Follow Friday – Big Punch Studios
Posted by Rich - 9th October 2015
Today’s Follow Friday is comics collective and all-around awesome people Big Punch Studios!
Big Punch Studios are a group of writers, artists, illustrators, designers and videographers. Made up of collaborators Nich Angell, Lucy Brown, Jon Lock and Alice White, the team have a passion for dynamic, inspired storytelling and quality content.
Individually, the team are responsible for a number of fantastic standalone series, including 7STRING and Afterlife, Inc., as well as popular webcomic Cat & Meringue.
Their first collaboration together was Big Punch Magazine, a quarterly collection of new comics from all of their standalone universes, as well as new realms The Wall, Orb and Cuckoos. Launched at the start of this year, they are currently on their third issue, but you can still purchase all of their issues on their Comicsy store.
However, their latest project is a hilarious card game based on the art of professional sandwich making, which is being funded on Kickstarter.
Named Sandwich Masters, this game involves 4 players attempting to produce quality foodstuffs to order for the general public, but with the added hiccup of every other player trying their best to foul up your sandwich with horrific ingredients, plagues of rats and unscrupulous health inspectors. Here’s a video they produced that explains how it’s played:
The Kickstarter for Sandwich Masters finishes next Wednesday, the 15th of October, so you’d better get your skates on if you want to get in on the high-gluten action! Click here to support Sandwich Masters on Kickstarter!
You can find out more about Big Punch Studios, as well as purchase their comics on their website, bigpunchstudios.com. You can also follow them on Facebook ( /bigpunchstudios ) and on Twitter ( @bigpunchstudios ).
Follow Friday is our weekly featurette where we highlight people and sites we think are worth following. Take a look at our past suggestions here.
Coming up on TGE: October 2015
Posted by Rich - 5th October 2015
Coming up in October on The Great Escape:
Wednesday 7th October – Camp GenX Part 5 – Farley and Cat return to the camp with the drifters they met on the road. Will Alice be able to help Holly get through her pregnancy? A new installment of our ongoing YA adventure series.
Wednesday 14th October – Breakout: Should you ‘Fix It In Post’? – In the fifth episode of the Breakout podcast series, join Rich, Mark, Chrissey, Ben and Felek as they discuss the benefits of pitfalls with the idea of ‘fixing it in post’ (making a decision on a film set to correct a problem in the post-production phase).
Wednesday 21st October – Gabriel Cushing at the Carnival Of Sorrows – Update – find out all about our latest big project, on going since early 2014 and now progressing into it’s final phase. We have behind the scenes pictures and announcements here on TGE.
Wednesday 28th October – Faith Healers: The Flesh Angel – a new instalment in our continuing tale of the nephilim nurses’ investigation of the mysterious flesh crafter. Read the story from the beginning.
Catch new installments of our web comic, Business Bear, from comic creator Kristian Griffiths, on Thursday 8th and Thursday 22nd October.
Friday Follows – every Friday we’ll be featuring a site, service or person we think is worth following. Check out our past suggestions here.
Monday is News day – Every Monday our blog will feature news and updates from the worlds of indie films, fiction and comics.
Follow Friday: Paul Cornell
Posted by Chrissey Harrison - 2nd October 2015
Today’s Follow Friday features novelist and comic writer Paul Cornell.
“Paul Cornell is a writer of science fiction and fantasy in prose, comics and TV, one of only two people to be Hugo Award-nominated for all three media. He’s written Doctor Who for the BBC, Action Comics for DC, and Wolverine for Marvel. He’s won the BSFA Award for his short fiction, an Eagle Award for his comics, and shares in a Writer’s Guild Award for his television.
His latest urban fantasy novel is The Severed Streets from Tor. He lives in Gloucestershire with his wife and son.”
Paul is a regular at our local Sci-fi and Fantasy con, Bristol Con, which took place last weekend. We got a chance to hear Paul talk about his books during a great panel on the cross over between crime and Sci-fi/fantasy; an area of fiction he knows a lot about! Paul’s current series, the Shadow Police, pits London detective James Quill and team against a supernatural underworld they are unaware of and unequipped to deal with. The series starts with “London Falling” and continues in “The Severed Streets”.
What’s more, Paul also started a new podcast this year, The Cornell Collective, all about Doctor Who, Sci-fi and comics. You can subscribe through iTunes.
Follow Paul on Facebook (/PaulCornellOfficial) and Twitter (@Paul_Cornell) to keep up to date on new releases and appearances.
Follow Friday is our weekly featurette where we highlight people and sites we think are worth following. Take a look at our past suggestions here.
Follow Friday – Hellbound Media
Posted by Rich - 25th September 2015
Today’s Follow Friday features our friends and partners, horror comic publishers Hellbound Media.
Founders Mark Adams and Matt Warner are both also part of TGE and regularly contribute comics to the site.
They write most of their titles between them and draw on a network of talented illustrators to bring them to life. Their titles include action horror series Kiss Me Deadly and Faith Healers (currently serialised on TGE), the bestiality slasher fest Slaughterhouse Farm, and adventure horror Mandy and the Monster.
