ROK Entertainment Group, the global mobile entertainment company and owners of ROK Comics, today announced it had acquired a 51% controlling interest in Geniem, a leading Finnish mobile and web applications development company.
Geniem pioneered On-Device Portals (ODP) in 2003 and offer rich mobile marketing via these ODPs, Bluetooth marketing solutions and white label social networking applications for Media, Brands and Carriers. Currently their services are being used by household names including Nokia, Volvo, ABC, Pepsi, SonyBMG, Australian Broadcast Corporation, Mondadori France, Digital MultiChoice, Rotana, Samsung, Sanoma Belgium, Santander Bank and SonyEricsson.
"This acquisition marks another milestone in the development of ROK" said Laurence Alexander, Group CEO of ROK, "as it augments our existing mobile products portfolio by placing us in the forefront of on device portals, Bluetooth technologies and social media via mobile and web applications. With over 15 million mobile phone installations globally, Geniem's technology is ideally positioned to power the new generation of enhanced mobile media services."
"I see major opportunities in partnering with ROK to roll-out our exciting products for ROK's existing customer base. Especially with the introduction of the new white label mobile social networking product targeted mainly for network carriers," said Tuomas Kumpula, CEO of Geniem.
Garfield devotees from near and far are looking forward to their annual Garfield Gathering in the US in June, to celebrate all things Garfield, one of the comics appearing on ROK Comics WAP services in Pakistan and being translated into Chinese.
Considered a must-do for the serious Garfield collector, this event is sponsored by fans and collectors for the purpose of fun, friendship, and the ever-popular Garfield product swap meet and sale.
This year's convention takes place June 19-22 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
David Fletcher was bom in England in 1952. At school, he excelled at drawing cartoons in the margins of his maths book and falling asleep. On leaving school he studied production engineering for five years, then jumped on a aircraft bound for New Zealand where he's lived ever since.
He was employed as an illustrator and cartoonist by New Zealand's largest daily newspaper, The New Zealand Herald for three years. But for the last twenty years he's been pretending to work from home as a comic strip, drawing a daily strip called The Politician and several weekly strips including The TV Kids which appears in the TV Guide. His cartoons are syndicated to Europe, Britain, Africa, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.
David lives in Auckland with his wife and two children. People still keep asking him when is he going to get a proper job...
Questions compiled by David Hailwood
How did you discover Rok Comics?
I was surfing the net one day and came across the ROK comics site, it sounded interesting so I sent in a new strip I happened to be working on. Does this mean I’m the only creator not to be personally invited to join ROK comics by John Freeman? [Probably! - Ed]
How do you feel about Digital comics over Print based comics?
Ninety five percent of my income comes from print but most of the comics I read these days I read on the net, so both forms are pretty important to me.
What's your greatest achievement in the comics field?
My greatest achievement would be winning a Blue Peter badge when I was fourteen in a drawing competition they were running. It gave a spotty kid a heap of confidence, although it’s been all down hill since then. I suppose making a comfortable living out of drawing cartoon strips for the past thirty years is some kind of achievement!
What projects (both Rok Comics and non Rok Comics related) are you working on at the moment? �
I produce a daily syndicated strip, five weekly strips and when I have time some Crumb strips for ROK.
What advice would you offer to new cartoonists?
Produce stuff that appeals to you, not what you think will appeal to other people. Keep pestering editors, they’ll give in eventually.
What's your favourite comics related website?
No one favourite site, I like to find new comics by surfing around.
Where else has your work appeared?
My syndicated strip appears in newspapers in New Zealand, Australia, Africa, Malaysia, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark.
Where and when did you get your first comics break?
I was working on the staff of New Zealand’s biggest newspaper, The Herald, as an illustrator producing maps, graphs and diagrams when I was allowed to write and draw a weekly strip cartoon for the kids page. They liked it and before I knew it I was drawing four different weekly strips for various pages.
What comics are you reading at the moment (both web and print based)?
I like to get a daily dose of Zits (I’ve got a teenage son, so it’s very poignant.)
Whose work do you most admire in the comics field and why?
Los Angeles-based features and comics author Michael (Mike) Colbert is the creator of the critically-acclaimed SF comic Crazy Mary, one of several strips not only appearing on ROK Comcs but also being translated into Chinese for ROK Comics China. He says his first memory is seeing Star Wars and his writing influences include Warren Ellis, Grant Morrison, and Douglas Adams.
Crazy Mary, which has been drawn by artists that include Edawrd (X-Men) Woodward, prung almost fully formed in 1999 and was infused with pre-millennium tension, a fascination with the subjective nature of reality, and big explosions.
Questions compiled by David Hailwood
How did you discover Rok Comics?
John was my editor at Babylon 5 Magazinewhen we caught up last year he was looking for content and thus Crazy Mary found itself on ROK Comics.
