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Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Lew Stringer Attending: Saturday & Sunday Writer/artist: Sonic the Comic; Viz; The Beano; Toxic! TODAY Lew Stringer is appreciated as much for his wealth of knowledge of British comics as he is for the stories he has written and drawn for them. Across a career that stretches back to the late 1970s when he started creating his own self-published titles, Stringer has contributed humour strips to a vast array of British comics, among them Viz, Oink!, Sonic the Comic, Toxic!, The Beano and The Dandy as well as to Geek for the Norwegian market and to Sweden’s Herman Hedning. Among his most famous creations are Combat Colin (who appeared for several years in Action Force and Transformers at Marvel UK), Tom Thug and Suburban Satanists. To that list should be added the long-lived Brickman, who Stringer introduced in one of his comiczines before he made his professional debut in 1983 in Marvel UK’s The Daredevils #7, While continuing to contribute to The Beano and other titles, the cartoonist is also now producing a regular strip for Panini’s Doctor Who Magazine.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Lew Stringer Attending: Saturday & Sunday Writer/artist: Sonic the Comic; Viz; The Beano; Toxic! TODAY Lew Stringer is appreciated as much for his wealth of knowledge of British comics as he is for the stories he has written and drawn for them. Across a career that stretches back to the late 1970s when he started creating his own self-published titles, Stringer has contributed humour strips to a vast array of British comics, among them Viz, Oink!, Sonic the Comic, Toxic!, The Beano and The Dandy as well as to Geek for the Norwegian market and to Sweden’s Herman Hedning. Among his most famous creations are Combat Colin (who appeared for several years in Action Force and Transformers at Marvel UK), Tom Thug and Suburban Satanists. To that list should be added the long-lived Brickman, who Stringer introduced in one of his comiczines before he made his professional debut in 1983 in Marvel UK’s The Daredevils #7, While continuing to contribute to The Beano and other titles, the cartoonist is also now producing a regular strip for Panini’s Doctor Who Magazine.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Stan Sakai Writer/artist: Usagi Yojimbo; Space Yojimbo; 47 Ronin Attending: Friday, Saturday & Sunday PRIOR to 1984 Stan Sakai spent two years lettering a variety of comics including Sergio Aragonés’ Groo the Wanderer, which became the inspiration for The Adventures of Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy, a strip Sakai introduced in 1985 in issue #5 of Thoughts and Images’ Albedo Anthropomorphics. Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy was not, however, Sakai’s first foray into writing and drawing. That came the year before when he created his signature character, Usagi Yojimbo, who first appeared in Albedo #2. After also appearing in Albedo #3 and 4, Usagi Yojimbo migrated to Fantagraphics and Critters, which similarly became home to Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy. After several appearances in Critters and following 1986’s Usagi Yojimbo Summer Special, Sakai’s samurai rabbit graduated to his own title, which ran at Fantagraphics for six years and 38 issues before being relaunched by Mirage (home of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) for a 16-issue run that ended in 1995. The artist – who was born in Japan in 1953 – then took Usagi Yojimbo to Dark Horse, where the comic has remained ever since. A futuristic spin-off, Space Usagi, was also published as a trio of Dark Horse three-parters between 1992 and 1996. Across the years Sakai – who produced an original graphic novel (Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai) in 2009 to celebrate the character’s 25th anniversary –has focussed on his samurai rabbit but has found time to produce a clutch of covers (often for other anthropomorphic titles) while also making sporadic contributions to a variety of anthologies. In 2012, however, he took time off from Usagi Yojimbo to illustrate the five issues of 47 Ronin, Dark Horse’s fictionalised account of a well-known episode that took place in 18th century Japan. After almost two decades the artist returned to The Adventures of Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy, producing a new story for 2013’s Dark Horse Presents #30 following up with a Usagi Yojimbo two-parter that ran in issues 35 and 36 of the Dark Horse flagship anthology in 2014. Later that year he launched the six-issue Usagi Yojimbo: Senso. After that, in 2015, Sakai – who has remained as letterer of Groo and Aragonés various other comics down the years – returned to the regular monthly series, which has just hit issue #150.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Tim Seeley Writer/artist: Hack/Slash Attending: Saturday and Sunday ALTHOUGH it was Hack/Slash that really established Tim Seeley's name, he had been working in comics for three years before Devil's Due launched what was to become his signature series in 2004. Starting out in 2000 drawing the three issues of Dead Dog's Hellions he swapped talents to write From Heaven to Hell – another Dead Dog three-parter – the following year although he sandwiched art for three issues of Avatar's Threshold anthology in between. Originally a children's book illustrator, Seeley was subsequently hired by Devil's Due for which he wrote and drew 2002's Lovebunny & Mr Hell – a one-shot starring characters he introduced in From Heaven to Hell #1 – and pencilled Kore, a 2003 five-parter that he co-created. However, it was when he took over as regular artist on G.I. Joe that his career began gaining traction. He worked on all but one of the issues between #23 and 43, when the title was cancelled. During his eight years at Devil's Due Seeley revealed a high level of productivity, producing numerous covers while writing or drawing not just fill ins and one-shots but also such titles as G.I. Joe vs Transformers II and III, three Forgotten Realms minis, DemonWars: The Demon Wakes, The Toxic Avenger and Other Tromatic Tales and Halloween: Nightdance as well as Jason: Quest for the Golden Fleece, a 2007 graphic novel for Graphic Universe. This was all on top of a stream of Hack/Slash comics – leading to the launch of an ongoing series in 2007 – and the introduction of Loaded Bible, another new concept that ran as a sporadically published trio of one-shots, the first being 2006's Jesus vs Vampires. By 2009 Devil's Due was facing financial difficulties and Seeley spread his wings. He pencilled a five-issue run on New Exiles for Marvel and