Monster hunter Mandy, who protects children from the monsters under the bed or in the closet, will soon be getting her own anthology of short stories! Mandy: Book of Monsters is currently funding on Kickstarter, so make sure you pop by and reserve a copy. If you’ve not encountered Mandy before, you can read a short Mandy comic and short story here on The Great Escape!
HBM have a great track record of compiling anthology comics. Their Shock Value horror anthology series is now on it’s third volume and has branched out to include illustrated short fiction as well as traditional comic stories.
This weekend they’ll be at MCM Scotland in Glasgow for the first time, so be sure to stop by their table to check out their comics. You can also ask them about Mandy: Book of Monsters and how you can support it through Kickstarter.
You can read more about Hellbound Media and order comics through their website. Like their Facebook page (/hellboundmedia) for news about upcoming releases, comic con photos and more, or follow them on Twitter (@HellboundMedia).
We’re attending BristolCon 2015!
Posted by Rich - 21st September 2015
This Saturday, the 26th of September, we’ll be attending the BristolCon Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, which is at the DoubleTree Hotel on Redcliffe Way in Bristol.
Now in its seventh year, BristolCon is run by the Bristol SciFi and Fantasy Society, and focuses more on the literature and art aspects of the speculative genres than other conventions on the matter.
With a crammed programme of panels and discussions across three rooms, plus a packed dealers room, we expect it to be a fantastic event!
In addition, The Great Escape Breakout team will be in attendance, where we hope to be recording a special episode at the convention.
Tickets to the con for non-members are £25 in advance, but that price does include a full year of membership to the Bristol Sci-Fi and Fantasy Society.
In addition, the BristolSFF Society runs a whole host of other events throughout the year, which non-members can come along to.
You can find out more about BristolCon at their website, www.bristolcon.org, and find out more about the Bristol Sci-Fi and Fantasy Society on their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/groups/15795356978/.
Follow Friday – Clevedon Tides Festival
Posted by Chrissey Harrison - 18th September 2015
Today’s Follow Friday recommendation is the Clevedon Tides Festival, our very own local festival of arts, community and the sea here in Clevedon, North Somerset.
The festival began back in 2005 as a fundraising initiative by Marlens, the group responsible for the restoration and preservation of Clevedon’s beautiful Victorian Marine lake. Now in it’s 10th year, the Tides festival has grown in size and scope to become the highlight of the year in our small town.
This year the festival will include two venues of live music, outdoor art displays, fireworks and water sports. A drive in cinema, in association with Clevedon’s historic community cinema, The Curzon, will be showing “Grease” at Salthouse Fields tonight at 8pm and The Curzon itself will be screening films all weekend, including new Disney-Pixar hit “Inside Out”.
Clevedon’s independent book shops will be getting in on the festival action. The Clevedon Community Bookshop on Copse Road will be hosting workshops on its “Writing on the Lake” anthology project, and Books on the Hill will have Pirate themed story telling on Sunday Afternoon.
To follow all the latest news during the festival, and stay in touch for next year, follow Clevedon Tides Festival on Twitter (@clevedontides) and Facebook (/clevedontides).
What’s on at Clevedon Tides Festival 2015. Click the map to find out more
Follow Friday: CreatureGeek
Posted by Rich - 4th September 2015
To finish off our month of Podcast recommendations, today our Follow Friday recommendation is CreatureGeek, the ‘Monster Makeup Show for Fans and Pros’.
Led by special effects maestro Frank Ippolito and artist/illustrator Len Peralta, and presented by the team behind Jamie & Adam Tested, CreatureGeek is a show packed with discussion, hints and tips and interviews from the people behind some of the greatest practical special effects in cinema history.
Discussing topics as diverse as the history of some famous names in special FX, animatonics, thoughts on CGI-augmented practical effects, the best make-up effects currently in film and TV, and much more, this podcast is a wealth of interesting tidbits and hints for anyone interested in the art of make-up and effects.
Previous guests on the show include Rick Lazzarini of The Character Shop, Matt Winston of the Stan Winston School of Character Arts, Michele Burke, Bill Moseley, Shannon Shea, Jim Eustermann, Todd Masters of MastersFX and many more.
Whilst they are currently between seasons, there are still hours and hours of listening to be had, with each episode on around 45 minutes long.
For more information on CreatureGeek, visit their website, creature-geek.com, or follow them on Twitter at @CreatureGeeks.
You can find CreatureGeek, along with many other podcasts (including our own) on Podbay.fm – a podcast aggregator which collects together reviews, stats and more to help you find your next podcast. In addition, they offer apps for both Android and iOS so you can listen to podcasts on the go!
Announcing the winner of our t-shirt giveaway!
Posted by Chrissey Harrison - 4th September 2015
Congratulations to Jamie Gibbs for winning our TGE Breakout t-shirt giveaway! Your brand new t-shirt will be wending it’s way to you very soon.
