An interview Kieron did with the Pulse has gone live. Here’s an out of context quote…

I mean, Phonogram’s a book about ideas. Yes, some of the ideas are rejected by people who just have radically opposing aesthetic preferences. There’s few things that please me more than a review which hates it for the RIGHT reason, and few things that annoy me more than someone hating it for a misread. Because in the latter case, I have to blame myself. Communication and connection is absolutely everything. I think the second series, while still often cynical, wears its heart on the sleeve a little more obviously.

And you can read the rest here.

And here’s the cover to Issue 3. Rue Britannia’s Emily Aster takes the stage, and just about anything else she can get her hands on. As is her wont.

We also realise that we haven’t hyped the last Convention of the year which Jamie and I will be attending. It’s Thought Bubble in Leeds. The festival itself runs from the 13th to the 16th, but the big day is on the Saturday. As much as we love all the British cons we’ve attended, the last time we went to Leeds was our favourite - all the more impressive considering it was their first year. I strongly urge anyone who’s even slightly in the area to go. Here’s the list of guests.

I’m on an Indie Panel on Saturday, but more impresssively, Jamie’s running a tutorial for young people on the Sunday…

Digital Colouring Masterclass for Young People with Jamie McKelvie, Sunday 16th
3-4.30pm, Leeds Central Library Computer Room, FREE, ages 12 to 18.
The super talented Jamie McKelvie, artist on Phonogram, Suburban Glamour and X-Men: Divided We Stand, will run this digital colouring workshop for young people. Jamie will go throught the stages of how to colour line drawings in Photoshop, we recommend that you have a basic knowledge of computers to attend. This workshop is FREE and for ages 12 to 18. To book email thoughtbubble@hotmail.co.uk Places are limited, book soon to avoid disappointment.

Parents and young people! Come along! Jamie almost certainly won’t accidentally get someone killed in an accident with plug sockets.

Solicitation time. Pre-ordering time, if thou wilt…

PHONOGRAM 2: THE SINGLES CLUB #2 (of 7)
story KIERON GILLEN
art & cover JAMIE McKELVIE

JANUARY 7 - 32 PAGES - FC - $3.50

And there’s a second item for your attention…

THIS IS A SOUVENIR: THE SONGS OF SPEARMINT & SHIRLEY LEE OGN
by CHYNNA CLUGSTON-FLORES, JAMIE S. RICH, SCOTT MILLS, KIERON GILLEN, JAMIE McKELVIE, RICH JOHNSTON, SALGOOD SAM and many more!
cover JAMES PARSONS

JANUARY 28 - 208 PAGES - FC - $29.99

When Eric mailed us all about this, I was genuinely surprised. If you asked me to guess bands for the next band-inspired anthology, Spearmint would have been wayyyy down the list. It’s possible the younger or more American non-anglophile reader may not even be aware of them and Shirley Lee’s work. That shouldn’t matter - neither of us really like Tori Amos, and adored COMIC BOOK TATTOO. And secondly, it’s never to late to fall in love with a band. The story we’re doing is based on what I think is their most iconic song, Sweeping The Nation. You can listen to it on Spearmint’s Myspace page, if you scroll down. It’s also a Phonogram story, on the quiet. People who haven’t read Phonogram won’t realise it, but you lot certainly will.

Really looking forward to this, to say the least.

The time comes again. Here’s the first five pages from the first issues of PHONOGRAM: THE SINGLES CLUB. Not only that, but we include seven sample B-side pages, plus a little introduction about what they’re all about, like.

So. Stare at them and if they meet your favour, stroll down a local comic shop and order them. And then - and only then - will you know true happiness.

We haven’t shown you the second issue’s cover, have we? Well, here it is.

To paraphrase zine-writers circa 1997: POP!!!!!!!!!!(!!!!)