GO READ: Angouleme by Jerome Bihan

Above: Page 1 of Angouleme by Jerome Bihan. Copyright Jerome Bihan 2012.

Jerome Bihan, cartoonist and editor of the great anthology series Radio As Paper, has started a new comics diary of his recent trip to the Angouleme Comics Festival. He'll be updating it weekly at his blog A Strict Diet Of Self, found HERE.

Above: So Art Spiegelman walks into a bar...Page 6 of Angouleme by Jerome Bihan. Copyright Jerome Bihan 2012.

It's well paced and richly inked, with some surprise celebrity comics cameos to boot! I'll be monitoring the progress of this lush comics travelogue and you should too.

-AK!

Road To Armageddon: Hamilton & Wellington 2012

It's that time of year again, the start of the Armageddon Expo season in New Zealand. And this year it's extending it's scope, with it's first Hamilton based expo. Taking place this weekend, April 14-15th at the Claudelands Event Centre, bringing it's circus of all things sci-fi and geektastic to the heart of the Waikato!

Above: a cover from the acclaimed comic series 100 bullets, by Dave Johnson. Copyright Vertigo/DC Comics 2012.

As always there'll be a health presence of local and international comics guests.

Headlining this year's guest list is Dave Johnson, comic artist and award-winning cover artist of such books as:100 bullets, Punishermax, Batman, Unknown Soldier and many more. He also collaborated with writer Mark Millar on the highly acclaimed Superman mini-series Red Son, which recast Superman as a communist Russian superhero. Aside from his comics work, he's also a veteran animation designer, working on such shows as: Batman Beyond, Justice League, Legion of Super-heroes, Venture Bros. and Ben 10.

Above: A Witchblade cover by Stjepan Sejic. Copyright Top Cow Productions 2012.

Ron Marz is a long-time comics writer, having written for just about every major comics company in the business, including DC Comics, Marvel, Top Cow, Dark Horse and CrossGen. He's often been the go-to writer for fantasy with a cosmic scope, leading to extended runs on such titles as:Green Lantern, Silver Surfer and Star Wars. In Green Lantern he co-created the popular character Kyle Rayner, who replaced a temporarily crazy Hal Jordan (it was the 90s, look it up kids!). More recently he's been writing the Witchblade franchise for Top Cow productions, and it's spin-off titles Magdalena and Artifacts.

Above: The Inhabitants, by the Sheehan Bros. Copyright Sheehan Bros 2012.

There will be a strong NZ Comics presence at the event, with myself and Kelly Sheehan (one half of the Sheehan Bros) manning the NZ Comic Creators Booth. We'll be selling a wide variety of local comics, from creators all across the country. If you missed the Comics Generation exhibition that recently took place in Wellington (see last months posts), we'll have stock available from those young creators for you to check out!

Above: Cover of Moas #2 by James Davidson. Copyright James Davidson 2012.

James Davidson will be there with copies of the latest issue of his full-colour all-ages adventure series Moas. Set in Colonial New Zealand, it features Possum Von Tempsky and Kiwi Iti, two Moa riding adventurers. It looks to be a rollicking great yarn in the Carl Barks tradition, so be sure to seek out a signed copy!

Above: Blastosaurus: The 'Fries With That' Caper' issue 00, by Richard Fairgray & Terry Jones. Copyright Richard Fairgray & Terry Jones 2012.

A permanent fixture on the local convention scene, Blastosaurus creator Richard Fairgray will be on hand with a new print issue of Blastosaurus:The 'Fries With That' Caper' issue 00. If you'd like a preview of what to expect, you can check out two free issues of the new full-colour Blastosaurus series at the official website HERE.

Above: Ghost Ghost Squared by Richard Fairgray. Copyright Richard Fairgray 2012.

He'll also a copies of Ghost Ghost Squared available, a sequel to Ghost Ghost, a comic he wrote as a child and redrew recently.

Above: Armageddon Expo and Beyond Reality Media head-honcho Bill Geradts, with copies of The Inspiration Duncans Hardcover collection.

Leading NZ webcomics site Beyond Reality Media will be well represented, with print copies of two of their titles available for the first time! The Inspiration Duncans series written by Bill Geradts and Richard Fairgray with art by Gonzalo Martínez, will be available in a special 80-page Hardcover edition. The Warden series, written by Bill Geradts and Christian Gossett with art by Alan Robinson, will also be available in a softcover collection. Keep an eye out for both of these eye catching books and the creators signing at the Beyond Reality Media booth (as well as the Warden in person!).

