The Christian Comics International (CCI) NEWS Page

Kingstone to Release More Comics, GNs

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 23:18:11 -0600

Publishers Weekly (PW) covered the Kingstone Media Group's faith-based comics and graphic novels once again in an article in their 21 June issue. PW reports that the for-profit company will be releasing a number of periodical comics and up to 12 Graphic Novels by the end of 2011 through its Kingstone Comics line, the frontrunner among its comics imprints. The imprint is carried at 60 Parable Christian Store locations and 33 Mardel Christian and Education locations, as well as churches and independent Christian bookstores. Its main distributor is ...

Second SoCam Now Underway

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 23:15:14 -0600

The latest School of Cartooning & Animation for Missions (SoCam) has begun in Chiang Mai, Thailand. According to School Leader Dave Hudson, three of the students – from Germany, Ukraine, and Korea – have arrived, and two more are still trying to get there from Africa. The SoCam is a six-month, second-level YWAM school devoted to training students in using comics, cartoons, and animated media to communicate the Gospel in culturally relevant ways. The SoCam is a project of ...

'70s Classic Coming in Hardcover

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 22:05:32 -0600

For the first time since it was originally published in 1975, DC Comics will be reprinting their comics adaptation The Most Spectacular Stories Ever Told... From The Bible. Originally published as a large tabloid-sized comic, the new release will be a 64-page, full color, hardcover edition. The comic features "the earliest chapters of the book of Genesis, including the stories of The Garden of Eden, the Flood, and Sodom and Gomorrah." Although several major comics creators contributed to the writing and illustrating, this adaptation is often most remembered for ...

Ancient Tract Still Doing Its Job

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 22:00:51 -0600

California USA-based Chick Publications notes that although passing out tracts sometimes requires strong faith that there will be results from the effort, "occasionally stories surface that prove that good, no-nonsense Gospel literature will, indeed, do the job." James Madden, a Chick distributor in Brazil, reports that he saw a very old copy of the This Was Your Life tract being used at a lunch shack in a little town called Paulista. One man was sharing the Gospel, explaining the pictures and story page by page, with another man who was unable to read himself. After the man was ...

Classic 'Eagle' Collections Stall

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:24:29 -0600

Sales of the 112-page hardcover collection Jesus: The Road of Courage from Titan Books in March 2010 "weren't what Titan expected," according to John Freeman of downthetubes British Comics News. "I felt it was a missed opportunity," writes Freeman, who had originally envisioned a deluxe edition including scans of original artwork and conceptual drawings by Frank Hampson, plus theological analysis. Freeman believes these special features would have made the book "more appealing in the US market." The public's failure to embrace the new Road of Courage has led to an equally disappointing response from Titan. "Sadly, it means the ...

Comic Adapts Missionary's Story

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:51:20 -0600

The current issue of the French comic book Tournesol marks the debut of a new 3-part adaptation of the true story of Gladys Aylward, the famous evangelical missionary to China. The first 6 pages of the story can be viewed online. The English-born Aylward spent her life savings to travel to China in 1930. She worked there until World War II forced her return to England for 10 years. In 1953 she was denied re-entry to China by the Communist government and settled in Taiwan where she worked until her death in 1970. At least one other comic strip has been produced about Aylward as well as an animated ...

Membership Milestone for CCAS

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:47:39 -0600

The Christian Comic Arts Society (CCAS) welcomed the online community's 1000th member this week. CCAS celebrated the achievement by awarding their newest participant with a signed, limited edition print from The Action Bible graphic novel, courtesy of publisher David C Cook. A copy of the print was also given out as a prize in a Facebook and Twitter contest for encouraging the most people to ...

Conference Offers Comics Workshops

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:11:03 -0600

The Gideon Media Arts Conference and Film Festival will be held this year from 6 - 11 August at the Lifeway Conference Center in Ridgeway, NC USA. The event offers "Christians who are interested in the media arts a place to encourage their talents, a venue to meet, learn, network and get advice from experts in the industry, and the opportunity to develop working and personal relationships." Once again the faculty will include Ken Raney of Clash Entertainment and comics writer Ben Avery, who will both ...

