Rufus Dayglo, who worked on animation for Gorillaz, will be present at the convention.

Now in its sixth year and attracting hundreds of fans to St James Cavalier, the Malta Comic Con has become an established name on the events calendar. This year’s guests include Rufus Dayglo, one of the animators responsible for the Gorillaz music video Clint Eastwood and Stephen Scott, part of the team working on the adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book.

Wicked Comics, who organise the convention, confirmed heavy-weight Rufus Dayglo’s presence for both days of the convention. Dayglo’s name will strike a chord with fans of alternative rock ‘virtual’ band Gorillaz.

Dayglo is, in fact, also known for his animation work and was one of the members of the team working on pop promos for the band. His input includes the video for the highly-popular Clint Eastwood on special effects.

Illustrator Stephen Scott, who has just finished working on the graphic-novel adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, is also likely to pull in the crowds. Gaiman’s 2008 novel tells the story of Nobody Owens, a boy who ends up ‘adopted’ by a family of graveyard ghosts after his family is murdered.

The book went on to win numerous awards, including the British Carnegie Medal and the American Newbery Medal and is also being turned into a movie.

It has now been adapted into a two-part graphic novel by writer P. Craig Russel with the first volume released earlier this year. The second, and final, volume is expected to be released by the end of this month.

This is not the first time Russel has collaborated with Gaiman. He has illustrated a number of Sandman editions and also adapted Coraline into a graphic novel.

Russel personally hand-picked Scott to form part of the small team of illustrators working on The Graveyard Book project. Throughout his career, Scott’s work has been published DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Image, Dark Horse, London Knight Studios, Malibu Comics and several independent publishers.

Dayglo’s name will strike a chord with fans of alternative rock ‘virtual’ band Gorillaz

The event is also set to bring Confessions of a Shopaholic to Malta in manga format, thanks to guest mangaka Yishan Li, who is known for her graphic novel adaptation of Sophie Kinsella’s best-selling, eponymous novel.

Manga work by Yishan Li.

With manga continuously increasing in popularity even locally, Li is expected to be one of the main attractions, particularly among cosplayers.

Besides Li, the programme includes a list of international and Maltese names. Starting with Marvel and DC Comics illustrator extraordinaire Guillermo Ortego. Ortego first shot to fame with his work on Wolverine vs Thor, Dark Wolverine and Wolverine: Mr. X. and on DC Comics’ Green Arrow.

More recently, he has worked on Marvel’s Infinity and Original Sin with Jim Cheung and DC’s Justice League Dark, Nightwing and Batman Eternal.

The programme also includes Andrew Wildman, most known for his long association with Transformers. The artist has worked on titles like Thundercats, The Real Ghostbusters, Power Rangers, G.I. Joe, X-Men, Spider-man and Venom. He is also currently working for a number of new TV shows, including an animation with Transformers writer Simon Furman.

Also present will be Dr Who illustrator Mike Collins, best known as the penciller on the Panini Doctor Who magazine comic strip since the TV show’s triumphant return. Collins had the longest uninterrupted run as artist on the Dr Who strip.

The list of names continue with Shaky Kane (The Bulletproof Coffin), indie artist Cliodhna (Sorry I can’t take your call right now but I’m off saving the world), London-based illustrator Mickey Lam, Judge Dredd illustrator Dave Taylor, London Horror Comic writer/publisher John-Paul Kamath, The Infinite Vacation artist Christian Ward, illustrator and comic artist Michael Dialynas, freelance artist Lew Stringer (his artwork has appeared on The Beano and The Dandy, among others) and Maltese artist Daniella ‘Iella’ Attard. More names are still being added.

Highlights from the Con

• Rufus Dayglo – Gorillaz, The Graveyard Book
• Stephen Scott – Tank Girl, Judge Dredd
• Yishan Li – Confessions of a Shopaholic (manga adaptation)
• Andrew Wildman – Transformers
• Guillermo Ortego – Wolverine v Thor
• Mike Collins – Dr Who

The Malta Comic Con 2014 is organised by Wicked Comics and takes place on November 29 and 30 at St James Cavalier, Valletta.

http://maltacomic-con.com/