a 10-issue run on WildCats for DC's WildStorm imprint, co-wrote BOOM! Studios' adaptation of 2009’s Jennifer's Body movie. In addition he co-wrote Dark Horse's The Occultist one-shot (as well as its three-part sequel in 2011), authored Colt Noble and the Megalords – a one-shot in which he introduced another creation – for Image, for which he had already co-written a trio of Radiskull & Devil Doll one-shots back in 2002-3. In 2010, following Devil's Due's exit from comics publishing, Seeley illustrated Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son five-parter for Dynamite while simultaneously relaunching his signature series at Image, where he has produced a continuing flurry of Hack/Slash titles. Although he pencilled as well as wrote Marvel’s three-part Ant-Man & Wasp, 2011 saw him concentrating ever more on his writing, embarking on a 19-issue run on Image/Top Cow's ​Witchblade. Seeley then added eight 2012 issues of Bloodstrike for Image’s Extreme Studios division, replaced them by scripting a three-chapter Occultist serial for Dark Horse Presents and followed that by launching Revival – a title he continues to author – at Image while also co-writing and drawing Dark Horse’s five-issue Ex Sanguine. The following year he spearheaded Fifth World Studios’ programme of six Mini Comics Included one-shots and returned to The Occultist to script a five-issue mini for Dark Horse for which he also co-authored a Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z three-parter. Seeley’s earlier work on Bloodstrike aside, superhero comics have been all-but absent from his output (which has been dominated by horror in one form or another) but a change in direction loomed when he wrote a 2013 issue of Batman and Robin for DC. After filling in on another couple of the the publisher’s titles and scripting 2014’s Jake Kraken one-shot for Dark Horse, Seeley was drafted on to Batman Eternal as one of the five-man team writing the year-long weekly series that DC launched in 2014. Since taking on the Bat title, Seeley – who continues to produce a steady stream of covers – has also scripted the six issues of Dark Horse’s Sundowners and Evil Ernie (another six-parter) for Dynamite. On top of that he’s launched two further ongoing series in 2015: Effigy for Vertigo (DC’s mature readers imprint) and Grayson, another Batman spin-off, which he co-authors.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Huw-J Attending: Saturday & Sunday Writer/Artist: Garth Undoubtedly best known to the comic-reading public for his 2008 online resurrection of the Daily Mirrors famed Garth strip, How-J is an artist, author, director and animator.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - John Ostrander Attending: Saturday & Sunday Writer: Star Wars; Grimjack; Suicide Squad; Martian Manhunter; Heroes for Hire IT’S STRANGE how life-changing opportunities come out of the blue. In John Ostrander’s case his comics career began in 1983 while he was performing in Warp!, a series of science fiction plays being presented by Chicago’s Organic Theater Company. When First Comics launched a comic based on that series, the actor came on board to write sporadic back-ups featuring Sargon, Mistress of War, a major character in the plays. It was a move that initiated a career that has so far lasted over 30 years. Alongside his fourth (and last) contribution to Warp!, Ostrander – who also worked on Dynamo Joe, Mars and First Adventures for First – joined forces with artist Tim Truman to create Grimjack, a character that appeared in the back of Starslayer before graduating to his own First title in 1984. Grimjack ran 81 issues until 1991 by which time the writer was also working for DC, where his first project was 1986’s six-issue Legends. Next he took over The Fury of Firestorm, scripting that series (later renamed Firestorm, the Nuclear Man) until 1990, when it was axed at #100. Adding various fill-ins and one-offs to his CV, Ostrander launched Suicide Squad, writing the comic from 1987 to its cancellation in 1992 after 66 issues. Along the way he authored Eclipse’s three-issue Hotspur and New America four-parter (1987), co-wrote all 18 issues of DC’s 1987 series Wasteland – which many consider a precursor to Vertigo, DC’s much-praised mature readers imprint – and launched Manhunter for DC the following year. In 1989 Ostrander authored First’s Demon Knight: A Grimjack Graphic Novel and then reunited with Truman to co-write Hawkworld, a DC series that ran 32 issue from 1989 to 1993. As Suicide Squad was ending, the writer’s 1992 output also included the Batman: Penguin Triumphant one-shot and the Armageddon: Inferno and Gotham Knights four-parters as well as Predator vs Magnus, Robot Fighter. Following that two-issue Dark Horse mini, he relaunched The Spectre, staying on board the DC comic until it ended with #62 in 1998. Alongside DC’s Batman: Seduction of the Gun one-shot, 1993 saw Ostrander begin working for Valiant, writing runs of Magnus Robot Fighter and Rai and the Future Force, as well as scripting the first six issues of DC’s relaunched Hawkman and the first three of Dark Horse’s Out of the Vortex. In 1994, as well as embarking on a lengthy run on Valiant’s Eternal Warrior, the writer also authored his first work for Marvel. Bishop was a four-parter as was Batman: Gotham Knights II, which he wrote next for DC before he began producing a stream of titles for the House of Ideas. First up was 1995’s Wolverine: Knight of Terra one-shot. After that came a Punisher relaunch (for which he wrote all 18 issues), a short run on X-Man and 1996’s two-issue X-Men vs the Brood and XSE four-parter. Then, in 1997, came Heroes for Hire ( a reboot of Hero for Hire for which he scripted all 19 issues) and The Kents, which looked at the lives of Clark (Superman) Kent’s ancestors during the latter part of the 19th century. That DC 12-parter was the writer’s first venture into the Western genre. Subsequently he would author two four-parters – Blaze of Glory (2000) and Apache Skies (2002) – for Marvel. While scripting The Kents Ostrander continued working for Marvel with his 1998 credits including the Bishop: XSE three-parter and a run on Quicksilver. Before the year was out he also relaunched Martian Manhunter, writing all 36 issues of the DC series as well as beginning a short run on Catwoman for the Batman and Superman publisher. By 2000 Martian Manhunter was Ostrander’s only ongoing assignment but a major change was looming. Shortly after writing an issue of Star Wars Tales for Dark Horse, the writer took on the publisher’s core spin-off from the blockbusting SF movie saga. He remained on Star Wars (subsequently retitled Star Wars: Rebellion) until it ended in 2006 but continued working in the George Lucas-created universe until Dark Horse lost the licence in 2014. For the Portland, Oregon-based publisher Ostrander wrote numerous Star Wars titles – foremost among them Star Wars: Legacy and it’s sequel Star Wars: Legacy War, scripting all 56 issues between 2006 and 2010. Even so he still found time to author other material. Among his few non-Star Wars credits over the past 14 years have been JLA versus Predator (a 2001 DC one-shot), 2001’s seven-issue JLA: Incarnations, a bunch of 2001/2002 Lady Death minis and one-shots for Chaos! Comics and a return to Grimjack, which he resurrected via two miniseries – Grimjack: Killer Instinct (2005) and Grimjack: The Manx Cat (2009) – at IDW. He also returned to Suicide Squad for the eight issues of 2007’s Raise the Flag.