Birmingham MCM Comic Con 2016

 

Thanks to everyone at Birmingham MCM Comic Con this weekend! I had a good time hanging out in the comic village! My next event will be the InZine Fair #5 - a free event in Coventry on Saturday 26th March 2016. I wont be taking the drawing folder or full merchandise to this one but I will still have free mini comics to hand out! Thanks!

The gig sketches are from a great little event I went to in Digbeth. There was a film screening of Whiplash and live jazz music by Jonathan Silk (drums), Richard Foote (trombone), Stella Roberts (piano), Sean Gibbs (trumpet), Tom Bunting (bass) & Toby Boalch (saxophone). More information about Nadafilm events on facebook. (more gig sketches on my music blog)

New Drumsticks and Tumblr Webcomic Site

Black Like My Heart & Giant Rhinos drumsticks are now available to order online on my Etsy shop - £9 (plus post and package)


I recently launched a new webcomic called Misc Fits - a series of slice of life short stories. I’ve been uploading pages simultaneously to various webcomic sites - and because some of you prefer reading through tumblr, when Giant Rhinos In Space chapter 4 launches (hopefully in November) I would like to be able to post full pages onto tumblr - www.giantrhinos.tumblr.com  over the next couple of weeks pages from chapters 1-3 will upload twice daily ready for new pages. It's a good opportunity to reread or catch up with the story! 

You can still follow through Tapastic/Smack Jeeves if you prefer those sites. I will continue to post previews and links from blogger, facebook and twitter.

I have 2 conventions left this season - comics, drumsticks, plectrums and more!

• LEEDS - Thought Bubble - Table 59A, Royal Armouries Hall
• BIRMINGHAM - MCM Comic Con - Table TBC, Comic Village!

I’m going to be taking FREE MINI COMICS to both events. Please don’t hesitate - if you would like a comic and I’ve missed handing you one, just casually ask me for a business card.

Annie and the Tectonic Plates

I designed a new fictional gig poster to take to Manchester MCM Comic Con at the end of July. My table will be somewhere in the Comic Village :)

They should be available to order though Etsy in a couple of weeks time.
www.etsy.com/shop/sammyborras

I have a couple ideas for some new mini comics and zines to take to the show, so keep an eye out for news about that. Chapter 4 will probably start going online in the autumn - thanks for you patience!
Sammy

Birmingham MCM Comic Con March 2015

 

 

Thank you to everyone who came by our table at Birmingham MCM Comic Con. I was sharing with petitecreme this time, her perfect bound graphic novels made my comics and zines look super scruffy.

The lyrics in the autobio comic are from Courtney Barnett’s debut album ‘Sometimes i sit and think, sometimes i just sit’ (out today!)

Greenbelt Gig Sketches and Webcomic News

I went to Greenbelt Festival last weekend and did some gig sketches while I was there. Sketches in order of appearance: The Hackney Colliery Band, Stonoway, Levi Hummon, Dizraeli and the Small gods and Ellie Rose. The Rising sketch features Martyn Joseph, Rory Butler, Heather Hind and Chris T-T.

Giant Rhinos In Space is currently on a chapter break so I can work on other exciting projects such as music zines and mini comics. But it turned out that August was a exciting and busy time for commissions. This has pushed back the starting point for chapter 3. I'm not going to make any promises to when it will return because I don't want to rush and sacrifice quality. Sorry for the delay.

 Dizraeli and the Small Gods with The Beatbox Collective - Never Mind

I thought I'd share some of my favourite music from the festival.

Webcomic Update Friday 6th June 2014

http://giantrhinos.smackjeeves.com/comics/1962338/chapter-2-page-45/
Giant Rhinos In Space webcomic just updated. Click the link to read 2 new pages! Thank you :)

Gorillaz - Stylo

I'm organising a Gorillaz Fanzine to take to Manchester MCM Comic Con. There is roughly a month until the deadline. The full call for submissions can be found on tumblr or facebook

Honeyblood and Courtney Barnett Gig Sketches

I went to see Courtney Barnett and the Courtney Barnetts on their UK tour in May. They were supported by Honeyblood who were also great! There is a super cool interactive zine on Courtney Barnett's website.

