Archive for the ‘book’ Category

The Sleepless Phoenix rises from a sleeping Insomniac.

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

As a fellow contributor to the Layer Zero series of books published by Insomnia Publications and artist to draw Conway by Sean Michael Wilson, now on hold, I was shocked to learn that Insomnia Publications had ‘ceased trading’. It seems the ‘team spirit’ was forgotton by the publisher.  We were not told prior to Insomnia ceasing trading.

Writers, artists, letterers, editors, friends and family members involved in these tales of wonder didn’t forget. We all knew we were part of a team; part of something bigger.

As a team we decided to rise up and continue to strive for the publication of our anthology.  And who knows?  We might witness the rise of a new way of publishing thanks to Kickstarter.  Here is your chance to become part of something big, something you can say you had a part in, pledging and helping to get these various stories from the imagination out there for others to enjoy.

HMP Temeraire: Childhood Survival (1/8)

The Sleepless Phoenix is an anthology consisting of 192 pages.  These short stories are written and drawn by a variety of writers and artists, showcasing talent around today in the independent comic publishing scene.  Some are written by teams, some individual.  All bring about their vision of what ’survival’ means to them.

HMP Temeraire: Childhood Survival (2/8)

This project reveals the diverse nature of the written imagination, of sequential art and illustrative art.  With the success of the last books under Layer Zero, these gained an excellent reputation.  The book will be published once pledges have been made to secure the necessary funding to print the book digitally and real-world.

Hansel & Grethel – © Adam R. Grose, 2010.

Over at the Kickstarter site you will be able to chose from a wide variety of pledges, ranging from a donation of $1 right up to $75 and the chance to get original prints from the book, actual artwork and signed copies of the book. I expect you will get to choose which artist you want etc… so very open indeed.
If you would like to get involved and/ or spread the word to those you know who likes reading fresh work and looking at sequential/ comic art and illustration, then the link below will forward you on. Please read through the various options available and if you can pledge, thank you. If you can’t spread the word through your friends, blogs, networks and websites. Whichever way you can help to see this book published, a big warm thank you from me and from my fellow sleepless fellows.

Click the widget above to pledge.

All profits from Survival Stories will go to the Comic Book Alliance to help them in their efforts to safeguard the rights of comics creators.

Reflections Issue Four – Out Now.

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

The new issue of ‘Reflections’ is now available!

The Winter 2010 edition features a fab colour cover by graphic novelist Adam Grose, who also gives us a graphic short story inside the magazine.

There’s fiction by Ben Tallamy, Laura Quigley and Matthew Banks, and poetry by Juliet Warry, Steve Smith, Matt Ashford, Matthew Turner, Ruth Butler and Carly Lightfoot, plus artwork by Emma-Jane Lewis.

‘Reflections’ is on sale in Exeter at Martian Records and Electric Gypsy for the price of £4.00, and by mail order from me at £4.50- email me for details. Or I’m sure I can be found in town at some point with a couple of copies in my pocket!

If you get a copy from Martian or Gypsy could you let me know so I know when to restock them- also all feedback is welcomed.

Contact me (Steve Smith) at http://www.exeterrelfections.co.uk

Portland Arts Centre: Exhibition

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Portland Arts Centre

Portland Arts Centre is having a fundraising exhibition on the 5th December 2009.

Tickets are available via the website and on the opening night (5th) which runs from 7pm – 11pm. A free glass of champagne, live music and bar will entertain you throughout the evening while you view the variety of art in the show and all for sale…

The exhibition and P. A. C. is run by Samantha and Katherine.  This contemporary art show of the year (my opinion) has a lot of art exhibiting over 70+ artists, from a variety of disciplines and will be available to view from the 6th Dec (unless you are coming on the opening night – highly recommended, as it is a chance to talk with the artists attending the night).

If you would like to print off this larger poster and put it up in your area to help advertise, this would be very much appreciated. Spread the word as this is a great opportunity to bring more art to the area and boost the creative arts for all.

If you are looking for that extra special gift for someone this Christmas Portland Arts Centre is the place to come before any where else. Painters, Sculptors, Alternative Media Artists, Photographers, Print makers, Illustrators, Book Publishers and more.