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - John Wagner Writer: Star Wars; 2000 AD; A History of Violence LAUDED as the co-creator of Judge Dredd and as a founding father of 2000 AD (where the Lawman of the Future made his debut in the 1977 second issue of the self-styled Galaxy's Greatest Comic), John Wagner set out to be a professional writer some 10 years earlier. Born in the USA but brought up in Scotland from the age of 12, Wagner began writing for Dundee-based DC Thomson in the 1960s eventually rising to become chief sub-editor of Romeo. It was while working on the UK comics behemoth's girls' weekly that he first encountered Pat Mills, a fellow writer who would subsequently have a significant influence on his career. Leaving DCT to go freelance, Wagner and Mills collaborated on stories for a variety of titles for IPC (the other major British comics publisher). Their output covered humour and both girls' and boys' weeklies before Wagner headed to London in 1973 to edit girls' titles for IPC. That lasted for less than a year after which Wagner quit comics until late '74 when Mills lured him back to help set up Battle Picture Weekly. With that IPC title, which launched in 1975, Mills and Wagner began changing the face of British comics, modernising that which had become stagnant and very traditional in their approach. It was a groundbreaking makeover that the duo continued and escalated when Mills was asked to create a new SF comic and invited Wagner to join him in the endeavour. Premiering in 1977, 2000 AD was an immediate and huge success and remains at the peak of British comics publishing scene today, almost 40 years after its first publication. Over the years, aside from Judge Dredd, Wagner – who wrote for Doctor Who Magazine in 1979-80 as well – also co-created such heroes as Robo-Hunter and the Button Man for the SF weekly. Among his other co-creations are Strontium Dog (first seen in 1978 in Starlord, 2000 AD's short-lived sister title) as well as Ace Trucking Co for 2000 AD, Eagle's Doomlord and Manix, The Thirteenth Floor for Scream!, Invasion 1984 for Battle and Dan Harker's War for Roy of the Rovers, all in collaboration with his long-term writing partner Alan Grant. In addition, a 1982-83 reunion with Mills saw him writing Dan Dare for for the relaunched Eagle. Four years later and in tandem with Grant, Wagner – who has contributed to 2000 AD virtually continuously for the past 38 years and to its sister title, Judge Dredd Megazine since 1990 – made his US debut. The writing duo scripted the 12 issues of 1987's Outcasts for DC following which they co-authored nine 1988 Batman stories in Detective Comics and The Bogie Man​ – a 1990 Fat Man Press four-parter – and its various sequels. In addition they collaborated on the first 10 issues of Marvel UK's Strip and The Last American, a 1990 four-parter for Epic, Marvel's creator-owned imprint. Although that was pretty much the end of their joint American venture, Wagner and Grant did reunite from time to time, most notably on a quartet of high profile Batman/Judge Dredd one-shots. These DC/2000 AD crossovers began in 1991 with the hugely successful Judgement on Gotham but were published sporadically until 1998 with 1995's Lobo/Judge Dredd: Psycho Bikers vs the Mutants from Hell inserted along the way. The pair also wrote 1991's The Punisher: Blood on the Moors graphic novel for Marvel while Wagner went on to write the following year's The Punisher: Die Hard in the Big Easy – and the 12 issues of DC's Chain Gang War that followed it in 1994 – on his own. Increasingly disenchanted with the manner in which American comics were produced and much preferring the British approach, Wagner all-but cut his ties with US publishers in 2000. Before he withdrew, however, he scripted a swathe of titles, among them Aliens: Berserker (1995), Star Wars: Boba Fett (1995), Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (1996) and Predator vs Judge Dredd (1997) for Dark Horse, a couple of 1996 spin-offs from The Crow for Kitchen Sink and A History of Violence graphic novel the following year for Paradox Graphic Mystery (a DC imprint). He wound up his American venture at Topps on Xena, Warrior Princess (1999). Since then Wagner's output has been almost exclusively for 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine. He did make a brief return to the US market in 2003 for Judge Dredd vs Aliens: Incubus (co-authored with former 2000 AD editor Andy Diggle) and a brief run on Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight for DC but it is primarily for his half-a-century of writing for British titles that Wagner is considered one of the UK's most respected comics creators. Down the years his writing has inspired many who have followed in his footsteps. He continues to be an inspiration to countless aspiring writers.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Joe Benitez Attending: Saturday & Sunday FIRST UK APPEARANCE Writer/Artist: Lady Mechanika; Weapon Zero; The Darkness CURRENTLY writing and drawing Lady Mechanika for his own Benitez Productions, Joe Benitez first came to notice as the co-creator of Weapon Zero, illustrating and co-writing Top Cow’s initial 1995 five-parter and all 15 issues of the monthly series that followed in 1996. Prior to the series’ launch Benitez had already been working for the Image imprint and its WildStorm associate for almost two years, assisting on a variety of titles. While illustrating the ongoing Weapon Zero, he was also a significant contributor to Devil’s Reign, working on the Ballistic/Wolverine, Witchblade/Elektra and Silver Surfer/Weapon Zero chapters of the 1997 Marvel/Top Cow crossover. Wrapping up on the Weapon Zero monthly the artist remained with Top Cow to illustrate 18 issues of The Darkness and then 2000’s Magdalena three-parter following which he played a major role in both issues of the Overkill: Witchblade/Aliens/Darkness/Predator crossover. Increasingly in demand as a cover artist, Benitez produced no further story art until 2003 when he was heavily involved with two one-shots: The Magdalena/Vampirella and Witchblade: Nottingham. His first major non-Top Cow project followed in 2005 when he co-wrote and drew the six issues of Wraithborn for WildStorm, which had been acquired by DC in 1999. Work on a variety of DC superhero titles followed although he was also producing covers for an increasing number of publishers; Aspen, Zenescope, IDW, Dynamite and Extreme Studios (another Image imprint) as well as DC among them. Benitez – who pencilled 2010’s Pilot Season: Demonic one shot for Top Cow – continues with his’ cover work although his primary focus these days is Lady Mechanika, which he launched at Aspen in 2010.