FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saltire, Scotland’s First Superhero
New Scottish comic book to compete with Batman and Spiderman
Dundee, Scotland 20th September 2013
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (DJCAD)
and Diamondsteel Comics have announced the launch of Scotland’s first
traditional comic book superhero. The #1 issue of the brand new title, Saltire
– Invasion, is set for release at the 2013 Dundee Comics Expo on the 26th/27th
October.
Set within an expansive time frame amidst the natural beauty
of Scotland, the Saltire stories interweave the history and legends of Scotland
with the dynamic thrills of the modern superhero genre.
Created and written by Glaswegian, John Ferguson, the
artistic team for the new venture were discovered through a competition at
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in Dundee to find the best
emerging talent in the country. Competition winners Gary Welsh and Tone
Julskjaer were given the task of bringing Ferguson’s dark and gritty superhero
to life. ”They’ve done a wonderful job of capturing Scotland’s landscape along
with the dynamism of Saltire, a very powerful character.” said Ferguson.
The competition was facilitated by Comics Module Leader
Phillip Vaughan. “ The work that our students have done on this project is
incredible, and the professionalism of the art is testament to the development
of Comics Studies at the University of Dundee. Myself, along with Dr. Chris
Murray in the School of Humanities, are pushing the employability of our
students, and Saltire is a fine example of a live project with a tangible
outcome. This week we launch the Cam Kennedy Comics Studio in the University, a
dedicated space for comics students, Cam being Scotland’s real life comics superhero!”
Describing his new creation, Ferguson continues, “Saltire is
the immortal guardian of the nation. He’s created in prehistory to defend the
twelve clans of Scotland from the perils of the expanding world. Saltire being
immortal means the comic books can take place at any time in history, sometimes
the ancient world, sometimes modern history, or even in the future.
The new comic book is the first in an ongoing series that
Ferguson hopes will capture the imagination of the Scottish public and beyond.
“I feel Scotland really misses an iconic superhero to champion as its own.
Hopefully people will see this and relate similarly to the big American
franchises which everyone loves, like The Avengers or Batman.” Ferguson
suggests. “The Saltire series takes a lot of the lost mythology of Scotland and
gives it a modern comic book flavour as a variety of villains look to disrupt
the Scottish way of life. Scotland’s heroic figures are all centuries old,
hopefully Saltire can fill that void and let people round the world know
Scotland is not all tartan and shortbread.”
Saltire – Invasion.
Full Colour Graphic Novel by John Ferguson.
Art by Gary Welsh & Tone Julskjaer. Published by Diamondsteel Comics
Ltd
When
a peaceful land is faced with the might of all conquering Rome, its legendary
guardians must stand as one or kneel before an oppressive empire. As the sun rises,
the immortal protector awakens to face the ultimate battle for freedom.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saltirecomics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaltireComics
Website: http://www.diamondsteelcomics.com
Email: info@diamondsteelcomics.com
John Ferguson
Diamondsteel Comics Limited
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