EVENT: Dr. Grordbort's Exceptional Exhibition

For the second time in New Zealand, the science fiction world of Dr. Grordbort comes to Christchurch, with an exhibition of artwork, sculptures and memorabilia. The brainchild of Wellington artist/conceptual designer Greg Broadmore, the Dr. Grordbort universe takes the classic colonial explorer/hunter to deep space for an intergalactic safari of discovery - to encounter new forms of life...and mount their heads above the mantlepiece.

Broadmore has so far produced three Dr. Grordbort graphic novels, Dr. Grordbort’s Croudbort’s Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory (2008), VICTORY: Scientific Adventure Violence for Young Men and Literate Woman (2009), and TRIUMPH: Unnecessarily Violent Tales of Science Adventure for the Simple and Unfortunate (2012), as well as a series of collectible replica rayguns. “I wanted to satirize pulp fiction that spans the era from the 1890s to the 1940s”, Broadmore explains, describing the Dr. Grordbort graphic novels as, “basically propaganda aimed at children in Grordbort's world”.

Above: The '4th Law' raygun! Copyright Greg Broadmore 2013.

The exhibition opens today at The Colombo, 363 Colombo St, Sydenham, Christchurch, and will display many of Broadmore's original paintings and concept art, along with sculptures and an impressive collection of Dr. Grordbort rayguns. Entry is from $10, with the exhibition open daily from 10.30am-6.30pm, January 23rd - 28th of February.

You can check out the Eventfinder page HERE for more details, and find out more about the world of Dr. Grordbort at the official website HERE.

-AK!

Faction Comics #1: Hot Off The Press!

Above: Cover of Faction #1, by Greg Broadmore.

You may remember back in October I featured a story on Faction Comics, a New Zealand comics anthology that editor Damon Keen was seeking crowd-funding for through PledgeMe. Well the good news is their target was achieved, and a printed copy of Faction #1 is now available!

Above: Art from June+Bug by Ant Sang. Copyright Ant Sang 2012.

It's 68 pages of full-colour comics from some of New Zealand's premiere comics talent, including: Ant Sang, Roger Langridge, Karl Wills, Tim Gibson, Lauren Marriott, Czepta Gold, Christian Pearce and many more!

You can order the print edition from the Faction Comics website HERE for $19.95NZ +postage. You can also subscribe on the website for a FREE digital edition!

So order a copy today, and get in on the ground floor of what promises to be an exciting development in local comics publishing!

-AK!

News From Earth's End: December Edition

Above: Dr. Grordbort's Exceptional Exhibition currently on in Wellington.

Hot on the heels of his latest graphic novel, Triumph, Greg Broadmore has recently opened a Dr. Grordbort's Exceptional Exhibition in Wellington. Almost more of a museum than an exhibition, this event displays the full depth of the universe that Greg has created around this character, including: concept art, character portraits, ray gun prototypes, statues and much more!

Located at 48-50 Cuba Street in Wellington, the exhibit is open now till January 26th, 2013. Exhibition hours are: Tues to Sat – 12 -7 pm, and Sun – 12 - 4pm. After it finishes up in Wellington, the exhibition will travel around the world to Germany, France, China and Hong Kong. So make sure you see it while you have the chance!

Above: Cover of Fresh Volume 2 by Michelle Bai & Kay See Yan. Copyright the respective creators 2012.

Following on from Fresh Vol. 1 a few years back, the students of Alfriston Collage have produced a second anthology of comic stories. The comics in this volume are largely manga inspired, reflecting the huge influence this style continues to have on young people, and will no doubt deliver exactly what that audience is looking for! Edited by Steve Saville, the creators include: Michelle Bai, Ahmed Rajeh, Gabby Westerlund, Kay See Yen, Ryan Thuker, Tracy Tsai and many more.

Fresh Vol. 2 is $8 per copy, and can be mail ordered by check made out to Alfriston Collage, from Steve Saville, 166 Seddon Street, Pukekeohe. Or look for issues to be available from Gotham Comics in the near future.

Above: Art from Princess Seppuku: The Lower Depths. Copyright Karl Wills 2012.

The second volume of Karl Wills' exceptionally crafted, and darkly funny Princess Seppuku series is also out now. Titled The Lower Depths, you should be able to pick it up from all good comic shops (or directly from the Comicbook Factory HERE for $10 (plus postage and packaging).

The series has also inspired some neat pin-up art from other comic creators including Ant Sang and Cory May!

Above: Princess Seppuku by Ant Sang.

Above: Princess Seppuku by Cory May.