Chick Tracts Go Mobile

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:08:23 -0600

With over 800 million copies in print, the inexpensive mini-comics known as Chick Tracts have been called "a global phenomenon." Now 10 popular Chick Tracts are available to view and share through a new Android app. Once installed onto a phone, tracts can be viewed off-line without requiring a data connection. The app installs automatically onto the SD card of phones using Android Operating System version 2.2 and uses a minimal amount of internal memory. "This app was designed to make sharing Jesus with ...

Early Comics Pioneer Passes

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 20:27:23 -0600

The man who was possibly the last of the "first generation" Christian Comics & Cartooning Pioneers, the Reverend Edwin B. Wallace, went to be with the Lord in mid-May at age 90. He was born in Pennsylvania USA and spent his entire life in ministry. Ordained in the Wesleyan Church, Wallace combined pastoral work with his artistic ability doing "chalk talks," single panel cartoons, editorial cartoons, covers, and comics pages for various Christian journals, Scripture pamphlets, and books. Reportedly he was still ...

Bible GN Remains Bestseller

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 20:22:57 -0600

The June best-seller and category top-seller lists from the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) are online, and The Action Bible Graphic Novel has now moved up into the Top 10 of the Top 50 Books, a listing of all Christian book titles by sales ranking. Also, The Action Bible is still the #1 bestseller on CBA's list of Top Children's and Young Adult book titles. The June lists are based on actual sales in Christian-retail stores in the USA through the week ending 30 April, using Cross:Scan as the source for data collection. In addition, this popular 752-page, full-color GN from publisher David C Cook retains its ranking as ...

Current Comics from Kingstone

Tue, 31 May 2011 18:43:27 -0600

Florida USA-based Kingstone Comics have enjoyed much positive media and trade show exposure recently. Kingstone had a booth at BookExpo America and received coverage in an article entitled "The Graphic Novel Scene" on the Publishers Weekly website as a result. Kingstone had 7 new GNs on display at the expo, and CEO Art Ayris describes their reception as "awesome." Kingstone titles were also featured on the front cover of an April print edition of Publishers Weekly. At the Retailing Re-Boot 2011 Ayris was asked to speak about comics and ...

Aussie in Search of Christian Comics

Tue, 31 May 2011 17:34:11 -0600

The Sydney (Australia) Anglican church newspaper Southern Cross has just posted a story on Christian comic books by Joel A. Moroney, Associate Minister at St. Luke's Liverpool. The 2-page article, "In search of the Christian comic", appeared in their Sunday 1 May print issue originally. Moroney is a collector of Christian comic books that are both "good" and "in line with God's word and [do] not contradict or distort the Bible." According to Moroney "many Christian comic books fail one or ...

Kolgarev Represents in Russia

Tue, 17 May 2011 19:26:00 -0600

At KomMissia 2011, the international comics festival in Russia, there was a presentation of the book SuperKOM, a collection of works by the artists of studio KOM. The book has been released to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Russian studio, which existed from 1988 to 1992. The SuperKOM collection includes Easter-1953 by Christian cartoonist Igor Kolgarev, based on a story by Konstantin Prokhorov. Kolgarev's comic may be viewed online in ...

The Gospel According to Robots

Wed, 11 May 2011 17:30:24 -0600

With the new Transformers 3 movie coming out at the beginning of July, Literature Ministries International (LMI) in Texas USA is reminding everyone that their 25-packs of Betrayed! mini-comics "are still a good deal for oversize, full-color tracts." This short story about "transforming robots," written by comics professional Ben Avery, "vividly illustrates Christ's sacrifice through the hero's willing death for a disloyal subject." Finished illustrations are ...

FF Mag Promos Free Comics

Mon, 09 May 2011 15:27:52 -0600

For the past 10 years, secular comic book shops worldwide have held an annual Free Comic Book Day to lure new readers. For this year's event, Tennessee USA-based Family Fiction Magazine offered a steady stream of Tweets all day about free US Christian comics available online. Linked comics included The Cardinal, several strips illustrated by Erica Well of Studio Well, Prayer Pups, and ...

