Want to be immortalised in comics?

 ROK Comics - publishers of the audio comics Team MOBILE, Houdini Adventures, Master Merlini and more - is offering the chance for you to be drawn into an upcoming ROK Comic as a supporting character!

All you have to do is upload to Instagram and hashtag #rokcomics by 12 noon GMT 31st July, 2013.

ROK Comics will scour the entries and pick the best entry, which will then feature in the next available audio comic from our growing list of exciting audio comic titles.

The photo can be funny, heroic, sad, silly or thoughtful - the important thing is that it's YOU (not your pet!) and a good enough image for our artists to work from!

What are you waiting for? Break out your secret identity gear and upload now!


Lancaster-based ROK Comics publishes a range of audio and other digital comics titles, with Team M.O.B.I.L.E., Houdini Adventures and Master Merlini among several on sale for iPad, iPhone and Android devices – and many more titles in the works.

All ROK Comics titles deliver great comic content, enhanced by a fully authored audio soundtrack and other features that only digital comics can fully exploit, including animation and, in the case of its music comics range, music videos.

Says ROK CEO Jonathan Kendrick: “ROK is pioneering the creation and delivery of original audio comic books across a range of new titles and we are delighted to be bringing comic books to life in this dynamic way via the latest technologies.”

Sales of digital comics are growing rapidly, but many are simply re-formats of existing print titles which fail to take advantage of the opportunities offered by digital devices. ROK has embraced the new medium head on, delivering not just great comics but extras that will appeal to all ages now well used in the potential of modern media.

“With all the extras, we wanted to complement the comic storytelling that make a comic a comic,” says editor John Freeman, “but added new elements that will give the stories even greater appeal.

“We’re hoping our carefully-created titles will appeal outside of comic fandom. We’ve had feedback from parents who tell us our audio comics are a great help with children coming to grips with learning to read, for example. “

Team M.O.B.I.L.E.
An ongoing adventure comic, Team M.O.B.I.L.E. centres on the story of teenagers recruited into a secret organisation to battle crime, terrorism and other dangers – some stranger than others. The series was created by Jonathan Kendrick and features art by Andrew Chiu.

Houdini Adventures
An ongoing adventure comic recounting all-new adventures of the world’s greatest escape artist. Written by magician Jamie Allan Nicklin and composer and script writer Simon Wheeler, the launch issue features art by the highly-regarded Spanish artists Rafael Broseta and David Belmonte.
The comic includes exclusive videos revealing magician’s secrets – some included for free, some offered as in-app purchase.

Titles also on sale now include several audio “bio comics” including The Beatles Story, an eight-issue limited digital series collecting, in full, the stunning creator-owned comic co-created by Angus Allan and Arthur Ranson, which will include rare video of the Beatles. Rok has also published bio comics of British music acts ZeZi, 2012 X-Factor favourite Joe Whelan and OG Niki – and an action adventure-oriented mini comic starring British rapper Rick Fury.

Titles in Production include:

• The Elvis Story, an eight-issue limited digital series by Angus Allan and Arthur Ranson telling revealing the legend of the King, never re-published since its first appearance in British comic Look-In in the 1980s

• My Favorite Martian Collecting the My Favorite Martian comics by Bill Titcombe from British comic TV Century 21, never before seen in the United States, as the show celebrates its 50^th Anniversary, in conjunction with Jack Chertok Television

• A new digital comics anthology, in partnership with Markosia Enterprises, launching later in 2013

• Banned Across the Universe… In space, no-one can hear you sing – unless you pretend you’re someone famous, and probably dead! An ongoing action-humour strip drawn by Kev Levell

• Ex Astris, an amazing science fiction comic set in the far future on an Earth transformed by alien intervention and environmental disaster, by Bill Storie

• Visit ROK Comics at: www.rokcomics.com

ROK And A Hard Place Comics Competition Winner

ROK Comics is pleased to announce that the winner of its 2008 ROK and A Hard Place Comics Competition, run in association with the Birmingham International Comic Show, is British comics artist Ian Stacey.

Ian’s entry, titled “Noah and A Hard Place” was a stand out winner for the BICS team and wins him a Nokia 95 mobile worth almost £500.

The BICS judges also spoke highly of John Maybury’s “SpaceBabe” entry and Ian’s other shortlisted entry, “Crossroads and A Hard Place”.

You can view all the winners at here on www.rokcomics.com.

