti!
A personal highlight was of course catching up with chums that I'd not seen since my last South African trip in 2019, with historian and author Ian Knight and fellow enthusiast (and exhibition curator) Alex Haimann and Tim Rose and James Dix of the Die Hards - although I'd of course seen Tim at Salute in 2021. Our time was brief together but well spent with updates, ideas and more being discussed and shared ahead of July's very exciting Clash of the Empires exhibition, more to follow!
My handy backing table restock and display items
Being kept busy at the table I didn't really get the chance to look round the show myself but there are already a few videos like the one above on YouTube to give you a feel of the event. Not enough time to see everything was a common theme but I guess the additional venue and related costs may make an extension to two days prohibitive but we'll see.
The only game I did see was the really quite wonderful, Battle of Ntombi River wargame display presented by the Hornchurch Wargames Club from, of course the Zulu War! This was fabulous to see and discuss with one of the Club members and of course Ian Knight who I had visited the real scene with in 2010 and 2014, a special moment indeed.
Ian & I at Ntombe in 2014 after wading across the river!
So there you are, over in a flash but a lovely memorable day with a few other highlights and potential contacts made so hopefully worthwhile overall and I do enjoy trying different types of events to spread the word of independent comics so would like to return next time too, fingers-crossed. Thanks to all who stopped and chatted and showed interest in my efforts, very much appreciated and of course sincere congratulations to the South London Warlords on their 50th anniversary, here's to many more.
But overall just delighted to finally get my ZULU comic out there in the wild, USUTHU!
