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Comicking, 30 March 2010

Collected comics art, news, snippets and stories of note. The easter egg extras that don't make it to my regular columns, but are a tasty treat nonetheless.

Stop Crime. Collect Jesus.

Today, Tuesday 30th at 11.00pm, BBC Radio 4 revisits Britain's end of the 1954 McCarthy-Werthram-Horror Comics trials. "The Gorbals Vampire"  concerns invasions of schoolkid vampire hunters in a Glasgow cemetry and the consequential drive by the churches and tabloids to put horror comics publishers out of business. If you can handle abuse filtered through historical documentary, there's a write-up and video at the BBC website (and elsewhere)

Lew Stringer put in a bit of research, and has managed to dig up some relevant newspaper archives at his blogspot.
 

(If you're reading these source clippings, try replacing the words "horror comics" with "tabloid television")
 

Lew also puts out a nod to Martin Barker's "fantastic book on the UK anti-comics crusade..A Haunt of Fears"
Well said, Lew.

Three Comics Festivals In A Weekend

A lot of UK comics folk have been off over the three festivals this weekend - The Hi-Ex in Inverness, London's UK Web and Mini Comix Thing and eh Schmurgen Con 4, which hosts it's first awards ceremony.

So far, a few reports are in from The Thing with an illustrated piece from Aaron Foster showing off his table, substantial micro-blog and photos from Wychwolf and first-timer Freddy H with his comic strip experience. Apparently the panels were cancelled. Apparently the panels were cancelled and responses to the event were mixed - some had a great time, others got restless. Customer Tim Harries was one of the former, here's his blog report.  

Kev F Sutherland weighs in here on his Hi-Ex 2010 and Joe Gordon from Forbidden Planet on his journey there. FPI Blogger Byronv2 aka Lord Woolamaloo already has a good sized photo stream up on Flickr. Opposite, his fancy art snap of John Higgins,

And of course, customary Tweeting on SchmurgenCon, HiEx and The Thing.