Working in partnership with BICS (www.thecomicsshow.co.uk), ROK Comics threw down the challenge to creators to create a comic revealing a life changing moment.

“The Noah strips works on every level,” felt James Broxton, who judged the winners from a high quality shortlist along with indie comics distributor Shane Chebsey, owner of Smallzone Comics, and also a BICS organiser. “It’s a nice job, and Ian is a deserved winner.”

“It’s fantastic news,” said Ian on learning of his win, “Thank you very much and thanks also for finding my work a new home.”

Freelance cartoonist and illustrator Ian Stacey had already won high acclaim for his ongoing strip Wet Paint before taking the plunge and bringing it to ROK Comics for web and mobile distribution. “There’s some very funny material that made me laugh out loud,” says Monty Python team member Terry Jones, while top comic creator Alan Grant has described Ian as “an exceptionally funny cartoonist.

“He aims at just about every target under the sun, from genetic modification to Batman, and hits the mark in every case.”

Ian recently began offering a collection of many of his Wet Paint cartoons for sale via his web site (www.ianstacey.net), with all proceeds going to the Big Issue Foundation.

“When we first discussed the idea of a competition to tie in with BICS we were determined to stretch comic creators from the get go,” says ROK Comics Managing Editor John Freeman. “The cartoonists rose to the challenge, with some great entries.”

“We wanted comics with someone telling the story of a difficult choice they've had to make in their life,” said Shane. “It certainly made a change from superheroes.”

"We at BICS love the way that ROK Comics is so accessible to both creators and readers,” Shane adds, “and feel that working together we can help to bring the wonderful medium of comics to a wider readership. Mobile phones are now the most widely used method of communication in the world, so it seems the perfect way to present new comics to more people than ever before".

ROK Comics delivers the means for both comic publishers and creators to reach a worldwide audience by delivering comics to mobile phones, either by WAP subscription of Pay Per Download via Multi Media Messaging (MMS).

Creators publishing professionally via ROK Comics will receive up to 50% of the available revenue on every sale, with full access to sales statistics, viewings and more.

• The Birmingham International Comic Show takes place this coming weekend, Saturday – Sunday 4 -5 October 2008 at the ThinkTank, Birmingham.

ROK Comics 2008 Humour Competition Winners

ROK Comics is pleased to announce that the overall winner of its 2008 Humour Comic Competition is David Fletcher, for his strip featuring Crumb, his crazy, ever-hungry blackbird character.

David’s entry, titled “Pitter Patter” was a stand out winner for the editorial team at top Egmont comic TOXIC, who were the external judges for the competition which ran through August this year on the ROK Comics web site, and wins him a Nokia 95 mobile worth almost £500.

TOXIC editor Matt Yeo describes the strip, which stars Crumb and his rat friend as “A punchy quick-fire gag, with simple yet effective illustrations!”

Runners up were ClownoSaurus by Peter Coupe (“The ancient tale of a bizarre clown-based dinosaur. What’s not to like?!” says Matt) and Meteoro by Puerto Rican comics creator Vicente Aviles (“Classic euro-art, backed with madcap energy!”) starring El Profe.

Vicente, who has been publishing strips to ROK Comics since it started last year, originally published the strip in English, but has recently added Spanish versions at the suggestion of the ROK Comics team, and this entry qualified for consideration for the competition.

Responding to Matt’s comments, Vicente says “I'd say that I always liked the European comics style, and is the style which I've always trying to emulate, so... I have accomplished it! I wish someday I have the opportunity to publish a comic book.” (you can read more El Profe at www.rokcomics.com/elprofe.php)

Crumb is just one of top New Zealand-based cartoonist David Fletcher many cartoon creations. David’s cartoons are published in over 30 newspapers worldwide including New Zealand’s top-selling TV Guide (which has some 800,000 readers a week), the New Zealand Herald and the Australian Daily. The strip is now available in Chinese and through the whole ROK Comics mobile and online distribution network.

“It's great to have all the long hours slaving over a graphics tablet recognised by someone of Matt Yeo's standing,” says David. “My fourteen year old son's eyes lit up at the thought of getting his hands on the Nokia. No chance! Crumb's become very much part of my life and I'm still hoping one day he'll be able to support me into my old age.”

ROK Comics delivers the means for both comic publishers and creators to reach a worldwide audience by delivering comics to mobile phones, either by WAP subscription of Pay Per Download via Multi Media Messaging (MMS).