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Gary Whitlock Attending: Saturday Writer/artist: The Beano; Aces Weekly TODAY Gary Whitlock is probably identified through his work on David Lloyd’s online anthology Aces Weekly but the former graphic artist for Cleveland Fire Brigade’s Fire Prevention Department has numerous humour comics in his credits. Among them are Gas, Gutter, Zit, Smut, Adroit and Acne while he also created numerous gag cartoons for The Weekly News. Additionally Whitlock, who also drew for The Beano, is the founder of Monkeyhound Publishing through which he has released a variety of his own titles, occasionally under his pen name of Clan Whitlock. His self-published comics so far include Dinotoons, Creatures of the Weirdieverse and Damned Dirty Apes.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Ian Churchill Attending: Saturday & Sunday Writer/artist: Cable; Marineman; Revenge; Supergirl; The Coven "OVERNIGHT sensation" is often a misnomer but not in Ian Churchill's case. From the outset the British artist was making waves in comicdom. Hired by Marvel in 1993 he worked on a variety of the House of Ideas' high-profile and top-selling X-comics before being assigned as the regular penciller on Cable two years later. At the same time as drawing 15 issues of that X-Force spinoff between #20 and 39, he also began producing a steady stream of covers and pinups. In 1997 he left Cable and, after a brief flirtation with Avengers moved to Awesome Entertainment for which he and writer Jeph Loeb co-created The Coven. After two miniseries and three one-shots, the Cable collaborators moved on to Lionheart (a 1999 series that Churchill co-wrote) but only managed two issues before Awesome collapsed. Over the next six years he concentrated on covers working for both DC and Marvel. He also illustrated fill-ins for the two comicbook publishing giants, a significant proportion of them again being X-titles for the House of Ideas and Superman-related comics for DC. Then, in 2005, he and Loeb relaunched Supergirl for DC with the artist pencilling all but three of the first 15 issues. His next major assignment – again for DC – was Titans but after drawing the preceding Titans East Special and the 2008 first issue of the series itself he was forced to the sidelines by an injury that kept him out of the spotlight for almost two years. In late 2009 he resurfaced at Marvel drawing a five-issue run on Hulk in a completely new style. The creator-owned Marineman came next. Written and drawn by Churchill, the 2010 Image six-parter was followed in 2012 by The Ravagers, a DC series for which he pencilled the initial seven issues. After that he moved back to Image for another creator-owned comic, 2014's Revenge, a four-parter written by British TV personality Jonathan Ross. Churchill remains in demand for his covers while his next major project is eagerly awaited by his any fans.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - John Wagner Attending: Saturday & Sunday Writer: Star Wars; 2000 AD; A History of Violence LAUDED as the co-creator of Judge Dredd and as a founding father of 2000 AD (where the Lawman of the Future made his debut in the 1977 second issue of the self-styled Galaxy's Greatest Comic), John Wagner set out to be a professional writer some 10 years earlier. Born in the USA but brought up in Scotland from the age of 12, Wagner began writing for Dundee-based DC Thomson in the 1960s eventually rising to become chief sub-editor of Romeo. It was while working on the UK comics behemoth's girls' weekly that he first encountered Pat Mills, a fellow writer who would subsequently have a significant influence on his career. Leaving DCT to go freelance, Wagner and Mills collaborated on stories for a variety of titles for IPC (the other major British comics publisher). Their output covered humour and both girls' and boys' weeklies before Wagner headed to London in 1973 to edit girls' titles for IPC. That lasted for less than a year after which Wagner quit comics until late '74 when Mills lured him back to help set up Battle Picture Weekly. With that IPC title, which launched in 1975, Mills and Wagner began changing the face of British comics, modernising that which had become stagnant and very traditional in their approach. It was a groundbreaking makeover that the duo continued and escalated when Mills was asked to create a new SF comic and invited Wagner to join him in the endeavour. Premiering in 1977, 2000 AD was an immediate and huge success and remains at the peak of British comics publishing scene today, almost 40 years after its first publication. Over the years, aside from Judge Dredd, Wagner – who wrote for Doctor Who Magazine in 1979-80 as well – also co-created such heroes as Robo-Hunter and the Button Man for the SF weekly. Among his other co-creations are Strontium Dog (first seen in 1978 in Starlord, 2000 AD's short-lived sister title) as well as Ace Trucking Co for 2000 AD, Eagle's Doomlord and Manix, The Thirteenth Floor for Scream!, Invasion 1984 for Battle and Dan Harker's War for Roy of the Rovers, all in collaboration with his long-term writing partner Alan Grant. In addition, a 1982-83 reunion with Mills saw him writing Dan Dare for for the relaunched Eagle. Four years later and in tandem with Grant, Wagner – who has contributed to 2000 AD virtually continuously for the past 38 years and to its sister title, Judge Dredd Megazine since 1990 – made his US debut. The writing duo scripted the 12 issues of 1987's Outcasts for DC following which they co-authored nine 1988 Batman stories in Detective Comics and The Bogie Man​ – a 1990 Fat Man Press four-parter – and its various sequels. In addition they collaborated on the first 10 issues of Marvel UK's Strip and The Last American, a 1990 four-parter for Epic, Marvel's creator-owned imprint. Although that was pretty much the end of their joint American venture, Wagner and Grant did