The Armageddon Expo Hamilton is on this weekend at the Claudelands Event Centre, open from 10am-6pm. Tickets are available on the door and from Ticketek HERE. I'd strongly recommend buying tickets in advance to avoid the endless lines that can sometimes build up at these events, as no one wants to spend an hour waiting in line!

If you can't make it to Hamilton, fear not, it will all be happening again NEXT weekend in Wellington, 21st-22nd at the TSB Bank Arena ((whew!)). For more information on other events taking place over the weekend at the Armageddon Expo, check out the official site for news and updates HERE. We'll see you there! (I'll be the person NOT in costume).

-AK!

GO READ: Done To Death: The Truth

Above: Page 1 of Done To Death: The Truth by Stevie James & Michel Mulipola. Copyright Stevie James & Michel Mulipola 2012.

Michel Mulipola's artwork has gone from strength to strength in the last few years, and the comics industry is starting to take notice. Last year Michel was one of the few artists attending San Diego Comic Con to be hand-picked for a portfolio review with DC Comics Art Director Mark Chiarello. They've officially invited Michel to submit further art samples, so it won't be long until other publishers start knocking on his door. Until then, you can find some of his impressive artwork over at his deviantART page HERE.

A prime example of his crazy art skills is this new short story, Done To Death: The Truth, illustrated for Wellington writer Stevie James. Completed in a mere two weeks(!), it's a great showcase of Michel's artistic strengths: great character, pacing, and plenty of atmosphere to burn. You can read the full story HERE.

-AK!

Comics Generation exhibition: An Inside Look

Above: Comics Generation, an exhibition featuring young cartoonists, currently on this weekend at Thistle Hall (corner of Cuba and Arthur Streets) in Wellington. All photos by Claire Harris.

Currently taking place at Thistle Hall in Wellington, Comics Generation is shinning a light on the work of promising young cartoonists, including the artwork of: Theo Macdonald, Michael Sanders, Sadie Galloway, Esther Galloway, Zora Patrick and Joel Spencer. Via the Thistle Hall Facebook Page, here's some exclusive photos of the exhibition by curator Claire Harris.

Above: Some wide views of the exhibition space.

Above: Meyo original artwork form a 27 page full-colour comic by Joel Spencer.

Above: Narrative strips from The Tragic Existence of Egbert the Egghead and Colonel Kernel and Batbat cover gallery by Michael Sanders.

Above: SpaceCat Adventures cover artwork by Michael Sanders.

Above: The Honey poison by Esther Galloway on the left side, followed by The Nightmare by Sadie Galloway.

Above: Drawings, sketch book and The encyclopedia of Small (and big) Creatures by Zora Patrick.

Above: Artwork by Theo Macdonald.

Above: Artwork from Theocracy by Theo Macdonald.

Above: Copies of the childrens' printed comics for sale at the exhibition.

Today is the last day of the show, so if you're in the Wellington area, I advise you to drop your copy of the Weekend Herald and get down there while you still can! And if you miss the exhibition, keep an eye out for New Zealand Comic Creators distributors at shows like the Armageddon Expo where you may be able to track down a copy of these great comics for yourself!

-AK!

EVENT: Comics Generation

The next generation of New Zealand cartoonists will make their presence felt tomorrow night, with the opening of Comics Generation an exhibition featuring comics and zines created by six young Wellingtonians, ranging in age from 5 to 17 years old. The creators include: Theo Macdonald, Michael Sanders, Sadie Galloway, Esther Galloway, Zora Patrick and Joel Spencer.

Above: Theo Macdonald meets comics legend Neil Gaiman, in this autobiographical strip from Theocracy #1. Copyright Theo Macdonald 2012.

Curated by cartoonist and NZCC comics distributor Claire Harris, the exhibition will showcase the young creators original artwork as well as work in progress, with the opportunity to purchase their printed comics and zines.

Above: The cover of Theocracy #1. Copyright Theo Macdonald 2012.

Two of the featured cartoonists are already well seasoned self-publishers. Theo Macdonald's first comic, Skate Rat produced when he was just 12 years old, picked up ‘Best Debut’ at the New Zealand Eric Comics Awards in 2010, and was followed up by the highly amusing Theocracy.

Above: The cover of SpaceCat Adventures #2 by Michael Sanders. Copyright Michael Sanders 2012.