New Digital Comics Portal

Fri, 06 May 2011 09:56:03 -0600

A variety of Christian comics are now available online through digital distributor NOVO Ink including Spirit Warriors, Serenity, Goofyfoot Girl, Couplers, and 10 of the Kingstone Media titles. All are located in a dedicated "Graphic Novels" section which can be accessed via the "Categories" drop down menu on the front page or through the side navigation on interior pages. NOVO Ink was "created by people of faith to help faith-based readers everywhere gain access to thousands of digital eBooks and ...

Cartoonist's Classes Continue

Wed, 04 May 2011 17:54:46 -0600

Once again Christian Comics Pioneer Ron Wheeler will be offering summer Cartoon Camps at his home studio in Kansas City, Missouri USA. There will be 2 partial day camps for elementary age children and another 2 for Junior High and older kids, all held in June and July. Wheeler, an internationally known tract cartoonist, held his first camp in 2008. In addition to learning the lesson material, his students will receive ...

Another Award Announced

Wed, 04 May 2011 17:45:55 -0600

Although the Head Press Publishing graphic novel Eye Witness: Unknown God did not win in this year's Christian Small Press Publisher (CSPP) Awards, The Collected Eye Witness was named Comics/Graphic Novel of the Year in Family Fiction Magazine's 2011 Reader's Choice Awards. The Collected Eye Witness is all four books of the series in a slipcase set. "This is the fifth book award the series has ...

Creator Completes His GN

Tue, 03 May 2011 00:47:49 -0600

The finished King of Kings: The Chronicles of Jesus graphic novel by Delaware USA artist Brian S. Dawson is now available online. The full color, 296-page book "retells the Life of Christ taken from the Harmony of the Gospels, from birth through resurrection, and includes a detailed map of His travels as well as other pages of information and commentary." Prior to the release of this entire work in one volume, Dawson had ...

Cook Comic Wins ECPA Award

Mon, 02 May 2011 22:48:57 -0600

Just one week after being named Best Children's Bible of the Year at the Retailers Choice Awards in Orlando, Florida USA, The Action Bible has received the 2011 Christian Book Award for Best Children's Book from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA). The announcement was made at the ECPA Awards Banquet held Monday 2 May in Colorado Springs, Colorado USA. The best-selling graphic novel, published by David C Cook and illustrated by comics pro Sergio Cariello, was one of ...

Series Starts With Love Story

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:26:33 -0600

A new black & white graphic novel series entitled Portrait of His Grace has been launched this April by Creation House in Florida USA. The first paperback edition, Allegiance of the Bride: Fateful Encounters, Part 1, is rendered in a classic "shoujo manga" style by Korean author/artist Grace Kim Kwon who grew up as a "missionary kid" in Japan with a father who was a pastor. Her 128-page book takes a unique, romanticized look at "the captivating story of Ruth, a story of ...

Wilkerson Killed in Accident

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 21:42:51 -0600

Internationally known minister David Wilkerson has died as the result of a car crash in Texas USA on the afternoon of 27 April. The 79-year-old pastor was called to New York City back in 1958 to preach to gang members and drug addicts. The story of Wilkerson's ministry was related in the very first of the Spire Christian comics by Al Hartley, The Cross & the Switchblade, published in 1972. The comic was reprinted repeatedly, eventually selling millions of copies. In addition, Wilkerson appeared in 2 other ...

Cook Comic is Retailers Choice

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:55:09 -0600

Tuesday evening 26 April, at the Retailing ReBoot event in Orlando, Florida USA, The Action Bible was announced as the 11th annual Retailers Choice Award winner in the category "Children's Bibles." The 752-page, full-color graphic novel from David C Cook was one of 41 winners voted as Best of the Year from among a record 350-plus nominations. Retailers were asked to judge nominations on their impact on staff and customers, including "their ability to ...