And for some bonus nice art, here's some classic New Zealand comics character appreciations by Jason Winter: Chop Stick from Ant Sang's Dharma Punks, and one of the villains from The Inhabitants by the Sheehan Bros.

Above: Chop Stick from Dharma Punks and a character from The Inhabitants by Jason Winter.

Above: The cover of Czepta: The Prophet Rides Again #0. Copyright Czepta Gold.

Here's a sneak peek at the cover of Czepta: The Prophet Rides Again #0, by Czepta Gold. A print and online edition of the comic should be available from 21st of December, so keep an eye on the official website HERE for more details!

Above: Manu Bennett and Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke the Terminator. Copyright DC Entertainment.

In comics related casting news: local actor Manu Bennett, previously of the locally filmed TV series Spartacus and soon to be seen in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, has been cast as Slade Wilson/Deathstroke the Terminator in the new TV series Arrow (based on the DC Comic book character, Green Arrow).

Created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez, the formidable mercenary/assassin first appeared in New Teen Titans #2 in 1980. A master tactician and weapons expert, he's one of the few comics characters who can hold his own against the Justice League single-handed (read: major badass!). Since crossing paths with Green Arrow in the mini-series Identity Crisis (where Ollie stuck an arrow in his eye socket..ouch!), he's regularly turned up in the archer's adventures looking to even the score.

Its unclear yet how similar Bennett's appearance will be to the comic character (who is traditionally in his 40s with white hair and a goatee), but physically he certainly fits the bill! Arrow screens on the CW network in the US, and I expect it will debut on TV2 here in New Zealand sometime over the summer.

-AK!

Faction Comics needs YOU!

Above: a detail of the cover of Faction Comics #1 by Greg Broadmore.

Faction Comics is a new New Zealand comics anthology edited by Damon Keen to be launched in December as a full-colour comic book and digital edition for computers, iPads and smart phones. It already has an impressive line-up on New Zealand comics talent, including such heavy hitters as: Greg Broadmore (Triumph), Ant Sang (Shaolin Burning), Roger Langridge (Fred The Clown), Karl Wills, Jonathan King, Christian Pearce, Ned Wenlock and many more!

Above: An image from Ant Sang's contribution to Faction Comics #1, June+Bug. Copyright Ant Sang 2012.

You can subscribe for a FREE copy of the digital version right HERE at the Faction website. But for the print version to launch and be promoted successfully, it needs your help! Right now Faction Comics is appealing for funding on the New Zealand crowd funding website, PledgeMe.

Above: An image from Damon Keen's contribution to Faction Comics #1. Copyright Damon Keen 2012.

If you haven't heard of PledgeMe, it is modeled on the US crowd funding site Kickstarter: creatives seeking funding for a project have a limited time to appeal to the public for donations or 'pledges' (via credit card) towards achieving their funding goal. Pledges can range from as little as $10 right up to a couple of hundred, and depending on the size of your pledge you will be rewarded for your patronage (eg. a $25 donation will get nab you an exclusive Faction bookmark, or $200 will see you receive an original drawing of yourself as a superhero and a copy of the printed book). Pledges will only be charged if the project reaches its target funding goal within the set time-frame.

Faction Comics' PledgeMe appeal has 9 days left to reach its funding goal of $4,500. It's just over two thirds of the way there, and needs YOUR help to make it across the finish line!

So if you enjoy New Zealand comics and would like to see this title get off to a great start, please consider supporting this project by pledging HERE. 

Every bit of support at this stage helps (and yes, pledges can be accepted from outside of New Zealand as long as you have a valid credit card). For more information and to subscribe for the digital copy, visit the Faction Comics website HERE and join their Facebook page HERE.

-AK!

New Zealand Comics World Tour Part 1: Treviso Comic Book Festival 2012

Above: Treviso Comic Book Festival 2012 poster, featuring artwork by Dylan Horrocks.

The Treviso Comic Book Festival took place at the end of September, with a special exhibition dedicated to New Zealand Comics.

A distinguished group of our finest cartoonists winged it to Italy to be on hand for the special occasion. Our 'comics ambassadors' included: Dylan Horrocks (Hicksville), Colin Wilson (Bullet to the Head) Roger Langridge (Fred The Clown), Ben Stenbeck (Baltimore), Chris Slane (Nice Day For a War), Greg Broadmore (Triumph) and Rufus Dayglo (Tank Girl).

Above: Shops in Treviso celebrate the comics festival each year by painting cartoon characters in their store windows. Photos by Chris Slane.

Above: Rufus Dayglo contributes to a window display.

To give you an idea of how big a deal comics are in Europe, retailers in Treviso were happy to collaborate with the festival and arrange for cartoonists to paint characters in their store-front windows! As you can see from the pictures, its pretty magical stuff. 

