Thursday, 29 April 2010
Matthew Craig update update
Following on from our blog of a few weeks ago Matthew Craig dropped us a line to tell us his new comic of Welsh schoolboy superheroics Tryhard & Tearaway is now available to read for free, gratis and for nothing on his website. Check it out, its fun stuff, look you!
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Episode 18 is out there!
Welcome to Small Press Big Mouth Episode 18! This episode Stace waxes lyrical about all things Hi-Ex and reviews a couple of books she picked up there. Lee just about manages to squeeze a couple of words in edgeways to tell you about Bulletproof and Turf. Happy listening!
http://geeksyndicate.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=609034
http://geeksyndicate.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=609034
This episode's triumphant Tweet Tout winner is *drumroll* the Sunnyside Comics podcast
If you want a plug on the show keep an eye on Stace's twitter page which you can find at http://twitter.com/stace_w
Linkpoos
Hi-Ex!
www.hi-ex.co.uk/
www.hi-ex.co.uk/
Bulletproof
Turf
Morris The Mankiest Monster
Garden Funnies
Everthing Comes Back To 2000AD guest slot
Hot from the press or whatever it is that podcasts come from, episode 23 of Everything Comes Back To 2000AD - with special guest host STACEY WHITTLE!
Stace joins Flint to discuss progs 1677, 1678 and 1679. Expect rambling about Dredd, Zombo and Ichabod Azrael amongst other thrills.
Check it out:
Recent exploits of Stacey
Stacey has been hard at work in her further attempts to take over the world of comicsy geekdom. This has included:
Going to the Hi-Ex 2010 comic convention in Inverness. This was the same weekend as the Thing, but at the opposite end of the UK, thus preventing Stacey attending both. Read her report about how lovely it was on the SFX magazine blog:
http://www.sfx.co.uk/2010/03/31/blog-hi-ex-2010/
Standing in as a guest host on the main Geek Syndicate podcast for episode 152. Stace joins Barry to discuss various geek stuff including how great Doctor Who is and how filthy True Blood is. Check it out here:
http://geeksyndicate.wordpress.com/2010/04/15/geek-syndicate-episode-152/
Reviewing the Galaxy's Greatest Comic for 2000AD Review. Stace casts an appreciative eye over Prog 1681 and goes 'hubba hubba' at Judge Dredd. Read it here:
http://www.2000adreview.co.uk/site/index.php/2000AD-2008-2010/2000AD-1681.html
That's all for now, but expect more on the way shortly!
Going to the Hi-Ex 2010 comic convention in Inverness. This was the same weekend as the Thing, but at the opposite end of the UK, thus preventing Stacey attending both. Read her report about how lovely it was on the SFX magazine blog:http://www.sfx.co.uk/2010/03/31/blog-hi-ex-2010/
Standing in as a guest host on the main Geek Syndicate podcast for episode 152. Stace joins Barry to discuss various geek stuff including how great Doctor Who is and how filthy True Blood is. Check it out here:http://geeksyndicate.wordpress.com/2010/04/15/geek-syndicate-episode-152/
Reviewing the Galaxy's Greatest Comic for 2000AD Review. Stace casts an appreciative eye over Prog 1681 and goes 'hubba hubba' at Judge Dredd. Read it here:
http://www.2000adreview.co.uk/site/index.php/2000AD-2008-2010/2000AD-1681.html
That's all for now, but expect more on the way shortly!
Friday, 9 April 2010
A Bostin Update from Matthew Craig
In SPBM ep17 I reviewed Bostin Heroes (www.bostinheroes.com/) and shortly thereafter received a rather spiffing email from Bostin writer and creator of the awesome Hondle and Trouble Bruin Matthew Craig. Matthew kindly answered a few of the questions I raised in the 'cast and gave us a preview of his next comic including some flipping awesome artwork!
Take it away Matthew....
-----*-----
Wotcha, Stace & Lee! Hope you're well.
