Bristol International Comic and Small Press Expo - Part 4

In what may be, I suspect, my final look back on last weekends Bristol International Comic and Small Press Expo I'd like to turn the spotlight on a number of the fantastic independent/small press publications that I picked up over the weekend.

Chloe Noonan: Monster Hunter #1 by Marc Ellerby
Chloe Noonan doesn't have any special powers; she can't lift heavy objects, she can't run without getting a stitch and she's kinda not bothered about saving the world. Oh and she hates the band she sometimes plays in. In fact she hates everything. It's tough being a monster hunter, okay? Especially when it involves getting the bus.
Featuring reluctant 'monster hunter' Chloe and her 'horribly fashionable' friend Zoe I loved this book and I'll be ordering issues #2 and #3: really nice art complementing an enjoyable story - although the subject matter is quite different Chloe Noonan: Monster Hunter has a 'Scott Pilgrim' charm about it.
www.marcellerby.com

Harker #7 by Roger Gibson & Vince Danks
This is the first issue of a new 6 part monthly story-arc set in and around the Grand Hotel, Whitby, North East England. The title character is a Conan Doyle-reading Detective Chief Inspector Harker who is ably assisted by his colleague Detective Sergeant Critchley. When the famous crime novelist Agatha Fletcher checks into the same hotel as the holidaying Chief Inspector things aren't going to end well for someone!
An engaging story, told at a good pace; eye catching, detailed artwork - I'll be picking-up the first collected edition.
www.arielpress.com

Septic Isle by Andy Winter and Mick Trimble
Starring a 52-year old former MI5 agent as he seeks a return to active duty. This is a gripping - and gritty - action-packed political thriller that I found difficult to put down: told across more than 40 pages the story races along. The art is fantastically detailed with some imaginative page layouts.
www.moonfacepress.com

Bristol International Comic and Small Press Expo - Part 3

More sketches and good memories to share with you from the Bristol International Comic and Small Press Expo over the weekend.

Being based at the Small Press Expo for the weekend you can imagine how pleased I was to discover that one of my 'neighbours' was none other than Karl Richardson who's currently producing great covers for Boom! Studios new Planet of the Apes ongoing series.

Karl very kindly agreed to sketch for me and I really couldn't have been happier with what he produced (click to enlarge the image):

I certainly hadn't anticipated three apes in the picture and I love that Karl gave each one a unique look. The detail in the picture is fantastic I'm sure you'll agree - the deep, piercing eyes; mouths twisted with rage; the primitive insignia through the uniform.

Thanks again Karl.


Likewise based at the Small Press Expo I was very happy to spend some time over the weekend chatting with writer and artist Wayne Hughes, as well as picking up an 'Expo Exclusive' sketch cover preview edition of his comic Sabre.

I first met Wayne at the Exeter Expo earlier this year where I purchased a copy of the first issue of Sabre - a fantasy-adventure story staring a young, naive, yet powerful creature who seeks his destiny while defending his 'people' and their way of life.

Here's Wayne's fantastic sketch of the books eponymous hero (again, click to enlarge the image):

Thanks Wayne - I'm looking forward to hearing more about Sabre over the coming months.

Bristol International Comic and Small Press Expo - Part 2

Regular visitors to Escape from Tomorrow will know just how much I enjoy books from publisher Top Cow - Witchblade, The Darkness, Velocity, Magdalena ... the list goes: complex characters in thought provoking stories complemented by some of the finest art you'll find anywhere in comic books.

Imagine my delight, therefore, when I saw that both Matt Timson and David Hine were scheduled to appear at this years BICSPE.

As I was based at the Mercure Holland House Hotel conference centre I tracked down Matt Timson first. I'd met Matt last year at the Exeter Comic Expo where, aside from getting a few books signed, I was able to purchase an extremely limited edition A3 Darkness print.

Matt very kindly agreed to sign a couple more books and to do a sketch for me - I asked for Batman after seeing a really nice Batman sketch he'd posted a little while ago on Twitter.

I popped back an hour or so later and couldn't have been happier with what I saw - Matt was putting the finishing touches to this stunning illustration.

Matt had a brought along a selection of prints of some of his work and, continuing the theme started at Exeter last year, I purchased a glossy, full colour print of his cover from Top Cow's free comic book day offering The Darkness II: Confession that I'll shortly be framing and displaying at home.

I genuinely couldn't have been happier with both the sketch and the print - thank you Matt.

Over at the Ramada City Hotel David Hine was sharing a table with Shaky Kane where, amongst other projects, they were promoting their Bulletproof Coffin collection. David was kind enough to sign copies of Top Cow's The Darkness: Four Horsemen for me and then, after signing some of my Batman books, very graciously agreed to my unusual request for him to record a promo 'bumper' for a forthcoming episode of The Batman Universe Comic Podcast.

Two very nice, and super talented, guys who it really was my pleasure to meet once again.