And Then This Stuff Happened...

Well boys and girls, you've probably noticed that Mothman has yet to return... He will though, I promise you.
I haven't been slacking off like, I've got a story called Punchasaurus! in the fabulous kid-friendly anthology Space Monkey, the latest offering from the Paper Jam Comics Collective.
And the first volume of the collected Spine Chillers is imminent, watch this space for details!
But mostly I've been working on a special, limited edition, one of a kind masterpiece with my beautiful girlfriend Jo. In your Earth language- We're having a baby!!!
So don't expect to see me at many conventions next year kids, I'm busy :)
Ben

John Keel 1930-2009

I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of writer and UFOlogist John Keel recently. He is probably best known for his book The Mothman Prophecies, and for coining the term Men In Black. But his greatest contribution to science and culture was his rejection of the Extraterrestrial hypothesis of UFOs in his landmark books UFOs-Operation Trojan Horse, Our Haunted Planet, and Strange Creatures From Time and Space, which was the first of his books that I read.
I've been interested in UFOs and Fortean weirdness all my life, since my 8 year old mind was blown by the TV series Arthur C Clarke's Mysterious World. Throughout my teens and into my early twenties I read all kinds of crazy books about UFOs, and believed some even crazier things. (and met some even crazier people, but that's another story!)
But it was reading John's books, and his remarkable but simple hypothesis that changed all that. The correlation between UFOs and other weird phenomena throughout human history is so bleeding obvious when you really look at it. The only difference is the cultural filter that each phenomenon is viewed through. The world is a strange place, and there are countless things about it we don't know.
You don't get to say this about many people in your life, but John Keel changed the way I think about the world.

RIP

PS Mothman About The House wouldn't exist without him. "It doesn't exist now!" I hear you cry, but don't worry it's on it's way...

Mothballs

Now my new site is up and running, it's time to announce the semi-triumphant return of Mothman!

Starting next week is the new series The Mysterious Affair at Mothman's. There's been a murder!

And later in the year, Mothman faces his greatest challenge when he goes to war. Moths of Glory- it won't be over by Christmas!

Lots of Mothy goodness coming up, but in the meantime don't forget there is a new episode of The Spine Chillers every friday, and check out the new Paper Jams blog where you can read some 24 minute comic strips by members of the Paper Jam Comics Collective, my strip PIE! CHART! is up there now.

Welcome To Magic Beans!

Hello!
After a few months concentrating on The Spine Chillers webcomic, I've been neglecting my poor old blog. Well not any more! It's all change here at Chateau Beans. I'm now here on blogger.com, so check here now instead of my old site, and if you could update any links you have I'd appreciate it!
Stay tuned in the next few days for lots of news about what's coming up, and as always, thanks for reading!

Ben

Spine Chillers Episodes 2 and 3

A double helping of Spine Chillers for you this week you lucky people!

http://renegadeartsentertainment.com/spinechillers/comic/

The Spine Chillers

The mysterious project I have been working on since Hi-Ex can be revealed at last!

The Spine Chillers is a new weekly comic strip for Renegade Arts Entertainment, the first episode is up now, and a new episode will follow every friday. Hope you like it!

http://renegadeartsentertainment.com/spinechillers/comic/

The Stink-Episode 10

Coming right up!

The Stink-Episode 9

The final part is coming up!

The Stink-Episode 8

Be here on friday for the devastating conclusion to The Stink!

And some HUGE news about the future...

Save The DFC!

As you may have heard, the wonderful British children's comic The DFC is to cease publication soon unless a buyer is found.

There is a campaign to organise a subscriber buyout, if you can help please do. The DFC needs YOU!

http://savethedfc.blogspot.com/

Belated Hi-Ex 2 Report

It's taken me a while but I just wanted to say a few words about what a wonderful convention Hi-Ex 2 was! The first one was a hard act to follow, but this year was even better. Graeme Neil Reid summed it up better than I could, but a few of my favourite moments were the Watchmen panel, the Judge Minty fan film, the marvellous Cinebooks, the now traditional saturday night drunken jam comic, and just seeing friends old and new, united by a love of comics. I have to give a special thank you to Vicky and Rich for all their hard work in putting Inverness on the comics map, and organising the best con I've ever been to.

See you at Hi-Ex 3!

Hi-Ex!

I will be at the Highlands Comic Expo in Inverness this weekend, hope to see some of you there!

Full report, and the final few horrifying chapters of The Stink, when I get back!

Zine-o-rama

Sadly I couldn't make it to the Edinburgh Zine-o-rama today, I hope it was a huge success for everyone who was there. I'm definitely going to the next one!

I will be at Hi-Ex in Inverness next weekend, details during the week!

Space Year 2009

The new year is weeks old already and my plans for world dominati-err... publishing comics have been delayed by a horrific cold. I'm much better now, thanks for asking.

2009 sounds so much more futuristic than the rest of this decade don't you think? A child born today would still be at junior school when the replicants come back from the offworld colonies in Blade Runner.

Anyway there are about 9 comic events on in the next 2 months, I'm definitely going to Hi-Ex and hopefully a few more besides. I'll keep you informed, and belated Happy New Year!