Road to Armageddon: Tauranga and Christchurch 2018

The Armageddon Expo machine rolls on, with pop-culture events coming to Tauranga this weekend and Christchurch over Queens Birthday Weekend! 

The events will feature a star-studded line-up of TV and film guests, including: a dynasty of Luthors: John Shea (Lex Luthor from Lois & Clark) and Katie McGarth (Lena Luthor from Supergirl); as well a healthy guest list from the Arrowverse of DC Comics shows: Katrina Law, Paul Blackthorne, Echo Kellum, David Nykl (Arrow), Keiynan Lonsdale (The Flash) and Mehcad Brooks (Supergirl). Other TV guests include: Garrett Wang (Star Trek: Voyager), Lauren German and Lesley-Ann Brandt (Lucifer), Daniel Portman (Game of Thrones), animation guests Christy Carlson Romano (Kim Possible), Brad Swaile (Death Note), WWE wrestler "Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, and international Cosplayer Ashlynne Dae.

Above: Comics guest Sloane Leong.

On the comics side of things, the international comics guest is Sloane Leong. Sloane is a self-taught cartoonist, artist and writer of Hawaiian, Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Choctaw, Welsh and German ancestries. She explores themes of survival, displacement, relationships, spirituality, identity and mental illness through literary vehicles like science fiction, horror, adventure and slice-of-life genres.

Her work focuses on exploring silenced narratives from marginalized communities and people of color, to connect personally with individuals through storytelling, with an aim to cultivate a kinder, more understanding future. She has been self-publishing her own comics since she was 16 and has done various work for companies like Image Comics, Top Cow, Cartoon Network, DC, Dark Horse, Boom! and many more. Her current projects include: A Map to the Sun, to be published by First Second in 2019, and Prism Stalker from Image Comics.

The NZCC (New Zealand Comic Creators) will have a presence at both conventions, featuring a great selection of locally published comics titles from NZ cartoonists. I'll be attending the Tauranga convention with cartoonist/artist Ross Murray (Rufus Marigold), and the Funtime Comics team will be on hand for the Christchurch event. Local comics publisher Beyond Reality Media will also have a booth with their latest graphic novel releases!

Armageddon Tauranga will be held on May 26-27th, at the ASB Baypark Arena (81 Truman Lane, Mount Maunganui) from 10am to 5pm both days (Early Access from 9am available Sat 26th only). Tickets are available now through iTicket HERE, and at the gate on the day.

Christchurch Armageddon will be held on June 2-4th 2018, at the Horncastle Arena, Queen's Birthday Weekend. Open from 9am to 5pm all three days. Tickets are available now through Ticketek HERE, and at the gate on the day.

For more information on these events, visit the Armageddon Expo website HERE.

- AK!

Announcing Funtime Comics Junior!

"Comics aren't just for kids anymore!", was a catch-cry of the 1980s, as comics sought to capture a more mature readership. As the average age of comics readers has increased, we've seen a reduction in titles specifically aimed at children, along with an overall decrease in comics sales and circulation in general. 

Not that there haven't been recent success stories in comics and graphic novels made for kids: there's the perennial favourite Bone series by Jeff Smith, Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey, and the multi-million selling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney. And locally, we have such titles as Terry Teo by Bob Kerr and Stephen Ballantyne, Moa by James Davidson, and the upcoming The Adventures of Jack Scratch  by Craig Phillips (more on this title soon).

Funtime editor Jason Lennie is looking to potentially grow this list of NZ comics for kids, by floating the idea of a new Funtime anthology specifically aimed at younger readers. Are you a cartoonist and interested in producing some kick-ass comics for kids? Then drop Jason a line. "We are looking for comic submissions aimed at school age kids 5-12 yrs old. Kids love comics and we really want to create something different featuring NZ comics artists. There is no deadline as we are wanting to see what interest there is from the comic community". You can email your submissions to: funtimecomics@ledge.nz

And be sure to visit the Funtime website HERE and the Funtime Facebook page HERE for further updates.

- AK!

EVENT: Armageddon Auckland 2012

Above: Iron Man by Bob Layton. Copyright Marvel Comics 2012.

Armageddon Expo is back in Auckland this Labour Weekend, with its usual mix of pop culture madness - celebrating everything from comics to video-games, films, television, wrestling, and everything in between. The event will be taking place at the ASB Showgrounds in Greenlane, Auckland from October 19-22nd: with a special preview night on Friday 19th from 6 - 9pm, and opening hours from 10am - 6pm Saturday to Monday.