Comics Wanted for Digital Library

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 20:39:41 -0600

A content aggregator for the National Library in Singapore, ePage International reports that they are interested in licensing select Christian comics content for the digital library. According to Tat-Leong Sweeting of eWay Publishing Pte Ltd, the company will handle the conversion from PDF or other files formats into their ePage format. They will pay either a "once off" (one time) licensing fee or a 3-year renewable ...

Manga for Japan Disaster Victims

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 19:39:32 -0600

With the help of concerned donors and partners, Shinsei Senkyodan (New Life Ministries) in Japan is printing "a lot of literature to be given out free ... in the stricken areas and throughout the country," according to General Director Roald Lidal. While the ministry is "not set up to deal with relief operations" their plan is to "offer free, helpful materials to churches to use" including Bibles and the Manga Messiah graphic novel. Thousands of copies of the new "4 Spiritual Laws manga," The Search, will also ...

Cartoonist Connects in Québec

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 19:36:47 -0600

Christian cartoonist Alain Auderset returned to Québec, Canada, to appear at the 24th Annual Festival de la BD francophone (French language comics festival) in April. He also performed his one-man Gospel comedy show, "Athée Non Pratiquant" ("Non-Practicing Atheist") in two large halls in Montreal and Saint-Romuald, near Québec City. He was interviewed on a popular radio program in Montreal, and he spoke at ...

Free Download of UK Comic

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 19:34:33 -0600

British-born Nigerian illustrator Bayo Akinsiku (known as "Siku") has created a special "King James Version (KJV) of the Easter narrative" derived from his earlier "Manga" Bible titles. Over 30,000 copies of these books, produced in collaboration with The Edge Group/UK, have sold in the UK. The new edition is a 400th Anniversary Tribute to ...

Cook Comic Still on Top

Sat, 02 Apr 2011 10:44:56 -0600

The April Bestseller Lists are just out from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA), based on sales from hundreds of US Christian retail outlets for the 4-week cycle ending 19 March. The former Kids and Young Adult lists are now combined into a Top 20 Christian Juvenile Bestsellers, and # 1 on that new list is The Action Bible. The English-language hardcover graphic novel from David C Cook was ...

Family Mag Comments on Comics

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:56:35 -0600

The digital magazine FamilyFiction has launched a "Comics & Animation" department in their March/April 2011 issue. The first columns by comics writer Ben Avery include information on the Eye Witness graphic novels, a comics anthology entitled Parable: Volume 1, and the syndicated comic strip Heaven's Love Thrift Shop by ...

ECPA Announces Elite Entrants

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:34:11 -0600

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has released the list of 2011 Christian Book Awards Finalists, and The Action Bible is on that list. The best-selling graphic novel from US publisher David C Cook is illustrated by internationally acclaimed comic book artist Sergio Cariello. The 30 Finalists – 5 titles each in 6 categories – were chosen out of 226 entries that "represent Christian publishing's finest books and Bibles for 2011." Cook's Action Bible is a Finalist in the Children's Book Category. "This year's pool of finalists includes a great mix of a ...

Stevens Talks Music & Ministry

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:31:09 -0600

A February radio podcast interview with US Christian comics creator/publisher Alec Stevens is now on the website of the Times Square Church in New york City, where Stevens plays guitar with the worship band on Sundays. During the music-oriented interview Stevens discusses the new 450-page book published under his Calvary Comics (CC) imprint. He even shares its title – a rarity, as Stevens usually declines to reveal such information in advance. This will be the 7th book from CC, and Stevens hopes to have it out by late May/early June. His earlier editions include current best-sellers ...

Aussie Comic Prepares for Reprint

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 12:39:27 -0600

The Bible Society in Australia's The Story of Jesus comic has now sold over 50,000 copies. Originally the comic was produced as a 24-page, black & white tract-size publication in 2009. It was re-released as a full-sized, full-color edition in 2010. According to the publisher the comic is aimed "primarily at a teenage demographic." Former Disney animator Matt Baker illustrated The Story of Jesus from ...