Creators publishing professionally via ROK Comics will receive 50% of the available revenue on every sale, with full access to sales statistics, viewings and more.

“We were delighted with the quality of entries for the competition and pleased the shortlisted entries tickled the fancy of the demanding TOXIC team, who were our external judges,” said John Freeman, ROK Comics Managing Editor and former editor for titles such as the UK Simpsons Comic, Doctor Who Magazine and Star Trek Magazine.

Birmingham Gets Watchmen Fever

The Birmingham International Comics Show returns to Millennium Point in Britain’s second city for second year running in October and has a distinct Watchmen flavour to proceedings with the inclusion of co-creator Dave Gibbons to the growing guest list and a range of panels and other events, including a special ROK Comics tie-in.

One of the most anticipated movie adaptations of all time will be the 2009 release of Watchmen, the best selling graphic novel which made the Sunday Times bestseller list and was named as one of Time magazine's top 100 most influential books since 1923. Along the way, the book has gathered a whole plethora of awards for both its creators, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons and despite it being 22 years since the series finished, DC Comics have printed one million copies of the collected edition in 2008. Such is the demand before the Watchmen movie is even released, the trailer for the movie is already one of the most downloaded and viewed on the internet ever.

Dave will be appearing at the show this year to discuss the book and answer questions.

Also on the guest list are Paul Cornell, writer top Marvel Comics title Captain Britain, who will be signing at the show for both days; V For Vendetta co creator David Lloyd; comics legend Michael Golden and fan favourite John Cassaday, who will be flying over from the USA for an exclusive weekend appearance at the show.

“BICS – as the show has become known among regular visitors – is much more than just a giant comic mart”, explains co-organiser and independent publisher Shane Chebsey. “The show acts as a gateway for both seasoned fans and those just developing an interest in the medium of comics, and enables fans to find out more about the creators behind all the big characters like Batman, Spiderman and Hellboy.

"Visitors can find bargains amongst the collectors items and discover the next big thing amongst the varied selection of publishers and artists exhibiting.”

As well as an exciting event schedule running all weekend long at the show, there will be competitions, portfolio reviews with top editors, signings, and exclusive book launches from some of the UK’s most respected publishers.

The winner of the ROK Comics-BICS co-organised competition, ROK And a Hard Place, will also be announced at the event with a Nokia 9500 mobile phone worth almost £500 up for grabs.

So whether you love Manga, web comics, superheroes, or you just want to find out more about the unique and powerful storytelling medium that is comics, the Birmingham International Comics Show 2008 is one event not to miss!

The show offers great value, with special weekend family tickets, which allow up to 2 adults and 3 children costing only £35 including all events and signings, and under 5’s go free. There are also the options of a single weekend ticket or a one-day ticket for only £16 and £10 respectively.

• Visit the official web site: www.thecomicsshow.co.uk
Show Times are: 10.30am – 5.30pm both days.
• For exhibiting enquiries email: shaneATthecomicsshow.co.uk or telephone: 01952 770013

Nokia Phones Must Be Won!

ROK Comics is pleased to announce we have not one but two great competitions to tell you about – open to everyone using the ROK Comics comics-to-mobile service, so pass it on!

Both offer the chance to win a top of the range Nokia 9500 phone, worth nearly £500 ($1000 US). It’s a great mobile phone with high memory capacity, a full set of applications, and versatile network connections so you can keep in stride while on the go.

The 2008 ROK Comics Humour Competition: We’re running another Humour Competition through to 1st September 2008 after last year’s proved such a success. Any humour comic created on the ROK Comics platform – Pro or Freefall and assigned as “Fun” - qualifies for entry. The winner and runners up will be published on a special page on the ROK Comics site, just as we did last year (www.rokcomics.com/winners2007.php).
• For full details of this competition, go to www.rokcomics.com/humour_competition2008.php
The ROK and a Hard Place Competition: We’re delighted to be partnering with the Birmingham International Comic Show (www.thecomicsshow.co.uk) on this, Britain’s premiere comics event, which takes place on 4-5 October. The winner of this competition will also get free entry to the event (travel and accommodation costs not included). While it’s yet to reach the giddy heights of the incredible San Diego Comic Convention, the organisers fully expect over 4000 fans to plough through the doors and they have a terrific line up of creators to see, including the legendary Michael Golden, Hellboy artist Duncan Fegredo, Thor artist Olivier Coipel, V For Vendetta co-creator David Lloyd and Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons and many more.