Focusing on the comics front, there will be a healthy presence of local and international comics creators at the event.

The international guest list is headed by Bob Layton, best known as one of the definitive Iron Man artist/inkers. His significant runs on the title include: Demon in a Bottle, in which Tony Stark becomes an alcoholic; and the time travel adventure Doom Quest.

Above: Marineman by Ian Churchill. Copyright Ian Churchill 2012.

Artist Ian Churchill came to prominence in the mid-90s illustrating Marvel titles like Cable, and has continued to work on mainstream titles for Marvel and DC Comics like Uncanny X-Men, Supergirl and the Teen Titans. Recently, Churchill has put aside his gritty superhero art style to develop his own more whimsical creator-owned title, Marineman, published through Image Comics.

Above: Green Arrow as illustrated by Harvey Tolibao. Copyright DC Comics 2012.

Auckland comic store Heroes For Sale have brought over Filipino artist Harvey Tolibao for the Expo. A ralative new-comer to comics, Tolibao broke into the US industry with a 2007 Iron Man Annual for Marvel, and is currently the artist on the new 52 version of Green Arrow for DC Comics.

Above: The cover of Funtime Comics #26, cover by Lee Yan Marquez. Copyright Funtime Comics 2012.

New Zealand Comics will be well represented at the event, with the New Zealand Comic Creators booth and several independent booths.

New this year will be the latest issue issue of the Funtime Comics anthology, featuring new work from: Ned Wenlock, Tim Danko, Bob McMahon, Isaac Freeman and others! You can also expect to find a wide range of NZ comics and graphic novels at the NZCC booth, including favourites like Shaolin Burning, The Inhabitants, ActionMan Adam and first looks at upcoming comics like the Faction comics anthology and Moth City!

Above: Moa #3 by James Davidson. Copyright James Davidson 2012.

Issue three of James Davidson's excellent all-ages series Moa is out in time for the convention, and James will be at the NZCC booth on Saturday to sign copies!

Above: Nice Day For a War by Chris Slane and Matt Elliot. Copyright Chris Slane and Matt Elliott 2012.

Fresh back from the Treviso Comics Festival in Italy, Chris Slane will be at the booth on Sunday with copies of the award-winning Nice Day for a War, and the last rare copies of Maui: Legends of the Outcast (grab them while you still can!). He'll also have some of his artwork on display too.

Above: Saurian Era, by Cory Mathis. Copyright Cory Mathis 2012.

Its been a while since we had a new comic from Cory Mathis, but this year Saurian Era makes a welcome return, with more dino action than you can shake a prehistoric stick it!

Above: White Cloud Worlds Vol. 2. Copyright Paul Tobin/White Cloud Worlds 2012.

A new volume of White Cloud Worlds featuring the fantasy art of some of New Zealand's finest artists will be available exclusively at Auckland Armageddon, well ahead of its official release date on November 2nd.

Richard Fairgray will have the first full-colour Blastosaurus Hardcover available at Armageddon, along with new collections of the all-ages series Ghost Ghost and the comic strip I Fight Crime.

Armageddon organiser William Geradts has been cultivating his own line of webcomics very successfully for over a year at www.beyondrealitymedia.com, and now has a classy range of print collections available to buy, featuring the first volumes of the comic series: Attica, The Inspiration Duncans, and The Warden, exclusively at the Beyond Reality Media booth.

Above: Jeremy from Gotham Comics takes a quiet moment out with his stock for the event...

And for all your other comic needs, NZ's leading comics supplier Gotham Comics will be there all weekend with specials galore! For preview night only, if you spend $100+ you'll get a $20 credit! They'll have nearly 5,000 comics priced between $2 - $5 and all blue bin back-issues at $5 each!

This will be plenty more to see, do and buy this weekend at the Auckland Armageddon Expo, so visit the official page HERE for more details!

-AK!

NZ Comics: The 2011 Christchurch Earthquake Response

Above: A Pink Noise art appeal piece by Michel Mulipola featuring Spider-Man.

It's been almost one week since the city of Christchurch was devastated by the largest aftershock yet, following last September's original earthquake. Heartbreakingly, this quake struck in the middle of a busy Tuesday afternoon, destroying highly populated buildings in the city's CBD, taking many lives with it. Today the death toll stands at 155, but sadly that figure is expected to rise. Financial and emotional support for the affected people of Christchurch continues to flood in, from both national and international relief efforts. In these uncertain times it's difficult to register an appropriate response to this scale of devastation, particularly from a distance.