GN Finalist for Another Award

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 12:34:05 -0600

The fourth and final graphic novel in Head Press Publishing's Eye Witness series is in the running for an additional Book of the Year award. Eye Witness: Unknown God has been named a finalist in the graphic novel category of the ForeWord Reviews awards. Since the series by US author/illustrator Robert James Luedke premiered in 2004, individual titles have garnered 4 independent book awards, most recently for Best Graphic Novel in the 2010 USABookNews awards. Also, series titles have been ...

CCAS Continues Comic-Con Outreach

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:27:09 -0600

The Christian Comic Arts Society (CCAS) will be at the up-coming WonderCon on 1-3 April at the Moscone Convention Center South in San Francisco, California USA. At the Phoenix Comic-Con on Memorial Day weekend, CCAS will share booth space with New Creation Now. Most of CCAS's Board of Directors will be at ComicCon International in San Diego, California USA, in July. Current ...

Channeling Comics to Kids

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:24:52 -0600

South Africa-based Kurula Media, maker of documentaries and DVDs for secular and Christian clients, is diversifying their business to include printed materials such as comics. Kurula has already begun importing and selling US titles such as David's Mighty Men, Daniel - Prophet of Dreams, and ArmorQuest for distribution in their country. Owner Kyle Lauf started with a focus on placing pamphlet-style comics "that kids can buy with their own pocket money" into Christian book stores. Instead he found ...

Artists to Orlando in April

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:35:49 -0600

The Rev. Byron Spradlin, President of Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) in Tennessee USA, is this year's coordinator of the Arts, Media & Entertainment Affinity Group at the Lausanne Gathering 4-7 April in Orlando, Florida USA. Spradlin is asking artistic Christians who are "concerned about the Church … embracing, discipling & equipping, mobilizing Artistic Leadership … evangelizing those within the Artistic Sub-culture" to join in a 6 hour "conversation" that will ...

Deadline Looms for Québec Event

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:17:11 -0700

The registration deadline for L'événement BD ("The Comics Event") in Lac-Brome, Québec, Canada, is coming up soon the seminar co-hosts, COMIX35 and EVQ Media, report. All attendees must be signed up for the April event by 15 March 2011. Teachers for this 3 day plus 1 evening comics seminar will be Eric LeBlanc of Québec, Lisa Hutchinson and Nate Butler of the USA, and Didier Millotte of France. Alain Auderset of Switzerland will be ...

GN Creator Gets Great PR

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:06:20 -0700

The writer/artist of the 3-volume King of Kings: The Chronicles of Jesus series, Delaware USA-based Brian S. Dawson, was featured last month on the cover of Inspire magazine, "England's largest Christian publication." Dawson has also done radio interviews nationally and "has several set up in the coming months with the Branch FM in England and 90.1 Hope FM in Ireland." He will be appearing on CBN's The 700 Club to ...

Next LittWorld Held in Kenya

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:02:23 -0700

Christian writers, editors, artists, and publishers from across the globe will be meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, for the next LittWorld event in 2012. Every 3 years Media Associates International (MAI) convenes LittWorld, "the only international conference of its kind, providing intensive training on strategic, publishing-related topics." The conference typically gathers more than 150 attendees from 30-plus countries. International Christian comics creators who have attended past conferences include ...

Manga Update from NEXT

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:49:06 -0700

The Japanese manga ministry of NEXT Inc continues to be "very much engaged in reaching the lost through strictly Bible-based manga books." Roald Lidal, the head of NEXT, reports that a total of 5 books "covering most of the Bible – and focusing on THE story of the Bible" – have now been completed. The first edition, Manga Messiah, has been translated into 21 languages. They have also published an evangelistic manga booklet entitled The Messiah. A total of 2,230,000 copies of all 5 books and 1,028,000 of the booklets have been printed to date. Translation is in process in another 15 languages. "What excites us is not the large numbers in ...

Retailers Choose the Best

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:46:06 -0700

Voting has opened for the Christian Retailing's 2011 Retailers Choice Awards. Retailers are invited to select the best products of the previous year from a record 350-plus nominations in 39 categories. Included on the 2011 ballot, in the category "Children's Bibles," is The Action Bible graphic novel by Doug Mauss and Sergio Cariello, published by David C Cook. Another comic strip Bible won a Retailers Choice Award last year ...

