[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-the-phoenix-comic-takes-flight":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"Woo hoo!!! \u003Cb>This was a great weekend for British comics!\u003C/b> In the morning, a lovely envelope containing a whole magazine of exciting comics dropped through my letterbox, then when I went to the shops, the comics were splashed across the front of \u003Ci>The Times\u003C/i>. Hurrah! Remember the amazing 43 issues of \u003Ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Fickling_Comic\">The DFC\u003C/a>? Well, the comics team is back, and \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/\">The Phoenix comic\u003C/a> is better than ever. You can buy individual issues at Waitrose and some independent shops, or if you want to go for weekly comics delivered right to your door, you can \u003Ca href=\"https://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/subscribe/\">subscribe online\u003C/a>, recommended for ages 8 to 108.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_sarah-115bf798a0.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nWe at the \u003Ca href=\"http://thefleecestation.wordpress.com/\">Fleece Station studio\u003C/a> were hugely excited and caught the train up to Oxford to celebrate at the official launch party at Oxford's \u003Ca href=\"\\r\n\">Story Museum\u003C/a>. Oh, and there is a pigeon on my head because \u003Ca href=\"http://knitthepigeon.com/\">Cooey the Pigeon\u003C/a>, the feathered friend of my studio mate, insisted on coming along, too. Here, Ms \u003Ca href=\"http://www.whodunnknit.com/2011/10/31/cooey-death/\">Deadly Knitshade\u003C/a> peruses The Phoenix section in \u003Ci>The Times\u003C/i>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for loads more pics under the cut!-->\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_cooeylauren-a6bf25b77b.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIn the back cover of The Phoenix, there's a trailer image for fellow Fleece Officer Gary Northfield's upcoming comic strip, \u003Ca href=\"https://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/advent-calendar-add-date/\">\u003Ci>Gary's Garden\u003C/a>\u003C/i>. I keep glancing at his desk and seeing amazing things happening over there, his strip's going to be a real corker. Here's our DFC colleague \u003Ca href=\"http://www.woodrowphoenix.co.uk/\">Woodrow Phoenix\u003C/a> getting his first glimpse of the new magazine.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_wdzgary-48958afa2f.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI should have shown Stuart with the actual magazine, because when he got his hands on it, he got obsessed with \u003Ca href=\"http://patriceaggs.com/\">Patrice Aggs\u003C/a>' page, finding all the things she'd hidden in it, and spent a good 15 minutes analysing the one double-page spread.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_sarahstu-57be2dc9be.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nWhen we arrived at the Story Museum, we were met by \u003Ca href=\"http://www.neillcameron.com/\">Neill Cameron\u003C/a>, who was more than a bit chuffed to have his work, together with writing by \u003Ca href=\"https://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/pirates-of-pangaea/\">Dan Hartwell\u003C/a>, on the front of both Issue 1 AND \u003Ci>The Times\u003C/i>. Way to go, Neill! He lives in Oxford and does amazing workshops about robots, to go with his \u003Ci>Mo-Bot High\u003C/i> comic book, and I can guess now he could pull off some pretty good pirate dinosaur workshops to go with his new \u003Ca href=\"https://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/pirates-of-pangaea/\">\u003Ci>Pirates of Pangaea\u003C/i>\u003C/a> strip. \u003Cb>In fact, Phoenix comic creators are great people to get in to get kids inspired about making stories. \u003Ci>(Hint: keep that in mind, festival organisers, teachers, librarians, etc!)\u003C/i>\u003C/b>\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_neill2-b3f92bf3b1.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere are David Fickling Books office manager \u003Cb>Matilda Johnson\u003C/b> and \u003Cb>David Fickling\u003C/b>, both forces of nature who get everything moving. With Phoenix logo designer \u003Ca href=\"http://mattbaxter.org/\">Matt Baxter\u003C/a> (looking blown away by the comics force field), Neill Cameron and Dan Hartwell. I missed getting photos of lots of amazing people, so apologies if you haven't shown up here!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_team-d063e6b121.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nA picture's worth a thousand words: Here's fab writer and illustrator \u003Ca href=\"http://www.wormworks.com/\">Ted Dewan\u003C/a>, going on and on and on about the same subject...\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_teddewan-9fa60b60e5.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cb>Caro Fickling\u003C/b>, who's been leading The Phoenix project, started off the speeches. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_caro-edaea86b52.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nPhoenix fist bump! Don't mess with \u003Ca href=\"http://www.garynorthfield.co.uk\">Gary Northfield\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"http://danse-macabre.nu/\">Kate Brown\u003C/a>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_garykate-ddcdcd2d63.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd \u003Ca href=\"http://www.emmavieceli.com/\">Emma Vieceli\u003C/a> is equally fierce!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_emmafist-15bc029108.