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Blink Twice News

News from 2008

All the latest news from the Blink Twice studios. For more esoteric news and previews, check out the Blink Twice blog.

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4th August 2008 - First Monkey Nuts Game Online NOW!

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Here's a little Rivet-yellow sunshine to brighten your Monday!  Those brainiacs over at the DFC, in collaboration with the Etherington Brothers, have just launched the first in a series of flash games, available for FREE from their website.  First out of the box is the 'harder-than-it-looks' BANANA BLASTER arcarde classic, featuring Sid and Rivet.  We won't spoil the fun by saying any more, as there's a little Monkey Nuts intro to enjoy as well. 

Featuring exclusive Lorenzo artwork, and AT LEAST 50 bananas per game, this is the last word in banana blasting nonsense! 

So, if you feel like excersing your trigger finger, just follow the link below!  ENJOY!

GO HERE - For all the fun of the FRUIT! 

 


24th July 2008 - Welcome to the Strange, Strange World of WEIRD!

pigeonsketch_copy_200We are proud to announce another exciting comic collaboration - 'The Strange, Strange World of WEIRD!'

Written by Bob and illustrated by the supremely talented Zak Simmonds-Hurn, this new title will feature in the DFC comic.

Blending elements of the Twilight Zone, Hammer Horror Movies, Fables, Myths, Ghost stories and Bob's own twisted imagination, the SSWOW promises to be a genuinely unique collection of tall tales!  Featuring possessed underwear, talking TV's, Skyscraper-sized monsters with the munchies and MORE, this is one cartoon odyssey you don't want to miss!

The action kicks off next Friday with the 6-page special 'FRYday the 13th!' ... and yes ... it features THIS pigeon! 

GO HERE - To Subscribe to the DFC!

GO HERE - For Zak's deviantart page - the lad's got talent! 


24th July 2008 - All New Monkey Nut Madness NEXT WEEK!

 

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This is a special announcement for those avid Monkey Nuts and DFC fans among you, who've been collecting the adventures of Sid and Rivet since they first appeared in the Guardian newspaper.  Starting on Friday 1st August (Issue 10 of the DFC comic) Monkey Nuts will begin a new weekly run of never-before-seen adventuring escapades!  The mystery of Lord Terra's Monster Magnet continues to cause trouble on the Isla de Monstera and more peculiar and dangerous weirdos are drawn into conflict with our robotic and simian heroes!  Will they survive the nonsense?  Can they conquer the challenges ahead?  What IS going on?  You can only discover the answers in the pages of the DFC, as the action kicks off in a brand new chapter - 'The Bank Rustle Hustle'!

GO HERE - To Visit the Monkey Nuts Homepage!

GO HERE - To subscribe to the DFC!

GO HERE - For back issues - Issue 6 features a Monkey Nuts COVER!


4th July 2008 - Monkey Nuts Mayhem at the Comic Museum!

dfc_fun_day_200For those of you in or around London (or able to purchase a train or plane ticket!) on Saturday 12th July, there's a special event taking place at the Cartoon Museum.  Three Creative teams from the DFC comic will be hosting workshops and talks about their strips, giving children and adults the opportunity to learn more about the wonderful world of comics.

Lorenzo and Bob will be hosting a morning Monkey Nuts session from 12-2pm(ish) so any early risers who'd like to discover more, or just fancy stopping by for a chat, will be extremely welcome.  With the superbly talented Zak Simmond-Hurn and Sarah McIntyre providing afternoon creative workshop, this looks set to become an highly entertaining annual event.

 

GO HERE - and click the 'Cartoon Classes & Events' tab (or simply click on the picture to the left) to visit the Cartoon Museum website and learn more about the day.

GO HERE - for the DFC ... there's tons to find!  

 


4th June 2008 - Breaking NEWS! Monkey Nuts on Channel 5! TODAY!

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Thank you Natasha ... and now back to our regular feature.

Yes, today is crazy news day!  For those of you lucky enough to have awoken to the smiling face and dulcet tones of Lorenzo on BBC 1 for the Breakfast show, you will have watched in amused wonder as he drew a page of comic strip live over the course of the show. Mental.If you were unlucky enough to miss this gem of an appearance, fear not!  Lorenzo and myself will appear in a Channel 5 feature being shown on the 12:30, 5pm and 7pm news shows, along with the super talented Sarah MacIntyre and the mighty David Fickling himself.  It's a piece all about the new kids comic, The DFC, and should be an entertaining spectacle! 

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YouTube broadcasts of both the BBC appearance and the Channel 5 segment will hopefully be up soon - but we can't guarantee we'll get them so try and catch it live if you can!

GO HERE - For Sarah's wonderful artwork

GO HERE - for more information about the wonderful DFC, and to subscribe!


30th May 2008 - The DFC Launches! Monkey Nuts lives! New Website opens!