Jenkins Acquires Market Guide

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:43:21 -0700

Although there are still no professional how-to books created specifically for Christian comics producers, the annual Christian Writers' Market Guide by Sally Stuart has been a useful resource for 26 years for Christians who want to write, edit, and/or publish comics. Now, as of 1 March, the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild has acquired Stuart’s publication. The Guide, a "reliable source for the critical information needed by those seeking to publish their work in the Christian community," will still be released by Tyndale House, but the byline of the 2012 edition will switch from Stuart to Jenkins. Jenkins was involved in comics work in the past as ...

Event Encourages Manga Ministry

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 18:49:29 -0700

The Christian Manga-Ka Contest was announced officially at the February International Reaching Japanese For Christ (RJC) Conference in Washington state USA, following the recent unveiling of the contest's Japanese language web pages. Throughout the RJC conference, attendees were informed of the contest through PowerPoint slides projected in the main hall. Launched by COMIX35 and New Life Ministries Japan, the contest goal is to ...

Kolka's Cardinal in Comics Mag

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 18:47:25 -0700

Michigan USA-based K.J. (Kurt) Kolka will have his long-running comic strip The Cardinal appear in an 8-page story in Indie Comics Magazine. "Kurt has a strong regional following and has been known in Michigan for over 30 years," the editor reports. "Kurt uses Golden Age super hero conventions and spiritual themes ... and it works with an emotional intensity not often found in comic books today." Beginning as a college paper strip in...

Circulation of African Comic Continues

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 10:51:36 -0700

Copies of the new 36-page Christian comic book, Éclats: Bandes Dessinées D'Afrique, are spreading across French-speaking Africa. Some of the distribution is being handled by Livr’Afrique, an evangelical Christian group working in 15 countries for over 10 years. They have shipped 800 copies to Cameroun and also will be taking Éclats for distribution in their book stores. The first shipment of 160 copies to Chad "sold out in a flash, and they have asked for more." The Éclats comic is ...

Popular Spanish Manga Returns

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 10:49:17 -0700

An adaptation of the 4 Gospels, El Mesías: Historietas Manga, is available again after a brief time out of print. The 288-page Spanish edition – translated from the Japanese graphic novel Manga Messiah – is now published by Tyndale House. Following 1 or 2 contrived charges of anti-Semitism leveled against Manga Messiah by overwrought bloggers, the previous Spanish-language publisher ceased publication and ...

Final Eye Witness GN is Finalist

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:12:12 -0700

In 2010 artist/writer Robert James Luedke finished an "8 year creative mission" and completed his Eye Witness graphic novel series with the release of the fourth and final book, Eye Witness: Unknown God. Now Luedke has been informed that Unknown God is a finalist in the Christian Small Press Publisher Book of the Year awards, competing with 4 other titles in the "Young Adult" (12+ years) category. Winners are determined solely by the votes of ...

Edge Group Offers Easter Edition

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:09:43 -0700

Following up on their Christmas Bible Comic from last year, the Edge Group UK has packaged a new 16-page Easter Bible Comic, published by Scripture Union. The comic is for "children aged under 11" and contains "the true story of Easter, together with quizzes, puzzles, facts and information to help them engage with the story more fully." It is written by comics professional Christopher Spencer, a veteran of classic British ...

Almighty Bible to Release Gospel of Mark

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:07:33 -0700

Apple of the Eye, the publishers of The Almighty Bible series, are releasing their first New Testament Graphic Novel, The Gospel of Mark, on 1 March. The iPad/iPhone/Droid versions will be released in April. The Gospel of Mark will "bring the life of Jesus alive with incredible illustrations and concisely edited text that is focused on Biblical accuracy." The new edition will take the readers all the ...