Just listened to SmaPreBiMo! Thanks for all the kind words, guys! Glad you're diggin' Bostin Heroes. As far as the tone goes, I am trying to keep it light, but as the current B-Have minisode, the third story, and especially the fourth(!) unfold, I'm hoping to push deeper into the hearts of the characters.
With all my superhero stories, I'm trying to strike a balance between well-rounded, multi-dimensional characterisation and GLEEE!!!!! (the emotion, not the karaokecom) It is a constant battle, space being at a premium, but one worth fighting!
There'll be another full-length story along in a wee while, with another artist. Jack's off down South learning himself up a storm, and Paul's busy with things like Temple APA and his own comics. I won't name the new chap - have I given too much away?! - here, but he's just lobbed a tonne of pages at me, and they're ace on toast.
I won't be at Brizzle or Thing, but I will be at the Wales Comic Con on April 25th - up in Wrexham with a new Welsh schoolboy superhero comic called TRYHARD & TEARAWAY
I'll also be at the May MCM Expo in That There London. Not sure what I'll have with me in terms of new stuff - depending on how fast I can work, I'm thinking a girls' sport manga, or similar. Seriously off-the-cuff improvcomics.
I'll be at BICS, of course, and ThoBubs for defs, with new Bostin Heroes ("Black Cats and Bostinmobiles"), another new Trixie Biker novella ("Bad Penny") and (hopefully) the pseudosimulquel to my original Brummie superhero comic Trouble Bruin.
I'm also hoping to be at various craft things over the summer, such as the Moseley Street Arts Market and the Creative Open Workshops Handmade Market. And my comics remain on sale at the mighty mighty Nostalgia and Comics, as well as Legacy Comics, Halifax.
Phew! And back to it!
Cheers, guys!
Matthew Craig
-----*-----
Sounds like Mr Craig's keeping himself busy! Loving the look of Tryhard & Tearaway and very excited to hear about the follow-up to Trouble Bruin!
Anyhoo, if anyone else wants to drop us a line our email is smallpress_bigmouth@yahoo.co.uk feedback, recommendations, suggestions and gushing praise all welcome.
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Return of The Thing
Saturday 27th March saw the 7th annual UK Web & Mini Comix Thing. Neither I nor Gorgeous Stace were able to attend however Jovial Jamie Warr did and kindly wrote us a report. Over you Jamie...
Web comics have held my interest for a long time. Sometimes tucked away on the web you can find some great comics that are not seen by as many people as they should simply because they are on-line. This in my mind doesn't make them any less worth the attention and is one of the reasons I enjoy going to the The UK Web & Mini Comix Thing which has been an Annual event held at the Queen Mary University in Mile End for the last seven years.
"THE THING 2010" (http://ukwebcomixthing.co.uk/) was finally upon me last Saturday (27Th March) and once again I found myself spending the week beforehand sticking to a strict fitness regime to get in shape for the day ahead. Protein shakes were all I had in the week building up to it so I wasn't only prepared physically but mentally as well for the intense table browsing I would be taking part in.
So I made my way to the event and from experience with attending previous years it was very slow first thing when the door's were open to the mighty public. It was quite apparent that not many people were up for a bit of small press bargain hunting at 10am on a Saturday morning. As the morning went on it did indeed pick up with people doing what I myself had by walking around the hall a few time's checking people's stuff out before buying anything.
A little gripe and feel free to correct me if you are reading this and thinking I am wrong but I have never understood why some creator's at this event have signs declaring 'Free sweets' on their table!?! To me that shows people how desperate you are for them to look at the stuff you have on offer. Can anyone actually say they get more interest because they are giving away free sweets? When I look at buying I look for quality looking stuff and have no interest if you are trying to draw me in with a jellybean. I think a lot of people underestimate how good their comics are and may be frightened that nobody will be interested. Personally I was pleased to see so much variety on offer by people who had clearly been working hard.
Anyway, I had a cool chat with a few people and two vendors in particular who were at their first ever event.