reunite from time to time, most notably on a quartet of high profile Batman/Judge Dredd one-shots. These DC/2000 AD crossovers began in 1991 with the hugely successful Judgement on Gotham but were published sporadically until 1998 with 1995's Lobo/Judge Dredd: Psycho Bikers vs the Mutants from Hell inserted along the way. The pair also wrote 1991's The Punisher: Blood on the Moors graphic novel for Marvel while Wagner went on to write the following year's The Punisher: Die Hard in the Big Easy – and the 12 issues of DC's Chain Gang War that followed it in 1994 – on his own. Increasingly disenchanted with the manner in which American comics were produced and much preferring the British approach, Wagner all-but cut his ties with US publishers in 2000. Before he withdrew, however, he scripted a swathe of titles, among them Aliens: Berserker (1995), Star Wars: Boba Fett (1995), Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (1996) and Predator vs Judge Dredd (1997) for Dark Horse, a couple of 1996 spin-offs from The Crow for Kitchen Sink and A History of Violence graphic novel the following year for Paradox Graphic Mystery (a DC imprint). He wound up his American venture at Topps on Xena, Warrior Princess (1999). Since then Wagner's output has been almost exclusively for 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine. He did make a brief return to the US market in 2003 for Judge Dredd vs Aliens: Incubus (co-authored with former 2000 AD editor Andy Diggle) and a brief run on Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight for DC but it is primarily for his half-a-century of writing for British titles that Wagner is considered one of the UK's most respected comics creators. Down the years his writing has inspired many who have followed in his footsteps. He continues to be an inspiration to countless aspiring writers.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Hannah Berry Attending: Saturday & Sunday Writer/artist: Britten and Brülightly; Adamtine ALTHOUGH she has contributed strips to such anthologies as La Villa sur la Falaise [Casterman; 2010], Hoax: Psychosis Blues [Ziggy's Wish; 2014] and Above the Dreamless Dead [First Second; 2014], Hannah Berry is far better known for her graphic novels. She began her first, Britten and Brülightly, while still at university. It was published in 2008 by Jonathan Cape, which released her second, Adamtine, four years later. She is currently working on her third.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Jamal Igle Attending: Saturday and Sunday JAMAL IGLE Writer/Artist: Supergirl, Firestorm, Molly Danger OTHER than a few months in 1999/2000 when he served as a storyboard artist on Max Steel, Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles and other such Sony Animation series, Jamal Igle has been working continuously in comics since 1993. His first outing was, however, not a happy one... his debut on Flashpoint​ never saw the light of day; the publisher Majestic Entertainment collapsed before the comic was printed. The following year he produced fill-ins for DC's Green Lantern and for Kobalt, released on DC's Milestone imprint although – apart from a contribution to 1995's Vampirella Pin-Up Special​ – it was another two years before his next work appeared. Come 1996 he was working at Crusade Comics on a variety of titles including Grifter/Shi (published by Image/WildStorm), Tomoe/Witchblade: Fire Sermon and Daredevil/Shi, which was released by Marvel. In 1998 he pencilled Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas for issue #61 of Acclaim Books' Classic Illustrated Study Guides and the following year an adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein for Scholastic. After that Igle elected to work primarily on fill-ins and one-offs with his art appearing in everything from Impulse, Iron Man and Noble Causes to DC First: Green Lantern/Green Lantern, Supergirl and G.I. Joe as well as an issue of Perry Rhodan for the German publisher Pabel-Moewig Verlag KG over the next five years. Over the same period he did also illustrate a short run on New Warriors for Marvel, Image's Venture four-parter and l'armée e des anges [The Army of Angels] – a 2004 graphic novel – for French publisher Les Humanoïdes Associés before taking on his first long term assignment – illustrating 23 issues of Firestorm aka Firestorm the Nuclear Man for DC between 2005 and 2007. Remaining at DC he then went on to draw a handful of issues of 52, Nightwing, Countdown as well as 2007's Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer – Crime Society one-shot and all-but the first of the six issues of the following year's Tangent Comics: Superman's Reign. Then he took on Supergirl, illustrating 20 issues between 2008 and 2011 while still finding time for the occasional fill-in.​​ Following a brief flirtation with Zatanna Igle moved on to The Ray, a 2012 four-parter, following which came his first non-DC work in years. After drawing KISS #1 and 2 for IDW and a short Smallville run for DC, he moved to Action Lab Comics, which published his Molly Danger​ graphic novel in 2013. Since then he has worked on issues of G.I. Joe for IDW and Dark Horse's 2014 six-parter, The Terminator: Enemy of my Enemy​.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Al Ewing Attending: Saturday and Sunday Writer: 2000 AD FOR ALMOST a decade beginning in 2002 Al Ewing contributed to 2000 AD and its Judge Dredd Megazine spin-off. Initially scripting standalone five-pagers he went on to write Judge Dredd, The Zaucer of Zilk, Damnation Station and Zombo among other series. Over the same period, Ewing, whose break into the US market came in 2011 when he was selected to succeed Garth Ennis on Dynamite's Jennifer Blood, was also supporting UK small press publishers; his work appearing in Solar Wind, FutureQuake and Zarjaz among other titles. In addition, in conjunction with artist P.J. Holden, he was responsible for 2009's Murderdrome, a pioneering yet controversial comic designed to be read on mobile phones. Simultaneously with Jennifer Blood, Ewing (who wrote 19 issues of that comic) was sanctioned to launch a spin-off from that Dynamite title. Premiering in 2012, The Ninjettes ran six issues. Come 2013, the writer, who continued to contribute to the self-styled Galaxy's Greatest Comic and to the Megazine, was working for Marvel, where, after a couple of fill-ins, he authored the 13 issues of Iron Man: Fatal Frontier alongside the Mars Attacks Judge Dredd four-parter for IDW. Before the year was out Ewing was tasked with launching Mighty Avengers. He wrote all 14 issues of that series and currently scripts Captain America and the Mighty Avengers (the title that succeeded it) as well as Loki: Agent of Asgard and Titan's Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor, both of which he also premiered in 2014. The writer, who also scripted a 2014 Thor and Loki five-parter within Marvel's Original Sin saga, most recently produced Ultron Forever, a 2015 serial where each of the three episodes appeared as Avengers, New Avengers and Uncanny Avengers one-shots.