Our ‘ROK and a Hard Place’ competition challenges comics creators to come up with a comic featuring a life changing moment. It could be your life changing moment or someone fictional... Even an animal or robot! What you come up with is up to you.

The theme was the idea of Shane Chebsey, one of the co-runners of BICS and a long-time supporter of Britain’s huge indie comics press. We think this challenge will appeal to many creators worldwide, and we're looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

"We at BICS love the way that Rok Comics is so accessible to both creators and readers,” says Shane, “and feel that working together we can help to bring the wonderful medium of comics to a wider readership. Mobile phones are now the most widely used method of communication in the world, so it seems the perfect way to present new comics to more people than ever before".

• For full details of this competition, go to www.rokcomics.com/bics_competition2008.php • For terms and conditions of both competitions go to www.rokcomics.com/competitionTerms.php

$10,000 Mobile Comic Winner Announced

ROK Comics is pleased to announce the winner of its first $10,000 humour competition is cartoonist Steve English, for an episode of his ongoing series "Madd Science".

Runners up in the competition, which ran on ROK Comics this summer and attracted hundreds of entries, were David Hailwood and Toshiro de Smeyter for and episode of their strip "Drink Like a Fish" and Paul Eldridge, who used the ROK Comics Creator Tool to produce a strip entitled "The Secret of Stonehenge".

Steve wins the $10,000 overall prize while the runners up will receive 12 month subscription to ROK Comics.

After two rounds of short listing, thirty cartoons were considered by external judge Alan Digby, editor of the best selling British weekly comic The Beano, published by DC Thomson.

"The standard was very high, and the different approaches to a inherently restricted art form, such as the 'three picture' strip cartoon, were refreshing," commented Alan.

"I wouldn't be surprised if one of the contributors who made the shortlist managed to make a breakthrough into the world of cartooning - and it might not necessarily be the most obvious entrant who does."

"We were blown away by the huge range of entries to the competition," said ROK Comics Managing Editor John Freeman, "Especially given this is a fairly new medium for comics. But the creators have shown how easy it is for comics to evolve and reach new audiences without forgetting how to make people laugh."

Commenting on his win, Steve English (left) said: "It's fantastic. The last time I entered a cartoon competition I only won a pizza!”

"It's nice to know that when you're staring at a blank page and banging your head against a wall waiting for an idea to drop out, sometimes something lands in your lap that makes others laugh too.”

"I'm torn between cashing in the cheque and framing it as proof that I made the editor of the Beano smile... No I'm not – a framed bank receipt will do the job just fine."

Shortlisted were Ian Alexander, Josh Alves, Vicente Aviles, Mike Carey, Paul O' Connell, Rich Diesslin, Mike Flanagan (Adult Themes, filtered), Lizz Lunney, Jack Noel, Howard Priestley, David Reddick, Kennedy Rose (Adult Themes, filtered), Paul Stapleton, Super Massive Studios and Dave Windett.

Congratulations to all those who won or were shortlisted and better next time to everyone who entered. ROK Comics will be running more competitions in future.

ROK Comics Humour Competition News

30 humour strips published on ROK Comics eligible for entry into the ROK Comics $10,000 Humour Competition 2007 have now been shortlisted by the ROK Comics team for consideration by the competition's external judge.

"It was a long but enjoyable haul!" says ROK Comics Managing Editor John Freeman. "We had a huge number of huour strips that qualified for consideration, and creating the short list was very hard."

The 30 shortlisted strips are now being considered by the competition's external judge - none other than the editor of the top weekly British humour comic The Beano, Alan Digby.

ROK Comics hopes to announce the winner of the $10,000 prize and two runners up at the Birmingham International Comic Show on Saturday 13 October 2007 following the Comics and Technology panel in the afternoon.

The company is also running a separate competition especially for BICS-goers top win a top of the range Nokia phone, which will be open to any pre-registered attendee. More details on the BICS news page.

Reboot Competition

With our ROK Comics humour competition to win $10K now in its final days (and is it going to be hard to judge!), here's some news of another competition (its deadline 26 August), courtesy of Josh Roberts, who runs the terrific comics web site comicspace - if you want to track down your favourite comic creators, try here!

Vancouver-based effects company Rainmaker Entertainment is working with Zeros 2 Heroes to bring back the classic ReBoot television series. As part of this campaign, Zeros 2 Heroes will be creating a new comic based on ReBoot.

