Next Comics Club is Tuesday 7th June

We are on a short break here at DCCS and will be back on Tuesday 7th June at 4.30pm for the first of our regular 2-hour Comics Clubs for 10-13 year olds. Wednesday 8th at 4.30pm will be for 14-17 year olds, and Thursday 9th at 4.30pm for 10-17 year olds.

During the break we will hosting a workshop at Dundee Design Festival on Saturday 28th May at 10 am, click the link for details.

We are currently putting together a digital comic of the strips created in the last sessions but in the meantime here is a ‘comics mash-up’ taster from all the comics.

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After-school Comics Clubs launching Tuesday 1st March

Are you an aspiring artist or writer who dreams of creating the next Desperate Dan, Ms Marvel, or Jake and Finn from Adventure Time? Then come along to Dundee Comics Creative Space next week for the launch of our after-school Comic Clubs!

The first Comic Club will take place at the DCCS workshop studio in the Vision Building, Greenmarket, from 4.30-6.30pm on Tuesday, 1st March. The Club will take place each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The workshops are free and open to all, whether you are an artist, writer or simply interested in learning about comics, and regardless of previous experience. All materials will be provided. Tuesday’s club is aimed at 10-13-year-olds, and Wednesday’s is for 14-17-year-olds, while each Thursday will be a book club night where all participants are invited to bring along comics to discuss.

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Comics Club participants can work on projects with the in-house comics experts or on their own creations with help from the team. The first 10-week block of workshops will see the youngsters work towards a publication and exhibition of the comics created in the space.

DCCS Coordinator Damon Herd said, “Comics can be about anything – space battles, superheroes, fantasy, even journalism and true life stories. We welcome all styles of comics here at DCCS.”

DCCS02 Dave Gibbons

 

Watchmen co-creator, and DCCS patron, Dave Gibbons said at a preview event “From the time I was seven years old I just wanted to do comics. If I’d had access to people who knew how to do comics, and were happy to share the knowledge with me, I think I would have got into the business a lot quicker!” That’s what we are trying to create at DCCS – somewhere that young people can be inspired and helped to follow their passion and realise their talent.

Art Director Phillip Vaughan added, “We have a really exciting team of facilitators working in the space and they are keen to start working with young comics creators in the community, and to welcome anyone with an interest in comics.”

Contact Damon Herd at d.herd@dundee.ac.uk for more information.

 

DCCS OPEN DAY

Friday 12th February
12-4pm

Are you aged between 10 and 17 years old?*

Then come down to Dundee Comics Creative Space this Friday (or ask a parent or guardian to bring you!) for a chance to find out what we are planning here at DCCS!

The first 10 young people through the door on Friday will receive a free copy of the first issue of How to Draw the Marvel Way.

*Our project is aimed at 10-17 year olds but everyone is welcome to attend the open day.

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Ahead of our launch in a couple of weeks this is a chance to visit Dundee Comics Creative Space and see what we are up to!

Drop in to see the space and meet the comics creators who are usually hard at work making comics in our studio.

You can also sign up for our three workshops. They are FREE but booking is required at the links below.

Create a Comics Character Workshop

Design a Comic Cover Workshop

Make a Mini-Comic Workshop

Please note that DCCS has no allocated parking at the Vision Building. There is public parking available on Greenmarket and Perth Road. The most convenient access point for DCCS is the entrance on Seabraes Lane off Perth Road.

Futureshock! The Story of 2000AD

On Saturday 16th January at 9.15pm Dundee Contemporary Arts are showing British comics documentary Futureshock! The Story of 2000AD. The film will be introduced by Dr Chris Murray, Operations Director of DCCS and head of Comics Studies at the University of Dundee. To mark this event DCA have posted a short interview with Chris celebrating comics and Dundee.

Comics Studies job vacancy

Full time position for Lecturer in Comics Studies at the University of Dundee – School of Humanities

“We wish to appoint a full-time lecturer with a specialism in comics and graphic novels to our English and Film Studies Programme. Over the last five years the University of Dundee has taken a leading position in the development of Comics Studies, with several courses at undergraduate level and an innovative postgraduate Masters programme in Comic Studies. We also attract a large number of PhD students doing work on comics and graphic novels. We have achieved this through a great deal of work and commitment, and we expect the successful applicant to match our ambitions.”

“We are also home to the Scottish Centre for Comics Studies and The Dundee Comics Creative Space, which you will contribute to and will be expected to help run.”

See the University of Dundee job advert for details.

Frankenstein Begins this Saturday

In association with the Scottish Centre for Comics Studies, DeeCAP, and the Dundee Comics Creative Space.

Join us at The McManus art gallery and museum in Dundee as we launch an exhibition of sketches and storyboards that form the basis of a specially commissioned comic (Mary Shelley’s Dundee; or, Frankenstein Begins!) in which the team (Murray-Millar-Vaughan) creatively revisit Mary Shelley’s formative experiences in Dundee just as she was on the cusp of bringing her greatest creation, Frankenstein, to life. The artists will discuss the process of adapting the source material into script and finally an illustrated comic, stage by stage. Members of the public will even be able to join us in creating their own illustrations or short comic on the spot. DeeCAP will be bringing the comic to life before our very eyes! Not to be missed!

10am-12pm: comics activities for kids run by The McManus

2-5pm: talks and drop-in sessions with Dr Chris Murray and the team (come by at your leisure)

6pm: formal launch of the comic, with performances (starring DeeCAP)

This event forms part of the “Mary Shelley’s Dundee” series taking place during the national Being Human Festival.

Free but bookable at our eventbrite page.

When Damon met Dennis

In a few days time we will be launching a short comic strip to introduce DCCS. It will also contain a news announcement that we are very excited about! In the meantime here is a taster image from the strip – a comics selfie featuring DCCS Co-ordinator Damon Herd with some other guy in a stripey top.

CLAw reading lists

Literacy charity CLAw have issued a series of Recommended Reading Lists for comics readers. There are three lists for 8-11 year olds, 11-16 year olds, and 16+ year olds.

What is CLAw? From their website:

Comics Literacy Awareness (CLAw) is an exciting new literacy charity formed by a group of passionate and highly experienced trustees from the fields of education and comics.
The mission of CLAw is to dramatically improve the literacy levels of UK children through the medium of comics and graphic novels. CLAw will also aim to raise the profile, image and respectability of comics and graphic novels as both a valid art form and as works of literature.

They are also responsible for appointing Dave Gibbons as the first Comics Laureate to “to act as an ambassador for comics and their potential to improve literacy.”