One Issue, Many Minds

As much as I love Black Hearted Press, I hope that they haven't placed too much confidence in me. My own insecurity notwithstanding, the panel they've lined up for tonight's discussion (along with SICBA, and Stirling Maxwell Centre at Glasgow University) represents the breadth of comic book appreciation in Scotland, from the intellectual (Dr Laurence Grove and Dr Chris Murray) through to the financial (Maria Welch from DC Thompson). And of course, the critical - I am hosting the panel.

Issue One is a response to 'the boom in comic book creators from Scotland making an impact on the world stage.' Names like Mark Millar and Grant Morrison are familiar for their tenures on the Big American Comics (Ultimates, X-Men), but there is another, dynamic comics industry - probably well explained by a quick look at BHP's catalogue - of artists and writers who are reaching wider audiences while playing a more sophisticated game. 

There are a selection (six) of questions that will focus the conversation: they concentrate on how comics are perceived and how artists can sustain a career in the industry. Perhaps the biggest battle is to insist on the legitimacy and status of the comic book: in recent years, it has become an academic concern in the UK and, as Dr Grove can point out, this only follows the trend in Europe. 

Like everyone over the age of twelve who still reads comics, another round of the 'comics grow up' headlines would make me wince - frankly, it's the journalists who write this stuff that need to grow up. But the quality of the work being produced in Scotland - in fact, even in the CCA, to give more props to BHP - grapples with ideas and content in a way that most novelists would envy.

Besides, there is an exciting pair of aims: developing a sustainable industry and aspirations of creating a National Comics Academy and Art Gallery in the unused McLellan Galleries. I want to be able to nip into an exhibition of Kirby on Sauchiehall Street... one day.

Hosted by Gareth K Vile (Theatre Editor of The List), the event is in a 'question time' format, with everyone participating, including the question panel:
Dr Laurence Grove, director, Stirling Maxwell Centre, Glasgow University
Chris Murray, lecturer, University of Dundee
Sha Nazir, art director and publisher, Black Hearted Press Ltd
Jenny Niven, portfolio manager – literature, Creative Scotland
Kevin O'Donnell, retail manager, Forbidden Planet International
Phillip Vaughn, lecturer, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art
Maria Welch, publisher (Children’s Entertainment), DC Thomson Ltd

Happy Birthday Dear Black Heart...

Although they have been sitting behind me in the CCA for mere months, Black Hearted Press are firm Vile Favourites, and are celebrating their fourth birthday. Coinciding with the official launch of Laptop Guy (issue one comes out in February, swiftly followed by issue two and three is slated for an April release, allow fans of dystopian comedy to get a monthly fix of computer-headed doppelganger fun), BHP have arranged an exhibition in Cocktails and Burgers (opposite their office on Sauchiehall Street...).

Apart from being a rare chance to see Sha Nazir and Jack Lothian in the same room (artist and writer of Laptop Guy, respectively, and sometime rumoured to be a single person, a bit like the Bi-Beast out of Hulk), BHP have arranged a plethora of artists, whom I shall now google for further details.

Dave Alexander

David Braysher

Chris Connelly

Thomas Crielly 

James Devlin

Paul Hempstead

John Howard

Morag Kewell

Jason Mathis

Sha Nazir

Will Pickering

Brian Rankin

Alex Ronald & Neil Slorance

In a more innocent time (1973), the Bi-Beast was acceptable as a name for a villain. He fought the Hulk and was designed by Herbe Trimpe (not quite Jack Kirby, but he has that muscular dynamism that made Kirby so distinctive).

However, he is not the creator of Laptop Guy. 

Jack Lothian is a film and television writer. His television credits range from Ashes to Ashes, Doc Martin and Outcasts to the new E4 ‘Beaver Falls' and Teachers, which earned him nominations for Best Writer at the BAFTAs and Best Young Writer at the Broadcast Awards.

He is currently the lead writer on Sky1 HD's upcoming drama Sinbad. This is his first year on Skins. Jack was nominated for a Best Newcomer BAFTA for his first feature film, Late Night Shopping, which won the CICAE Prize at the Berlin Film Festival.

Sha Nazir has worked in the arts and creative industry for over 15 years, running his own graphic and web design company, his clients have included the BBC, STV, Virgin and ESPN. 

A practising freelance artist and educator, Sha has created diverse range a works from Theatre set design to animation and design projects. He recently wrote and designed ‘The Amazing Mr Mackintosh’ and is working on new titles for Black Hearted Press and co producing the Glasgow Comic Con.





Other Black Hearted Press operatives are available...

Mark Boyle - Operations & Marketing Director

Mark has been a comic lover since an early age and a true follower of fantasy fiction. A passionate music lover Mark is sometimes known as DJ Muppet - a stalwart in the Glasgow and Scottish rock scene he has been part of many major music events up and down the UK and is currently using his creative digital talents in a number of projects including The Man Card Army application for Android and iOS and other application through Anubis Labs.

John Farman 
- Writer, Editor & Publisher


John has worked across a diverse range of media, including events for the SECC and Theatre productions.

He’s sold plays to BAFTA nominated ‘Mandragora Productions’, and had School of the Damned optioned to be made into a motion picture.

He is currently working on adapting scripts for comics as well as developing and building upon the School of the Damned and is the co producer of the Glasgow Comic Con. He also upset the Daily Mail with his Royal Descent mini-series.