That's it. I've finally gven up the very expensive hobby of printing a hard copy magazine for small press creators. It was a lot of work, and not that many people seemed interested, so now INCOMING will continue as an online magazine type thing.

To be honest I can't beieve I didn't think of it sooner. I think I just thought people wanted a print mag, but sales had dwindled down to only about 100 copies by the time I printed the last one, and what with all my other comics commitments INCOMING was way too much work and money.

I am now looking forward to having fun with the new online version though. I already have some great interviews lined up, and there are lots of reviews to go on soon.

Hopefully I'll also have more time to write on this blog now too.

We'll see.

CHEBBO

HEY!

Yeah it's been a while I know.

I've been so busy with the comics show I'm helping to organise in Birmingham I've had no time to write anything in my blogs.

The past 3 months that we've spent putting this huge event together has been a real education. I've enjoyed it so much, but at the same time it's been very taxing for all of us. It's prctically taken over our lives. All this commitment for just a two day event is quite scary really, as it could all be for nothing. But we are feeling very positive right now!

Finally everything has started to fall into place: We have an amazing international guest list, and a very impressive collection of Publishers, retailers and creators exhibiting. The events timetable is now completed and includes some very original events that no show has ever done before.

We're doing things very differently and the show is very experimental, so we hope visitors and exhibitors alike get everything they want from the event and we will be very greatful for any feedback from those who attended once the show is over, as we plan an even bigger event for next year.

hopefully see you there

Shane

Went to see Underworld Evolution last night, and I must say, my first impression after leaving the theatre was one of disapointment (although not as bad as when I heard the latest House of Love Album - Oh my God, how can a band that made Shine On and Safe produce such meandering pap).

The qualaties that lifted the first film above it's faults were not there with this oh so not scary sequel. The chemistry between Scott Speedman and Kate Beckinsale was gone. Even the long awaited love scene was a passionless set piece only made easier by the female leads stunning body (wow) and I'm sure the girls will appreciate Scotts butt shots too.

Ok, so now onto the plot:

The first movie was made interesting by it's depth of history, and the mystery that surrounded the origins of the Vampires and Lycans. Therefore, revealing a little of this history would seem like a good idea in the sequal. However, it seems the writer never heard the expression less is more.

We find out too much, and too easily, without any tension or build up.

Finally, you'd expect a more recent movie to have better visual effects, but the CGI monsters in this installment hold no power on the screen, unlike the previous combinations of actors in suits, animatronics and CGI featured in the first movie.

It's almost as if the film has no relation to the original, and although I may grow to feel less hatred for this movie as I watch it more, I'm affriad it's pretty inevitable that a franchise with great potential has been killed in it's prime...In other words the've dropped a highlander on this one.

How sad.

Hey...it's been a while!

Went to Caption last weekend and had a fantastic time. I took my son, James, along to his first ever comic convention. Now some people may think that a Small press comics thing may not be the best place to take a 10 year old, but they'd be wrong. The people are so friendly, and the organisers were really kind, and watched James while I participated in talks, and socialized in the bar.

James was happy as larry and spent mos of the days drawing at the tables provided. This is one of the wonderful things about Caption - you can sit and draw all day if you like. This year I didn't do a smallzone table, so even I had a chance to jion in on the many comic jams that were being passed around. Dave Ballie and I had great fun coming up with totaly daft punchlines to stories started by the likes of Dave Goodman and Terry Wiley.

On the Saturday night I took James to see FANTASTIC 4 at the local cinema. It's actually a really entertaining movie, but sadly misses out all the science fiction elements of the story, and stick with pure super heroics.

Thankfully the family bickering elements are still prominent, so a sequel could be even more impressive if the science fiction elements are brought in.

The Coming of Galacus would seem to be the obvious and most exciting choice. We'll see.

On the Sunday, near the end of the convention, the organisers held a panel in search of the next comittee to run Caption 2006. It's gonna be in good hands too.

Jay and Selina from Factor Fiction are among those involved.

 So this wasn't the last CAPTION after all, but certainly the end of and era. A huge thank you to Ruth, Alex, and the rest of the crew, and all the gophers for making the last few Captions so entertaining and fun.

Hi all,

Went to see the new Sarah Michelle Gellar Movie, The Grudge yesterday.

I love oriental ghost story films, so I was very attratcted to this, as it was set in Japan, not like many other remakes, and was directed by the original directer. Also producer - Sam Raimi has a reputation for integrity.

The plot is pretty mundane and unoriginal, the acting is little above the expected norm.

However the thing that makes this movie a future cult classic is the wonderful direction. The shocks are few, but they really do make you jump. Also some of the imigary is pure spine chilling. Gellar plays 'the girl out of place' really well, and Toyko is filmed beautifuly if a little sinister. In fact the city really is a character in the movie. The visual style is dark and un spectacular which really warmed me to this film, it pulls you in and makes you jump. There's no excess gore, the viewers own imagination is left to it's own devices with a few chilling images to feed your fear.

As I said the story is nothing special, it's all been done before, but not very often this well.

Smallzone may be closed due to work being done by the Gas people, but I can still do posts from my sister's PC, so here goes:

Well, over the last few weeks I've been to two major comics conventions, had food poisoning at the first, and had a poor turnout at the second.

I won't go into to details, but at the Wintercon in London on October the 23rd, I simply wasn't able to sell many comics due to being de-hydrated and extremely tired. Thank god for Barry Renshaw and Leon Hewitt for their pain killers and bottled water. Cheers guys.