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Gary Whitlock Attending: Saturday Writer/artist: The Beano; Aces Weekly TODAY Gary Whitlock is probably identified through his work on David Lloyd’s online anthology Aces Weekly but the former graphic artist for Cleveland Fire Brigade’s Fire Prevention Department has numerous humour comics in his credits. Among them are Gas, Gutter, Zit, Smut, Adroit and Acne while he also created numerous gag cartoons for The Weekly News. Additionally Whitlock, who also drew for The Beano, is the founder of Monkeyhound Publishing through which he has released a variety of his own titles, occasionally under his pen name of Clan Whitlock. His self-published comics so far include Dinotoons, Creatures of the Weirdieverse and Damned Dirty Apes.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Joe Benitez Attending: Saturday and Sunday Writer/Artist: Lady Mechanika; Weapon Zero; The Darkness CURRENTLY writing and drawing Lady Mechanika for his own Benitez Productions, Joe Benitez first came to notice as the co-creator of Weapon Zero, illustrating and co-writing Top Cow’s initial 1995 five-parter and all 15 issues of the monthly series that followed in 1996. Prior to the series’ launch Benitez had already been working for the Image imprint and its WildStorm associate for almost two years, assisting on a variety of titles. While illustrating the ongoing Weapon Zero, he was also a significant contributor to Devil’s Reign, working on the Ballistic/Wolverine, Witchblade/Elektra and Silver Surfer/Weapon Zero chapters of the 1997 Marvel/Top Cow crossover. Wrapping up on the Weapon Zero monthly the artist remained with Top Cow to illustrate 18 issues of The Darkness and then 2000’s Magdalena three-parter following which he played a major role in both issues of the Overkill: Witchblade/Aliens/Darkness/Predator crossover. Increasingly in demand as a cover artist, Benitez produced no further story art until 2003 when he was heavily involved with two one-shots: The Magdalena/Vampirella and Witchblade: Nottingham. His first major non-Top Cow project followed in 2005 when he co-wrote and drew the six issues of Wraithborn for WildStorm, which had been acquired by DC in 1999. Work on a variety of DC superhero titles followed although he was also producing covers for an increasing number of publishers; Aspen, Zenescope, IDW, Dynamite and Extreme Studios (another Image imprint) as well as DC among them. Benitez – who pencilled 2010’s Pilot Season: Demonic one shot for Top Cow – continues with his’ cover work although his primary focus these days is Lady Mechanika, which he launched at Aspen in 2010.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Roger Langridge Attending: Friday, Saturday and Sunday Writer/artist: The Muppet Show; Snarked!; Fin Fang Four; Popeye; Thor the Mighty Avenger ALTHOUGH he is now famed for his humour comics, Roger Langridge first came to prominence in 1991 as the illustrator of a 15-chapter serial featuring the eponymous Lawman of the Future for Judge Dredd Megazine. The New Zealander had, however, begun his career a year earlier, drawing the four issues of Art d’Ecco for Fantagraphics. Those comics were written by his brother, Andrew with whom he also collaborated on the publisher’s Leather Underwear one-shot as well as on a story for an issue of its Graphic Story Monthly. He then went solo, writing and drawing a contribution to the four issues of Marvel/Epic’s A1 anthology. While working on the Megazine, Langridge – who has been based in London since 1993 – also drew both issues of Fantagraphics’ Knuckles the Malevolent Nun before reuniting with his brother in 1992 for the six issues of Zoot!. Two years later he was contributing to The Big Book of… series published by DC’s Piranha Press imprint. Drawing stories in the first nine volumes of that title took him into 1997 although he fitted in a 1995 four-parter for Dark Horse Presents – with a second following in 1996 – along the way. Going on to draw for another half-dozen volumes of The Big Book of… between 1997 and 2000, Langridge also inked all 14 issues of Gross Point for DC, pencilling a handful of stories for that 1997 along the way. Two years later Langridge’s most famous creation appeared in print for the first time when Les Cartoonistes Dangereux released Fred the Clown, a one-shot that collected the webcomic the writer/artist had premiered earlier in the year. Subsequently he drew strips for a short run on Doctor Who Magazine while also working on DC’s 1999 Bizarro Comics anthology and the first four issues of Graphic Classics for Eureka Productions. In addition he wrote and drew Frankenstein meets Shirley Temple, He released that 2000 one-shot under his own Hotel Fred Press banner through which he would also publish six issues of Fred the Clown, a series he launched in 2001, as well as Muppet Maybes (a collection of unpublished cartoons) in 2008 and Doctor Sputnik two years later. By 2004 most of Langridge’s work was outside comics although he did draw (and co-write) Marvel Monsters: Fin Fang Four (a 2005 one-shot) as well as illustrating strips in two other one-offs that year: Marvel Holiday Special and Bizarro World, DC’s follow up to Bizarro Comics. He also reworked a story for the following year’’s Marvel Romance Redux: But I thought he Loved Me! #1 and illustrated one for Marvel’s one-off Civil War: Choosing Sides comic. After contributions to a handful of other Marvel anthologies, Langridge revisited a 2005 one-shot for 2008’s four-issue Fin Fang Four before moving over to BOOM! Studios to take on his most high profile project to date. As writer/artist, he produced all four issues of The Muppet Show and of The Muppet Show: The Treasure of Peg Leg Wilson before authoring all 11 issues of The Muppet Show Comic Book that followed in the wake of those 2009 minis. His writing skills then took him back to Marvel for the eight issues of 2010’s Thor the Mighty Avenger after which he returned to BOOM! with another of his creations. While generating the 12 issues of Snarked! Langridge also scripted Marvel’s John Carter A Princess of Mars five-parter in 2011 before joining IDW in 2012 as writer of the 12 issues of Popeye and the four-parter The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror that followed in 2013. After involvement in three Dynamite one-shots – L’il Ernie, L’il Battlestar Galactica and L’il Sonja – the trail took Langridge back to IDW as the artist on Rocky & Bullwinkle, a 2014 four-parter, which he followed with the four-issue Abigail and the Snowman for BOOM!. He is currently writing King: Mandrake the Magician, a series launched by Dynamite in 2015.