Above: Page one of Roses for Christchurch by Sarah Laing. Copyright Sarah Lieng 2011.

During this past weekend, Auckland writer/designer/cartoonist Sarah Laing produced a touching and beautifully understated 3-page comic strip Roses for Christchurch, which for me (and many others I imagine) perfectly captures that feeling of detached sorrow, watching this tragedy from a distance, and just how very fragile our civilisation really is.

The cartoon image of the Christchurch Cathedral with 'invisible dashes' (a favourite visual shorthand in the language of comics) to complete it's fractured facade, is by itself an incredibly powerful image.

You can read the complete story on Sarah's blog HERE, and please be sure to visit the Roses for Christchurch Facebook page to make a donation HERE.

Above: The Funtime Comics Collective logo ((RAHG!)).

One cartoonist who has experienced the earthquakes firsthand is Isaac Freeman, editor of the Christchurch comics collective Funtime. In response to the latest earthquake, Funtime will be releasing a special Earthquake Relief issue, with all proceeds going to the Red Cross.

They would like to get a really wide selection of New Zealand and international artists on board for this, so if this sounds like you, no matter what your level of experience or how far removed you feel from events, now is the time to get involved!

So now I'll turn thinks over to Issac for the submission guidelines:

• Submissions are due 21 March 2011.
• Comics should in some way address the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, even if peripherally. Original work would be preferred.
• We'd prefer each piece to be 1-4 pages long, so we can fit in plenty of artists. This is flexible if the work demands it, but longer pieces will be harder to fit in.
• Funtime is published in an A5 portrait format (148 mm wide, 210 mm high) format. We can take submissions in other sizes and shapes, but they'll be shrunk to fit this size. Be careful that your lettering will still be readable at this size - people hate having to use a magnifying glass to read their comics.
• Black and white only. We won't have time for close control of tones, so it's best if your artwork have plenty of contrast.
• For digital submissions, make sure the file names include numbers to show their order. Scan to at least 600dpi. We can handle most bitmap formats, and PDF or Adobe Illustrator CS3 or earlier. Email to: funtime@comics.org.nz.
• For paper submissions, write your name on the back of each page as well as a page number if your contribution is longer than one page, so we don't get the order wrong. Post to 15B Lothian Street, Ilam, Christchurch 8041. At the time of writing the postal service isn't operating in Christchurch, but we expect it to be back soon. Please don't use our PO box, as it's inside the security cordon and we can't access it.
• Please try not to send any work that might get us arrested. Nudity and adult themes are acceptable within reason. We usually aim to be suitable for mature teenagers and older.
• Include contact details, and biographical information with your submission. A small self-portrait is also handy.
• Submission of artwork is taken to imply that the contributor gives permission for their work to be published, and that short excerpts may be used for the promotion of the anthology as the editor sees fit. If you have specific requirements for how your work should be used, please let us know.

Context:

Funtime Comics is a loose non-profit collective of artists. We're based in Christchurch, New Zealand, with contributors from around the world. We've been publishing the Funtime Comics Anthology on a semi-regular basis for twenty years. We gather for monthly workshops, where we drink tea, draw comics and make somewhat civilised conversation. We publish work from people of all ages and levels of comics-making experience, and we make lots of shared jam comics.

Ōtautahi/Christchurch in New Zealand's second largest city. On 22 February 2011 it was hit by a devastating earthquake, causing massive damage and many deaths. At the time of writing, large parts of the city are without drinking water, power or sewerage outflow. Military, police and aid agencies from around the world are assisting with relief and rescue efforts.

-Isaac Freeman
Editor, Funtime Comics

For more information, visit the Facebook page HERE.

Above: A Pink Noise art appeal piece by Ant Sang, featuring The Monk Who Doubts.

Auckland non-profit art community Pink Noise have also mounted their own artistic response effort, organising an online art auction on Trade Me. Featuring diverse artworks from the group's members for sale, with all proceeds from the auction will be going to the Christchurch Red Cross. Amongst the great artworks on offer is a print by Michel Mulipola featuring Spider-Man swinging from the Christchurch Cathedral (see the picture at the top of this post), and an inked original of 'The Monk Who Doubts' by Ant Sang from his bestselling graphic novel Shaolin Burning! So check out these auctions and get some great artwork for your wall while donating to a very worthy cause!

These life changing events are never easy to deal with; but perhaps you'll find something in this report that helps you express how you feel about it in a creative way, or inspire you to aid others by purchasing some of that creativity yourself.