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThe Story Museum's guest book is hot property now, everyone's signed and doodled in it. Here's \u003Ca href=\"http://www.eruditebaboon.co.uk/\">James Turner\u003C/a>, who had a big section in the first issue with his brilliant \u003Ca href=\"https://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/star-cat/\">\u003Ci>Star Cat\u003C/a>\u003C/i> strip.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_james1-b9266c8067.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nFab creators \u003Ca href=\"http://jamielittler.co.uk/\">Jamie Littler\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"http://lauraellenanderson.co.uk/\">Lil Anderson\u003C/a>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_jamielil-3f427e003e.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere are the reps from Waitrose, who are stocking The Phoenix, and \u003Ca href=\"http://www.philip-pullman.com/\">Philip Pullman\u003C/a> with his cup of tea. The launch kicked off at 3pm instead of in the evening, so we had a tea party with amazing CAKES.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_pullman-71b8c52a29.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nEmma Vieceli, Mimi Etherington, \u003Ca href=\"http://theetheringtonbrothers.blogspot.com/\">Robin Etherington\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"http://wildwords.wordpress.com/\">Andrew Wildman\u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_team2-9956521198.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nTed Dewan with shiny Phoenix badge!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_tedbadge-8ce2634614.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://patriceaggs.com/\">Patrice Aggs\u003C/a>, some dizzy chick in a fluffy hat, publicist \u003Cb>Louise Stothard\u003C/b>\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_patricelouise-91509194d6.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://www.paulduffield.co.uk/\">Paul Duffield\u003C/a>, \u003Cb>Andrew Ruddick\u003C/b>, \u003Ca href=\"http://theliquidcity.blogspot.com/\">John Aggs\u003C/a>. John says, 'Comics. Serious business.'\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_paulpudjohn-bb13dc1438.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://mattbaxter.org/\">Matt Baxter\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"http://warwickjohnsoncadwell.blogspot.com/\">Warwick Johnson Cadwell\u003C/a>. (You can see Dan Hartwell, Will Fickling, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.daveshelton.com\">Dave Shelton\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"http://britishscbwi.org/conference2008/faculty_lizzie.htm\">Lizzie Spratt\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"http://fazchoudhury.blogspot.com/\">Faz Choudhury\u003C/a> in the background.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_mattwjc-f5a56d66d1.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThe Story Museum's an amazing building! It's still raising funds to refurbish the old building into a full working story museum, but the space is already pretty amazing. I've taken tours of it on two previous visits, and you can see some photos if you \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/389257.html\">click here and scroll way down\u003C/a>. I like this photo, Gary looks like a giant projection onto the courtyard wall.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_garywall-46c286d182.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nMuseum Co-director \u003Cb>Kim Pickin\u003C/b> gave a speech (on the left), as did Phoenix editor \u003Cb>Ben Sharpe\u003C/b> (right). Ben was also my DFC editor, along with \u003Cb>Will Fickling\u003C/b>, and they were brilliant to work with.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_kim_pickin-fdb5699f11.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's the museum's notorious vault, where gold bullion may have one been stored. Apparently they don't have the key, and the walls are so strong and thick that if someone got locked in there, a rescue team couldn't drill them out fast enough to save them from dying of lack of oxygen or dehydration. So we weren't allowed to go in there, it's very carefully locked off.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_safe-0431826447.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThe museum is storing some old printing presses from the Bodleian Library! I'd so love to have a go at making some woodcut or lino cut prints and using those presses, along with their letterset collections. It sounds like the museum plans to host several residencies for writers and illustrators, there's a lot to look forward to.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_press1-8b9246dedc.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_printing3-a353babe1e.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_press3-6afd9aea2a.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/phoenix_comic_press2-3f3d356e19.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nSo if I haven't YET convinced you to go subscribe to The Phoenix, and to sign up all your loved ones, too... Well, \u003Ca href=\"https://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/\">go have a look at the website\u003C/a>, and \u003Ci>feel the temptation\u003C/i>. \\r\n\\r\nA big thanks to Phoenix contributor \u003Ca href=\"http://supercomicsadventuresquad.blogspot.com/\">Garen Ewing\u003C/a>, who's been managing the \u003Ca href=\"http://supercomicsadventuresquad.blogspot.com/\">Super Comics Adventure Squad\u003C/a> blog, which we set up as a DFC creators' blog, and carried on with it until now. It was great having a place we could all meet for news, thanks, guys! After consultation, Garen's retiring the blog, and we look forward to seeing what happens with the comic's rebirth! Exciting times.","2012-01-07T23:05:00.000Z","the-phoenix-comic-takes-flight",[],"the phoenix comic takes flight!",1776628721193]