The day wasn't a dead loss, I did manage to cover my costs, but compared to last year's event it was very dissappointing.

Undetered last saturday I attended the Bristol Comics Expo.

The turn out was similar to a small comic mart, but there were some great people there, and the chatting was good. Met up with James form Portent Comics and his beautiful girlfriend Keely (is that how it's spelt James?) who are both really friendly, genuine people.

Spent a while chatting to Andy Richmond who bought loads of comics from me, so bought himself lots of chat time. Andy is a top bloke, and a fellow small press champion.

Also met Paul Grist, who kindly signed my Jack Staff graphic novels. (If you're not buying this comic, I advise you to, it's bloody brilliant).

The only real dissapointment was that the much hyped Eagle awards were cancelled, and this was the first time I bothered to attend. Bloody typical!

Went to see The Hellboy Movie yesterday (on my own 'cause no one would go with me, none of my mates are into comics, so they'd never heard of the character.)

To be honest it was everything I expected in most ways. Perleman was perfectly cast, and his performance through all that make up and prosthetics was impressive. Abe Sapien looked about as cool as anything I've ever seen on the screen, and Mike Mignolas influence on the final product is evident. The Movie retains the whit and ookyness of the comics, and the actio sequences were fluid and convincing, if a little watered down thanks to a 12a certificate. I don't think a more brutal cert 18 would have done the film any harm business wise. There were only about 15 other people in the cinema with me, and about 8 of those were 18 - 20 year old brain donors who couldn't keep quiet, and never appreciated anything in the movie other than the fighting.

I don't think this movie will be a big hit, it's too original for the general public, and the hero's a demon, not an American, although he does have the accent.

Also the one thing I found was missing was emotion. Sure there was the love story between Hellboy and Liz Sherman, and a great male bonding scene involving how to properly light a cigar in the bowels of Russia, but when the general audience expects the big heart tugging moments, the scrip doesn't deliver. (Personally I hate mush, but I do like to care about characters a little more than this).

Other than that, I think the movie rocks,and it treats the source material with great respect and never hams it up like Daredevil or Spiderman did and Hellboy fans will make sure it's a Cult classic, but I wouldn't hold my breath for a sequal, although I'd love to be wrong about that.

Hi all,

The reason I've not posted an entry for a while is that my dial up connection is now that bad that I can hardly type a sentance without being cut off.

Out here in the Shropshire country side we won't be getting broadband until July 2005, so it may be a while bfore my next post.

However, I will continue to try.

Since my last post I've been to see Spidey 2, The Bourne Supremacy and I Robot, which were all good fun, but not that inspiring. From the three, I think I enjoyed Spidey most, simply due to the wonderful spidey moments (eg on the train scene when he's caught by the crowd). What can I say, I'll always be a Spidey fan, even when I stop reading the comics (which I had to for years during that awful Spider Clone crossover and other such terrible runs of shite stories in the nineties.

Anyway, I only have a small amount of time before I'm sure to lose my connection, so I'm off for now, hopefully back soon.

Yes, I know, it's been ages since my last post, but I've been so very busy at work. But now - at last- I have an afternoon off, and the sun is shining for once.

I'm currently working on a cartoon strip that may be published in a newspaper, or even syndicated. It's all hush hush at the moment, but I'm very hopeful. I've also got a few portraits on the go. I'd love to scan them onto my website, but they're just too big.

Making lots of headway in getting small press comics into shops. This could be the year everything changes for self publishers. I can feel it in my bones.

Just heard the new Morrisey single on Radio 1 and it's brilliant. It makes me feel like good pop music isn't dead yet, even though I was convinced it was terminal. The King is back!

Anyway, time is short so I must go for now.

Now I'm really pissed off, I just posted a really cool entry, with a huge review of powers, and mentions of COMICS 2004 last weekend, it took me about 20 minures to type it. And then Fuckin Bravenet crashes on me when I try to add a bloody Smily at the end, and I lose the lot. ARRRGH! (SORRY BRAVENET GUYS, YOUR GREAT REALLY DON'T CUT ME OFF) : )

Any way, I'll have another go:

Went to COMICS 2004 last weekend, and met up with some new publishers and some old friends. Had a great time, and I'm sorry it went so fast. Bristol's a cool city, and I always find the people friendly and layed back.

Just finnished reading the entire current run of SUPREME POWER and it's pretty good. The inking lets the book down, and the fact that the story's so similar to RISING STARS in many ways, but as whole I'm enjoying the series. I'll be interested to see if JMS sees this one through, and doesn't run out of steam like he did on Rising Stars.

By far the best superhero book around is the excellent POWERS. If you're not reading it, then go get a book now! It's miles better than Daredevil, The Ulitmates or any X titles. The last stroyline was pure genius, and the characters are brilliant. And I'm not talking about fucking cool costumes or wicked powers (although those are included as a bonus) I'm taliking about 3 dimensional, believable characters, that we care about, and can empathise with. Characters who speak like real people, and have a sense of history, and a sense of humour.

Ok I'll stop my rant now. At the end of the day, you'll either dig it or you won't. But if you really have to waste your money on any superhero book, then waste it on a POWERS tpb. You won't regret it.

Hopefully going to the cinema in the next few days, so you'll hear from me soon I promise

(does anyone actually read this shite?)