The all-consuming MCM expo appears to be getting bigger and more claustrophobia-inducing with each iteration, but a greater focus on movies and games doesn’t necessarily mean that the organisers have forgotten their roots.

The MCM Expo London Comic Con is apparently expanding its Comic Village by 50% area after tables for the October show sold out in record time. It’s encouraging news for the UK’s comic community, creators, and that ever-diminishing demographic who actually visit comic conventions for the comics.

“When all of the Comic Village tables were snapped up only a week after going on sale, we decided to expand the area so that some of those comic artists and writers who missed out can still come to MCM Expo London Comic Con,” commented show co-organiser Bryan Cooney.

“Attracting over a 100 top comic creators and 60,000 fans, London Comic Con is now one the most important weekends in the UK’s comics calendar, and the unprecedented demand for tables only goes to underline this.”

For further details and tickets visit www.mcmexpogroup.com/store

Nelson is no mere anthology, either, but something far more ambitious; a 250 page story of one woman’s life from her birth in 1968 to the present day. Presumably the range of artists, which includes such mainstream names as Duncan Fegredo and Sean Philips (see below for the full list of contributors), will each take on a stage in the protagonist’s life.

“When [editors] Rob [Davis] and Woodrow [Phoenix] came to me with their idea for Nelson, straight away it seemed to me that it should be a charity project” states Kenny Penman, Publisher at Blank Slate, “The British comic scene is more vibrant than ever before, and the opportunity to unite this diverse group of creators to aid the greatly important work that Shelter does in these difficult economic times seemed too good to miss.”

Here’s the full list of contributors:

Paul Grist, Rob Davis, Woodrow Phoenix, Ellen Lindner, Jamie Smart, Gary Northfield, Sarah McIntyre, Suzy Varty, Sean Longcroft, Warwick Johnson–Cadwell, Luke Pearson, Paul Harrison–Davies, Katie Green, Paul Peart–Smith, Glyn Dillon, I.N.J.Culbard, John Allison, Philip Bond,D’Israeli, Simone Lia, Darryl Cunningham, Jonathan Edwards, Ade Salmon, Kate Charlesworth,Warren Pleece, Kristyna Baczynski, HarveyJames, Rian Hughes, Sean Phillips & Pete Doree, Kate Brown, Simon Gane, Jon McNaught, Adam Cadwell, Faz Choudhury, JAKe, Jeremy Day, Dan McDaid, Roger Langridge, Will Morris, Dave Shelton, Carol Swain, Hunt Emerson, Duncan Fegredo, Philippa Rice, Josceline Fenton, Garen Ewing, Tom Humberstone , Dan Berry, Alice Duke, Posy Simmonds, Laura Howell, Andi Watson, Dave Taylor

ISBN 978-1-906653-23-1
252 pages
236 x 178mm softcover with flaps, full colour
£18.99 / $22.99
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NelsonGraphicNovel

Nelson’s official launch event will take place on the 22nd November 2011 at The Cartoon Museum in London, with readers able to buy a special advance copy of the book at Leeds’ Thought Bubble Festival on the 19th and 20th November, where the majority of its artists will be signing copies for the public.

If the term “fotonovela” has you thinking of teen magazines, 70s football albums and tabloid cartoon strips, think again; Stavit looks to bring an attention to detail to the technique that might just change your mind about photographic comics. For Isness, which chronicles the last 24 hours in the lives of mankind’s sole surviving family, she’d already comprised over 40,000 images to work from before the project was fully funded.

Stavit was attempting to raise funds for the book via Kickstarter, and successfully attracted 102 backers and over $7,000 to make the project a reality. Not bad at all.

Images and progress reports on the project can be followed over at www.countercomics.com. There’s a hell of a lot of work going into this unique and macabre title, as you can see from the preview (or, if you will, “trailer”) below.

The series, which will lead up to the MCM Expo London Comic Con on 27-29 May, follows “a  young girl called Chloe and her mission to educate her friend in the art of Cosplay in time for the London MCM Expo event.” Inventive and appropriate marketing, at the very least.

Christopher Chong's Chloe

MCM Buzz editor Stuart Claw says of the series: “The release of this Manga marks the first of many new pieces of original content that we plan to release on the MCM Buzz as part of the Buzz originals brand. It is a great opportunity for us to help give new talent a voice in this competitive industry and we plan to offer more people that opportunity in the months to come.”

Not the sequel to Acts of Vengeance I was hoping for, then, but an examination of the villains of the Marvel Universe from the perspective of a generation of aspiring rascals and rapscallions. Emulation appears to play a great part in the series, as writer Joe Casey and artist Nick Dragotta’s new character designs reveal; and when it comes to gaudy spandex threads these villains-in-the-making aren’t necessarily paying homage to the bad guys.

So, whereas Dark Reign put the MU’s villains behind the steering wheel, Vengeance will see them revered. Hardly a hook worthy of Civil War, but Casey a good deal to get his teeth into here; especially since we already live in an era in which drug dealers, pimps and gangsters are idolised over the puritan heroes of yesteryear.

