Legend of Bill Begins

Web cartoonist David Reddick has unveiled his new webcomic and labour of love, Legend of Bill.

"It's a series set in a realm of swords, sorcery and stupidity!," says David. The series centres on Bill, a man who tires of his 9 to 5 office job as a file clerk intern at the local castle. So he quits and sets out on adventures with Frank, his faithful lil’ blue dragon friend. But no one said it was going to be easy...

"Bill and Frank are a couple of characters fed up with their everyday existence and desiring something more out of life," says David. "Something I think we can all relate to in one way or another."

David Reddick is a professional cartoonist and creator who, in addition to Legend of Bill, also draws "The Trek Life" for the official Star Trek web site www.STARTREK.com, "Gene's Journal" and "Rod & Barry" for www.Roddenberry.com, and is a staff cartoonist at Paws, Inc., where he works on the Garfield comic strip (also offered in key territories via ROK Comics).

His work can also be seen worldwide in newspapers, magazines, on products and Websites for clients like CBS Studios, Paramount Pictures, Roddenberry Productions, Nickelodeon Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, New York Times UpFront, NCAA, Canson, Inc, CBSMobile, ROK Comics and Artizans Syndicate to name a few.

• New strips will be published on the Legend of Bill every Tuesday and Thursday.

Let's Hear it for Stick Man!

Malcolm Kirk has been publishing his madcap Stick Man on ROK Comics for a while now. Check out the strip via this link -- they're all free to view online and on your phone.

The strip has progressed from black and white to vivid technicolour and continues to hit my humour bone! (But I am odd). Here are just three examples...

• Check out Mal's official web site at: www.myspace.com/mal_comix

Liega Begins!

We've mentuoned this before, but there's a new vampire story on comics to mobile service ROK Comics. You may have already seen the free sample (right), but now comics artist and writer Rodrigo Diaz Ricci has begun his fantastic looking horror tale Liegia in earnest.

Rodrigo was born in Valparaíso, Chile, in 1971 but later adopted Italian nationality. A graphic designer, after working in cartoons, publishing fanzines and comics he moved to Europe where he published covers for the Greek newspaper Eleftherotypia in Athens and for the horror and forbidden archaeology magazines produced by the publishing house Mondo Ignoto, owned by Dario Argento and Luigi Cozzi.

This year, he has published two stories (which he has both written and drawn) in the Italian comic book El Italiano (The Italian), based on the horror film Currículum by Patricio Valladares. It is currently being published by Nicola Pesce Editore.

He's working on several other projects and one of these is Liegia, now appearing on British comics to mobile service ROK Comics.

"Ligeia is about a Vampire and her cat, Edgar," Rodrigo explains. "They're evil beings who use human beings to satisfy their purposes. The first series is centred in Transylvania and is set during World War II when the Nazis' Paranormal Office sends some men after Ligeia the vampire and a faboulous treasure."

Michael Jantze goes to Cannes!

Michael Jantze, creator of the internationally-syndicated comic strip The Norm, whose outlets include ROK Comics (see www.rokcomics.com/thenorm) has had his animated short accepted into the Short Film Corner at Festival de Cannes 2008.

Mr. Lux: At Your Service, Jantze’s first animated short, will be part of the Short Film Corner at Festival de Cannes this month. The animation is a fast ride of traditional animation utilizing both pencil to paper animation and the latest in computer software.

A new character from Jantze, Mr. Lux is only happy when he delivers five-star service to his hotel guests.

Jantze’s script was brought to life by a story team consisting of himself, David Andrews and Kelly McNutt. Jantze created the layouts and designs as well as directed McNutt’s animation. Jory K. Prum provided the Sound Design and Jared Emerson-Johnson wrote and performed the Mancini-esque soundtrack. Nicole Jantze served as Executive Producer.

Michael and Nicole Jantze will be in the Short Film Corner at the Festival de Cannes between 19 and 21 May to speak with interested buyers. The four minute short can be viewed on the Cannes Short Film Corner website or at Jantze.com (www.jantze.com/animation) along with other recently finished shorts. There's also a clip on YouTube, linked below.




• In related news, Michael Jantze's The Norm web site has just had an extensive makeover: not only can you read about the character but related merchadinse and other many gems are now on offer. Check it out at www.thenorm.com

ROK Comics Signs Roy of the Rovers

ROK Comics, a subsidiary of ROK Entertainment Group Inc. the global mobile entertainment company, has announced the addition of the legendary Roy of the Rovers comic to its stable of classic comics for mobile phones, in partnership with Egmont UK.

(To view a free sample, please visit www.rokcomics.com/royoftherovers.php)

Arguably the most famous British comics character of all, 'Roy of the Rovers' forty-year playing career began on the cover of top-selling weekly comic Tiger in September 1954. Since then, the phrase 'Roy of the Rovers stuff' has become part of the English language, regularly invoked by pundits to describe the essence of footballing dreams.

Working closely with Egmont and its Roy of the Rovers archivist Mark Towers, keeper of the official website, ROK Comics has begun its run of ROTR by serialising the 1970s story in which Roy is offered the opportunity to become England manager. Already a successful player-manager of Melchester Rovers, will he accept the demanding role?

