Legend of Bill Begins

ROK Comics cartoonist David Reddick has unveiled his new webcomic and labour of love, Legend of Bill.

"It's a series set in a realm of swords, sorcery and stupidity!," says David. The series centres on Bill, a man who tires of his 9 to 5 office job as a file clerk intern at the local castle. So he quits and sets out on adventures with Frank, his faithful lil’ blue dragon friend. But no one said it was going to be easy...

"Bill and Frank are a couple of characters fed up with their everyday existence and desiring something more out of life," says David. "Something I think we can all relate to in one way or another."

David Reddick is a professional cartoonist and creator who, in addition to Legend of Bill, also draws "The Trek Life" for the official Star Trek web site www.STARTREK.com, "Gene's Journal" and "Rod & Barry" for www.Roddenberry.com, and is a staff cartoonist at Paws, Inc., where he works on the Garfield comic strip (also offered in key territories via ROK Comics).

His work can also be seen worldwide in newspapers, magazines, on products and Websites for clients like CBS Studios, Paramount Pictures, Roddenberry Productions, Nickelodeon Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, New York Times UpFront, NCAA, Canson, Inc, CBSMobile, ROK Comics and Artizans Syndicate to name a few.

• New strips will be published on the Legend of Bill every Tuesday and Thursday.

Let's Hear it for Stick Man!

Malcolm Kirk has been publishing his madcap Stick Man on ROK Comics for a while now. Check out the strip via this link -- they're all free to view online and on your phone.

The strip has progressed from black and white to vivid technicolour and continues to hit my humour bone! (But I am odd). Here are just three examples...

• Check out Mal's official web site at: www.myspace.com/mal_comix

Liega Begins!

There's a new vampire story on comics to mobile service ROK Comics. You may have already seen the free sample (right), but now comics artist and writer Rodrigo Diaz Ricci has begun his fantastic looking horror tale Liegia in earnest.

Rodrigo was born in Valparaíso, Chile, in 1971 but later adopted Italian nationality. A graphic designer, after working in cartoons, publishing fanzines and comics he moved to Europe where he published covers for the Greek newspaper Eleftherotypia in Athens and for the horror and forbidden archaeology magazines produced by the publishing house Mondo Ignoto, owned by Dario Argento and Luigi Cozzi.

This year, he has published two stories (which he has both written and drawn) in the Italian comic book El Italiano (The Italian), based on the horror film Currículum by Patricio Valladares. It is currently being published by Nicola Pesce Editore.

He's working on several other projects and one of these is Liegia, now appearing on British comics to mobile service ROK Comics.

"Ligeia is about a Vampire and her cat, Edgar," Rodrigo explains. "They're evil beings who use human beings to satisfy their purposes. The first series is centred in Transylvania and is set during World War II when the Nazis' Paranormal Office sends some men after Ligeia the vampire and a faboulous treasure."

Michael Jantze goes to Cannes!

Michael Jantze, creator of the internationally-syndicated comic strip The Norm, whose outlets include ROK Comics (see www.rokcomics.com/thenorm) has had his animated short accepted into the Short Film Corner at Festival de Cannes 2008.

Mr. Lux: At Your Service, Jantze’s first animated short, will be part of the Short Film Corner at Festival de Cannes this month. The animation is a fast ride of traditional animation utilizing both pencil to paper animation and the latest in computer software.

A new character from Jantze, Mr. Lux is only happy when he delivers five-star service to his hotel guests.

Jantze’s script was brought to life by a story team consisting of himself, David Andrews and Kelly McNutt. Jantze created the layouts and designs as well as directed McNutt’s animation. Jory K. Prum provided the Sound Design and Jared Emerson-Johnson wrote and performed the Mancini-esque soundtrack. Nicole Jantze served as Executive Producer.

Michael and Nicole Jantze will be in the Short Film Corner at the Festival de Cannes between 19 and 21 May to speak with interested buyers. The four minute short can be viewed on the Cannes Short Film Corner website or at Jantze.com (www.jantze.com/animation) along with other recently finished shorts. There's also a clip on YouTube, linked below.




• In related news, Michael Jantze's The Norm web site has just had an extensive makeover: not only can you read about the character but related merchadinse and other many gems are now on offer. Check it out at www.thenorm.com

ROK Signs Roy of the Rovers

ROK Comics, a subsidiary of ROK Entertainment Group Inc. the global mobile entertainment company, is pleased to announce the addition of the legendary Roy of the Rovers comic to its stable of classic comics for mobile phones, in partnership with Egmont UK.

(To view a free sample, please visit www.rokcomics.com/royoftherovers.php)

Arguably the most famous British comics character of all, 'Roy of the Rovers' forty-year playing career began on the cover of top-selling weekly comic Tiger in September 1954. Since then, the phrase 'Roy of the Rovers stuff' has become part of the English language, regularly invoked by pundits to describe the essence of footballing dreams.

Working closely with Egmont and its Roy of the Rovers archivist Mark Towers, keeper of the official website, ROK Comics has begun its run of ROTR by serialising the 1970s story in which Roy is offered the opportunity to become England manager. Already a successful player-manager of Melchester Rovers, will he accept the demanding role?

Roy of the Rovers joins a growing number of classic and ongoing British comics being published in the ROK Comics format via www.rokcomics.com and telecom partners in countries such as China, India, Pakistan and South Africa. "British comics have been exported worldwide for decades," says ROK Comics Managing Editor John Freeman. "Now they're being exported digitally over the internet and to mobile phones!"

In addition to Roy of the Rovers, ROK is also publishing Egmont characters such as the secret agent Dredger from Action!, the classic humour strip Faceache and others.

"We're delighted to be working with Egmont on bringing their classic characters to a whole new generation," added Laurence Alexander, Group CEO of ROK “and we’re looking to score big time – home and away - with Roy on our hugely popular ROK Comics service.”

ROK Comics also has agreements with publishers such as the Daily Express (Beau Peep, Jeff Hawke and others), Look and Learn Ltd. (Robin Hood), Markosia (Dark Mists, The Lexian Chronicles) and others. Garfield, which appears in the Daily Mail and Doonesbury, which appears in The Guardian, are also being offered for download and on subscription in key territories.