Chris Slane gave me his impression of the festival: "Treviso is a city which looks forward to it's annual comics festival. It has a high profile here. Young cartoonists go around decorating shop windows with individual designs - over 200 by the end of the festival. Rufus Dayglo was even press-ganged into doing one. 

Exhibitions and events are shared among venues all around town, rather than concentrated in just one place. You could walk everywhere - Treviso is very pedestrian-friendly and a few minutes walk would get you just about anywhere, through a picturesque maze of alley ways, canals and bridges. 

There were two comics market days where we comic artists formed relays drawing flat out and giving away the art free to hordes of kids and collectors."

The photos presented here are courtesy of Chris Slane, Dylan Horrocks, Rufus Dayglo and the TCBF Facebook page.

Above: Roger Langridge and Dylan Horrocks.

Above: NZ cartoonists in Venice! Dylan Horrocks, Greg Broadmore and Ben Stenbeck.

The NZ Comics exhibition took place at the Benetton Foundation Pavilion (above), from the 27th of September-14th of October. There was an official opening on Saturday 27th of September, with all the guests on hand to present and discuss their comics.

Above: Outside the exhibition building Greg Broadmore and Chris Slane exchange creative energy...

Above: Walking into the NZ Comics exhibition, with Greg Bradmore's art on the far left wall.

Above: A display of Chris Slane's artwork in the main room, featuring an awesome standee of Maui!

Above: A display of Dylan Horrocks' work, with lighthouse standee.

Above: Artwork by Toby Morris.

Above: Artwork by Rufus Dayglo.

Above: At the exhibition opening, from left: Roger, Ben, Chris, Dylan and Greg.

Above: Alberto Corradi, one of the festival organisers, gives the introduction speech.

Above: Colin Wilson (left) discusses his artwork.

Above: Crowds enjoying the show.

Above: A wall of Ben Stenbeck's artwork.

Above: Ben Stenbeck and Rufus Dayglo take a closer look at some artwork.

Above: Roger Langridge and Dylan Horrocks check out Rufus Dayglo's work with the artist.

Above: A display of Dylan Horrocks' artwork.

Above: Examples of Barry Linton's artwork.

Above: A display of Frank & Becky's Tiny Kitten Teeth webcomic.

Above: NZ Comics at the United Nations? From left: Roger Langridge, Dylan Horrocks, Ben Stenbeck, Greg Broadmore and Chris Slane (Alberto Corradi at the back).

A discussion panel was also held during the festival, where the NZ creators discussed their work and the New Zealand comics scene in general.

Above: Dylan Horrocks sketching during the panel.

Above: Wide shot of the panel, from left: Rufus, Roger, Dylan, Ben and Greg. Alberto Corradi again acts as MC.

Above: During a break. You can't tell from this angle, but I understand Greg Broadmore (far right) is drawing naughty pictures on his cellphone which Ben Stenbeck is doing his best not to crack-up at!

Above: The NZ contingent of cartoonists checks out one of the italian comics exhibitions, in this case the artwork of Roberto Bonadimani. The framed artwork is actually free-hanging from the wall to protect the historic building.

Above: The main Festival hall for creator signing and sketching. In Europe its expected that artists will provide FREE sketches for fans, so our creators were kept VERY busy!

Above: Dylan Horrocks' pencil is kept busy with sketching...

Above: A fan hold up her Rufus Dayglo sketch.

Above: Fans look on as Roger Langridge sketches in the foreground with Colin Wilson next to him.

Above: The  NZ creators take time out to enjoy some fine Italian dinning (as you do when you're in Italy!).

I understand the exhibition was a huge success, and you can read about some of the comics creators thoughts on the festival over on their blogs: Roger Langridge posts about it HERE, and Rufus Dayglo has posted a bunch of photos over on his blog HERE.

Above: The new guide to New Zealand Comics and Graphic Novels made a star appearance in TV3's coverage of the Frankfurt Book Fair!

The next stop of our traveling NZ comics contingent is the Frankfurt Book Fair, which is under way in Germany this week, with a panel discussion on New Zealand Comics taking place at the NZ pavilion at 12pm on the 14th of October. Dylan Horrocks, Roger Langridge, Colin Wilson, Greg Broadmore and Ben Stenbeck will be in attendance.

There is also a special display of NZ comics at the fair's Comic Centre in Hall 3, along with copies of the new 100-page guide to New Zealand Comics and Graphic Novels (which you can download for free HERE).

Check back here in the next week or two for continued coverage of the NZ Comics world tour!

-AK!