WASP 2015 Begins Monday March 2nd – Sarah Turner and Francesca Dare on this Year’s Webcomic Artist Swap Project

This week sees the third Webcomic Artist Swap Project (WASP) taking place, beginning tomorrow Monday March 2nd and continuing until the 8th. Over the past two years the event has included the work of a number of UK self-publishers swapping art duties on their respective webcomics.

Original WASP showrunner Richy K. Chandler (Lucy the Octopus, Bang! Crash Whizz!) has stepped back from the organisational duties this year and handed over the reins to Francesca Dare (Penny Blackfeather) and Sarah Turner (Folklore).

Turner comments, “I’m delighted that we’ve had such a positive response from so many artists this year. We have talented writers and comickers from around the world including Japan, the USA and England. The project is something really special, whilst not unique, it’s certainly a great way to get to know about new comics and artists! I was honoured to take part last year, and am even happier to help in the running it now…here’s to WASP 2016! We’d love new creators to join in, so don’t be shy! Get in touch and let us know.”

Dare adds, “Webcomics each have their own unique spark, so when you mix them together you get some pretty sweet explosions. That’s what WASP is all about; creating something new by combining great talents, while having a blast all the way.”

Creative endeavours like WASP are a reminder of the wider sense of community that exists on the self-publishing scene and it’s certainly produced some intriguing re-interpretations of favourite characters and strips in years past…

Richy K. Chandler’s Lucy the Octopus drawn by Zarina Liew

Nicola Streeten’s A Year at 50 drawn by Richy K. Chandler

Zarina Liew’s Le Mime drawn by David O’Connell

The artists taking part in 2015 include:

Paula Albaneze The Magic Flute

Alex Brenchley Overground

Rebecca Burgess and Holly Caddick Headcase

Richy K. Chandler Lucy the Octopus

Mewa Chu Sapphire Days

Francesca Dare Penny Blackfeather

Anna Dowsland Don’t Feed the Pigeons

Midori Harako Chrysanthemum Alley

Chie Kutsuwada and Inko Ai Takita Go! Go! Metro!

Jenny McKeon & Alex Chaunyan Eerie PD

Jess Milton Jason

Jade Sarson Cafe Suada

Sarah Turner Folklore

Paul Shinn and Lauren Murphy will also be contributing art/writing!

For more on WASP visit the Facebook page here. Richy K. Chandler talked to me about the origins of WASP at Broken Frontier here.

And, finally, above right is a reminder of Richy K. Chandler’s visual summation of WASP from last year’s fun and games…

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