The variety of art on show is astounding and breathtaking in its scope, depth and skill with many perspectives from each artist. Walking around the huge space reveals many seascapes, sea-life, abstract art (painting and sculpture), portraiture, art experiments, figurative, landscape, sky-scape and much more…

I will write a more detailed review with pics after the opening night.

Check out the link here for more details on getting there, opening night, news and tickets. Also check the Dorset Echo this Friday/ Saturday.

From The Tomb Magazine Comic Book Reviews: 2012 Anthology

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

http://fromthetomb.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/2012-final-prayer-review/

Here is the first review of 2012 by From The Tomb Magazine.  There will be many, many more over the next 2-4 weeks.
 
Bob will also be a guest on the Paranormal Podcast with 2012 authors Marie D. Jones and Marshall Masters later this month. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes (the show will be taped on 11/23 but will probably air sometime in December or January).
 
If any of you have contacts at comic review sites or magazines, send Bob their contact info and he will try to get a copy out over the next few weeks.

Contact:  Bob Heske HEYWELL FILM SCRIPTS  www.bobheske.com

Flood Charity Comic.

Thursday, December 6th, 2007

The charity comic ‘FLOOD’ is now beginning to take shape with many writers and artists contributing to the project. I have now received many one page strips and drabbles (100 word stories) and I have begun the design for the downloadable comic.

Initially this will be available as an e-book as well as available to your mobile phone. Utilising new technologies in this 21st century, with all monies donated to the Red Cross to help victims of environmental disasters in our changing world today. This will help in cutting any possible paper use.

Later next year a printed version of the comic will be available to purchase. The advent of Print-on Demand allows us to only print those we need, rather than printing more than necessary with all profits going to the Red Cross.

Here is a list of writers and artists contributing so far;

Paul Cornell (Dr Who)
Simon Guerrier (Dr Who, Sapphire and Steel)
Tony Suleri (cosmogenesis, Technofear, 100% Biodegradable, underGROUND)
Dave Hailwood (Technofear, 100% Biodegradable)
John Freeman (ROK comics, http://www.downthetubes.net/ , Marvel UK)
Team Sputnik – Antonella Caputo/ Nick Miller (http://www.teamsputnik.co.uk/)
Adam R. Grose (http://www.clownpress.com/, cosmogenesis, The Prison, underGROUND)
Leonie O Moore (http://www.lomoore.com/)
Simon Mackie (http://www.chiakimackie.f2s.com/)
Toshiro De Smeyter
Bill Storie
Tom Milson (http://www.tommilsom.com/)
Dave West (http://www.accentukcomics.com/)
Ben Womack
Jeremy Briggs

More special announcements soon….

http://www.clownpress.com/
adgros@hotmail.com

Flood Charity Comic.

Thursday, December 6th, 2007

The charity comic ‘FLOOD’ is now beginning to take shape with many writers and artists contributing to the project. I have now received many one page strips and drabbles (100 word stories) and I have begun the design for the downloadable comic.

Initially this will be available as an e-book as well as available to your mobile phone. Utilising new technologies in this 21st century, with all monies donated to the Red Cross to help victims of environmental disasters in our changing world today. This will help in cutting any possible paper use.

Later next year a printed version of the comic will be available to purchase. The advent of Print-on Demand allows us to only print those we need, rather than printing more than necessary with all profits going to the Red Cross.

Here is a list of writers and artists contributing so far;

Paul Cornell (Dr Who)
Simon Guerrier (Dr Who, Sapphire and Steel)
Tony Suleri (cosmogenesis, Technofear, 100% Biodegradable, underGROUND)
Dave Hailwood (Technofear, 100% Biodegradable)
John Freeman (ROK comics, http://www.downthetubes.net/ , Marvel UK)
Team Sputnik – Antonella Caputo/ Nick Miller (http://www.teamsputnik.co.uk/)
Adam R. Grose (http://www.clownpress.com/, cosmogenesis, The Prison, underGROUND)
Leonie O Moore (http://www.lomoore.com/)
Simon Mackie (http://www.chiakimackie.f2s.com/)
Toshiro De Smeyter
Bill Storie
Tom Milson (http://www.tommilsom.com/)
Dave West (http://www.accentukcomics.com/)
Ben Womack
Jeremy Briggs

More special announcements soon….

http://www.clownpress.com/
adgros@hotmail.com

Cosmogenesis update and preview art.