After months of preparation and general excitement, the brand new children's comic, the DFC, has arrived.  Landing in hallways across the country, today ushers in a new era.  That Friday feeling is BACK and it's here to stay!

The launch issue features a wealth of fantastic strips  - The Adventures of John Blake, Super Animal Adventure Squad, The Boss, Vern and Lettuce, The Spider Moon, MO-BOT High and Good Dog, Bad Dog ... oh yeah, and the first part of the debut Monkey Nuts adventure!

Coinciding with the physical release of the comic is the official opening of the DFC website - it's a beauty, and it's updated weekly as each new issue comes out!  There's tons to discover and explore so I'll say nothing more than GET TO IT!  We'll have a blog up and running on the DFC site within the next few weeks so keep visiting for more info.

GO HERE - for the DFC homepage

GO HERE - for the Monkey Nuts page! 

 


30th May 2008 - Another Little Interview!

More chatter from Lorenzo and Bob – this time over at the newly launched CornishSciFiSupplement.

With a name like that – how could we refuse a few words!


GO HERE – to discover wny Lorenzo draws so many tropical plants, why we write 'funny' comic and more!


30th May 2008 - Sunday Times Feature!

 

 

May has been a bit of a media frenzy!  And we’re not complaining!  The Sunday Times recently visited the DFC headquarters in Oxford to do an amusing shoot and interview with David Fickling to accompany a larger piece.  We thought you might like a read of the online article!

GO HERE – for more great words about this shiny new kids comic. 


30th May 2008 - The DFC on the BBC!

A short while ago we were informed that BBC Radio 4 had aired an interview with Philip Pullman about the DFC.  There'd been a longer feature on the You and Yours show but the link seems to have disappeared! Here, however, is your chance to have a belated listen to this snippet.  It’s a great little 5 minute feature, championing the cause and generally saluting comics!  Yah! 

NOTE:- You might need RealPlayer to listen.

GO HERE – For a BBC DFC Gallery

GO HERE – to listen to all the chit chat
 


30th May 2008 - DFC Launch Party Pictures!

0100_dfc__200No sooner had we finished packing up the Blink store than we were jetting off to London for the official launch of the brand new DFC comic!  The event was held at the wonderfully located BFI café on the Southbank, and we were invited to take part in a cartoon and animation workshop with 25 lucky DFC winners, along with Dave Shelton (creator of Good Dog, Bad Dog) and Neill Cameron (creator of Mobot High).  Philip Pullman kicked the event off with a wonderful talk to the children about why he loves the comic medium and why comics are an important reading tool for all ages.  The children then spent happy hours drawing and making their own characters out of plasticine, before animating them using stop frame digital cameras.  The entire process was superb and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We’ve even been asked if we’ll come back again for another workshop so watch this space for details!

The evening event began (after some drinks!) with superb speeches from David Fickling, Philip Pullman and Eisner-award nominated, comic book creator, Nick Abadzis.  The café was packed to bursting with creator’s authors and the press and the mood was jubilant.  In all honesty, there hasn’t been an event of this sort for the launch of a comic book in the UK in … well … EVER! It was an honour to be there (and see our own characters walking around chatting to people!!!) and we wish every success for the title.  Kids love comics, and I think they’re going to adore this one.

It is vital to celebrate these moments in style.  Thus we retired to our hotel around 5am.  These literary sorts know how to party!

GO HERE – For a fine selection of photos (featuring us, Sid and Rivet!) from the event, courtesy of the Guardian online.

GO HERE – to sort out your DFC subscription – you know you want to!


29th May 2008 - Bristol Comic Expo Report!

bris_08_full_stand_shot_200Weeks have passed, the dust has settled and thousands of comic book pilgrims have returned home to nurse the open wounds otherwise known as their empty bank accounts. Once again the Comic Expo had rolled into Bristol, and once again it had been bigger, brighter, busier and more bombastic than before! There was a wonderfully positive energy flowing throughout the entire weekend. For us it was a particularly special show as it marked our 5th consecutive appearance. We met many old fans and many new readers, signed countless copies of The Big Kahuna Collection, dressed happy attendees in Malcolm T-Shirts, and generally giggled for two days solid. Bob and Mark even managed to find time to attend the legendary Ramada on the Saturday night … though judging from their appearances on Sunday morning, this was possibly ill-advised!

 

In short the event was another resounding success, and the marked increase in attendance across all age groups (excellent to see lots of kids asking for Monkey Nuts sketches) is further proof that a genuine interest in graphic and sequential storytelling is growing in the UK.

 

Also, huge congratulations must go to our dear friend Andie Tong, who won an Eagle Award at the show. Favourite UK colour comic - Spectacular Spiderman! You own the webslinger, pal!

 

Next Show for the Blink Machine will be the Birmingham International Comic Show in October. We’re looking forward to seeing you all there!

