This article is from page 16 of the 2013-08-20 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
A GROUP of Clare artists beat off competition from the giants of the comic industry at the weekend when their digital publication became one of the top-selling comics online.
Acclaimed comic, ‘Blackstar’, the latest from the Banner County’s vibrant comic book scene, is now number one on the Top Paid Comics Chart on iTunes.
‘Black Star’ is a collaboration between Ennis writer Mike Lynch and artists Dwayne Moloney and Trystan Mitchell. Released through Abandoned Comics press, ‘Black Star’ is an Irish-based superhero sci-fi adventure for all ages.
‘Blackstar Book One’ has already earned rave reviews and has now gone toe-to-toe and won in a sales battle against the world’s top comicbook publishers.
Mike Lynch said the team behind ‘Blackstar’ are delighted with it’s success.
“It’s a big step forward for us. It’s our first digital comic and for it to reach number one is a big achievement, especially when we are up against the big guys like Marvel and DC,” he said. Clare artists have made a big splash in the comic book world over the past few years.
Former CBS and St Flannan’s student Declan Shalvey is currently working with Marvel and has earned acclaim for his work on titles such as ‘Venom’ and ‘Dark Avengers’.
Ennis writer Mike Lynch is among a talented crop of comic publishers following the trial blazed by Shalvey.
Dwayne Moloney is an Ennis born Limerick-based cartoon artist who has done work for ‘Coimicí Gael’ and ‘Ríra’. Trystan Mitchell is a Cornwall based freelance illustrator who has provided work for the likes of Macmillan and Oxford University Press.
Lynch set up Abandoned Comics with fellow Clare man Martin Greene last year. Lynch supplies the words with Greene adding the visuals. Their first publication – Nestor, a vampire inspired tale – earned wide acclaim, winning two awards from Irish Comic News.