Here's the twist: the art team will be picked solely from online submissions: essentially users upload a sketch, painting, even lettering work for one of the ReBoot characters. These sketches are then voted on by the ReBoot fans, with the winners being called on to make up the art team.

So, it's an unpaid audition, but it will be a paid gig starting in September. The winner will be announced at FanExpo in Toronto on August 26th.

If you've got the time/interest, here's how to get involved:

(1) Go to www.zeros2heroes.com and join the site.
(2) The ReBoot pitches are found here (http://live.zeros2heroes.com/content/view/87/118/) - you need to be logged in.
(3) Launch the Flash viewer by clicking on any of the pitch thumbnails.
(4) Browse through the pitches and pick the CHARACTER or WORLD you think is the most interesting
(5) Upload a sketch using the UPLOAD button

If you haven't got the time to get involved in this process (or you don't really think ReBoot is your thing), no problem. But you may want to join the site anyway... Zeros 2 Heroes will be hiring a LOT of artists in the next few months to work on a number of upcoming projects.

Are You Funny Enough to win $10,000?

Just a quick reminder - ROK Comics is running a competition to win $10,000 for creating a comic strip...

Simply create or upload a humorous comic strip on www.rokcomics.com and be in with the chance to win.

GET STARTED!

1) If you haven't already, sign up to ROK Comics create your own funny comic at www.rokcomics.com

2) Create a humorous comic following the ROK Comic guidelines using the Creator Tool and categorise it as 'Fun'

3) Publish your strip as a Freefall or Pro "Fun" strip between now and 1 September 2007

4) That's it! You will have entered the competition and are in with the chance to win $10,000!

Good Luck!

• Competition Page and full terms and conditions link: http://www.rokcomics.com/competition.php

ROK Comics seeks hot talent and offers $10K Prize

Lancaster, England – JUNE 22nd 2007: ROK Comics, the UK-based online and mobile phone creative aggregator and publisher of comics and cartoons have announced a competition with a prize of $10,000 (£5,000) for the best original comic strip or cartoon published it receives between now and the end of August.

In addition, ROK are offering the winner of the prize the opportunity to feature front-and-centre online under a new section of the ROK Comics website to be called ‘HOT TALENT.’

ROK Comics is a new opportunity for publishers and creators to reach a worldwide audience who will be able to download the comics via Pay Per Download or subscription via Multi Media Messaging (MMS).

“The mobile phone is the perfect delivery vehicle for comics. The back lighting provides incredible vibrancy and the MMS presentation format we have chosen works across almost all phones and network operators” commented ROK Comics Managing Editor, John Freeman.

In addition, ROK Comics offers "FreeFall Comics" – an advanced Flash-based web service enabling anyone to create strips using their own photos along with ready-made characters and backgrounds that can be delivered to mobile and email.

With access to millions of handsets through existing Mobile Network Operator Agreements, ROK Comics can deliver digital comics straight to mobile handsets and collect revenue for doing so.

Creators publishing professionally via ROK Comics will receive 50% of the available revenue on every sale, with full access to sales statistics, viewings and more.

Publishers can also create Free Samples of strips that can be viewed online and on mobile to promote their print editions, and let fans know about them by e-mail, and provide an "Embed" of a strip, which can be posted on web sites, blog or company site.

John Freeman, a veteran of the comics and magazine world is spearheading ROK Comics, part of ROK Media. John was previously an editor for Marvel UK, Titan Magazines and a number of independent publishers. At Marvel, he edited Doctor Who Magazine and several of the company's US titles such as the best-selling Death's Head II. He was also editor of Star Trek Magazine and oversaw the launch of titles such as Star Wars Magazine, and the UK editions of Simpsons Comics.

“John and I have been looking at the potential for comics on mobile phones for some time and now, with advances in handset technology and ROK’s huge distribution network, we have finally made this a reality. We believe that this is a great mass market opportunity for creators and publishers alike. By enabling mobile delivery, syndication of their creations is now instantly possible, generating real revenue and we’re delighted to be offering this fantastic cash prize for the best original content we receive.” Said Graham Baines, CEO, ROK Media Ltd.

The £5,000 winner will be announced on the in early September.

ROK Comics is available via mobile and the web at www.rokcomics.com. ROK Media is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ROK Entertainment Group who announced in May this year they had agreed to be acquired by US publicly-listed company, CyberFund (OTC: CYFD) in a Share Exchange Agreement.