Courtney Barnett - Avant Gardener

Chapter 2 launch

http://giantrhinos.smackjeeves.com/comics/1934931/chapter-2-page-31/

The first 5 pages of Giant Rhinos In Space chapter 2 have just been published online. 3 pages will then be uploaded at 12noon (GMT) every Friday. You can also now follow the comic on Ink Blazers if you prefer.

You can find Giant Rhinos In Space reminders and extras through the following networking sites

Giant Rhinos In Space on Blogger

Giant Rhinos In Space on Tumblr

Giant Rhinos In Space on Facebook

Giant Rhinos In Space on Ink Blazers

Twitter

I can also now confirm Sarah Fogg and I will have a table at Thought Bubble! So here is the updated list of confirmed comics events!

BCExpo - 10th-11th May 2014 London MCM Comic Con - 23rd-25th May 2014 Manchester MCM Comic Con - 19th-20th July 2014 LICAF Comics Clock Tower - 17th-19th October 2014 Thought Bubble - 15th-16th November 2014 True Believers Comic Festival - 7th February 2015 More events TBC

It's Free Comic Book Day this Saturday! So get to your local comic shop and they're bound to have something going on!

 The Bookshop Band - A Shop With Books In

Thanks for reading!
Sammy

Pip

Pip is a lot of fun to draw. I try to draw her in the most comfortable clothes I can think of because that matches her opinions and personality. She usually ends up looking like a festival attendee.

The Heat by Jungle

When I'm drawing at home I listen to a lot of podcasts and radio. If I hear a song on BBC6Music I really love I write it on the side or back of my drawings to look up on the internet later. This drawing has a note for 'Crueler Kind by San Fermin' but I can't find a steaming site with that particular track. (I'll try and link it in a later post if I ever find it) This is Jungle instead, one of my favourite bands from the Sound of 2014 list. I really love music videos that feature dancing.

Don't forget Giant Rhinos In Space is launching at 12noon (GMT) on Friday 31st January 2014!

Christmas 2013

Happy Christmas from Pip and Annie!

Bellowhead - Christmas Bells

Everything Everything and Ghost Poet Gig Sketches

I went to see Everything Everything play in birmingham last Friday night. The 2 support acts were great. These first sketches are of Outfit. It's very odd drawing from above, I had a good seat on the balcony.

Dutch Uncles were really great! I loved their dancing and xylophone thing (could've been a marimba or glockenspiel or something, I've not been able to find out). 

Everything Everything had very bright stage lights, so I wasn't able to draw them. 

Dutch Uncles - Flexxin

Last night I was able to see Ghostpoet play live. Mt. Wolf were the support act. There is a band member missing because I ran out of space on the page.

I regret not finishing this sketch with the rest of the band members. It was a small enough gig to see them all.

Ghostpoet - Liiines 

Pip Outfit Change

There's 3 scene changes in Zines In Space. So Pip and Annie get to have outfit changes! I thought Pip looked extra cool with the cap to cover her tired-from-party eyes.

Bag Boy by Pixies

I like shouting along to this song when it comes on the playlist. But I always get the shouting order mixed up. 

Tearfund Cafe Gig Sketches 2013

Daughters of David were the Tearfund Cafe house band (sorry I can't find a link?), so there is more sketches of them because we saw them a couple of times. There's also sketches of Trinity from the Netherlands (they know how to get a room dancing).  Then gospel group Divine Divine from London.

I was also working on the comic while I was away, so I have some stuff to post about that in the week.

Mikayla and Melissa from Music For Sleeping Children by Boom Bip & Charlie White

Comic playlist song! Zines In Space is about 2 best friends, so some of the songs on the playlists are on the theme of friendship. Music For Sleeping Children is a music video project which starts with recordings of interviews with teenagers.

