January's pub meet - NEW VENUE!

The 6th of January is the first first Thursday of the month of the year, which means its time for comic creating people to gather for drinks and craic. We've outgrown the Garrick, and requests for suggestions have not produced much response, so I've decided to unilaterally move us to the Cloth Ear, attached to the Merchant Hotel on Waring Street, which is bigger and spacier. And they have a cabinet full of Star Wars figures in the gents, so they're not averse to geek custom. Hope to see as many of you as possible there. Why not visit the Event page on Facebook and invite your friends?

Christmas Comics

Talesofthe.com is running a series of Christmas Comics with a creepy twist from local creators. Kevin 'Gio' Logue and Stephen Downey have contributed comics, with Andrew Croskery's 'You'd Better Watch Out' just published on the site this week.

Next Sunday, the 26th December also promises a final collaborative tale from Mal Coney and local horror writer Wayne Simmons.

NVTV are producing a documentary on the Belfast comics scene

shooting late January to early February. While it's mostly written I'm open to featuring creators and other readers I've not borne in mind. If you'd like to be involved, tell me why: go on get in contact with myself,

New PJ Holden series in the Megazine

Belfast's own PJ Holden announces on his blog that he's got a new series, Numbercruncher, co-created with writer Simon Spurrier, starting in the Judge Dredd Megazine issue 306 in the new year. It's about a dead mathematician trying to game the process of reincarnation to be reunited with the woman he loves, and a bailiff sent by the Karmic Accountancy to stop him. Here's a preview at Si's blog, and some promotional art from the Megazine:

Steve Bell at the Out To Lunch Arts Festival

At lunchtime on Friday 7 January, as part of the Out To Lunch Arts Festival, the Guardian's political cartoonist Steve Bell will appearing be at the Black Box. It's £5.50, lunch included, and you can book online. He's the guy who drew John Major with his underpants outside his trousers, George Bush as a chimp, reduced Tony Blair to a man staring eye and a grin, and he's about the only decent thing in the Guardian these days. Here's an absolute gem from back when Bush's first election was still being sorted out...