The Midlands Comics Collective proudly presents the launch of their first anthology
title, ‘MC²’, available from November 8th 2006.

The Midlands Comics Collective is a group of established and aspiring comics creators
based in Birmingham and the surrounding areas, most of whom met through Hi8us
Midlands’ highly successful “StripSearch” project to identify and train exceptional local
artists. Funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, “MC²” is a
96-page showcase of their talents. Hailing from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds
but linked by a passion for creating comics, the Collective’s debut anthology presents
many different themes and artistic styles, from childhood memories and horror to
slapstick comedy and superheroes.

“Virtually everyone has happy memories of reading comics as a child, but as people
get older, they often forget the pleasure of sequential art. We in the Midlands Comics
Collective never forgot, and now we’re giving back this rich and versatile medium the
respect it deserves. Our anthology aims to prove that Britain, and particularly the
Midlands, has vast (and largely untapped) reserves of talented and dedicated comic
creators, and also to send out an important message – that comics are for everyone.”
– Laura Howell (Chair, Midlands Comics Collective)

Contributors include John McCrea (2000AD, Spider-Man), Hunt Emerson (The Beano),
winner of the International Manga and Anime Festival awards 2005 Michiru Morikawa,
and Asia Alfasi, a rising star among British comic artists.

For more information, contact:
Laura Howell (nyanko@blueyonder.co.uk) - 0121 2448647
Matt Kamen (greywing@gmail.com) - 07906343996

ENDS

Notes to Editors:
MC² is funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Most artists involved will be available for interview.

Visit www.stripsearch.org.uk for more about the ongoing StripSearch scheme and
www.comicscollective.co.uk for the latest news on the collective.