God, I suddenly sound like a bitter old man…

It’s a vast and varied list, too, comprising 29 categories. Voting will close at midnight BST on Monday 11 April, and the winners will be announced at the MCM Expo London Comic Con on Friday 27 May.

Having recently helped organise a national publicly voted awards ceremony myself, I now have even greater reservations towards anything which relies on the general consensus. But I still look forward to seeing what titles and creators are the preferred choice of other comic readers, if not necessarily the best choice – though I’m fully aware that whatever I/you/we think deserve to win is equally subjective.

Favourite Newcomer Writer
-Al Ewing
-Bryan Lee O’Malley
-Nick Spencer
-Paul Cornell
-Scott Snyder

Favourite Newcomer Artist
-Bryan Lee O’Malley
-Fiona Staples
-Rafael Albuquerque
-Sara Pichelli
-Sean Murphy

Favourite Writer
-Ed Brubaker
-Grant Morrison
-John Wagner
-Robert Kirkman
-Warren Ellis

Favourite Writer/Artist
-Bryan Lee O’Malley
-Darwyn Cooke
-Gabriel Ba with Fabio Moon
-Jeff Lemire
-Mike Mignola

Favourite Artist: Pencils
-Becky Cloonan
-Carlos Ezquerra
-Dave Ryan
-J. H. Williams III
-Mike Mignola

Favourite Artist: Inks
-Becky Cloonan
-Bill Sienkiewicz
-Carlos Ezquerra
-Gary Erskine
-Mike Mignola

Favourite Artist: Fully-Painted Artwork
-Alex Ross
-Ben Templesmith
-J. H. Williams III
-D’Israeli
-Jock

Favourite Colourist
-Dave Stewart
-Jeff Balke
-Laura Allred
-Laura Martin
-Len O’Grady

Favourite Letterer
-Annie Parkhouse
-Chris Eliopoulos
-Jim Campbell
-Richard Starkings
-Russ Wooton

Favourite Editor
-Matt Smith/Tharg
-Scott Allie
-Steve Wacker
-Todd McFarlane
-Tom Brevoort

Favourite Publisher
- Dark Horse
- DC Comics/Vertigo/WildStorm
- IDW
- Image Comics (inc Top Cow)
- Marvel
Favourite American Comicbook: Colour
-Amazing Spider-Man by Various (Marvel)
-Batman and Robin by Grant Morrison plus Various (DC Comics)
-Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight by Various (Dark Horse)
-Doctor Who by Tony Lee plus Various (IDW Publishing)
-Hellboy by Mike Mignola plus Various (Dark Horse)

Favourite American Comicbook: Black and White
-Age of Bronze by Eric Shanower (Image Comics)
-Demo Vol.2 by Brain Wood and Becky Cloonan (DC Comics)
-Echo by Terry Moore (Abstract Studio)
-RASL by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Comics)
-The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard (Image Comics)

Favourite British Comicbook: Colour
-2000AD by Various (Rebellion)
-Dandy by Various (DC Thomson)
-Doctor Who Magazine by Various (Panini Comics)
-The Man of Glass by Martin Flink (Accent UK)
-Torchwood by Various (Titan Books)

Favourite British Comicbook: Black and White
-Commando by Various (DC Thomson)
-Dogbreath by Various (Futurequake Publishing)
-Futurequake by Various (Futurequake Publishing)
-Paragon by Various (David Cavendish)
-Zarjaz by Various (Futurequake Publishing)

Favourite New Comicbook
- Alan Moore’s Neonomicon by Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows (Avatar Press)
- American Vampire by Stephen King, Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque (DC Comics/Vertigo)
- Daytripper by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba (DC Comics/Vertigo)
- War of the Independents by Dave Ryan (Red Anvil Comics)
- S.H.I.E.L.D by Jonathan Hickman and Dustin Weaver (Marvel)

Favourite Manga
-Bleach by Tite Kubo (Shueisha/Viz Media)
-Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto (Shueisha/Viz Media)
-One Piece by Eiirchiro Oda (Shueisha/Viz Media)
-Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa (Square Enix/Viz Media)
-Berserk by Kenatro Miura (Hakusensha/Dark Horse Comics)

Favourite European Comicbook
-Blacksad by Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido (Darguad/Dark Horse Comics)
-Sky Doll by Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa (Soleil/Marvel)
-Requiem: Vampire Knight by Pat Mills and Olivier Ledroit (Nickel Editions/Panini Comics)
-The Scorpion by Desberg and Enrico Marini (Dargaud/Cinebook ltd)
-L’Histoire Secrete by Edward Gauvin and Jean-Pierre Pecau (Delcourt/Archaia Studio Press

Favourite Web-Based Comic
-Axe Cop by Malachai and Ethan Nicolle
-Freak Angels by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield
-Hark! A Vagrant! By Kate Beaton
-Questionable Content by Jeph Jaques
-xkcd.com by Randall Munroe