Another early starter, Michael Sanders has drawn 6 issues of SpaceCat Adventures to date, starting at age 8. Written in tandem with his father Paul Sanders, the series follows SpaceCat as he traverses his way through the galaxy on adventures featuring aliens, space guns and anything Michael's imagination can put to paper! You can read more of SpaceCat's adventures at the official website HERE.

Above: SpaceCat experiences an alien menace in Terror In Squizball by Michael Sanders & Paul Sanders. Copyright Michael Sanders 2012.

Both of these young creators have already had their comics sold throughout the country at comic stores and the Armageddon Expo thanks to distribution through the New Zealand Comic Creators network.

In conjunction with the exhibition, their will also be two workshops held to encourage children in creating their own characters, zines and comic book stories. These will occur Saturday 31 March and be presented by experienced tutors, with one freestyle workshop suitable for all ages, and a second focused on story and character development for older children. Workshop numbers are limited, to reserve a place contact Paul Sanders at spacecatadventures@gmail.com. For other enquires contact Claire Harris at claire@frailsistercomics.com.

Comics Generation opens tomorrow night at Thistle Hall (corner of Cuba and Arthur Streets) in Wellington at 5.30pm, and runs till Saturday 31st of March. I'm sure you'll be seeing more from these talented creators in the future, so if you're in the Wellington area make sure you head along to support the cartoonists of tomorrow, today!

-AK!

FIRST LOOK: Baltimore: Dr. Leskovar's Remedy

Above: The cover for Baltimore: Dr. Leskovar's Remedy #1 by Ben Stenbeck. Copyright Dark Horse Comics/Mike Mignola 2012.

Dark Horse Comics have recently announced that Lord Henry Baltimore will be returning for a new 2 issue mini-series in May, with Baltimore: Dr. Leskovar's Remedy. This will be the third installment in the series of adventures for the monster hunter, following on from highly successful previous Baltimore volumes: The Plague Ships and The Curse Bells, written by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden with art by Ben Stenbeck.

I caught up with local artist Ben Stenbeck for a brief chat on what to expect from the series, and an exclusive preview of his interior artwork!

Above: An interior page from Baltimore: Dr. Leskovar's Remedy #1 by Ben Stenbeck. Copyright Dark Horse Comics/Mike Mignola 2012.

AK: Been your third arc on Baltimore, are you finding yourself in a comfortable drawing 'groove' with the character?

BS: Little bit. Its very slow for me. But yeah I think issue #1 has 1 or 2 panels of Baltimore that I'm happy with, that I think I've got the character working. Which I haven't really had with the past books, Its a bit like every time I draw him, I'm trying to figure out how to draw him. But I think I'm getting there.

AK: With the new arc only 2 issues long, will this be a more compressed action-oriented story than the suspense building pace of the previous arcs?

BS: Yes. Chris said something along the lines of it being 'Blissful Madness'.  Its a weird, fun story. I think The Curse Bells was the darkest thing we've done so far, it gets really nasty in some places and Dr Leskovars Remedy is like a bit of relief, its a lot of fun (when I say fun, I mean: Monsters and Gore. Well..Monster Gore which is the most fun type of gore).

AK: Each installment of the Baltimore series has contained its share of gruesomely great creatures for Lord Baltimore to cut his way through (and the Mignola cover image does promises some giant ape action!), any other hints of what kind of creepy images or creatures we can expect to see this time around? 

Above: Baltimore: Dr. Leskovar's Remedy #1, alternate cover by Mike Mignola featuring King Kong. Copyright Dark Horse Comics/Mike Mignola 2012.

BS: That King Kong cover is part of Mike's 'Year of Monsters'. This year he's doing 12 alternate covers that have nothing to do with the comic they are on the cover of. Its a chance for him to do some cool images of his favourite monsters along side his characters. That King Kong and Baltimore cover is my favourite so far, but sadly I don't get to draw King Kong. But yes, this series has monsters. Lots of monsters.

AK: I heard that you contributed some ideas and suggestions early on for this story. What were some of the things you wanted to explore and add to the series through your artwork?

BS: Well that's hard to answer with out spoiling the series. But a long time ago I mentioned to Mike that I wanted to do a certain type of character. And I had this idea for a setting, this environment that I wanted to draw. Its just a cool weird thing that i thought would look interesting. And there's something else but it kind of turned into the last half of the 2nd issue, so You'll have to wait.