Cook Comic in CBA's Top 10

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:49:14 -0700

Anyone who thinks Christian comics can't be commercially successful should check out the February Top 50 Best-Sellers List from the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA). A ranking of all book titles compiled from actual sales in stores for the 5 weeks ending 1 January 2011, the list shows The Action Bible, illustrated by Sergio Cariello, now listed at #10. The David C Cook Graphic Novel title has risen from ...

Touching Testimony in Tournesol

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:54:47 -0700

The most recent issue of the French comic book Tournesol contains the testimony of Swiss comics creator Alain Auderset. When he was young, Auderset discovered a huge pile of abandoned Tournesol comics in a collection of old papers at a school. He took them home and read them day after day, surprised to find that they spoke of God, something he had previously thought was "just a religious thing and boring." Through these comics Auderset came to know Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, and though he felt he had no talent, Auderset committed ...

Washington Workshops Update

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:51:53 -0700

Plans are being finalized for several short manga/anime evangelism workshops and seminars at the 10th Annual International Reaching Japanese For Christ (RJC) Conference from 17-19 February in Bothell, WA USA. In addition to a Saturday session on using manga as a tool for evangelism led by Roald Lidal from NEXT, there will be a manga evangelism talk on Friday by Don Regier from Word of Life Press (WLP) in Tokyo. WLP publishes the 32-page monthly Gospel comic book ...

COMIX35 Celebrates 15 Years

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 21:36:13 -0700

In January 1996 the Lord brought together 30 people from 12 countries for the First International Christian Comics Training Conference in Tagaytay, the Philippines. That event marked the beginning of the ministry now known as COMIX35. Over 30 international comics classes and seminars have been held since that time for nearly 800 attendees representing 49 different countries. In addition to those ...

Another Book from Bundschuh

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:18:22 -0700

Christian cartoonist, pastor, and prolific pen-pusher Rick Bundschuh has written another new title, Deep Like Me: Extremely Profound Thoughts on Faith From a Disciple in Over His Head, coming out at the end of January. Bundschuh is also the co-author of Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board, about Bethany Hamilton, the Christian girl who lost her arm to a shark while surfing. Soul Surfer has been made into a feature-length motion picture debuting ...

Christian Comics Club in Columbus

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:16:27 -0700

A Christian comic book club called the comiCALs has been formed at Calumet Christian, a Xenos school in Ohio USA. The club, for 6th graders, was developed by parents who want their kids to be "affiliated with people in this world who love God, love comics, and who are in the world spreading a wonderful message through an exciting medium." At their first meeting last September, club members decided to collaborate on a comic book for children on extended stays in the local ...

Captain Comes from Carolina

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:13:40 -0700

North Carolina USA based Salvation Comics is publishing a new, full-color super-hero comic book entitled Captain Salvation, written by Curt Hawn and illustrated by former Marvel and DC artist Greg Waller. The Christian character-based company was founded by Hawn and Joshua Carpenter who met in 2002 as youth leaders at a church summer camp. Hawn sold a company he started in ...

Pups Produced in Paperback

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:10:24 -0700

After 15 years in movie and TV marketing in Hollywood, Jeffrey Smith felt God was leading him to draw "a comic strip that had been milling around in my head for years." The result was Prayer Pups, a strip featuring "5 little dogs who try to live their lives in a way that is faithful to God’s principles." The strips are now available in a 132-page paperback edition ...

Vote for Christian Comics!

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:03:15 -0700

Family Fiction (FF) Magazine is holding their first Readers Choice Awards with a slot on the ballot for Christian comics. The poll is open until 6 February. Chris Well, editor of FF, writes that every vote for Christian comics is important, "because we need enough votes in the category to make it statistically viable." Although a number of current Christan graphic novels and comics are biographies or ...

Cook Comic Takes the Top

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:11:20 -0700

The Action Bible, illustrated by internationally acclaimed artist Sergio Cariello, is still #1 on the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's Christian Kids Bestsellers list for January 2011. David C Cook's English-language hardcover debuted on the Kids Top 20 list at #1 in November 2010 and has remained there since. Cariello reports that a full audio version of the book is available on iTunes and "soon an iPad version will combine the ...