Birmingham International Comics Show 2007
13-14th October
The Birmingham International Comics Show (BICS) is back bigger and better than ever!
With an all-star line-up of international comics celebrities plus the finest publishers and dealers around, BICS 2007 promises a jam-packed programme of extra-special events and competitions with prizes and give-aways galore.
Celebrations for historic events in the comic book world will include 30th anniversaries for 2000AD, Star Wars and Nostalgia & Comics, the 70th anniversary for The Dandy (the longest running weekly comic in Great Britain), plus the launch of brand new comics revealed for the first time over the convention weekend.
Exclusives include a rare European visit from Mike Mignola, creator of the popular Hellboy comics and films, the debut UK appearance of renowned American artist Kevin Nowlan and award presentations for the very first National Comic Art Competition.
Mike Carey, Alan Davis, Dave Gibbons and Bryan Talbot head an illustrious list of home-grown and European talent who will be signing and sketching all weekend. And fans themselves can have their work critiqued by editors from the industry.
From The X-Men to The Beano, through Batman to Judge Dredd, with old comics from when your dad was a kid to self-published books that are a hit on the current indy scene, along with comics and art from France all the way to Saudi Arabia on view and for sale, this is a show that has something for everyone no matter what their age or cultural background.
BICS 2007 will be a weekend to remember and, once more, everyone is invited to join in the comic book celebrations!
Exclusive Hellboy Cover …
For Limited Edition BICS 2007 Book!
Even more artists are signing on to attend Great Britain’s Birmingham International Comics Show (BICS) as word spreads among their peers that the popular artists who attended last year’s debut event are looking forward to returning to Birmingham on 13-14th October.
One of the highlights for BICS fans will be meeting their favourite artists to have comics signed and sketches drawn. Some of the artists prove so popular that there are often long queues. With that in mind, BICS requests fans respect that when the artists appear not to be on show-related business (like taking a lunch break) that they not be interrupted.
Many of the guests will be having their own private stands others may be taking positions at various publishers’ stands during the weekend. Plus of course, there are plenty of lively events and panel shows that artists will be involved with. Times and locations for these various activities can be found at the convention’s website. These may be subject to change and updated accordingly. Additionally BICS‘ staff will be able to advise people, alongside appropriate signage being placed throughout the venue.
For the very best in show information the Birmingham International Comics Show Showguide will become a cherished souvenir. Alongside times and locations for the many events and competitions that will be taking place, there will be exclusive features about BICS‘ guests and on comic companies celebrating anniversaries plus a very special Hellboy cover produced by BICS‘ star guests from the USA, Mike Mignola and Kevin Nowlan.
To ensure this special convention book is even more special the organisers have foresworn selling the Showguide this year and again invested their money in the people they believe count the most – the fans! Once more produced to the highest quality, it will now be in a limited edition format to ensure those who book in advance have something unique that latecomers could possibly miss out on.
The Birmingham International Comics Show Showguide will become a rare collector’s classic, and so unique that few people will want to part with their copies for sale on e-bay!
There has been a demand for family tickets from Americans and groups of fans are due in from Europe already alongside Great Britain’s hordes planning to gather for BICS 2007. Fans who don’t want to be disappointed are now advised to pre-book tickets at what is guaranteed to be a spectacular show!
Advance Sales Rush for BICS 2007!
The Birmingham International Comics Show (BICS) is proud to reveal the names of three more internationally famous comic book stars who are guaranteed to attract the crowds at the much anticipated October 13-14th 2007 event.
Alan Davis, Kevin Nowlan and Bryan Talbot are three of the most influential and popular creators working in comics today.
Alan Davis will receive a warm welcome when he returns to BICS. Fans listened enthralled to a career retrospective stage interview with the artist/writer last year as he discussed his work on such major iconic American superhero comics as Batman, The X-Men and The Fantastic Four. This year they can catch the great man sketching, signing and revealing his plans for the long-heralded return of his own Clan Destine series.
Kevin Nowlan will be making his UK debut at BICS 2007. From Moon Knight to Batman, Superman to Star Wars, onto the weirdness of Dr Strange and ingenuity of Tomorrow Stories‘ Jack B. Quick, all demonstrate why Nowlan is considered “an artist’s artistâ€. His exclusive Birmingham appearance makes this yet another BICS first!
Bryan Talbot has hit the headlines of the British national press thanks to the resounding critical and sales success of his recent Alice In Sunderland graphic novel. Back that with the long-term international success of his classic Luther Arkwright series, the imminent release of both his new Naked Artist book and Cherubs mini-series, and fans will be queuing around the block!