Thursday, August 2nd, 2007

After many weeks of checking the latest proof copy of ‘cosmogenesis‘, I am nearing the end of checking the grammar and re-writes. I can see why so many people work on a comic book now; considering all the jobs which need to be done. Yet all of these have been done by myself. I will be glad to get back to doing some drawing, after not having done any for the last seven weeks.

I would like to share with you all some preview pages from the cosmogenesis book, something to wet your appetites in readiness to its release. I have also been negotiating with Waterstones and Gardners distributors, getting all that is required to get my books into the bookstores.

BACKGROUND

For most of you who will be visiting these pages, this will be the first time you have come across my story. So I will take this opportunity to share with you the plot outline (I shall write up a full synopsis later this week).

The story is set within another time and place, in a galaxy not so far removed from our own, yet resides in a higher dimensional reality. The premiss comes from an idea that there are many civilisations out there in the milky way, yet we can not see them, because our reality is on a lower plane of vibration.

As we approach higher vibrational frequency, through the natural evolution of the galaxy, we begin to become aware of other Species and Civilisations which inhabit the same space. We have waited for our DNA to evolve, switching on and tuning in; opening up our ‘minds’ to other frequencies of light and understanding.

Light carries image and image is information. As new light is entering our reality (photons) during our current age, so the rate of information is therefore increasing. Our awareness of the greater design is also expanding into new realms of thought.

I had begun to compose a theory, through research acquired over the years, looking at Myths and Legends and how these ideas found their way into our classic stories and comic books based on Mysticism, Alchemy, Wicca, Spiritualism, Shamanism, Buddhism and other concepts from the East (these began to show relationships between what the scientists were understanding and what mystics and shamans had already revealed).

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Judge Dredd.

Modern myths played out from the ancient times.

In 1997 a book called ‘Fingerprints of the Gods’ by Graham Hancock expanded my mind to other possibilities about our Universe and how history may not be the way it was taught in school and on tell-a-vision.

Could our Uni-verse be evolving into a Multi-verse?

Other books began to follow, which I read with an open mind;

  • The Hermetica – Thoth
  • The Twelfth Planet – Z. Sitchen
  • Hall of the Gods – Nigel Appleby
  • Mayan Prophecies – Maurice Cotterell

  • Tutankhamen Prophecies – Maurice Cotterell

  • The Holographic Universe – Michael Talbot
  • Robots Rebellion – David Icke

  • Worlds in Collision – Velikovsy
  • The Bible
  • The Quran
  • The Crystal Skulls
  • Hamlets Mill
  • Hero of with a Thousand Faces – Joseph Campbell

    and many more.

Hamlets Mill revealed that many of our Myths and Legends retain information passed down through the ages, from generation to generation, preserving scientific knowledge of events that happened in the ancient past for future generations to understand and be(a)ware of.

IN THE BEGINNING…

In 1998 I had a phone call from Tony wondering if I would like to write a story. I took up the challenge and began the construction of the cosmogenesis saga. I knew it would be an epic story and in effect, creating a sci-fi mythological tale. I began in earnest, working from some designs sent to me from Tony, involving a Simian. I liked the idea of the protagonist being an ape, considering that I have always believed Humans were born from Homo-Erectus apes. No missing links here. One day early ape-woman gave birth to the modern Homo-Sapiens through the manipulation of DNA (From energies/ frequencies of the Universe). This was to be one of the main plot lines of the story. I planned out the story, spliting it into six parts, then I began constructing the first book and drawing out all the layouts to ‘The Skull of Muluc‘.

The layouts were then passed onto Tony to draw up as the finished artwork. I then disappeared around the world for an eight month journey, visiting many of the places I had read about.

THE CHRONICLES OF QUONGOPlotline.

The whole story reveals a galaxy coming to the end of a great cycle of time. A time which would bring about a shift in consciousness in each individual and bring about the return of ‘Those of Many.’

Like many myths, my story involved a prophecy, foretold to reveal that an alternative future would come about, bringing balance to the United Realms of Nom-Yakk.

This would play out over a time period of a few years in the six books, and Quongo, our protagonist, would become more aware of himself and who he is as the series developed. He would eventually fight against an old enemy, Kazair, returning his spirit back to the Godhead Kai-Dai, an Androgyny. This concept is borrowed from many ancient belief systems including Indian and Greek.

