16 October 2013

Dundee Comics Day 2013 to celebrate 'starblazers'

'Starblazers' - the pioneering creators of science fiction comics - will be celebrated at Dundee Comics Day 2013 later this month.

The annual event, part of the Dundee Literary Festival, takes place on Sunday 27th October, with a series of additional workshops, book signings and other sessions taking place the day before. A suitably stellar line-up of top industry talent will be appearing at this year's Comics Day, including many who have worked on publications such as Dr Who, 2000AD, Transformers and Star Wars.

'Starblazers! Creators of British Science Fiction Comics' will pay tribute to the innovative artists and writers who helped make the UK one of the world leaders in this field. The new and established talent appearing at Comics Day 2013 includes Sydney Jordan, William Rudling, John Ridgway, Ian Kennedy, Simon Fraser, Simon Furman, Andy Wildman, Tanya Roberts, Kev Hopgood, and Montynero.

'This is an important time from British science fiction,' said Dr Chris Murray, event organiser and one of the UK's foremost authorities on the subject. 'This year marks the 50th anniversary of Dr Who while 2000AD, Britain's premier science fiction comic, turned 35 last year. Many of this year's guests have worked on these titles, as well as on much-loved franchises.

'We've got a really exciting line-up coming to this year's event and there is something in store for all enthusiasts as well as aspiring comics writers and artists. Interest in comics is growing and this growing popularity will hopefully be reflected in the numbers who join us for Dundee Comics Day 2013.'

Comics Day will be preceded by a series of events in Dundee Contemporary Arts on Saturday, 26th October. A workshop will give visitors the chance to draw the famous Time Lord and design their own villain while a book signing event with Dr Who comic writers and artists and a talk on storyboarding the TV series will also take place.

Dundee is one of the great powerhouses of comics production, not just in the UK, but internationally. The publisher DC Thomson is at the heart of the city, with its long running comics, The Beano and The Dandy, and a host of beloved characters, such as Dennis the Menace, Desperate Dan, and the Bash Street Kids.

Building on this local tradition and expertise, the University of Dundee is leading the way in this emerging academic field, with modules on comics at undergraduate level and the UK's first Masters course in Comics Studies.

The Scottish Centre for Comics Studies (SCCS) is based at the University, bringing together researchers, teachers, archivists, artists and writers, industry professionals, and others involved in the promotion of Comics Studies.

Comics Day has been held annually since 2007 and has attracted some of the biggest names in the industry, including artists, historians, scholars and writers, in that time. It is designed to appeal to anyone with an interest in comics, and will be accompanied by an exhibition of comic art work. Book signings, talks and the announcement of the Dundee Comics Prize winners will also take place.

The events will be held in the D'Arcy Thompson Lecture Theatre and Baxter Suite, Tower Building, University of Dundee. More information about any of the events is available by contacting Dr Murray at c.murray@dundee.ac.uk.

To buy tickets, please visit www.literarydundee.co.uk. Tickets are also available from Literary Dundee, 6th floor, Tower Building, University of Dundee, Tel: 01382 384413. Email: literarydundee@gmail.com.

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Grant Hill
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University of Dundee
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