This Sunday, 22nd June, we’re venturing south of the river for The Literary Kitchen Festival at the Peckham Pelican, 92 Peckham Road, London, SE15 5PY. This week-long literary extravaganza culminates in a Journal and Imprints Fair on Sunday, 11am-4pm, showcasing some of the country’s finest independent presses, literary journals and creative writing enterprises. SelfMadeHero will be there, alongside And Other Stories, Quick Fictions, Influx Press, and many more.
What’s more, at 5pm, three of the UK’s finest comics artists – Steven Appleby (The Good Inn), ILYA (Room For Love) and Oscar Zarate (The Park) – will take to the stage to discuss graphic novels with Steve Walsh, bookseller at Gosh! Comics and co-presenter of the South London Hardcore podcast. The event also takes place at the Peckham Pelican and entry is completely free. Find out more here.
Following his appearance at the amazing launch event at the British Library a week ago, Steven Appleby will will be signing copies of The Good Inn at Gosh! Comics on Tuesday 17th June, from 7pm.
The Good Inn, released last week, is co-authored by Pixies frontman Black Francis and biographer and screenwriter Josh Frank.
Based on a yet-to-be-written soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t yet exist, The Good Inn weaves together two historical events: the explosion on the battleship Iéna at the French port of Toulon and the making of La Bonne Auberge, the earliest known pornographic film. Illustrated throughout by Steven Appleby, the novel combines fact and fiction to recreate this lost piece of history.
You’ll know Steven Appleby from his work for The Guardian, and as the artist behind many brilliant books. He also contributed artwork for the Pixies album Trompe Le Monde. He’ll be signing from 7-9pm at Gosh! Comics, 1 Berwick Street, W1F 0DR. There’ll be free beer, wonderful company, and a limited edition book plate available exclusively at Gosh!
Check out our flickr stream to see some photos from the launch event at the British Library.
It’s that time of year again: we’re slipping on our tight jeans, waxing our moustaches and riding our fixed-wheel bikes to trendy East London for ELCAF. This year we have no less than seven – yes, seven! – amazing creators in tow: John Aggs (Ricky Rouse Has A Gun), I. N. J. Culbard (Celeste), Mark Stafford & David Hine (The Man Who Laughs), Oscar Zarate (The Park), ILYA (Room For Love) and Rob Davis (The Complete Don Quixote). What’s more, there’ll be exclusive better-than-Amazon discounts on every one of our books.
Debuting at ELCAF is the beautiful, gold-foiled hardback edition of Jörg Tittel & John Aggs’ Ricky Rouse Has A Gun. John Aggs will be signing copies from 11am-1pm, and you’ll be able to pick it up for just £20 (RRP 24.99). Read about this mad, bad and brilliant book here.
I. N. J. Culbard will be signing copies of his much-praised first original graphic novel, Celeste, throughout the day.
In the morning, Mark Stafford and David Hine will be around to sign copies of their British Comic Award-nominated adaptation of Victor Hugo’s The Man Who Laughs. Oscar Zarate, creator of The Park, will be around in the afternoon (from 2.30pm), as will Room For Love author ILYA.
Double 2014 Eisner nominee Rob Davis, creator of The Complete Don Quixote, will also be around in the afternoon. Ask him about his upcoming graphic novel, The Motherless Oven. (It’s incredible.)
ELCAF takes place on Saturday 14th June at The Oval Space, London E2 9DT, 10am-7pm. See what else is going on here.
On Thursday this week, 12th June, we’re releasing a limited edition hardback of Ricky Rouse Has A Gun by Jörg Tittel and John Aggs, a stunning, brilliant and utterly bonkers graphic novel set in a knockoff Disney theme park. Find it in a comic shop near you, or order it online.
THE STORY SO FAR
You may have heard of him already, Ricky Rouse. He’s the rip-off rodent, as loveable as he is original, who starred in that memorable music video that featured a brand new track by UNKLE’s James Lavelle. Haven’t seen it? Do:
You may even have infringed SelfMadeHero’s copyright – shame on you! – by downloading the first 33 pages as part of the BitTorrent Bundle offered up by militant anti-piracy campaigners Rickyleaks.org. They did this to damage the book’s reputation – just, they say, as Ricky Rouse Has A Gun damages the property of the Hollywood creatives whose boundless creativity has brought joy to the lives of so many for so long. It didn’t work.
After hundreds of thousands of downloads, the first 33 pages of Ricky Rouse Has A Gun might be disseminated beyond the point of (digital) retrieval, but we’re bringing it to you in a format no pirate can touch: a handsomely produced, beautifully bound, gold-foiled hardback. It is a thing of beauty only the most ruthless criminal would attempt to steal. (N.B., Ricky leaks.org: we have notified the country’s comic shops that additional security may be required.)
Set in a knockoff Disney theme park, this original graphic novel is a relentless action comedy, a satire of US-China relations, and a parody of Western entertainment. It follows the story of Rick Rouse, a US army deserter who takes a job at Fengxian Amusement Park, a family destination heavily “inspired” by Western culture, featuring Rambi (the deer with the red headband), Ratman (the caped crusader with a rat’s tail), Bumbo (small ears, big behind), and other original characters. But when American terrorists take the entire park hostage, only Ricky Rouse can save the day. In a furry costume. Ricky Rouse Has a Gun takes a curious look at China – a country that, once we look past its often outrageous copyright infringements, is a culture ripe with innovation and a unique, courageous spirit. The book features an introduction by Christopher Sprigman, Professor of Law at New York University and author of The Knockoff Economy: How Imitation Sparks Innovation.
“One big heap of fun.” — Forbidden Planet International
“Looks set to be huge” — Comic Review (Comic Heroes)
This weekend, the Stoke Newington Literary Festival sees a whole load of brilliant events take place in north-east London, with guests including Ray Davies, Lynn Barber and Mark Kermode. What’s more, there’s plenty to amuse graphic novel and cartoon fans as well.
Living and Loving in London: Oscar Zarate & ILYA, Saturday 7th June, 2.30pm, Stoke Newington Library Gallery
With compelling subtlety and sharp observation, two seasoned graphic novelists record and reflect the realities of urban relationships and the longing for belonging. The Park is Oscar Zarate’s first full-length solo fiction and recounts the repercussions and reprisals sparked by an incident involving a dog on his beloved Hampstead Heath. ILYA’s Room For Love captures complex interconnections across age and class divides between a novelist with writer’s block and a teenage runaway. The event will be chaired by Alex Fitch, presenter of Panel Borders on Resonance FM.
For more info and to book tickets, click here.
Steven Appleby in conversation with Martin Rowson, Saturday 7th June, 4pm, Stoke Newington Library Gallery
Guardian cartoonist Steven Appleby talks about his latest book, The Good Inn. Co-written by Pixies frontman Black Francis and writer Josh Frank, it is an illustrated novel about art, conflict and the origins of cinema. He speaks alongside political cartoonist Martin Rowson, whose bitingly satirical work from the era of coalition will be collected into a handsome printed volume by SelfMadeHero in September. They discuss their latest work and their different approaches to cartooning.
Books will be on sale from the wonderful Stoke Newington Book Shop. It will be your first chance to get your hands on The Good Inn, which doesn’t reach shops until next week!
