Accent UK nominated in Tripwire Awards!

Exciting news, our Accent UK comics collective have been nominated in top pop culture Tripwire Magazine’s annual awards, in the best UK small press/independent comic publisher category! 

It’s quite an honour to be included and a great way to mark the 20 year journey that Dave West and I have shared after Accent UK was formed with Barry Renshaw way back in 2002. 

There's lots of other fab nominees across the world of comics and pop culture, so if you’ve ever enjoyed our work, please consider voting, thank you very much :)

The link to the google docs form is here and quick n easy to use !

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!😉

C2E2 - Happy Comic-Con Memories

Seeing great photos and write-up's for last weekend's resheduled C2E2, reminds me of Dave and I's time there in Artist Alley a couple of years ago, before the pandemic.

C2E2 (& MCM!) Show runner Mike Negin snags a selfie at the show opening!

Accent UK's Artist Alley Table!

 

  

 

We had a great time and attracted a little attention with our British comics being well received as we sketched and signed our way through a very enjoyable weekend. We made a few contacts and also saw a few sights across the Windy City before it was time to return home.

 

We said we'd love to return so who knows? International flights are seemingly safer again so now they've announced a return to the show's traditional spring dates for next year, we'll see....

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!

MCM London Fun!

Well MCM London was fab the other week! Felt like a return to 'normal' and certainly in Artists Alley it was if anything better than 'normal' with footfall pretty steady throughout the three days which helped many, including me post record sales!

The interest in comics was pretty strong and although print artists appear to be in the majority at the show, most of my other comic making chums had also done well, which is great to hear. Oddly my own new prints didn't do so well although they did generate a lot of interest in my table and helped promote the comics so that was good. 

It was great to see so many familiar faces and meet lots of new people too. I had many interesting conversations about comics, creating and lovely comments about my artstyle with a couple even comparing me to Herge's Tintin - I wish! I hardly left my table but did though have a sneaky look at Covent Garden's 'pop-up' Tintin store at the show and bag myself some goodies to celebrate!

I didn't get many photos at all, mainly just folk who came past the table - thanks to all those who kindly posed - but there were many wonderful costumes and characters.

Special thanks to my Artist Alley neighbour, Eilidh Price who, with her partner, were a delight. It was her first-time exhibiting at the show but she was very well received and sold well with her amazing prints and art - I had to snag one myself as a forthcoming birthday gift for someone special, who I know will love her style. Check Eilidh's site out here and I hope to see her on the circuit again soon :) 

All great fun and here's hoping I can attend again for their next one in the Fall, end of October.

VANGELIS R.I.P

More sad news with the passing of Vangelis, legendary composer of many unforgetable tracks and soundtracks including of course, Bladerunner, Chariots of Fire and 1492:Conquest of Paradise. His soundscapes have been a constant of my adult life and it's no exggeration to say that I play a couple of his albums, if not daily, certainly weekly and have done so for years!

There's something transformative about his music so that if I need to really concentrate to get some work done, it can almost instantly transport my mind to that place where I can ignore external distractions and just get on with the job in hand. The only other artists that have this effect on me is the solo work of David Sylvian and to a slightly lessor extent, the music of  Dead Can Dance, but it is Vangelis that I invariably turn to most.

While I never saw Vangelis live like I did my ultimate musical hero David Bowie, he has been in some ways just as influential in shaping my mind and creative thinking. 

R.I.P to an unparalleled genius.

Phew! Free Comic Book Day Success!

Special Edition FCBD 'Funko Scott' cupcakes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hard to think its's already a week since Free Comic Book Day at Scott's Pops & Comics in Warrington! So much planning goes into events such as this that they do just pass in a blur!

That said we're delighted to confirm that it was a great success, larger crowds than last year, more artists, more sales and many, more smiles as people discovered and re-discovered the joys of comics and chatting with some artists, independent and professional who make them.

Scott also had more help (thanks Becky, Karen & Pete!) so was able to properly act as 'mine host' and circulate with the artists, fans and shoppers, just keeping an eye on things, helping out here and there and enjoying the day too.

It seemed to be a more relaxed affair than with a pretty steady footfall throughout the day, avoiding the busy 'bottleneck' we had last time when it seemed everyone came at the same time. Scott probably had almost 50% more free comics than last time too and they virtually all went on the day so we know it was considerably busier, so all good and hopefully folk are enjoying what they picked up.

As ever, we almost forgot to take photos until almost the end of the day and even then a couple of the artists managed to hide from the camera, but something to remember the day by.

Same time and place next year?