How do you feel about digital comics over Print based comics?
I think it's a great idea and cell phone monkeys need to figure it the hell out.
What's your greatest achievement in the comics field?
The first collection ofCrazy Mary stories, Trinity (so far)
What projects (both Rok Comics and non Rok Comics related) are you working on at the moment?
Non ROK work includes a ten-page story for "Ghost Assassin", Spak Daxler - Hero of the Ages for a comic series called Special Edition. That's the creation of a talented artist called William Blankenship, a series of interconnected stories -- everything from Skyfaring Pirates, to Troll detectives, to big dumb superhero battles. Spak Daxler is the big dumb superhero battle story - Spak and his team of governmentt funded superheroes fight a giant cybernetic lizard. It was great nutty fun and I hope to do more.
Be consistent with the quality and quantity of the work. People are fickle and need their fix regularly. (By the way, I'm appallingly bad at taking my own advice).
Josh Alves is a Graphic Designer/Cartoonist/Stand-up Comedian residing in the very green and mostly cold state of Maine, who's been adapting his one frame Tastes Like Chicken cartoons into three frame ROK Comics for mobile. His work has appeared on DC Comics Zuda service and in many other places, with plenty more projects in the way...
Questions compiled by David Hailwood
How did you discover Rok Comics?
Toshiro de Smeyter [creator of Scoff, also on ROK Comics] found me on Comicspace, I checked his profile that led me to Scoff and Drink Like A Fish. The latter pointed me to ROK where I thought "My toons available for cell phones? Sweet!" and I registered.
How do you feel about Digital comics over Print based comics?
Each have their pros and cons. As much as I love them both, there's something about holding a collected printed edition in your hands.
What's your greatest achievement in the comics field?
What projects (both Rok Comics and non Rok Comics related) are you working on at the moment?
Along with Tastes Like Chicken, I'm currently working on a full-length adventure for my character "Araknid Kid" that will be seen on SugarySerials.com later this summer [Sugary Serials is a comics anthology of all ages, full-color comics created with the sensibilities of the Saturday Morning Cartoon in mind. The anthology updates daily on the web, and each issue’s content is collected in print at month’s end - Ed]. I'm having a BLAST with this story. Also preparing for a submission for an anthology from Viper Comics, Parable 2. There are other collaborations in the works as well.
What advice would you offer to new cartoonists?
Doodle Daily. Experiment with various media. My work is traditionally founded (I love ballpoint pens) but digitally finished (inking/coloring/lettering)
What's your favourite comics related website?
My favorite are art forums where you can see other people's work and get critiques by the users (beneficial for both the artist and those looking at the art). These include Drawingboard.org (which is huge!) and Outcaststudios.com.
Where else has your work appeared?
My first daily comic strip Zeek And Dent appeared in the Bangor Daily News and also showed up in a kid's magazine, Kool Zone, in Malaysia.
Tastes Like Chicken appears on the web on ROK and is published in a local weekly paper. Thistles is an 18-page story that will be appearing in the first "Parable" anthology that will be published through Viper Comics (the publishers of books such as Kazu Kibuishi's Daisy Kutter:
"Araknid Kid", again, appeared on Zuda and will be appearing as part of Sugary Serials. Once that is "aired" I'm hoping to self-publish the actual comic (maybe there'll be an interested publishers...)
Whose work do you most admire in the comics field and why?
Hands down, Dan Schoening (check out traditionaldanimatio.deviantart.com and you'll see what I mean), He's been doing work for DC and their online animations. His work has tons of character and a super sleek, unique animated look.
John Maybury, editor of the Comic Creators Guild annuals, is one of a small number of comics artist utilising ROK Comics for its 'mature readers' strand, reformatting his cult indie character Space Babe for mobile. John describes The Erotic Adventures of Space Babe 113 as "a naughty SF comedy". Too right...
Questions compiled by David Hailwood
How did you discover Rok Comics?
John Freeman gave me a promotional handout at the 2007 Bristol convention.
How do you feel about Digital comics over Print based comics?
I wouldn't want to lose either.
What's your greatest achievement in the comics field?
Actually creating something.
What projects (both Rok Comics and none Rok Comics related) are you working on at the moment?
Space Babe 113, both in print and for ROK. I will also be starting work on editing the third Comics Creators Guild annual soonish.
What advice would you offer to new cartoonists?
Absorb as many influences as possible, but try to find your own voice.
What's your favourite comics related website?
Perhaps I should surf more often.
Where else has your work appeared?
Some fanzine/small press stuff in the UK. I've edited the first two Comics Creators Guild annuals.
Where/when did you get your first comics break?
Apart from fanzines, a strip I drew appeared in the short-lived (one issue) football comic Foul!
What comics are you reading at the moment (both web and print based)?
Nemi and Em in the free London papers. I'm not currently following any particular comic series at the moment, though Scarlet Traces was great.