AK: Is Baltimore your sole focus for the foreseeable future or do you have any other projects coming up?

BS: There is a 2 part story I was meant to be doing with a 'Hellboy-verse' character. But things get changed, I'm not sure whats happening with that now. I've got a series of my own that I'm planning to try and squeeze in in 2015. Something I've had bouncing around in my head for almost 20 years. But that's a long way off, so for now its all Baltimore. I just got the script this morning for the next oneshot. I haven't finished reading it yet, I got distracted by answering this email. Better get back to work. Sorry for all  the vague answers! 

All will be revealed when Baltimore: Dr. Leskovar's Remedy #1 hits shelves in May, so pre-order your copy now! For more info on Ben Stenbeck's artwork and comics, you can visit his website HERE.

-AK!

EVENT: Remembering Eric Resetar 1928-2011

Above: Eric Resetar at The Cartoon Show exhibition in 2000.

As readers of this blog may recall, pioneering New Zealand comics creator Eric Resetar passed away last December at the age of 83. This weekend Eric's niece Andrea has arranged a memorial gathering to celebrate the life and memory of this remarkable cartoonist.

It will be taking place this Sunday, March 4th at 2pm at the Arthur Street Bar & Grill, 267a Arthur St, Onehunga.

If you knew Eric or were a fan of his work, please come along to share some memories and honour the passing of one of New Zealand comics finest.

-AK!

Graphic Novels dominate New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards!

The nominations for this year's New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards were announced on Friday, and all three of the local graphic novels released last year have received nominations. Ant Sang's Shaolin Burning (Harper Collins) is up for Best Picture Book, and Kimble Bent: Malcontent by Chris Grosz (Random House) is competing against Nice Day For a War: Adventures of a Kiwi Soldier in World War I (HarperCollins) by Matt Elliott and Chris Slane for the Best Non-Fiction title.

Above: The nominated titles and authors: Shaolin Burning, Kimble Bent: Malcontent, and Nice Day For a War: Adventures of a Kiwi Soldier in World War I.

The nomination of Shaolin Burning may raise some eyebrows, as it's in a category generally dominated by picture books for the very young (I think it's safe to say it's the only book in the category this year to feature multiple decapitations!).

'Dominate' may seem like a strong word to use here, but for those playing at home, that's THREE nominations for THREE graphic novels out of the over 350 children's titles nominated. That's a pretty high batting average by any estimation, not to mention all three titles topped the Nielsen BookScan Bestseller charts on their respective releases. One would hope this sends a strong message to publishers who are still cautiously approaching graphic novels with a barge pole: they are here to stay, and you are missing out on surest thing in publishing since vampires hit puberty!

The winning titles will be announced at a ceremony in Wellington on Wednesday 16th of May. 

-AK!

Above: All three nominated authors (with some other guys...) at Auckland Armageddon Expo 2011. 

From left: me, Dylan Horrocks, Chris Slane, Ant Sang and Chris Grosz.

EVENT: Fantasy & Pop Culture Panel with Denise Mina, Kelly Link & Robert Shearman

Above: Zine creator and writer Kelly Link, novelist Denise Mina & fantasy and screenwriter Robert Shearman.

As a part of the Wellington Writers & Readers Festival 2012, taking place from the 9th - 14th of March, a trio of writers whose work collectively covers a wide spectrum of pop culture, will be discussing their writing in a fantasy-filled hour at the Embassy Theatre on March 14th. The panel will be hosted by NZ cartoonist and fantasy writer Dylan Horrocks.

Above: Denise Mina's two Hellblazer collections, covers by Lee Bermejo. Copyright DC Comics/Vertigo 2012.

Scottish writer Denise Mina is best known for her hard-hitting crime novels, but to comics readers she's the author of a well-regarded run on Vertigo's flagship title, John Constantine: Hellblazer. Her run was collected in two volumes: Empathy Is The Enemy and The Red Right Hand. She's also written A Sickness In The Family for Vertigo's Crime line, and was just announced as the writer for the upcoming graphic novel adaptation of Stieg Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series.

Above: Cover for Book One of Stieg Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Graphic novel. Cover by Lee Bermejo. Copyright DC Comics/Vertigo 2012.

Robert Shearman is a writer with some serious geek credentials, having written the episode Dalek for the modern Doctor Who TV series, which re-introduced the Daleks to a whole new generation of viewers.