Stella Arena 2011/2013

This is the first page from a short story comic that I am working on over the summer. It's been a lot of fun trying to improve some of the older designs I created in 2011. I decided to make this smaller project partly because I really liked the story idea and partly so I could practice drawing the aliens and their environment before starting again on the longer story.

 

 

At the end of my university course in 2011, I printed a dummy book of the first Giant Rhinos In Space chapter. This photo is a nice comparison of the changes I made recently. I think in the dummy comic their world is explained verbally in dialogue and I'm hoping the new design is a stronger visual description.

 Immunity by Jon Hopkins

I made a playlist for when I am drawing this new comic. It's over 2 hours long so I will just post some of the songs that really fit the theme of the comic the most. This song by Jon Hopkins was one of my main inspirations for writing this short story. I don't think it really is a recording of a photocopier as the beat but the song is just beautiful. When I first heard it on the radio I had to find it straight away. The vocals are provided by King Creosote and if you liked listening to the song I highly recommend their joint album Diamond Mine.

Blur 2012

I went to see Blur last week with Sarah. It was amazing. I saw them at Wolverhampton Civic Hall in 2009 and was very glad that they were doing 'warm up' gigs there again. We couldn't see Graham Coxon well because the random seats we got were on the left balcony and Dave Rowntree was mostly silhouetted by the lights. I chose not to draw all the way through, but Sarah drew a lot more sketches and you can see them on her blog.

These sketches are of the warm up band called The Bots. They only have 2 band members and we couldn't see the drummer because of the balcony blocking the view again. They were a really energetic band and barely stood still to draw! I liked their amps being on a little train so they could wheel them off quickly between bands.The drum kit we could see is Blur's, as well as Damon's megaphone and many bottles of water.

Blur - Coffee and TV

I found it quite hard to pick just one song to post here. I've posted a video on this blog directed by Hammer and Tongs before. I think they've made some great ones.

Manchester MCM Expo 2012

This is the stuff I had printed early to take to Manchester MCM Expo this saturday. I'll be on the Inspired Comics table in the Comics Village. I'll be taking anthologies and zines created by the group as well as some of my own comics. We will have some brand new free comics to hand out too!

Terry and Julie

Giant Rhinos - Steve, Terry and Carl.

Julie and Terry

Ray Davies & Damon Albarn - Waterloo Sunset

Sarah dared me to post this live version in the post with Terry and Julie. I do name a lot of characters after songs but Terry was originally named after something else.

Lot 105

Annie with her band. Jack on drums, Tracy on Keyboard and Louise on bass.

 

 U900 - Twist and Shout

I thought about posting a couple of different songs before remembering that this would be perfect. It's everyones favourite crocheted ukulele duo, U900!

Lilly

I'm pleased with this illustration so I'm going to skip my upload plan and post it now. Her name is Lilly but I don't want to tell you any more about her because of the risk of spoiling the comic.

I buy a lot of my CDs second hand because its cheaper and I usually don't mind waiting until I eventually find an album at a good price. Theres a couple of little sketches from the Adam and Joe Show all about CD's that I wanted to share but I can't find any of the specific clips in high quality to post. But you can watch any episode online through 4OD. I recommend the first episode of vinyl justice - you can skip forward to the middle of the episode, just after the advert break.

The Wannadies - Big Fan

I love the music video for this song, it was really low budget but works really well 

Kerry

 

Kerry is in the fictional band called Black Like My Heart with her best friend Wayne. You can read more comics about them on the mini comics page. I like drawing these long faced goth characters, these are Kerry's cousins.

Black Like My Heart can't afford as many different outfits as they would like or the instruments they really want. Kerry would love to own a Keytar, because she really loves style over sound quality.

Cat's Eyes - I'm Not Stupid

Black Like My Heart's main outfits is obviously a reference to My Chemical Romance's Black Parade. But this song is probably my favourite emo song. I quite like how over the top it gets at the most heightened points of the song. It also beautifully produced and nice to listen to regardless of the content. 'Never Trust a Happy Song' almost fits.