-AK!

Road To Armageddon Auckland 2010: NZ Comic Creators

Above: The Imposter by Lee-Yan Marquez. Copyright Lee-Yan Marquez 2010.

The Auckland Armageddon Expo 2010 is once again crashing down upon us; like a tidal wave of pop culture madness, overloading the senses and emptying our pockets! The Expo will be taking place over Labour Weekend, October 23rd-25th at the ASB Showgrounds in Greenlane. It features a wide variety of popular culture guests and attractions from the latest videogame releases, to film, animation and comic guests.

As well as international comics guests (which you can read about HERE), the Expo will also be feature some of NZ's finest cartoonist, signing at the New Zealand Comic Creators Booth (booth 86, Pavilion #1).

Above: A spread from Into the Dark Woods a new graphic novella by the Sheehan Bros. Copyright Sheehan Bros 2010.

So let's have an exclusive look at some of the new local comics releases on offer at this year's Expo:

First up, the Sheehan Brothers have two new graphic novellas debuting at the show: Into the Dark Woods and Frozen. Hot off their Eric Award winning series The Inhabitants, these dark fantasy offerings are the first two chapters of an interconnected series of short stories, which will form a future boxed collection. It marks a return to the more lyrical nature of their first collaboration The Longman, which is where an earlier version of Frozen originated (as an insert in Longman #5).

Above: A spread from Into the Dark Woods a new graphic novella by the Sheehan Bros. Copyright Sheehan Bros 2010.

Darren Sheehan's artwork continues to evolve in both detail and atmosphere, reaching an Aubrey Beardsley level of mastery in the dark art of inking. If you drop by the booth may get to see some of the original artwork, which is even more stunning up close. Both writer Kelly and artist Darren Sheehan will be appearing during the weekend.

Above: The cover of Dr. Connie Radar PH.D Daily Funnies by Karl Wills. Copyright The ComicBook Factory 2010.

After an extended leave in advertising, the twisted comic strips of Karl Wills, creator of Jessica of the Schoolyard, returns with Dr. Connie Radar PH.D. Collecting his online daily strips from The ComicBook Factory website, it features the scientific adventures of space babe Connie Radar and her brainy robot sidekick, Julius.

Available in the same Tijuana Bible format as Jessica, your collection won't be complete without it. It's a limited edition run, so make sure you get in quick! Karl will also have some very affordable original artwork for sale, so stop by the booth to pick up some great artwork, from one of NZ's most polished cartoonists.

Above: The cover of Funtime #25. Copyright Funtime Comics Collective 2010.

The latest issue from New Zealand's longest running Comics Collective is out in time for the convention season! The Christchurch based Funtime gang, have produced what looks like another winner with this literally earth-shattering cover (what...too soon for bad puns?). Featuring a variety of creators and stories for all tastes, Funtime never fails to entertain, and issue #25 looks like it won't be any exception. Funtime editor Isaac Freeman will be on hand all three day of the Expo, to regale you with stories of cartooning from NZ's earthquake central, and get you to participate in what's sure to be another classic round of Jam Comics! (who could forget Welly Armageddon's Dr. Cheetah?).

Above: The cover of Bristle #7 by Brent Willis. Copyright Brent Willis 2010.

This Wellington based anthology continues to go from strength to strength, as Brent Willis heads up a team of talented contributors in Bristle #7, including: Chris Cudby, David Piper, Matt Kelly, Ari Freeman, Renee Lyons and others. At $5 this is a steal, and since it takes a pot-shot at Paul Henry on the cover, you just know this is going to move fast! Editor Brent Willis will also be on hand for all three days of the Expo, no doubt bringing with him a wide variety of his solo efforts including a selection of 'blue' comics which are always a hit with our mature readers (perhaps a reprint of the rare 'double blue' rated Man Hole?...one can only dream...).

Above: The Imposter by Lee-Yan Marquez. Copyright Lee-Yan Marquez 2010.

Lee-Yan Marquez made a splash last year with part one of her mystery/psychological thriller series The Imposter, and issue #2 will be making it's debut at this convention.

Set in the totalitarian state of New Haven, social worker Lucy is rescued from a robbery by a mysterious stranger know only as 'K'. Their brief meeting lingers with Lucy, who has her own secrets that continue to haunt her waking world. Does she have more in common with this vigilante than she'll willing to admit, or will her attraction to 'K' lead her closer to danger instead of answers? Issue #2 ratchets up the tension as Lucy is drawn further into 'K's world. If you want to find out what happens next, as Jack Kirby would say, "don't ask, just buy it!".