 

GO HERE – for a larger montage of the Blink in action at the Expo

8th April 2008 - Bristol Comic Expo Exclusive!
bristolforweblayersnp8_200With barely a month to go before the Comic Expo drowns the city of Bristol in a sea of comic books, we thought it prudent to let you know WHY you are saving up your pennies.

This years show will host the exclusive launch of our new book, 'Malcolm Magic - the Big Kahuna Collection'. Gathering together all twelve issues of the award winning series, the out-of-print Tusk special, a complete cover gallery and a stunning wealth of bonus material, this perfect bound 320 page trade paperback is truly the one to rule them all!

For those of you eager to get your hands on this Limited Edition gem, come down to show on May 10th where you’ll be able to get your copies signed by the creators.

Additional exclusives will be revealed at the weekend so be sure to hurry over and meet the team!

GO HERE – to look at our wondrous convention teaser!

GO HERE – for the latest news about the show!


26th March 2008 - New Interview @ ComicBitsOnline!

rotate.php_300Terry Hooper, the charming comics’ aficionado from ComicBitsOnline, recently contacted us with the intention of holding short interview. Well, one thing led to another and, erm, well … we kind of got carried away!

Blame Terry if you must – his questions were good and we were having a giggle.

It’s a storming treat of a discussion and, as Terry runs a number of discussion threads, you’ll be able to find us all over the web!

GO HERE or HERE or HERE – to discover how many books Lawrence has read in his life, how we make comics from the first idea to the last pencil stroke, why this company was almost called ‘Double Take’ and much, much more!


23rd March 2008 - DFC Comic Teaser!

whatisthedfc_1_300A smashing new teaser advert for the forthcoming children’s comic event of the year has just been posted online over at the DFC website. Illustrated by the supremely talented, and highly amusing, Jamie Smart (who may or may NOT be appearing in the comic … we simply cannot say!) this little gem truly conveys the sense of fun embodied in this title.

The countdown until the site officially opens to reveal all of it’s magical goodness is 67 days … agh! The tension is going to destroy me!

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GO HERE to read the teaser!
GO HERE to stare at a clock counting down … oh, and to grab a Robot Girl and Good Dog Bad Dog wallpaper!


11th March 2008 - Bob joins Philip Pullman's New Project

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More exciting news just in, from the land of the Etherington Brothers!

Bob has just confirmed that he’s begun work as series letterer on the forthcoming, Philip Pullman comic, ‘John Blake’.

Illustrated by the supremely talented, John Aggs, this exciting new title from the award-winning author of the His Dark Materials trilogy (pictured) will be appearing in the DFC comic, every week, from late May 2008.

Unfortunately we cannot share any more details about the project ... it's top secret!

GO HERE to visit the DFC site where you can sign up for more information.


5th March 2008 - Interview @ Comic Village!

The good folks over at the wonderfully eclectic news and review site, comicsvillage.com, recently contacted us with a big bag of questions. They were good questions. They made us laugh. We wrote back to Craig Johnson with the following nonsense.

GO HERE - to learn what Bob would like written on his gravestone; how he’d use three wishes; why he’s known as a “grocer’s dream” and many more useless titbits and random facts. 


5th March 2008 - Out With The OLD! In With The NEW!

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For those of you who have recently visited our store, only to discover the word ‘DISCONTINUED’ attached to almost every product (our Comic Book Board is still available to order) do not fret; new goodies are on the way!

The first title to roll off the production line will be the Collected Malcolm Magic, gathering together all twelve issues of the award winning series, along with a stunning wealth of bonus material, perfect bound as a 304 page trade paperback. This limited edition gem will launch at the Bristol Comic Convention on May 10th where you’ll be able to get your copies signed by the creators. Further details and a preview will be revealed soon.

Future items will include a wondrous Art of MOON! compendium and the first Blink Twice exclusive T-Shirts. For the latest information, and to keep up to date with release news, simply add your name to our mailing list.


18th February 2008 - Monkey Nuts in The Guardian - This Saturday!

teasers_129_200_01After a long(ish) period of enforced silence we are proud to finally announce that StudioBlinkTwice is back with a comic vengeance!

Working in conjunction with the mighty book publisher Random House, Robin and Lawrence have been studiously ferreting away on a number of brand new comic properties. These titles will be released as part of a brand new weekly comic, The DFC, which is currently due for release in May/June 2008.

The boys have also been working up material for release in The Guardian newspaper’s weekend supplement, The Comic, and we’re all proud here at SBT to announce that the first issue of their brand new series, ‘Monkey Nuts’, will hit the shelves of every newsagent/ supermarket/ garage/ fish & chip shop in the country on Saturday 23rd February (that’s THIS Saturday folks).

So, get ready to meet Sid and Rivet – a most unlikely crime busting, weirdness-fighting duo.

Their mission: to protect the tranquillity of the Bermudan paradise, the Isla de Monstera, from all manner of oddballs and criminals.

Your mission: to laugh at their hopeless endeavours.

See you Saturday!


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