Au revoir, mon ami!

Well, 'tis the night before a comic Christmas for 1000 lucky kids across Liverpool and the surrounding 'burbs as we Etheringtons head up-country for four days of workshop shenanigans, book signings and giggles aplenty.

After last September's mini tour we're a little better prepared for the experience and now cannot wait to share our brand new Comic Cookery Workshop with schools and libraries and teachers and parents and tons and tons of excitable young creators.

We'll be offline till the weekend but shall return with news and pics and all the usual gubbins.

Till then, two quick bits of news:

(1) The Cardiff Comic Expo was superb and we cannot wait to see next years event grow into a two-day show. A big thanks to everyone involved in putting together such a great day and a BIGGER thanks to all you guys who came down to meet, greet and chat.

(2) This weeks Dandy may have an accidental reprint of Yore! but it has the very first episode of my new comic strip, Tag Team Tastic, with Warwick Johnson-Cadwell on art duties. We're in a winner-takes-all competition with three other tasty strips so please pick up a copy and check it out. We'd like your vote!

See you soon!

Don't worry - YORE not going mad!

Regular Dandy readers will be afflicted this week by a sudden overwhelming bout of Déjà vu. Arriving at the YORE page, their eyes will NOT alight on a new episode in the ongoing adventures of Piggy, Doombar and Elfin. Instead they will be given another chance to appreciate last week's escapade.

It appears that a pack of rabid gremlins (no doubt insulted by Piggy during a Quest) have managed to infiltrate the Dandy headquarters and chucked a sequential spanner in the works.

We've now caught the blighters and given them all a good smack on the bottom and normal Questing will resume on the 10th March.

If you're yet to pick up an issue, then ignore everything I've said and grab your copy this Wednesday!

Bloggin'...

Had to drop in and show you this super-fine piccie by long-time Etherington buddy The7Artist7 over on Concept Art!

As he describes it: "This is just about what my face looks like when visiting this thread!".
If you look very closely you can even see the Baggage cover on the screen! Awesome! Cheers bro!!!

Lorenzo!

New mini series starts in the Dandy today!

Well, what a lot of things I have to tell you about! First up, of course, it's Wednesday, and that can only mean one thing - it's Dandy day!

This week's issue features another 44 pages of pure comicy delight, including the third instalment of YORE!

While you're eating a bag of sweets and enjoying this week's adventure with Piggy, Doombar and Elfin, here's an exclusive little peek at some artwork from a future epiode...

However, the fun doesn't stop there, as this week also sees the beginning of a series of very special mind-bending puzzle pages from the imagination of yours truly, which will hopefully befuddle and confuse in equal measure! The series is called Professor Popalop, and will run for 6 weeks or so. In the spirit of always showing you something a little exclusive, here's some art from the series which will appear in the comic soooooon...

And all that wasn't enough, next week sees the launch of Robin and WJC's awesome...

Whoop!

Lorenzo!

It's a funny old Web World ... and a Baggage Bargain!

So, you've made something - maybe it's a book, maybe an album. Perhaps you've fashioned an Elvis wig from your own bellybutton fluff. It doesn't matter. You've MADE something. And then you release it into the wild to be consumed (hopefully) by the entertained masses. But how far can your creation travel?

Well, today's little gem reveals that Monkey Nuts: The Diamond Egg of Wonders is available from the Lawyerment bookshop. This is a website that describes itself as:

"...Malaysia's premier and leading web portal in providing a broad array of self-help legal guides to consumers and businesses globally. It is a super useful site at a comprehensive gateway to legal resources."

Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.
Bit odd, but if Sid and Rivet's adventures help the international legal community, well ... who are WE to argue.

In other (more sane) news, BAGGAGE is currently available for pre-order via amazon for the cheap-as-a-portion-of-chips-from-a-posh-chippy price of only £6.69.

Go book your place on the Graphic Novel train of adventure - today!

How Red is YOUR nose?

Ah, Red Nose Day ... that annual opportunity to make an absolute nit of yourself in the name of charity (as opposed to every other day when we all make nits of ourselves for free.)

I know we're a little early here - the big day being 18th March - but I'm ready to start the ball rolling.






















Ahem. Nuff said. Oh, and I do have front teeth by the way. Honest.

Anyway, it's an extra special Red Nose Day this year as Comic Relief has a MONSTER theme! Regular Etherington readers will know we have a bit of a 'thing' for monstrous critters so I was delighted when my dear wife brought home my very own HONKUS.  Three different nosey varieties can be found in your nearest Sainsbury's, Oxfam branch or via the online store - Honkus, Chucklechomp (glasses) and Captain Conk.

Here they are in a wine glass. Just coz.

There are a million and one things you can do to raise money, individually, in groups and at school, and Teachers can get there hands on a wealth of free resources HERE! 

But Red Nose Day is also about having fun and this year see's the launch of the Little Monster Noses' Academy of Fun, which is every bit as excellent as it sounds. Kids can have an absolute blast exploring the site and can keep the fun going by ordering their own free Monster Book of Fun Fundraising kit HERE!

