Newcastle Stories...and that

Huzzah!

The collective will be releasing their 10th collaborative comics anthology as part of the Late Shows here in Newcastle on 17th May. We're working in collaboration with The Holy Biscuit and our anthology, as well as artwork from inside, will be part of a larger exhibition entitled 'Urban Fictions'. Because this is something of a milestone for the collective, after 7 years of awesomeness, we decided the anthology would also serve as something of a love/hate letter to the city that brought us all together. The cover was drawn by long-time Paper Jammer and all-round splendid gentleman, Gary Bainbridge and the book itself will contain strips by these lovely people:

Adam Fallows
Brett Halliwell
Brittany Coxon
CJ Reay
Duncan Watson & Nigel Maughan
Iain Milne
Ian Mayor
Jack Fallows
James Wilkinson
Kit Goode
Lucy Dorothy
Lydia Wysocki
Matt Gan
Mike Thompson
Nigel Maughan
Oscillating Brow
Paul Thompson
Sigmund Reinmann
Terry Wiley
Tom Graham

If you've submitted something but don't see your name on the list above, please get in touch with Jack at paperjamcc@gmail.com to put him right. He's had a lot of e-mails and messages across several platforms over the last few weeks and is a confused young man at the best of times.

Go comix! x

DORKS WITH GUITARS

This will be an awesome night, please tell everyone you know and come down to say hello!

Canny Comic Con 2013?

The Canny Comic Con (Newcastle's entirely free comic festival which has previously run in December 2011 and December 2012) isn't exactly happening this year, but it sort of is.

Wooooo, interesting!

First up, if you want to see a review of last year, including photos and a free download of the excellent Things We Wish We'd Known Earlier (or: How Not To Make Comics) panel, full of top comic-making tips (on mistakes everyone makes and how to avoid them!) CHECK THIS OUT.

Second, in a couple of weeks time on Saturday 7th December, instead of the usual CCC stalls, panels, workshops etc, for a change, there's going to be this:

 

The CCCCCC? Whaaaaaat? It's a big comic-making jam. Totally open to everyone of all ages and abilities, and of course it's free. More info here!

See you there!

When It's Time to Party, We Will Always Party Hard

Greetings members of the collective, casual readers and local creative types. This is my first post on here in a long time - I've been away, training to become a teacher, finding a job and surviving my NQT year. After missing only about 3 meetings in 4 years since founding the collective, I had to take a huge sabbatical and it was awful. I can only compare the feeling to a mother placing her first born in a wicker basket and floating it down the stream. However, I'm very pleased to be back in action and so awe-struck by everything that has been created while I've been away. Which, in turn, has gotten me all inspired to do something.

It's been eons since the last Paper Jam launch event, and even longer still since a launch that blew people's heads off their shoulders. We never officially launched Alcohol... And That, but it was released quite a while ago now, so I wasn't sure if that was appropriate. I thought we could create a new anthology and launch that, but then it kind of overshadows the achievements of the Alcohol anthology, which is amazing. It was a real conundrum, until I realised something: We don't need a reasonable excuse to stuff a room full of comics, cakes, beer and bands, because when is that NOT A GOOD IDEA?! And we can, of course, put the spotlight on this incredible anthology that has not been celebrated in the way it ought to while we're at it!

So I've been scoping out local venues, getting room rental prices and contacting all the talented people I know to get something together. There are a few options right now, but I want this thing to be awesome, so I have a favour to ask you, gentle reader. Please contact me (tmne_smallpress@yahoo.co.uk) if you know of any awesome and local:

- Venues
- Bands
- Comic book creators
- Cake makers
- Other stuff that may be appropriate

I want to do this in the next month or two so don't hesitate to get in touch. All suggestions, even ones that may seem obvious, will be much appreciated. If you send me a really tasty 'best-kept-secret' I'll make sure you get on the guest list and I'll buy you a pint.

Yours excitedly,
-Jack