And rounding out the trio is Kelly Link, an award-winning writer and zine creator. Her collections of short stories include: Stranger Things Happen, Magic for Beginners, and Pretty Monsters.

The panel will be taking place at The Embassy Theatre, Wellington, Wednesday 14th of March at 3.30pm. Tickets are $18 ($10 for students). You can book through Ticketek HERE.

-AK!

WEEKEND LISTENING: Dylan Horrocks & Mike Dawson Interview

Above: Dylan Horrocks and Mike Dawson.

Mike Dawson, the US cartoonist behind Freddie & Me, Troop 142 and one half of the indie-comics podcast Ink Panthers, recently got on the phone to interview Dylan Horrocks for The Comics Journal's TCJ Talkies series.

They discuss the recent creator rights controversies: from DC's announcement to finally move forward with it's Before Watchmen series of prequels without Alan Moore's blessing, to Gary Friedrich's failed lawsuit to be recognised as the creator of Ghost Rider against Marvel Comics. Dylan has always been outspoken and honest with his views on creator rights in comics and intellectual property, and this conversation is no exception.

On a more personal front, Dylan starts off talking about the start of his career and the decision to move from part-time worker to full-time cartoonist. With New Zealand heading into another term of a National led government and a US election on the horizon, there's also an interesting discussion on the differences between our two electoral systems, and why we should perhaps get a vote in Uncle Sam's elections!

All this plays out to the occasional Tui tune from Dylan's backyard in Maraetai. You can listen to the full recording HERE.

-AK!

GO READ: Under The Bridge by Tim Molloy

Above: A panel from Under The Bridge by Tim Molloy. Mr Unpronouceable is copyright Tim Molloy 2012.

While you're waiting for the imminent release of Tim Molloy's upcoming strip collection, It Shines And Shakes And Laughs, here's a brand new Mr Unpronouceable strip! I understand a collection of this cult character's complete adventures is also in the works sometime in the future, but until then here's a squirming taste of things to come! 



For the full story, check out Tim's Deviant Art page, as well as his blog HERE (where you'll also get to see a colour treat from this story!).

Now join everyone's favourite homeless Necromancer as he encounters a Bridge Troll, Demonic inter-dimensional entities and some very questionable reading material! Grim Hilarity Ensues...

-AK!

EVENT: White Cloud Worlds Exhibition

Based on last year's fantastic NZ fantasy art collection White Cloud Worlds, published by HarperCollins NZ/Ignite Inc, an exhibition featuring artwork and sculptures from the collection will be touring the country, kicking off with an opening this week at Lopdell House Gallery in Titirangi, West Auckland. Here's the official announcement:

White Cloud Worlds is a first-of-its-kind popular culture exhibition, which showcases the diverse and unique work created by New Zealand science fiction and fantasy artists. Working with over 20 artists and illustrators who work within the digital, new media and film genre, this ground breaking exhibition showcases the conceptual artwork and illustrations which have graced the screen, graphic novels and games around the world.

White Cloud Worlds is a partnership project, developed by The Dowse Art Museum and Ignite Inc: artist Paul Tobin and Project Manager Kate Jorgensen, both of whom are leaders in the New Zealand science fiction and fantasy art community. Ignite Inc. has produced a lavish hardcover book titled White Cloud Worlds: An Anthology of Fantasy and Science Fiction Artwork from Aotearoa New Zealand, published by Harper Collins in 2010. The exhibition includes a selection of artwork from the book, which was launched in conjunction with the exhibition.

With the creation of The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson’s multi-award winning trilogy and James Cameron’s recently released Avatar, the creative energy, sophistication and technical prowess of New Zealand’s Film industry has been thrust into the international spotlight. This success has inspired great energy within the fantasy art community and allowed the genre a much more widespread, and popular, profile. White Cloud Worlds is the first time fantasy art will be seen in a contemporary gallery context and we envisage it will be especially popular with regular visitors, while encouraging new audiences to visit the gallery.

Featuring artwork by: Gino Acevedo, Guido Anton, Aaron Beck,  Jeremy Bennett, Jamie Beswarick, Greg Broadmore, Dylan Coburn, Stephen Crowe, Claire Hackett, Rebekah Holguin, Gus Hunter, Nick Keller, Jeffrey Lai, Stephen Lambert, Warren Mahy, Simon Morse, Christian Pearce, Matty Rodgers, Andrew Shaw, Thomas Simpson, Ben Stenbeck, Stuart Thomas, Paul Tobin, Frank Victoria and Ben Wootten.