Roy of the Rovers joins a growing number of classic and ongoing British comics being published in the ROK Comics format via www.rokcomics.com and telecom partners in countries such as China, India, Pakistan and South Africa. "British comics have been exported worldwide for decades," says ROK Comics Managing Editor John Freeman. "Now they're being exported digitally over the internet and to mobile phones!"

In addition to Roy of the Rovers, ROK is also publishing Egmont characters such as the secret agent Dredger from Action!, the classic humour strip Faceache and others.

"We're delighted to be working with Egmont on bringing their classic characters to a whole new generation," added Laurence Alexander, Group CEO of ROK “and we’re looking to score big time – home and away - with Roy on our hugely popular ROK Comics service.”

ROK Comics also has agreements with publishers such as the Daily Express (Beau Peep, Jeff Hawke and others), Look and Learn Ltd. (Robin Hood), Markosia (Dark Mists, The Lexian Chronicles) and others. Garfield, which appears in the Daily Mail and Doonesbury, which appears in The Guardian, are also being offered for download and on subscription in key territories.

ROK Comics supports new Charity Comic

ROK Comics is backing Floods, a new charity comic created to raise funds for the Red Cross and available now from lulu.com. Initiated by Adam R. Grose, publisher of Clown Press, a wide selection of writers and artists have come together to create this book.

Creators include Ben Womack, Simon Spurrier, Simon Mackie, David Hailwood, Tom Millsom, Nick Miller and others, and features a special drabble -- a 100 word story -- by Doctor Who writer Paul Cornell.

It was Adam who came up with the project last year after parts of Britain were hit by disastrous bad weather. Since then, of course, many places across the globe have suffered devastation from floods and other terrible weather, including Bangladesh, southern Africa and, only this month, Burma.

Adam was moved to try and inspire the comics community to create a collection of one page strips and raise funds for flood relief.

"The UK experienced some of the most horrendous weather, with a month's worth of rain falling in 24 hours," Adam explains. "During this time, many of our fellow citizens experienced flooding, unknown to many of us.

"I decided to put together a comic to help raise awareness of our changing world, the environment and the increasing floods and disasters, that seem ever increasing since the turn of the millennium.

"The book will help raise money for the Red Cross and victims of the floods. Hopefully, this will be available the world over and help to bring more awareness to our world community."

Some of the strips have also been adapted for the ROK Comics mobile format, as a means of promoting the project, with profits from sales going to the Floods cause. (ROK Comics has kindly agreed to do the adaptation work for any creators who would like to see their "Floods" strip in this format. (Contact us if you'd like to do a mobile "Floods" strip, but basically you need to come up with a ten frame strip, each frame 480 x 480 pixel in size, 18 point lettering with a "floods" theme or link).

Adam hopes to add to the existing book with more strips so if you would like to contribute a strip to an expanded edition of the book -- which may eventually see real world publication -- get in touch with him via the Clown Press web site.

• The ROK "Floods" comics can be viewed at www.rokcomics.com/floods.php
• Buy the Floods book from lulu.com

Moon Queen: Jelston's Lesson

Everyone loves our superhero the Moon Queen - but she's blissfully unaware of it! Her best friend is the Bee - the only one who doesn't seem to want something from her. MQ's real name is Agnes Bale, she can fly and has super powers but she is far from invulnerable.

In Jelston's Lesson, the latest Moon Queen adventure to appear on ROK Comics, jealous Blink Bonny makes her life a misery!

Creator Chris Reynolds, who has been publishing Moon Queen on ROK Comics for a while now, created the classic graphic novel Mauretania first published by Penguin Books. His most famous character is Monitor, the strange, helmeted, spaceman aged between about eight and thirty, who had many strange and nostalgic adventures. Now Chris' latest character is the Moon Queen. She's sensitive like Monitor, but her adventures take place in a more colourful, sunny, upland world!

Italian Vampire Tales

Italian artist Rodrigo Diaz is a new face on ROK Comics, trying out the service to deliver a great looking vampire tale called Ligea. We're looking forward to seeing more soon!

More about Rodrigo on his deviantart web site (in Italian!)

Free Comic from The Temple

On the weekend of Free Comics Day, we're pleased to report Issue #0 of The Temple Comic APA’s Digital Showcase is now available to download as a free PDF at templeapa.ning.com, featuring a motley collection of strips from some great indie talent.

Showcasing the work of 15 members (mostly from around the UK), this 70-page anthology highlights the diverse nature of the Amateur Press Association, containing humour, horror, slice-of-life, superhero, sci-fi and more (including content of a mature nature).

Creators include ROK Comics creators Paul Harrison-Davies, Paul Eldridge, David Hailwood, Toshiro de Smeyter and Simon Mackie and it's a fab free read!

The Temple is the UK’s longest running comic APA, having run for 12 years and 55 issues before going digital. The aim of the Temple is to learn, improve, collaborate and support each other’s comic projects. Everyone from the rawest amateur to the most seasoned professional is welcome to join.

• For more information check out templeapa.ning.com, or contact John Kirkham at sr-republic AT ntlworld.com