During the course of the story, many characters would play their part in the Grand Design, fulfilling and helping to complete the cycle. Through the characters Spinkey, Agourus, Susu, Guardian Lord Ahau, Princess Imix, Quongo would become aware of his role. Each believed they were in control of their own lives and intent, that they had choice, when in reality they were fulfilling Kai-Dai’s plan for the evolution of the galaxy and the bringing together of the various dimensions of reality.

Something the Mayans believe will happen at some future date.

The first book was published in 2001. I had gone to the Bristol Comic Convention, held at the Watershed, hoping to find a table to place my book on. At the time I didn’t know how to go about getting a table. In the end, I was a little cheeky. By the entrance into the room with all the big industry publishers I found a load of cardboard boxes, all folded neatly. I made them up and constructed a table out of them, placing the books on there. To my surprise I began to sell quite a few that day.

Finally, Tony and I had created a story that was now being bought and read by many who came that day. This gave me the confidence that there was an audience out there for independent books.

I began the follow up books ‘Bloodlines’, ‘The Sword of Xian’, ‘Armageddon’, ‘The Shadow Falls’ and ‘Rebirth’, refining the story as it evolved over the next five years, bringing each book out each subsequent year.

During this time, thanks to the growing Internet and learning all that I needed to know about desktop publishing, building a network of friends within the Independent and Small Press community, I have witnessed the Small Press communities exponential growth each year.

Since 2001, Clown Press has been making and selling books and over the last six years we have seen the ‘cosmogenesis‘ story reach its conclusion and seeing it become one complete book, as originally intended.

The series has received many reviews over the years, especially from Redeye Magazine, set up by Barry Renshaw from Engine comics. Having so much backing from Barry and Shane Chebney, who have tirelessly been promoting the Independent and small press community over the last seven years have helped many of us reach a wider audience. Promoting learning, sharing and bringing comics to the wider community. Long may it all continue!

Join me next week for part two, where I shall talk more about ‘cosmogenesis‘, the future of Clown Press and our Twentieth Anniversary (1987 -2007).

Thank you

Ad. x

Cosmogenesis update and preview art.

Thursday, August 2nd, 2007

After many weeks of checking the latest proof copy of ‘cosmogenesis‘, I am nearing the end of checking the grammar and re-writes. I can see why so many people work on a comic book now; considering all the jobs which need to be done. Yet all of these have been done by myself. I will be glad to get back to doing some drawing, after not having done any for the last seven weeks.

I would like to share with you all some preview pages from the cosmogenesis book, something to wet your appetites in readiness to its release. I have also been negotiating with Waterstones and Gardners distributors, getting all that is required to get my books into the bookstores.

BACKGROUND

For most of you who will be visiting these pages, this will be the first time you have come across my story. So I will take this opportunity to share with you the plot outline (I shall write up a full synopsis later this week).

The story is set within another time and place, in a galaxy not so far removed from our own, yet resides in a higher dimensional reality. The premiss comes from an idea that there are many civilisations out there in the milky way, yet we can not see them, because our reality is on a lower plane of vibration.

As we approach higher vibrational frequency, through the natural evolution of the galaxy, we begin to become aware of other Species and Civilisations which inhabit the same space. We have waited for our DNA to evolve, switching on and tuning in; opening up our ‘minds’ to other frequencies of light and understanding.

Light carries image and image is information. As new light is entering our reality (photons) during our current age, so the rate of information is therefore increasing. Our awareness of the greater design is also expanding into new realms of thought.

I had begun to compose a theory, through research acquired over the years, looking at Myths and Legends and how these ideas found their way into our classic stories and comic books based on Mysticism, Alchemy, Wicca, Spiritualism, Shamanism, Buddhism and other concepts from the East (these began to show relationships between what the scientists were understanding and what mystics and shamans had already revealed).

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Judge Dredd.

Modern myths played out from the ancient times.

In 1997 a book called ‘Fingerprints of the Gods’ by Graham Hancock expanded my mind to other possibilities about our Universe and how history may not be the way it was taught in school and on tell-a-vision.

Could our Uni-verse be evolving into a Multi-verse?

