[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-the-oxford-childrens-comic-festival-2013":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"Hurrah for \u003Cb>Britain's first children's comics festival!\u003C/b> It was awesome, and Oxford's \u003Ca href=\"http://www.storymuseum.org.uk/\">Story Museum\u003C/a> totally rocked. For Free Comics Book Day (4 May), \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/\">The Phoenix Comic\u003C/a> joined up with other comics creators to put on a day of comics workshops, drawing activities and convention tables. One of the most exciting parts for me was seeing two kids at their own tables, selling their own self-published comics. You will have already seen \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thezoom.co.uk/\">Zoom Rockman\u003C/a> (right) many times on my blog, and he's been all over the media, including \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/499091.html\">The Independent\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/zoom-rockman-the-comic-kid-whos-more-than-a-marvel-8582257.html\">Evening Standard\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"http://www.vogue.co.uk/spy/celebrity-photos/2012/12/14/hot-list-rising-stars-2013---angel-haze-alice-englert-maude-apatow/gallery/893359\">Vogue's 2013 Hot List\u003C/a>. But \u003Cb>Jordan Vigay\u003C/b>, also 12 years old, is newer to the scene - I'd only met him once before, \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/544387.html\">at Animated Exeter\u003C/a> - and it was exciting to see him at work! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_jordan_zoom_zpsb8bd130a-5ffbe61649.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's an interview I did with Jordan, in which he talks about his comic, \u003Cb>\u003Ci>The Red Crow\u003C/i>\u003C/b>, now in its third issue:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Clj-embed id=\"2376\"/>\\r\n\\r\nThe Phoenix Comic was out in force! And it's official: \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/evil-emperor-penguin/\">Laura Anderson\u003C/a> (who creates the \u003Ci>Evil Emperor Penguin\u003C/i> strip) is taller than \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/cogg-and-sprokit/\">Jamie Littler\u003C/a> (\u003Ci>Cogg & Sprokit\u003C/i>) when she has Zoom's giant hamburger on her head. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_liljamie_burger_zps6cef41ee-375eac36ef.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for lots more under the cut!-->\\r\nBesides leading a workshop, the magnificent \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/doogclues/\">Etherington Brothers\u003C/a> spent all day signing and drawing for fans.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_etherington_brow_zpsc58f1fd1-2c1cc8103d.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd here's some of The Oxford Children's Comic Festival team! From the left: Phoenix head editor \u003Cb>Will Fickling\u003C/b>, Phoenix business guy \u003Cb>Tom Fickling\u003C/b>, me, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/pirates-of-pangaea/\">Neill Cameron\u003C/a> (\u003Ci>Pirates of Pangaea\u003C/i>), \u003Cb>Jamie Littler\u003C/b>, \u003Cb>Laura Anderson\u003C/b>, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/corpse-talk/\">Adam Murphy\u003C/a> (\u003Ci>Corpse Talk\u003C/i>, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/bunny-vs-monkey/\">Jamie Smart\u003C/a> (\u003Ci>Bunny vs Monkey\u003C/i> and publisher \u003Ca href=\"http://www.davidficklingbooks.com/\">David Fickling\u003C/a>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_crew_zpsb2929116-035584186d.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nCheck out this giant Comics Jam wall! Neill directed it for the day, and you can see Adam adding his panel.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_giantcomicsjam_wip_zps64a2daf7-f289bf7f78.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's a close-up of all the panels! (Can you spot mine?)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_giantcomicsjam1_zpsffaac200-dfff01f91b.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_giantcomicsjam2_zps1fa6ed71-722317f710.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_giantcomicsjam3_zps96abf8e8-e357525daf.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_giantcomicsjam4_zps67be6cbd-ca72bb8e4c.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_giantcomicsjam5_zpsd7d237f8-a0cd7c297a.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_giantcomicsjam6_zps87de4eec-a83861e8ee.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIt was great mixing work by adults and kids! Here's one of the contributors, who was rightly very proud of her panel.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_noracomicpanel_zpsa8420cfa-6352979299.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cb>EDIT: Neill Cameron just posted a BLOW-BY-BLOW ACCOUNT, THE BEST COMICS JAM WRITE-UP I HAVE EVER SEEN. AND IT IS VERY FUNNY! \u003Ca href=\"http://neillcameron.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/how-to-make-really-really-giant-comics.html\">GO LOOK!\u003C/a>\u003C/i>\u003C/b>\\r\n\\r\nI led a Superkid Comics Jam session and had the room full of kids warm up by drawing Superhamster with me. Here are a few of them! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_superhamsters_zpsa7f52b23-9e3ddfa339.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIn fact, my book with \u003Ca href=\"http://www.clairefreedman.co.uk/\">Claire Freedman\u003C/a> (who also wrote \u003Ci>Aliens Love Underpants\u003C/i>) came out this weekend, but I've been so busy that I haven't had a chance to launch it properly. So I \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=%23superkid&src=typd\">tweet-launched\u003C/a> \u003Cb>\u003Ci>SUPERKID\u003C/i>\u003C/b> from the train! Whoo hoo! It's a picture book, not a comic, but I slipped in lots of comics reference stuff... a sort of gateway for getting little kids into comics. My editor says it's already sold out of its first print run and is onto the second.