Above: The Cover of Clip Show, a collection of Richard Fairgray's early uncollected cartoons. Copyright Richard Fairgray 2010.

And an Armageddon Expo would be complete without a round-up of Blastosaurus creator Richard Fairgray's latest offerings. Never one to rest on his laurels (...or sleep for that matter), Richard has a wide variety of new products on offer at this year's convention. So rather than rattle off the list, I'll turn things over to Richard to expertly showcase his wares:

Above: A page from Blastosaurus Halloween Special 2. Copyright Richard Fairgray 2010.

Blastosaurus Halloween Special 2: The four kids get trapped in an abandoned amusement park ride with an escaped monster and a child murderer with a foot fetish and only blastosaurus might save them. It's like a really fucked up Scooby Doo story...and has a board game on the back cover.

I Fight Crime: Three new books of I Fight Crime (plus the 2 that came out at the Wellington show but haven't been seen in Auckland yet). This takes us to strip #450 of the web series.

Clip Show: An anthology of my early work, some that was published in New Ground, some that has been out of print for a number of years and some stuff that has never been seen before. Every year I get a number of people asking for stuff of mine that I did years and years ago that they've seen in friends' collections or...I don't know...dumpsters or

something so I figured I might as well release what I still had access to. The whole thing is tied together by a new story that links all the separate pieces and is in fact about Terry and I and our adventures as comic writers...yeah, it's THAT self indulgent.

Yellow Girl: This is a webcomic that made it to #30 on Unfortunatecreatures.com before the site stopped existing. Now, forthe first time we have collected all 90 of the completed strips. It's about a brother and sister who fall through a mirror into a world of ravenous mutant lemmings, incest jokes and creepy troll things.

We'll also have the first season of Chewing Zombies on DVD which includes 4 bonus episodes of Stavros the Contractor and a 1 minute animated documentary about Terry and I and the creation of Blastosaurus.

We've also reprinted the final 4 issues of the NZ run of Blastosaurus because they were my favourites and haven't been available for quite awhile. We'll also have the usual duck throwing game and (the new and exciting feature) dinosaur candy!

-Richard Fairgray

There you have it. If you haven't checked out Richard's web-cartoon, Chewing Zombies, it's well worth a look! (and it's a surprising accurate primer on what to expect from a comic convention if you're a newbie...but we're preaching to the converted here, right?;)

Above: The cover of the new edition of Hicksville, by Dylan Horrocks.

And of coarse no NZ Comics booth would be complete without copies of the perennial favourite, Hicksville by Dylan Horrocks. Unfortunately Dylan won't be in attendance this year, as he'll be in Toronto for the International Festival of Authors (rubbing shoulders with indie comics royalty: Charles Burns and Seth, no less!). But to make up for this we'll be selling his exclusive mini-comic collaboration with Emily Perkins, All Hail Ellie, Destroyer of Worlds! (previously only available at the Orcon Great Blends event). This will be a rare item, and is Emily's first stab at creating comics, so seek out a copy, it's a steal at only $5!

Above: The Cover of All Hail Ellie, Destroyer of Worlds!, by Emily Perkins & Dylan Horrocks.

Above: ActionMan Adam by Marc Streeter. Copyright Mark Streeter 2010.

Marc Streeter, author of the always appealing webcomic ActionMan Adam will be appearing at the booth on Sunday, be sure to stop by to check out his artwork and related ActionMan Adam merchandise!

Above: An Anime inspired print by Jianran Pan. Copyright Jianran Pan 2010.

And to showcase a slightly different side of NZ Comics, illustrator and concept artist Jianran Pan will be selling prints of his highly polished manga/anime inspired artwork. It caught my eye earlier this year at Auckland's Doujin Overload Anime Convention, and I think you'll agree it's pretty top notch stuff.

I'll also be at the NZCC Booth on Saturday and Monday reporting on the event; so stop by and say hi, and I may even share with you some NZ Comics gossip, and hints about what's coming up in the new year (new projects and plans for a NZ Comics Convention!).

There's a massive amount of local talent at the Auckland Armageddon Expo this year, so make sure that after you've fought your way through a wall of stormtroopers and goth vampires, you take the time to come down to Booth #86 in Pavilion #1 for some of the best NZ Comics on offer this year! For more information visit the official Armageddon Expo website HERE.

-AK!