Favourite Single Story
-Daytripper #8 by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba (DC Comics/Vertigo)
-Amazing Spider-Man #625: Endanger Species by Joseph Kelly and Max Fuimara (Marvel)
-A Cat Named Haiku by Mark Poulton and Dexter Weeks (Arcana Studio)
-Legends: The Enchanted #0 by Nick Percival (Radical Comics)
-Sea Bear and Grizzly Shark by Ryan Ottley and Jason Howard (Image Comics)

Favourite Continued Story
-The Walking Dead #73-79: Too Far Gone by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard (Image Comics)
-2000AD #1650-1693: Judge Dredd: Tour of Duty (Rebellion)
-Fables #94-98: Rose Red by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham (DC Comics/Vertigo)
-Hellboy #47-49: The Storm by Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo (Dark Horse)
-Invincible #71-continuing: The Viltrumite War by Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley (Image Comics)

Favourite 2010 Cover
- 2000AD Prog 1700 by Jonathan Davis Hunt
- Axe Cop: Vol 1 by Ethan Nicolle
- Batwoman #0 by J.H. Williams III
- Daytripper #2 by Gabriel Bá
- War of the Independents by Dave Ryan

Favourite 2010 Original Graphic Novel
-At The Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft and Ian Culbard (SELFMADE HERO)
-Hellblazer: Pandemonium by Jamie Delano and Jock (DC Comics/Vertigo)
-Richard Stark’s Parker: The Outfit by Darwyn Cooke (IDW Publishing)
-Scott Pilgrim Vol 6: Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour by Bryan Lee O’Malley (Fourth Estate)
-Superman: Earth One by J. Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis (DC Comics)

Favourite Reprint Compilation
-Absolute All Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly (DC Comics)
-Batwoman: Elegy by Gregg Rucker and J.H. Williams III (DC Comics)
-Charley’s War: Great Mutiny by Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun (Titan Books Ltd)
-Doctor Who: Fugitive by Tony Lee, Al Davison and Matthew Smith (IDW Publishing)
-The Walking Dead: Volume 13 by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn (Image Comics)

Favourite Comics-Related Book
-75 Years of DC Comics by Paul Levitz (Taschen GmBH)
-Cover Run: The DC Comic Art of Adam Hughes by Adam Hughes (DC Comics)
-Icons: The DC Comics and Wildstorm Art of Jim Lee by Jim Lee and Bill Baker (Titan Books ltd)
-Mega-City One Archives by August Hann and Aaron Dembski-Bowden (Mongoose Publishing)
-The Horror, The Horror: Comic Books The Government Didn’t Want You To Read by Jim Trombetta and R. Spiel (Harry N. Abrams, Inc.)

Favourite Comics-Related Movie or TV Show
-The Big Bang Theory
-Iron Man 2
-Kick Ass
-Scott Pilgrim Vs the World
-The Walking Dead

Favourite Comics-Related Website
-Bleeding Cool
-Comic Attack
-Comic Book Resources
-Comics Alliance
-Girls Read Comics Too
-Newsarama.com

Favourite Magazine about Comics
-Alter Ego (TwoMorrows)
-Back Issue (TwoMorrows)
-Comic Heroes (Future Publishing)
-Tripwire (Tripwire)
-Wizard (Wizard)

Roll of Honour
-Bryan Lee O’Malley
-Carlos Ezquerra
-Dave Gibbons
-David Mazzuchelli
-John Byrne

Those quirky garment designers at Genki Gear have unveiled several official T-shirts that will be exclusively available at this May’s MCM Expo London Comic Con, allowing geeks everywhere to connect with like-minded dreamers when 2011 is but a distant memory. Sob…

The shirts come in two flavours: a bank-robbing robot and quite possibly the least threatening zombies I’ve ever seen.

Eisner died in 2005, but his legacy continues not only in his work but the Eisner Awards, the prominent comic books awards celebrated for acknowledging talent in the industry.

Moviegoers may know Eisner from 2008′s The Spirit, Frank Miller’s lacklustre adaptation of the titular masked vigilante. I personally recommend the Contract with God Trilogy, an ambitious, tragic, adult tale that for some (albeit erroneously) marked the birth of the graphic novel, and is rightfully considered Eisner’s magnum opus.

So why am I reporting on this a day late, you may ask. Because UK Google users received absolutely nothing…

Well, here’s a clip from Flowers’ US tour, as he reads from their graphic novel on the life of Martin Luther King, and explains how the project came about:

I See the Promised Land will be released in the UK by Tara Book on the 4th of April, to coincide with the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s death.

From Angry Beavers creator Mitch Schauer, RIP M.D. is an all-ages tale which homages the monster movies and E.C. Comics of yesteryear. Check out the video below for an interview with Schauer, inker Mike Vosburg and colourist Mike Lessa. They discuss their love for comics, why each got into the business in the first place, how the Lincoln Butterfield series came together, and provide an intimate look into the pencil/ink/colour process.