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_superkid_zps9fa63d65-761d18a95a.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI've made a \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/superkid/\">new page for \u003Ci>SUPERKID\u003C/i> on my website\u003C/a>, and you can download a \u003Cb>Draw Superhamster\u003C/b> sheet, as well as a sheet that helps you \u003Cb>Make Your Own Superkid Mask\u003C/b>! (\u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/superkid/\">Click here, it's free!\u003C/a>)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/superkid/\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/draw_superhamster_zpsc56441de-0ad4a6e00d.jpg\">\u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\nThe kids then designed their own characters and I led them in a rollicking \u003Cb>Comics Jam\u003C/b>. Here's one of them! Each panel's drawn by a different person, a bit like the game of Consequences. Although, looking at this one closely, I'm thinking perhaps this one stayed with one person for at least two panels.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_comicsjam_zps652b896f-51fd9cd20d.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAh yes, two people. Here's the first panel's creator, with her mum. The kids who had a parent with them seemed to get much more out of the session than the kids who were by themselves, giving help where they needed it, whether it be with spelling or simply helping them concentrate. It's a great way for parents to bond with their kids.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_girlcomic_zps5d722067-a0998468e1.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_workshop_zpsdf9980ca-31649a925d.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIt wasn't all Phoenix Comic, \u003Ca href=\"http://loafzine.blogspot.co.uk/\">LOAf magazine\u003C/a> also had a table, and I saw free copies of \u003Ca href=\"http://anorakmagazine.com/\">Anorak magazine\u003C/a> floating about, too. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_LOAfmagazine_zps7d283d23-7dccda1f33.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's Jordan at his table. He doesn't have a website (yet), but you can order his comics and t-shirts via his parents Paypal by e-mailing him at jordan.vigay at hotmail.co.uk.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_jordan_vigay_zpse9f2cc10-1f76799228.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd Zoom has a great website, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thezoom.co.uk/\">check it out here\u003C/a> if you want to pick up any of his comics.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_zoomcomic_zps03c2c7d8-c14c9668b4.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nSo much comic-making awesomeness in one place!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_comicswheel_zpsb5c9190a-1f85cd86f5.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/simon-swift/\">Zak Simmonds-Hurn\u003C/a> (\u003Ci>Simon Swift\u003C/i>) and \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/pirates-of-pangaea/\">Daniel Hartwell\u003C/a> (writer of \u003Ci>Pirates of Pangaea\u003C/i>).\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_zak_dan_zpsb899d770-86842eb0de.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIn the sunny courtyard! Spot Phoenix publicist \u003Cb>Ross Fraser\u003C/b> and designer \u003Cb>Matt Baxter\u003C/b> (who draws those editor animals sprinkled throughout The Phoenix!) Also, my Oxford University Press \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/550549.html\">\u003Ci>Oliver and the Seawigs\u003C/i>\u003C/a> editor \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/LizJCross\">Liz Cross!\u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_courtyard_zpsa0315920-5d38453c01.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's \u003Cb>Super Badge Girl\u003C/b>, who made lots of unique hand-cut badges at home, came along and badged us all. Yay!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_badgegirl_zps502f6b37-4bfd171614.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd here's the table for the \u003Ca href=\"http://www.davidficklingbooks.com/davidficklingbooks_bookfinder.asp\">DFC Library\u003C/a>, with my comic, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/vern-lettuce-book/\">\u003Ci>Vern and Lettuce\u003C/a>\u003C/i>! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_dfclibrary_zps674b1710-90a8fc9fec.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI took loads more photos and I'll try to post them soon. But in the meantime, a huge thanks to The Phoenix Comic crew, the Story Museum team, LOAf Magazine, and all the people who helped to make it a wonderful festival that promises to grow and become an annual event. SO EXCITING!!!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_helpers_zps8ee2afab-69af8f44d6.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nA last shot of the Fickling comics mafia. :) David, \u003Cb>Caro Fickling\u003C/b> (who's in charge of The Phoenix Comic, Tom and Will. Thanks for all your comics dedication, you fabulous people!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/toccf_ficklings_zps0b5cb576-1bc723ad38.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ci>Edit: A few more photos \u003Ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152848952685287.1073741830.903715286&type=1\">here on Facebook\u003C/a>!\u003C/i>","2013-05-05T07:14:00.000Z","the-oxford-childrens-comic-festival-2013",[],"the oxford children's comic festival 2013",1776628725091]