'Walking the Lethe follows Richard Harrison, a sixty-five year old building superintendent, through a series of events that begins when a botched summoning allows the demoness, Astria, to slip into our world for a night'
Daniel was happy to talk to me about it being his first con experience and his plans for Walking the Lethe in the future. Unfortunately Sam Ireland wasn't there to talk to but his artwork is great. Thank you to Daniel for taking the time to talk to me.
I'm already looking forward to The UK Web & Mini Comix Thing 2011.
Cheers.
Web comics have held my interest for a long time. Sometimes tucked away on the web you can find some great comics that are not seen by as many people as they should simply because they are on-line. This in my mind doesn't make them any less worth the attention and is one of the reasons I enjoy going to the The UK Web & Mini Comix Thing which has been an Annual event held at the Queen Mary University in Mile End for the last seven years.
"THE THING 2010" (http://ukwebcomixthing.co.uk/) was finally upon me last Saturday (27Th March) and once again I found myself spending the week beforehand sticking to a strict fitness regime to get in shape for the day ahead. Protein shakes were all I had in the week building up to it so I wasn't only prepared physically but mentally as well for the intense table browsing I would be taking part in.
So I made my way to the event and from experience with attending previous years it was very slow first thing when the door's were open to the mighty public. It was quite apparent that not many people were up for a bit of small press bargain hunting at 10am on a Saturday morning. As the morning went on it did indeed pick up with people doing what I myself had by walking around the hall a few time's checking people's stuff out before buying anything.
A little gripe and feel free to correct me if you are reading this and thinking I am wrong but I have never understood why some creator's at this event have signs declaring 'Free sweets' on their table!?! To me that shows people how desperate you are for them to look at the stuff you have on offer. Can anyone actually say they get more interest because they are giving away free sweets? When I look at buying I look for quality looking stuff and have no interest if you are trying to draw me in with a jellybean. I think a lot of people underestimate how good their comics are and may be frightened that nobody will be interested. Personally I was pleased to see so much variety on offer by people who had clearly been working hard.
Anyway, I had a cool chat with a few people and two vendors in particular who were at their first ever event.
Daniel Potter
'Walking the Lethe follows Richard Harrison, a sixty-five year old building superintendent, through a series of events that begins when a botched summoning allows the demoness, Astria, to slip into our world for a night' Its creators Daniel Potter (writer) and Sam Ireland (artist) have put together a really interesting story which I'd recommend you check out on line at http://walkingthelethe.com/.
Daniel was happy to talk to me about it being his first con experience and his plans for Walking the Lethe in the future. Unfortunately Sam Ireland wasn't there to talk to but his artwork is great. Thank you to Daniel for taking the time to talk to me.
Luke Surl
Moving on to http://www.lukesurl.com/ which unsurprisingly is a web comic created by a fellow called Luke Surl. Luke has collection of cartoons which he writes and draws himself which are mostly one panel observations which having looked through a lot of them have made me chuckle beyond belief.
Luke was also at his first event and was selling a compilation of comics called 'Thirty-two Thousand Words'. Apparently there are only so many copies printed and once they are gone it will never see the light of day again. I hope Luke reconsiders as it's a charming little comic. He updates his web comic every Monday, Wednesday and Friday so check it out.
I've not got time to mention everyone here that I spoke to but please check out these web comics if you can:
http://www.stevebob.com/ (the story of a Dog, a Mouse and a Pub created by Michael Georgiou)
http://epicfail.xepher.net/ (a humorous fantasy story by Amy Letts)
Overall I had a good day at the Thing but I did wonder why it was so overcrowded with vendors. I'm sure everything was ok but if it could ever be moved to a slightly bigger hall it would be so much better.
For now though I shall leave you and continue with my quest to discover quality web comics. Thank you to everyone who took the time to talk to me and I now have a collection of stuff I am going to work my way through over a cup of Earl Grey and a packet of digestives.
I'm already looking forward to The UK Web & Mini Comix Thing 2011.
Cheers.
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