Other books began to follow, which I read with an open mind;

  • The Hermetica – Thoth
  • The Twelfth Planet – Z. Sitchen
  • Hall of the Gods – Nigel Appleby
  • Mayan Prophecies – Maurice Cotterell

  • Tutankhamen Prophecies – Maurice Cotterell

  • The Holographic Universe – Michael Talbot
  • Robots Rebellion – David Icke

  • Worlds in Collision – Velikovsy
  • The Bible
  • The Quran
  • The Crystal Skulls
  • Hamlets Mill
  • Hero of with a Thousand Faces – Joseph Campbell

    and many more.

Hamlets Mill revealed that many of our Myths and Legends retain information passed down through the ages, from generation to generation, preserving scientific knowledge of events that happened in the ancient past for future generations to understand and be(a)ware of.

IN THE BEGINNING…

In 1998 I had a phone call from Tony wondering if I would like to write a story. I took up the challenge and began the construction of the cosmogenesis saga. I knew it would be an epic story and in effect, creating a sci-fi mythological tale. I began in earnest, working from some designs sent to me from Tony, involving a Simian. I liked the idea of the protagonist being an ape, considering that I have always believed Humans were born from Homo-Erectus apes. No missing links here. One day early ape-woman gave birth to the modern Homo-Sapiens through the manipulation of DNA (From energies/ frequencies of the Universe). This was to be one of the main plot lines of the story. I planned out the story, spliting it into six parts, then I began constructing the first book and drawing out all the layouts to ‘The Skull of Muluc‘.

The layouts were then passed onto Tony to draw up as the finished artwork. I then disappeared around the world for an eight month journey, visiting many of the places I had read about.

THE CHRONICLES OF QUONGOPlotline.

The whole story reveals a galaxy coming to the end of a great cycle of time. A time which would bring about a shift in consciousness in each individual and bring about the return of ‘Those of Many.’

Like many myths, my story involved a prophecy, foretold to reveal that an alternative future would come about, bringing balance to the United Realms of Nom-Yakk.

This would play out over a time period of a few years in the six books, and Quongo, our protagonist, would become more aware of himself and who he is as the series developed. He would eventually fight against an old enemy, Kazair, returning his spirit back to the Godhead Kai-Dai, an Androgyny. This concept is borrowed from many ancient belief systems including Indian and Greek.

During the course of the story, many characters would play their part in the Grand Design, fulfilling and helping to complete the cycle. Through the characters Spinkey, Agourus, Susu, Guardian Lord Ahau, Princess Imix, Quongo would become aware of his role. Each believed they were in control of their own lives and intent, that they had choice, when in reality they were fulfilling Kai-Dai’s plan for the evolution of the galaxy and the bringing together of the various dimensions of reality.

Something the Mayans believe will happen at some future date.

The first book was published in 2001. I had gone to the Bristol Comic Convention, held at the Watershed, hoping to find a table to place my book on. At the time I didn’t know how to go about getting a table. In the end, I was a little cheeky. By the entrance into the room with all the big industry publishers I found a load of cardboard boxes, all folded neatly. I made them up and constructed a table out of them, placing the books on there. To my surprise I began to sell quite a few that day.

Finally, Tony and I had created a story that was now being bought and read by many who came that day. This gave me the confidence that there was an audience out there for independent books.

I began the follow up books ‘Bloodlines’, ‘The Sword of Xian’, ‘Armageddon’, ‘The Shadow Falls’ and ‘Rebirth’, refining the story as it evolved over the next five years, bringing each book out each subsequent year.

During this time, thanks to the growing Internet and learning all that I needed to know about desktop publishing, building a network of friends within the Independent and Small Press community, I have witnessed the Small Press communities exponential growth each year.

Since 2001, Clown Press has been making and selling books and over the last six years we have seen the ‘cosmogenesis‘ story reach its conclusion and seeing it become one complete book, as originally intended.

The series has received many reviews over the years, especially from Redeye Magazine, set up by Barry Renshaw from Engine comics. Having so much backing from Barry and Shane Chebney, who have tirelessly been promoting the Independent and small press community over the last seven years have helped many of us reach a wider audience. Promoting learning, sharing and bringing comics to the wider community. Long may it all continue!

Join me next week for part two, where I shall talk more about ‘cosmogenesis‘, the future of Clown Press and our Twentieth Anniversary (1987 -2007).

Thank you

Ad. x