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Lew Stringer Attending: Friday, Saturday and Sunday Writer/artist: Sonic the Comic; Viz; The Beano; Toxic!; TODAY Lew Stringer is appreciated as much for his wealth of knowledge of British comics as he is for the stories he has written and drawn for them. Across a career that stretches back to the late 1970s when he started creating his own self-published titles, Stringer has contributed humour strips to a vast array of British comics, among them Viz, Oink!, Sonic the Comic, Toxic!, The Beano and The Dandy as well as to Geek for the Norwegian market and to Sweden’s Herman Hedning. Among his most famous creations are Combat Colin (who appeared for several years in Action Force and Transformers at Marvel UK), Tom Thug and Suburban Satanists. To that list should be added the long-lived Brickman, who Stringer introduced in one of his comiczines before he made his professional debut in 1983 in Marvel UK’s The Daredevils #7, While continuing to contribute to The Beano and other titles, the cartoonist is also now producing a regular strip for Panini’s Doctor Who Magazine.

Latest Guest Announcement - Lew Stringer Attending: Saturday and Sunday Writer/artist: Sonic the Comic; Viz; The Beano; Toxic! TODAY Lew Stringer is appreciated as much for his wealth of knowledge of British comics as he is for the stories he has written and drawn for them. Across a career that stretches back to the late 1970s when he started creating his own self-published titles, Stringer has contributed humour strips to a vast array of British comics, among them Viz, Oink!, Sonic the Comic, Toxic!, The Beano and The Dandy as well as to Geek for the Norwegian market and to Sweden’s Herman Hedning. Among his most famous creations are Combat Colin (who appeared for several years in Action Force and Transformers at Marvel UK), Tom Thug and Suburban Satanists. To that list should be added the long-lived Brickman, who Stringer introduced in one of his comiczines before he made his professional debut in 1983 in Marvel UK’s The Daredevils #7, While continuing to contribute to The Beano and other titles, the cartoonist is also now producing a regular strip for Panini’s Doctor Who Magazine.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - David Lloyd Attending: Friday, Saturday and Sunday Writer/artist: V for Vendetta; Kickback; Aces Weekly THE MASTERMIND behind Aces Weekly, the online comic anthology he launched in 2010, David Lloyd is best-known for V for Vendetta, which he created in collaboration with writer Alan Moore. The strip was originally serialised in Warrior between 1982 and 1984 before being concluded at DC in 1989. That was almost 15 years after the artist got his break drawing a story for The Magician Annual 1975 although that proved to be a false start – it was another three years before his career took off. Then he contributed not only to Logan's Run Annual 1978 but also to TV Comic as well as drawing the adaptation of Quatermass II for House of Hammer #23. Come 1979 he was given his first regular assignment –drawing Night Raven (a strip he co-created) – in Hulk Weekly although he moved on to a regular slot in Doctor Who Weekly later that same year. During that period he continued to provide contributions to a variety of British comics annuals, a practice he maintained even while working on Warrior​ although it faded out as US publishers came calling. His American debut was on Marvel's two-issue adaptation of 1981's Time Bandits movie with contributions to anthologies from Pacific, Eclipse – for which he also illustrated the first four issues of 1986's ESPers five-parter – and DC following until he returned to conclude V for Vendetta. After bouncing back to Marvel for 1991's Night Raven: House of Cards graphic novel his next major project was The Horrorist (a 1996 DC two-parter) after which came The Territory​, a 1999 four-parter for Dark Horse. Often in demand as a contributor to comics outside the mainstream superhero-centric arena, Lloyd – who has deliberately chosen to avoid that commercial genre – next illustrated Nightingale (2002) and J for Jenny (2003), two of DC/Vertigo's War Story one-shots with Kickback (a Dark Horse graphic novel he also wrote) coming in 2007.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Joe Benitez Writer/Artist: Lady Mechanika; Weapon Zero; The Darkness CURRENTLY writing and drawing Lady Mechanika for his own Benitez Productions, Joe Benitez first came to notice as the co-creator of Weapon Zero, illustrating and co-writing Top Cow’s initial 1995 five-parter and all 15 issues of the monthly series that followed in 1996. Prior to the series’ launch Benitez had already been working for the Image imprint and its WildStorm associate for almost two years, assisting on a variety of titles. While illustrating the ongoing Weapon Zero, he was also a significant contributor to Devil’s Reign, working on the Ballistic/Wolverine, Witchblade/Elektra and Silver Surfer/Weapon Zero chapters of the 1997 Marvel/Top Cow crossover. Wrapping up on the Weapon Zero monthly the artist remained with Top Cow to illustrate 18 issues of The Darkness and then 2000’s Magdalena three-parter following which he played a major role in both issues of the Overkill: Witchblade/Aliens/Darkness/Predator crossover. Increasingly in demand as a cover artist, Benitez produced no further story art until 2003 when he was heavily involved with two one-shots: The Magdalena/Vampirella and Witchblade: Nottingham. His first major non-Top Cow project followed in 2005 when he co-wrote and drew the six issues of Wraithborn for WildStorm, which had been acquired by DC in 1999. Work on a variety of DC superhero titles followed although he was also producing covers for an increasing number of publishers; Aspen, Zenescope, IDW, Dynamite and Extreme Studios (another Image imprint) as well as DC among them. Benitez – who pencilled 2010’s Pilot Season: Demonic one shot for Top Cow – continues with his’ cover work although his primary focus these days is Lady Mechanika, which he launched at Aspen in 2010.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Lew Stringer Writer/artist: Sonic the Comic; Viz; The Beano; Toxic! TODAY Lew Stringer is appreciated as much for his wealth of knowledge of British comics as he is for the stories he has written and drawn for them. Across a career that stretches back to the late 1970s when he started creating his own self-published titles, Stringer has contributed humour strips to a vast array of British comics, among them Viz, Oink!, Sonic the Comic, Toxic!, The Beano and The Dandy as well as to Geek for the Norwegian market and to Sweden’s Herman Hedning. Among his most famous creations are Combat Colin (who appeared for several years in Action Force and Transformers at Marvel UK), Tom Thug and Suburban Satanists. To that list should be added the long-lived Brickman, who Stringer introduced in one of his comiczines before he made his professional debut in 1983 in Marvel UK’s The Daredevils #7, While continuing to contribute to The Beano and other titles, the cartoonist is also now producing a regular strip for Panini’s Doctor Who Magazine.

