Jimena girl starts out in the comics business

(From TioJimeno) 'El Paso' is a three-volume hard-back comic book in the European style. Each volume consists of 40 to 50 pages. The reason we have put this up here is that one of the two authors is Rocío Sánchez, daughter of Federico Sánchez Tundidor, teacher at Instituto Hozgarganta and an old friend. We have known Rocío for some time, too, and are delighted with her progress. She writes the story and does the colouring while Ramón Gardón, her partner at RaroCreative, is the designer and painter; they are financing the first volume of the work via crowdfunding, in order, she says, 'to give it a professional finish and pave the way towards a future in the comics industry.' Good luck!

(More info: http://www.verkami.com/projects/5561-el-paso)

Manilva hosts Comic Festival this weekend

MANILVA (Agencies) The word cómic (with an accent) is not the word for comedian in Spanish. It refers to what used to be called comic magazines, or 'comics' for short. There is an enormous interest in Spain about the subject and it's a very healthy sector of the publishing business, too. Local fans will be wham!ing their way to Manilva, where a festival is being held this weekend. Artists in the medium will have a chance to learn a lot from experienced artists working with some of the world's top comic publishers, including Disney and Marvel. Yes, Spain exports many dab hands with the pen & ink. Also present will be local artists, many known well beyond the confines of the area, like Carlos Villanueva, Ricardo Tejeiro, Antonio Garrido 'Garry', Jesús Barony and young Cris L. Vargas, the author of the mural at Parque María Cristina in Algeciras. Films, shops specialising in the art, and others, and activities for the kids are on the programme. So shazzam! yourself to Manilva until Sunday, and have a colourful time.