The exhibition opens this Thursday 16th of February at 6pm, and runs until Sunday 15th of April at Lopdell House Gallery, 418 Titirangi Road, Titirangi, West Auckland. For more information, you can visit the Gallery website HERE or the official White Cloud Worlds website HERE.

-AK! 

Below: Still available, the White Cloud Worlds collection at a bookstore near you!

Coming Attractions: It Shines And Shakes And Laughs

Above: The cover of It Shines And Shakes And Laughs by Tim Molloy. Copyright Tim Molloy 2012.

Making it's debt next month, It Shines And Shakes And Laughs collects the silent and surreal comics of Tim Molloy! This covers his work from 2007-2012, as Tim describes it, "its a collection of all my silent work for the last five years or so. It's very esoteric and experimental in it's entirety and reflects a big transition period in my life... On the other hand, it is very eclectic and very much a 'collection." Published by Australian indie-press specialist Milk Shadow Books, it comes with an introduction by Dylan Horrocks. 

Above: A silent strip by Tim Molloy. Copyright Tim Molloy 2012.

Look for it next month, and I'll keep you posted on where you'll be able to pick this up in New Zealand. For more updates check out the Milk Shadow Books website HERE.

-AK!

GO READ: City Lights by Chad Taylor & Jonathan King

Above: A page from City Lights by Chad Taylor & Jonathan King. Copyright Chad Taylor & Jonathan King 2012.

In the latest addition to his Brighter Future Blog, cartoonist/film maker Jonathan King has teamed up with writer Chad Taylor for a 9 page comic, City Lights. It follows a debate between two astronomers who may have just discovered signs of life on another planet; but what difference would this discovery make to the future of mankind, or more directly, to their own lives? The answer may surprise you. 

You can read the full story HERE.

-AK!

Coming Attractions: Roger Langridge boards Popeye for IDW

Above: Popeye sketch by Roger Langridge.

Welcome back to From Earth's End, we're getting the New Year underway with some big comic announcements from local creators. Kicking off today with the news that Roger Langridge, the NZ writer/artist behind such acclaimed titles as Snarked!, The Muppet Show Comicbook and Thor: The Mighty Avenger has been tapped to write a new Popeye series for IDW that will debut in April.

Above: A fun homage cover for Popeye #1, by Bruce Ozella (based on Joe Shuster's Action Comics #1). Copyright IDW/King Features 2012.

Based on the iconic comic-strip by E.C. Segar, this new series will see Langridge team-up with newcomer artist Bruce Ozella, whose art is a dead-ringer for Segar. In a press release from IDW, Language expressed his long-time affection for the character: "Ever since I was a kid, the two cartoonist who have had the biggest influence on me have been Carl Barks and E.C. Segar, so getting a change to write Popeye is quite a thrill. I'm especially pleased that IDW have decided to go with a Segar-flavoured interpretation. As much as I like some of the later versions of the character, for me, it's those early strips where the magic really happened. Just as well Segar drew everybody with big feet, because Bruce and I have some enormous shoes to fill!"

Above: a sample page by Bruce Ozella. Copyright IDW/King Features 2012.

The comic will feature a mix of long and short form self-contained stories, with a denser panel count than most regular comics to capture the original pacing of the strip. As Langridge explained in an interview with Comicbook Resources, "I've deliberately made each story quite dense -- eight panels per page is the norm -- to try and evoke that Segar feeling. We're not going the whole Segar route of twenty-four panel pages(!), but I felt a bit of density was desirable. It seems to be a good rhythm for the stories so far, allowing us to pack a lot of plot and gags into every issue."

Langridge also offered his take on the spinach powered sailor, "to me, Popeye is someone who thinks in straight lines. Mentally, he's not complicated. This is right, this is wrong; we need to achieve this, so let's just go and do it in the most direct way possible. He's not the sort of character who experiences a lot of doubt; on the rare occasions when he does, it's a real crisis for him. The best Popeye stories generally give him something to feel righteously angry about -- that can be an external threat or an emotional one, because he's quite thin-skinned, emotionally. And, of course, it helps if he's got an excuse to clobber somebody at some point!"

Popeye debuts from IDW this April. So keep an eye out for it, and come back here tomorrow for another NZ creator announcement!

-AK!