There’s a brand new special episode of TGE Breakout available today, featuring interviews from Melksham Comic Con. We chatted to the organisers and indie exhibitors about the con, their content, and their thoughts about bees.
The next main episode of TGE Breakout will be available on Wednesday 16th September. This fourth episode, featuring special guest Marley Hamilton, looks at the debate over working for free in the indie film industry.
Events News: September 2015
Posted by Rich - 31st August 2015
It’s almost September, and whilst the summer is winding down there are still plenty of events happening around the country. Here’s our top picks:
Film Festivals
Raindance Film Festival, London. Wednesday, September 23 – Sunday, October 4, 2015: http://raindancefestival.org/
Now in its 23rd year, Raindance is the British film festival for independent film. With a programme jam-packed with feature films, shorts, music videos and even web series, Raindance is always an event worth waiting for!
Encounters Bristol International Film Festival, Bristol. 15th-20th September 2015: http://encounters-festival.org.uk/
We may have never managed to be shortlisted whenever we’ve submitted a short, but this hasn’t stopped us shortlisting one of the biggest names in short film and animation festivals.
Filminute – The International One-Minute Film Festival, 1st-30th September 2015, Worldwide
http://www.filminute.com/
A virtual festival of ultra-short films, filminute is a rapidly growing event that always provide a whole different level of storytelling.
Fiction Events
The Festival of Writing, 2015, York. 4th-6th September 2015: http://www.writersworkshop.co.uk/FestivalofWriting2015.html
Filled with loads of how-to courses and workshops taught by writers, publishing professionals and agents, this festival is dedicated to improving your writing, as well as providing the ability to meet with agents, authors and publishers.
Wakefield Lit Fest, Wakefield. 18th-27th September 2015: http://www.wakefieldlitfest.org.uk/
Taking place around the city of Wakefield, the Lit Fest is awash with community-led events including readings, workshops, performances, music and more, as well as events run by associated organisations.
Blenheim Palace Festival of Literature, Film and Music, Woodstock, Oxford: 24th-27th September 2015: http://blenheimpalaceliteraryfestival.com/
A major event in the media calendar, the Blenheim Palace Festival has featured some big names in the past, including Philip Pullman, Roger McGough, Richard Dawkins, Julian Fellowes, and many more. This year expects to be just as grand.
Comic Conventions
International Comics Expo, The Studio, Canon Street, Birmingham. 5th September 2015. https://internationlcomicexpo.wordpress.com/
Featuring an ‘astonishing programme of panels, talks and interviews running throughout the day’, ICE is a always a welcome addition to the comic convention calendar!
ComicCity Festival, Londonderry. 12th-13th September 2015. http://www.comiccityfestival.com/
With free entry and top artists and writers from around the world in attendance, ComicCity is filled to the brim with top talent from the realms of comic and the creative arts.
NICE 2015, Bedford, 19th-20th September 2015: http://nicecon.co.uk/
Back for their 4th year, this two-day event at the Bedford Blues Rugby Ground features UK exclusive appearances from Gene Ha, Paul Renaud and Brian K Vaughan as well as many other very talented individuals from the major and independent comics scene.
BristolCon 2015
In addition, The Great Escape will be appearing at BristolCon 2015 on Saturday the 26th of September 2015.
BristolCon is the annual event run by the Bristol Sci-Fi and Fantasy Society to promote speculative fiction, art and more. Always a very friendly and intimate event and playing host to panels, workshops and kaffeclatches, we have been doing this convention for several years now and always make it part of our events calendar.
This year, BristolCon will be at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bristol, so if you’re coming along please visit us in the trader’s room!
You can find out more about BristolCon at http://www.bristolcon.org/.
Follow Friday – Reasonably Sound with Mike Rugnetta
Posted by Rich - 21st August 2015
Continuing our podcast themed Follow Fridays for August, today we’re recommending Reasonably Sound with Mike Rugnetta!
Running for just under a year, Reasonably Sound is a podcast celebrating complexities and awesomeness of audio, alongside the world surrounding noise. Not just for audiophiles, it is a self-proclaimed guide to the world of sound.
Covering such wide-ranging topics as why fireworks sound the way they do, subliminal messages, accents, why ASMR videos are so popular and the ‘sound’ of onomatopoeia in comics, the podcast hopes to make the idea of sound interesting to all, not just “sound people”.
“So many of us listen to music and (hopefully) podcasts, we use our ears every day, but our visual sense is much more developed and attuned to the world” says Mike.
The episodes vary in length between 20 and 50 minutes, and are perfect for those who have an interest in the ‘art’ and ‘substance’ of sound.
For more information on Reasonably Sound, visit the Infinite Guest website, follow them on Twitter (@reasonablysnd) or find them on Instagram (reasonablysnd).
You can find Reasonably Sound, along with many other podcasts (including our own) on Podbay.fm – a podcast aggregator which collects together reviews, stats and more to help you find your next podcast. In addition, they offer apps for both Android and iOS so you can listen to podcasts on the go!
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