Eisner Award Nominees…
Coming to BICS 2007
The prestigious Eisner Comic Book Awards take place in San Diego, USA, on Friday July 27th, and the Birmingham International Comics Show (BICS) is honoured that four of this year’s nominees have already confirmed that they will be also attending its own widely-anticipated event.
The Eisners are considered the Oscars of the comic book industry and Mark Buckingham, D’Israeli, Ian Edginton and Sean Phillips form part of this year’s Brit-pack who are contenders for the American awards.
Mark Buckingham is nominated in the Best Penciller/Inker Team category, with Steve Leialoha, for the ongoing Fables comic book series, and as a contributor to Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall in the Best Anthology category, both published by Vertigo/DC.
D’Israeli and Ian Edginton are nominated together in the Best Limited Series category for Scarlet Traces: The Great Game, published by Dark Horse. Edginton is also up for the highly coveted Best Writer category.
Sean Phillips is nominated, with Ed Brubaker, in the Best New Series category for Criminal, published by Marvel Icon.
Whatever the final results they are all winners and they will all be attending the Birmingham International Comics Show on October 13-14th at the Thinktank on Millennium Point.
Background Information on some of the Artists:
Michael Collins has written and drawn everyone’s favourite time lord for Dr Who Magazine, other high-profile licensed properties including Babylon 5, Star Trek and Harry Potter, countless more popular comics including The X-Men and Batman, and was the Judge Dredd newspaper cartoonist for several years.
Mark Farmer is one of the few British creators specialising as an inking artist, he is also one of the best in the world! From The Incredible Hulk to The Fantastic Four, through to The X-Men to The Justice League, each has felt his brush stroke. He is currently inking The Clan Destine.
Dave Gibbons drew for 2000AD before America’s DC Comics snatched him up for Green Lantern. Deserved worldwide acclaim came with Watchmen and Give Me Liberty and in The Originals he redefined his creative vision as both an artist and writer. Find out what’s on his drawing board now at BICS 2007.
Staz Johnson was the Resident Superhero Expert on Channel 4’s Zero To Hero. His action-packed pencil art has featured in Robin, Batman-Aliens II, Spider-Man, Wolverine and Cable & Deadpool. He also currently draws online episodes of Heroes, the hit CBS American TV show.
Garry Leach produced the magnificent cover art that fronted Wildstorm’s recent Battler Britton comics and subsequent collection. He re-visualised Marvelman for a modern audience, brought back Warpsmith as the publisher of A1, and inked Hitman for a long healthy run, and delivered dynamite artwork within 2000AD.
John McCrea was the artist who pencilled Hitman, and is doing so again for an imminent special featuring the JLA. From his early days on the groundbreaking Troubled Souls within Crisis to his present tour of duty drawing The 99 for Kuwait’s Teshkeel, he has never shirked from portraying black humour and grim action.
Phil Winslade is adept at portraying female characters possessing powerful inner grace and outer beauty in books such as Goddess, Wonder Woman: Amazonia and Nevada. His Gotham City takes on a life of its own within Batman while his stint on Howard the Duck shows he knows not to take himself too seriously!
Charlie Adlard has been stirring things up in recent years drawing The Walking Dead at Image while remaining busy and prolific elsewhere. One new project is Le Soufflé du Wendigo for French Soliel.
Doug Braithwaite brought Justice to the printed page at DC, and previously took on Earth X over at Marvel. His skilled draughtsmanship work has been featured at many companies in America and the UK.
Nigel Dobbyn has drawn Strontium Dogs, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Billy the Cat! His versatile charismatic art has been published within 2000AD and The Beano, in newspapers, magazines, and for licensing.
Gary Erskine earned his stripes illustrating Marvel UK’s Knights of Pendragon series. Notable recent works include Star Wars, The Filth and City of Silence.
Jon Haward has contributed to such diverse anthologies as 2000AD, Warhammer, the Frank Frazetta Quarterly and Negative Burn, was the main artist on the UK’s Spectacular Spider-Man comic for several years and is currently adapting Shakespeare’s Macbeth for Classical Comics.
James Hodgkins has worked for DC’s licensing department developing Superman and Batman scenarios and characters for anything from a Monopoly board game to a tin of baked beans! He has illustrated Batman comics, inked Daredevil and Spider-Man and is now publishing his own Lass Vegas comic.
Dave Kendall paints book covers adorning horror and dark fantasy novels, he has also illustrated work for the comics 2000AD, Warhammer and Event Horizon among others.