Whose work do you most admire in the comics field and why?
This is very hard to answer, however the 1960's Marvel artists, particularly Steranko, Kirby and Ditko and many British newspaper strip artists, 'specially Sydney Jordan, had a big influence on me artistically. More recently, Lise's Nemi strip and Maria Smedstad's superbly minimilist Em strip have both impressed me.
The first few years of Terry Moore's Strangers In Paradise really grabbed me, as did Hiroshi Aro'sFutaba Kun Change, Max Allan Collins and Tery Beatty's Ms Treeand Paul Grist's Kane.
• You can buy Space Babe 113 comics on-line from Soaring Penguin
Space Babe 113 is available in these London comic shops:
Dave Windett has been with ROK Comics since its initial testing, providing character designs for the Creator Tool and working on other ROK projects. He has worked for a huge range of publishers during his varied career and is one of the few British artists to have drawn for Bongo's Simpsons Comics.
Questions compiled by David Hailwood
How did you discover Rok Comics?
From John Freeman. I was one of the service's alpha testers.
How do you feel about Digital comics over Print based comics?
Both have their advantages and disadvantages, I am more interested in the quality of the work than the delivery method.
What's your greatest achievement in the comics field?
Over more years than I care to remember I've worked for most of the major publishers, but in this business it's not what you've done, it's what you're doing next.
What projects (both Rok Comics and non Rok Comics related) are you working on at the moment? �
I'm currently drawing a strip for The DFC, a new comic from publishers Random House. I will get back to Wacky World of Animals (my Rok strip) as time allows.
British comics for Panini, DC Thomson, Egmont, Fleetway, and many others, European comics from Italy to Norway, and the odd American title. Advertising work, book and games illustration, T-shirts, and even kids shoes! My website has a list of everything I can remember.
Where/when did you get your first comics break?
The first comic I worked on was Thomas the Tank Engine for Marvel UK, but It wasn't until I started working on Duckula (for London Editions/Egmont) a couple of years later that I did any professional sequential work.
What comics are you reading at the moment (both web and print based)?
Whose work do you most admire in the comics field and why?
Alex Toth, Jim Aparo, Mort Walker, Dik Browne, Graham Nolan, Mike Parobeck, Paul Dini, Vaugn Bode... the list goes on. They are all great artists and more importantly great storytellers.
Paul Harrison-Davies is a modest but accomplished comics artist popular in British indie circles, whose work has been published in the Mammoth Book of Best New Manga. His upcoming strip for Accent Press' Robots anthology, "MY Robot!" has been adapted into a ROK Comic series.
Questions compiled by David Hailwood
How did you discover Rok Comics?
John Freeman told me about it.
How do you feel about Digital comics over Print based comics?
Nothing beats paper for reading, but as long as it's good comics then I have no preference.
What's your greatest achievement in the comics field?
Nothing Rok Comics specifically [MY Robot - Ed], but I am working on a couple of kid friendly comics as well as attempting some more 'manga' style work.
What advice would you offer to new cartoonists?
I'm not really in a position to give advice. There's two things I wish I'd done though.
1) Practice more, never get lazy, just because you draw something well once doesn't mean you'll always draw it well.
2) Enjoy what you do. I tried for a long time to force myself to draw in a way that I wasn't interested in. It's best to decide if you just want to be published or if being published is secondary to what you want to create.
What's your favourite comics related website?
When I remember to look it's The Comics Reporter, mostly I just like looking at random blogs.
Where else has your work appeared?
The first Mammoth Book of Best New Manga, AccentUK's Zombies and Robots (released May 2008) anthologies and the odd small press title over the years - Solar Wind, Violent! and a few of Jason Cobley's Bulldog comics. I did my own self publishing for a bit, under the name 'Mo!' too.
Where/when did you get your first comics break?
Think I'm still waiting for my 'break', drawing 'MY robot!' has been closest to a break, just because I enjoyed it.
What comics are you reading at the moment (both web and print based)?
Ongoing titles I read are Jack Staff, Nexus, The Spirit, Glister by Andi Watson, Dungeon, Disney Comics and Stories and Uncle Scrooge. But I read a lot of one offs/GNs and the like, such as Kazu Kibuishi's Flight (and anything solo by the contributors), anything by Jason and Richard Sala, uh, a lot of Fantagraphics titles, Drawn and Quarterly, First Second, Top Shelf, that kind of thing. I also read lots of reprints of classic work (Popeye, Moomins, Gasoline Alley, Dick Tracy, Steel Claw, The Spider etc) that are coming out too which I often pick up.
Whose work do you most admire in the comics field and why?
Alan Moore, for being brilliant. James Kochalka for just following his muse. Lewis Trondheim for being so incredibly prolific and entertaining. It's an endless list in terms of talent though, so I'm even going to try!
