Rites of Passage for BVC's Shades

Broken Voice Comics has released Chapter 7 of its flagship title – the online graphic novel Shades – on its web site at www.broken
voice.co.uk.

Written by David A J Berner and illustrated in full colour by artist Harsho Mohan Chattoraj, Shades, which also features on ROK Comics, tells the story of a group of heroes in the UK, struggling to come to terms with their role in late 20th Century Britain; a Britain still haunted by the loss of Empire.

With the main protagonists now firmly established, Chapter 7 (titled “Rite of Passage”) will see teenagers Becky, Craig and Ryan Allen keen to prove themselves to their childhood heroes – former World War fighter pilot Doug Chamberlain, the mystical figure known as the Shaman and the First Century warrior queen Boudicca.

“The conflict between generations is one of the principal themes in Shades,” explains Berner. “The younger heroes are keen to tackle the threat they’ve identified from a suspected terrorist group known as the Cult of Bedlam. However, Doug, Boudicca and the Shaman are – for a variety of reasons – not entirely ready to stand down and hand over the baton. Over the next few chapters, some hard lessons are going to have to be learned on both sides!”

Other Broken Voice titles featured on ROK Comics are Spires and the vampire story Hunted.

Great British Comics on Your Mobile

Following the first episode of Comics Britannia on BBC4 this week and with interest in classic British comics growing all the time, ROK Comics is pleased to be part of this resurgence of interest in great British comic creations – past, present and future.

ROK Comics offers a variety of classic British strips for mobile download and WAP delivery including

• Jeff Hawke from the Daily Express – classic SF adventure
• Andy Capp and Mandy from the Daily Mirror – classic British comedy
• British superhero Garth from the Daily Mirror
• Beau Peep from the Daily Star – madcap antics in the foreign legion!
• Robin Hood from the pages of Swift, in partnership with Look and Learn Limited
• Dredger from Action! Britian's deadliest secret agent, straight from the pages of the hugely popular 1970s comic owned by Egmont UK
• Faceache by acclaimed cartoonist Ken Reid, famous for his many contributions to the Beano and WHAM, with more to come

Roy of the Rovers, Billy's Boots, Moodstone (from cult favourite girls comic Misty) the Steel Claw and many others are also in the pipeline.

Alongside classic comics, ROK is at the forefront of promoting the best of new British comics creators on mobile including award-winning artist-writer Chris Reynolds (who is publishing Moon Queen on ROK Comics), Lee Healey (Sporting Swine from Maxim), David Hailwood (Ups and Downs), Steve Tillotson (Banal Pig), and independent British publishers such as Markosia and Broken Voice, who are producing some ground breaking adventure material such as Dark Mists, a thrilling murder mystery set in pre-war Japan and Hunted, a terrifying tale of modern vampires in the style of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

In addition, just as British comics were exported worldwide, ROK has leveraged its unique position as a key developer of mobile content to bring many past and present comics to new audiences in partnership with key telecom partners around the globe.

"I'm delighted we have so many British creators on the service," says ROK Comics Managing Editor John Freeman, who was one of many comics creators who assisted the Comics Britannia production team in sourcing material for the BBC4 series. "Just as Leo Baxendale and Dudley Watkins broke new ground for comics in the pages of the Beano, so ROK Comics many creators are quickly establishing themselves at the forefront of a new means of delivering comics to millions of readers around the world.

"Comics have always evolved to reach new markets and ROK Comics is proud to be part of a bright future for the medium – and celebrate past British comics triumphs."

Pauline Murray penetrates Mauretania celebrations

Legendary singer Pauline Murray of Pentration will read a chapter from Humfrey Jordan's 'Mauretania: Landfalls and Departures of Twenty-Five Years' to open the RMS Mauretania Maiden Voyage Centenary Exhibition in Newcastle.

The exhibit features paintings and comic art by Stuckist Painters and Mauretania Comics artists Paul Harvey and ROK Comics' Chris Reynolds, plus paintings by guest Stuckist Mike Tilley. It will also feature photographs and relics of the ship.

The Opening will be at Newcastle Arts Centre, 67 Westgate Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1SG on Tuesday 18 September 2007 between 6.30-8.00pm. The Exhibition will continue until 29 September 2007..

Pauline Murray was lead singer in the 1977 punk band Penetration. They were signed to Virgin Records, released two highly acclaimed albums, many singles and toured extensively throughout Britain, Europe and the USA. After the band split in 1979 Pauline began a successful solo career and recorded the ground breaking Pauline Murray and the Invisible Girls album with legendary Factory producer Martin Hannett. In 1984 she set up her own record label, Polestar, and released singles and an album as 'Pauline Murray and the Storm'. In 1990 she opened Polestar Studios, a rehearsal and recording facility in Newcastle. She is still writing, recording and performing with the reformed Penetration.