Now go forth, my friends - buy a nose, spread some cheer and help make a difference!

20% Off our Giant 600 page sketchbok until 21st Feb!

Hey folks! Yep, it's been a while, but we're doing it again! From now until the 21st Feb we're offering you 20% off the mighty 600 page El Sketchbook Lorenzo Deluxe Collection! This book has been one of our best-sellers every month since publication last year, and some of you have been kind enough to drop me a few lines to let me know you've enjoyed it, for which I thank you so much! Please have a read on the image attatched of a few testimonials from guys and girls who have already taken the plunge and picked up the book!


You can also get this saving off our lovely 320 page Malcolm Magic comic book - the one that started it all! Simply GO HERE, choose the books you want and enter the code "HAPPYUK" at checkout to make your lovely big saving!

Oh, and don't forget, we're going to be appearing at the Cardiff Comics Expo on the 26th  of this month! Details HERE!

You're welcome!

Lorenzo!

Etheringtons invade Scribbler Magazine!

We love Scribbler. But what's not to love about a quarterly magazine for kids (aged between 7-11) who love to draw and write and read? Absolutely nothing, that's what.

Better still, the good folks at Scribbler seem to quite like us!

If you are lucky enough to already have a subscription to this fantastic activity-packed magazine, then you will have just received Issue 42 and spent a pleasant afternoon pouring over the Guest Author interview, featuring us Etherington Brothers in all our daft glory.

It's a monstrous four-page segment (we're not greedy, we've just got lots to talk about) and features a bonus guide to creating awesome monsters and a competition in which five lucky readers can win a copy of Monkey Nuts: The Diamond Egg of Wonders.

We simply cannot recommend the magazine enough (they asked some really, really good questions) and for only £12 for an annual 4-issue subscription it really is fantastic value for money.

You can find all the details HERE.

So go on - spoil your kids!

It's Dandy Day!

Yes yes! This week's Dandy comes out today and BOY! What a monster! A whopping 44 pages of comic goodness, including epsiode 2 of YORE! Whoop!

Add to that no less than SIX pages of the incomparable Jamie Smart's glorious comic goodness, along with strips by Nik Holmes, Andy Fanton, Wilbur Dawbarn, Lew Stringer  and Nigel Parkinson, and you have yourself a serious bundle of goodness! To celebrate the launch of the new issue, here's some previews of environments and character concepts for episode 13 of YORE! Enjoy!

Back to School with a Blast!

Recently we had the great pleasure of visiting the Bristol Grammar School and holding a workshop with 140 year 7 students and their teachers. Here we are in action.
The camera can be so cruel when you're caught in the middle of a sentence...

It was a fantastic day and it gave me good pause to think about the school experience in wider terms. A lot has been written about the education system and many notable individuals have added their own thoughts, some supportive, some negative and some just amusing. A good example of the latter comes from the pen of American author, Walter Percy:

"You can get all A's and still flunk life."

Wise words, Walt, wise words. But my absolute favourite (serious) quotation, and one we Etheringtons try our very hardest to live up to, was coined by famed 20th Century poet, William Butler Yeats:

"Education is not filling a pail but the lighting of a fire."

If you want children to pass exams they have to learn FACTS. This we know. But if you want to light the fire of inspiration, well ... that can be far harder. One great way in which schools seem to be really embracing this ideal however, is through their visitor programme.

Sportsmen and sportswomen, artists, authors, musicians and more are invited to talk to small and large groups, and share their experiences. We were delighted to be invited by Lucy Shepherd to host a workshop at BGS and, judging from the photos below, I think it's fair to say everyone had a good time!

It is with immense pride that we share our creative process and use our experiences to encourage students of all ages to think about their work in new, exciting ways.

If you would like to know more about our school workshops and maybe even book us in for a visit (we want to spread the good word far and wide) simply drop us a line at: theetheringtonbrothers@hotmail.co.uk.

Burn the Behemoth!

Valentine's Day not your thing? Fear not - we Etherington's have the answer and solution to your every entertainment need. If romance is not on the cards then why not indulge in a little harmless lightsaber action. And don't try and tell me Star Wars is not your thing ... I simply won't hear it!

Yes, it's a brand new Etherington penned, Clone Wars comic strip adventure, set deep in the outer rim. The powerful iron city of Thousand Thousand has survived countless conflicts without assistance - so what new threat could cause its inhabitants to cower in fear?

Discover all the answers by picking up an action-packed copy from your latest newsagent TODAY!

Everything's better with YOU

Happy Valentine's Day! A little piccie to start the week for my wonderful girl, who continues to be my best friend and my greatest inspiration. I love you, baby!
x
Lorenzo!

Baggage Cover Revealed!

Happy Friday, comic fans!

We've something VERY special to share today. A little bonus charge to energise that already electric end-of-week feeling.

Amazon have just updated the full profile for our forthcoming graphic novel, Baggage, which is due for release in October. And best of all - you can now wrap your eyes around the book cover in all its Lorenzo glory!

Looks pretty, right? But what's it all about?

