The first edition of British Amateur Press Association group The Temple's digital showcase is now available online from their web site to download as a free PDF.
The 36 page magazine contains contributions from 10 members, including the likes of ROK Comics creators such as David Hailwood, Paul Harrison-Davies, Simon Mackie and Malcolm Kirk.
Inside you'll find cartoons, full strips, previews of soon to be released small press comics, work in progress, and a behind the scenes look at making a webcomic.
If you're a comic artist/writer who's interested in joining the Temple APA, then more details are available on the site (it's as simple as clicking 'join'). Although this is the first digital issue (apart from Issue 0, which is also available on the site), the Temple's been running for more than ten years now and seen a wealth of talent come and go. Everyone's welcome, from the rawest amateur to the most seasoned pro.
It's a good place to learn from each other and hone your skills, or simply draw more attention to upcoming projects.
On the weekend of Free Comics Day, we're pleased to report Issue #0 of The Temple Comic APA’s Digital Showcase is now available to download as a free PDF at templeapa.ning.com, featuring a motley collection of strips from some great indie talent.
Showcasing the work of 15 members (mostly from around the UK), this 70-page anthology highlights the diverse nature of the Amateur Press Association, containing humour, horror, slice-of-life, superhero, sci-fi and more (including content of a mature nature).
Creators include ROK Comics creators Paul Harrison-Davies, Paul Eldridge, David Hailwood, Toshiro de Smeyter and Simon Mackie and it's a fab free read!
The Temple is the UK’s longest running comic APA, having run for 12 years and 55 issues before going digital. The aim of the Temple is to learn, improve, collaborate and support each other’s comic projects. Everyone from the rawest amateur to the most seasoned professional is welcome to join.
• For more information check out templeapa.ning.com, or contact John Kirkham at sr-republic AT ntlworld.com
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!
British independent publisher Accent Press are about to launch Robots, another beast of a book in the tradition of their previous anthology, Zombies, released last year.
"This anthology is the one I always hoped we'd get around to," says co-editor Colin Mathieson. "Anyone that knows me knows that robots are my favourite science fiction concept!
"It’s all part of our profile building both in the UK and abroad," he told downthetubes, "and giving deserved exposure to the many undiscovered talents that we’ve come across on our travels.
• Robots, edited by Dave West and Colin Mathieson, with cover art by Andy Bloor, will ship in May and have its UK launch at the Bristol Comics Festival, followed by its European launch in Copenhagen at the komiks.dk festival where Accent will be making their third appearance.
The first edition of British Amateur Press Association group The Temple's digital showcase is now available online from their web site to download as a free PDF.
