Reality Check: Manhwa and metamorphosis

Reality Check: Manhwa and metamorphosis

Two events taking place this weekend are ideal places for fans of fantasy and science fiction to visit – SCI-FI-LONDON: EAST and Manhwa: Korean Story and Painting – each in venues not known for exploring those genres. Alex Fitch talks to director Chris Swanton about his adaptation of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, screening Sunday 11th November at Stratford Picturehouse and to comic book creator Min-Woo Hyung regarding the art he’s exhibiting at the Korean Creative Content Agency, 1-3 The Strand. Alex and Chris discuss why the director chose a hard to translate novel by Kafka as his directorial debut, following a career as an editor on such projects as the BBC’s Ghostwatch, and Min-Woo talks about his career as a Manhwa creator from his debut Chronicle of a Hot-blooded Judo King to his latest project Ghostface and his most famous series Priest, which was adapted as a Sci-Fi blockbuster in 2011.

Poster for Priest 3D, art from Priest and Ghostface by Min-Woo Hyung, poster for Metamorphosis, cover of Ghostwatch

(Expanded podcast of an episode of I’m ready for my close-up, broadcast 09/11/12 on Resonance 104.4 FM)

For more info about this podcast and a variety of other episodes you can download, please visit the home of this episode at www.sci-fi-london.com

More info about SCI-FI-LONDON: EAST (9th-11th November) at www.scfilondon.com and Manhwa: Korean Story and Painting (1st-21st November) at www.manhwa101.com

Links: Min-Woo Hyung’s pages on lambiek and Comic Book Database

Wikipedia pages on Priest manhwa and movie

Chris Swanton’s filmography on IMDb

Wikipedia pages on The Metamorphosis film adaptation and novel

Metamorphosis official film website

Recommended events:

SCI-FI-LONDON: EAST

SCI-FI-LONDON movies its yearly satellite event (formerly Oktoberfest) a month later and a few miles East, as the Stratford Picturehouse hosts this post-apocolympic event… Premières include a new feature adaptation of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis starring Maureen Lipman and Cory McAbee’s latest SF musical comedy Crazy and Thief. There’s another chance for anyone who missed Brandon Cronenberg’s debut film Antiviral at the London Film festival to catch up with the this excellent body-horror thriller and the usual MST3K and Anime all-nighters.

9th-11th November 2012, Stratford Picturehouse, Theatre Square, Salway Road, Stratford, London E15 1BX

More info at www.scifilondon.com

Comica Festival 2012 week one

Grandville Bête Noire Premiere: Bryan and Mary Talbot

The Badger is back in the third of the phenomenal Grandville series of anthropomorphic steampunk romance thrillers!

Where: Foyles, 113-119 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0EB

When: November 9, 2012 6.30-7.30pm

Launch Party: The Strumpet and Ink+Paper

Celebrate the release of these sparkling new issues with the publishers & contributors.

Where: Orbital Comics, 8 Great Newport Street, London WC2

When: November 9, 2012 7-9.30pm

Alois Nebel: Opening Gala Screening & Live Music Party

Jaromír 99 introduces a premiere screening of the animated movie & performs the original score.

Where: Riverside Studios Gallery, Crisp Rd, Hammersmith, W6 9R

When: November 9, 2012 8.15 Film 9.45 Party

Comica Comiket Fall 2012 Independent Comics Fair

Discover the very best in comics & enjoy the Drawing Parade of superstar artists, all for free!

Where: Bishopsgate Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, EC2M 4QH

When: November 10, 2012 11am to 7pm

Line Hoven: Scraperboard Workshop

Learn to make your own scraperboard illustrations from the acclaimed German graphic novelist.

Where: Goethe-Institut, 50 Princes Gate, London SW7 2PH

When: November 11, 2012 11am to 5pm

More info about all events at www.comicafestival.com

The Ballad of Halo Jones in Leeds

Lass O’Gowrie Productions and Scytheplays are incredibly excited to announce that their much-lauded adaptation of writer Alan Moore and artist Ian Gibson’s comic book series, The Ballad of Halo Jones, is to be re-staged as part of Thought Bubble, the week-long comic arts festival held in Leeds from Sunday 11th to Sunday 18th November.

The Production is officially sanctioned by the publishers of 2000AD, Rebellion and has the blessing of both original writer Alan Moore, and artist Ian Gibson who created the memorable 50th century landscapes in the strip.

Location: Leeds’ The Library Scream Pub

Dates: Sunday November 11th (7.30pm), Monday November 12th (7.30pm) and Saturday November 17th (12.30pm and 2.45pm).

Tickets are £10.00 each, 50% discount for concessions. Tickets are available online at www.wegottickets.com or on the door.

Idle Hands Comix indiegogo campaign

Short film maker and illustrator Paul Cheshire is launching a new annual British comics anthology for 2013 and needs your help to fund it. Examples of his SF / LSD inspired work can be found at http://www.idlehandscomix.com and ‘perks’ for funding the 100-150 page anthology can be found at http://www.indiegogo.com/Idlehandscomixcampaign