Here's the Amazon lowdown to get your mind tingling:

"Baggage tells the tale of Randall, a happy-go-lucky but disaster-prone lost property officer working for the Tram service, deep in the heart of Triptych City. After a particularly destructive incident, his weary boss presents him with an impossible ultimatum. Either he locates the owner of the oldest item stored in the immense lost property warehouse by the end of the day, or he's out of a job. So begins an adventurous journey through a wondrous city. Randall's enquiries attract a myriad of bizarre, often amusing, and sometimes dangerous characters. Clues are uncovered where and when he least expects them, and help arrives from the strangest of quarters. But wherever Randall goes, trouble is sure to follow. Will he succeed in his impossible mission? And even if he does, just how much of the city will be left standing?"

The book is available for PRE-ORDER now!

We'll be talking a lot more about the book, the launch and the new tour later in the year, but for now, settle back and just enjoy that cover ... hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

A Good Group Blog...

Just wanted to point you in the direction of The Super Comics Adventure Squad blog, as it's an awesome group blog frequented by some seriously top creators from the DFC and beyond, where you can comment and discuss a multitude of quality offerings by some of the best creators in the UK today! Click the logo above to go check it out!

Cardiff Comics Expo in two weeks!

Just to remind all you comic-lovers that the Cardiff Comic Expo is a matter of weeks away! We'll be there on Saturday 26th of this month, along with a ton of other awesome creators, be sure to come along, and bring your friends! More details HERE!

Hey, hey...

... and there are MANY reasons to celebrate!

Jamie Smart - all round top gent and comic guru - has put together a list of 6 reasons why you should pop out and treat yourself to a copy of the oldest running children's comic in the world (that's not one of the reasons ... just an interesting fact).

Read Jamie's list of cool, HERE!

And Andy Fanton - fellow comic whizkid and chipper chap - has blogged his own tasty preview of this weeks offering.

Go HERE to see Andy's pick of the pack!

YORE! Begins in just THREE days' Time!

Yes, 'tis true! YORE! launches with episode 1 in the Dandy this week! Whoop! Wednesday the 9th you'll be able to go into your local newsagent and join us for the beginning of our brand new series!

Let's celebrate with a few more glimpses at some environments, a little rant from PIGGY, and a taster of some of the incidental characters who crop up...

Save our Libraries Day - this Saturday!

As some of you may be aware, the UK is currently suffering from an ongoing recession and spiraling national debt. One of the saddest repercussions of the Governments extreme debt collection plan is a HUGE reduction in council spending. This has brought about a proposal to close a large, large, LARGE number of public libraries across the country.

This would be an unforgivably, irreversibly bad thing. They will never reopen.

Libraries are a free access point to education, literacy and communication for all. They offer a service that is all-inclusive and benefits all ages. At a time when literacy levels are plummeting across the UK, it would be criminal to kneecap one of our last great resources for the written word.

AGH - WHAT CAN I DO? I hear you scream in astonishment (glad to hear you're on board!)

As much or as little as you like! CILIP (the chartered institute of library and information professionals) have put together a great list of activities that take you between 2 minutes and half an hour to complete, and will seriously help the cause to save our libraries. From tweeting and writing to your MP, to simply going in to your nearest library and taking out a book, every little helps. Go HERE to find out more!

OH YEAH, AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING, ETHERINGTONS? I hear you wryly ask (and rightfully too)

As part of our year long GO NUTS tour Lorenzo and I are trying to work with as many schools and libraries as possible, in order to help promote the potential of the service. In April we'll be visiting Chesterfield Library for a full day of workshops and in May we'll be holding another full day of events with Birmingham council at their Young Readers event. If any libraries are interested in hosting future Etherington events, please just drop us a line.

So tomorrow, when you're out and about, take a moment to pop into your local library (if you're passing one) and tell those hard working staff that they are appreciated. Trust me, we'll all miss 'em when they're gone.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW AND DO!

YORE! Begins WEDNESDAY 9th FEBRUARY!

That's right! If you have a copy of this week's Dandy you'll see in the bottom left hand corner of the inside back page a little ad to let you know that next week YORE! launches as a weekly strip! More on this next week, obviously!

Lorenzo!

Many, many, many happy returns....

Today is a rarity ... it is without exception the ONLY time you will not find Lorenzo glued to his desk, scribbling away (well, okay, Christmas is an exception ... and ... er ... anytime we're on the road I suppose ... um ... and whenever we go to the cinema ... okay so there are LOTS of exceptions but stay with me on this!)

Yes, today is a very special day, for it marks the anniversary (many years ago) when my life irreversibly changed for the better. I was three years old at the time and largely concerned with trying to eat anything that wasn't nailed down. I didn't really understand the importance of Mum's words as she explained that I now had a little brother. That didn't matter however as Lorenzo entered my life with the force of a cannonball fired through a castle wall made of matchsticks. He was a wind-up, dribbling ball of laughter who loved chocolate, Lego and passing the blame for his unending mishaps in and around the home.

We were great friends back then, when we didn't even really know why, and we're incredible friends now.

Happy Birthday, buddy! Now put down those pencils and let's make it a good 'un!