Latest Comic Guest - Lew Stringer Attending: Saturday Writer/artist: Sonic the Comic; Viz; The Beano; Toxic! TODAY Lew Stringer is appreciated as much for his wealth of knowledge of British comics as he is for the stories he has written and drawn for them. Across a career that stretches back to the late 1970s when he started creating his own self-published titles, Stringer has contributed humour strips to a vast array of British comics, among them Viz, Oink!, Sonic the Comic, Toxic!, The Beano and The Dandy as well as to Geek for the Norwegian market and to Sweden’s Herman Hedning. Among his most famous creations are Combat Colin (who appeared for several years in Action Force and Transformers at Marvel UK), Tom Thug and Suburban Satanists. To that list should be added the long-lived Brickman, who Stringer introduced in one of his comiczines before he made his professional debut in 1983 in Marvel UK’s The Daredevils #7, While continuing to contribute to The Beano and other titles, the cartoonist is also now producing a regular strip for Panini’s Doctor Who Magazine.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Rachael Smith Attending: Saturday and Sunday Writer/artist: The Way We Write; I am Fire; House Party; Aces Weekly A NEWCOMER whose first published work was 2012’s The Way We Write, Rachael Smith has rapidly added to her credits, following up in 2013 with two further self-published one-offs – I am Fire and Flimsy’s Guide to Modern Living – before releasing 2014's House Party graphic novel. As well as contributing to Aces Weekly, David Lloyd's online comic, she also provides a regular one-page strip to Titan's monthly Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor series.

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Tim Seeley Writer/artist: Hack/Slash Attending: Saturday and Sunday ALTHOUGH it was Hack/Slash that really established Tim Seeley's name, he had been working in comics for three years before Devil's Due launched what was to become his signature series in 2004. Starting out in 2000 drawing the three issues of Dead Dog's Hellions he swapped talents to write From Heaven to Hell – another Dead Dog three-parter – the following year although he sandwiched art for three issues of Avatar's Threshold anthology in between. Originally a children's book illustrator, Seeley was subsequently hired by Devil's Due for which he wrote and drew 2002's Lovebunny & Mr Hell – a one-shot starring characters he introduced in From Heaven to Hell #1 – and pencilled Kore, a 2003 five-parter that he co-created. However, it was when he took over as regular artist on G.I. Joe that his career began gaining traction. He worked on all but one of the issues between #23 and 43, when the title was cancelled. During his eight years at Devil's Due Seeley revealed a high level of productivity, producing numerous covers while writing or drawing not just fill ins and one-shots but also such titles as G.I. Joe vs Transformers II and III, three Forgotten Realms minis, DemonWars: The Demon Wakes, The Toxic Avenger and Other Tromatic Tales and Halloween: Nightdance as well as Jason: Quest for the Golden Fleece, a 2007 graphic novel for Graphic Universe. This was all on top of a stream of Hack/Slash comics – leading to the launch of an ongoing series in 2007 – and the introduction of Loaded Bible, another new concept that ran as a sporadically published trio of one-shots, the first being 2006's Jesus vs Vampires. By 2009 Devil's Due was facing financial difficulties and Seeley spread his wings. He pencilled a five-issue run on New Exiles for Marvel and a 10-issue run on WildCats for DC's WildStorm imprint, co-wrote BOOM! Studios' adaptation of 2009’s Jennifer's Body movie. In addition he co-wrote Dark Horse's The Occultist one-shot (as well as its three-part sequel in 2011), authored Colt Noble and the Megalords – a one-shot in which he introduced another creation – for Image, for which he had already co-written a trio of Radiskull & Devil Doll one-shots back in 2002-3. In 2010, following Devil's Due's exit from comics publishing, Seeley illustrated Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son five-parter for Dynamite while simultaneously relaunching his signature series at Image, where he has produced a continuing flurry of Hack/Slash titles. Although he pencilled as well as wrote Marvel’s three-part Ant-Man & Wasp, 2011 saw him concentrating ever more on his writing, embarking on a 19-issue run on Image/Top Cow's ​Witchblade. Seeley then added eight 2012 issues of Bloodstrike for Image’s Extreme Studios division, replaced them by scripting a three-chapter Occultist serial for Dark Horse Presents and followed that by launching Revival – a title he continues to author – at Image while also co-writing and drawing Dark Horse’s five-issue Ex Sanguine. The following year he spearheaded Fifth World Studios’ programme of six Mini Comics Included one-shots and returned to The Occultist to script a five-issue mini for Dark Horse for which he also co-authored a Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z three-parter. Seeley’s earlier work on Bloodstrike aside, superhero comics have been all-but absent from his output (which has been dominated by horror in one form or another) but a change in direction loomed when he wrote a 2013 issue of Batman and Robin for DC. After filling in on another couple of the the publisher’s titles and scripting 2014’s Jake Kraken one-shot for Dark Horse, Seeley was drafted on to Batman Eternal as one of the five-man team writing the year-long weekly series that DC launched in 2014. Since taking on the Bat title, Seeley – who continues to produce a steady stream of covers – has also scripted the six issues of Dark Horse’s Sundowners and Evil Ernie (another six-parter) for Dynamite. On top of that he’s launched two further ongoing series in 2015: Effigy for Vertigo (DC’s mature readers imprint) and Grayson, another Batman spin-off, which he co-authors.