The Instantprint Comic Competition aims to find the best emerging comic artists out there and this year’s finalists have been announced. As a life-long comic fan, all of the designs are well crafted and appealing.
Kelly Angel’s Nemi-esque comic, about a school girl who is asked what she sees herself doing when she finishes school. She can only imagine lying on the sofa playing video games, and answers her teacher with a sardonic ‘can I get back to you?’ The graphics are bold and pleasing, and the message is one that most of think of doing or wish we could be doing!
James Bentley has a degree in illustration, and his comic about a worker in the fast food industry is very Dark Horse comics. The graphics and type setting have something of the Amory Wars about them, whilst having a mundane setting. This is guaranteed to appeal to graduates and people starting out in entry level jobs – you’re all still superstars, guys.
Rick Payne is a game designer, something which is clear to see in his beautifully crafted and digital themed comic about a man who is waiting for a train in the snow, and dreams of turning into Superman so that he can fly home.
For me, the winner is Kelly Angel – the schoolgirl who can’t imagine a professional future just rings so true with me (I became a writer, there’s the big clue) and I think that the artwork is both original and marketable, and that her style could be adaptable for many uses and audiences.
That said, all of these artists are remarkable, and all have expressed originality and artistry. I loved the authentic comic book feel expressed by James’ piece, and each finalist has managed effective story-telling through the comic style – something which is very difficult to do.