Now that we’ve established ourselves as the leading light of the graphic novel renaissance in Britain, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and set about breaking America. After our launch in the States last year, we’ve already gained a reputation as the most prominent British graphic novel publisher. As Casey Burchby wrote in Publishers Weekly last week, SelfMadeHero are leading a ‘New British Invasion’ of graphic novels in the States. The UK indie scene is fast growing a reputation as the place to go for ground-breaking graphic novels – and we’re at its heart.

In April, we’ll be travelling to New York with four of our creators – Glyn Dillon (The Nao of Brown), JAKe and Robert Sellers (Hellraisers), and Rob Davis (Don Quixote) – all of whom will attend MoCCA Arts Festival as special guests. Run by the Society of Illustrators, this is one of the finest independent comic arts festivals in the States, taking place in the 69th Regiment Armory over the weekend of 6th-7th April. Our creators will be signing and sketching on the SelfMadeHero stand, D113-D114. They’ll also be discussing the Brit comics scene and their latest releases at a ‘Table Talk’ event on the Sunday at 2.30pm. The discussion will be chaired by Jimmy Aquino from the Comic News Insider podcast.

If that’s not enough, we’re also having a party at the brilliant Bergen Street Comics in Brooklyn on Thursday 4th April. If you’re in New York, do pop in, pick up a drink and meet our creators.

You can read Boing Boing’s review of JAKe and Robert Sellers’ Hellraisers here and a review by Publishers Weekly here.

You can read the Chicago Tribune’s Scott Stantis on Glyn Dillon’s The Nao of Brown here and another review by The New York Times here.

Rob Davis discusses the daunting task of adapting Don Quixote here.

So we’re looking good to break America. Let’s just hope the trip doesn’t go the way of an Oasis tour. Or a visit by the hellraisers…

Last Thursday, Brighton’s graphic novel fans gathered at the brilliant Dave’s Comics on Sydney Street for the launch of The Murder Mile by Paul Collicutt. The book, which is the Observer’s Graphic Novel of the Month for February, is a pacey crime thriller set against the backdrop of the race to break the four-minute mile barrier.

In the Observer, Rachel Cooke said of the book, ‘The Murder Mile is like Chariots of Fire as rewritten by Raymond Chandler, a mash-up that is completely delightful on the page… It’s magical.’ As Roger Bannister, John Landy and others battle to break the four-minute mile barrier, private investigator Daniel Stone investigates the death of a promising young American athlete. As he looks into allegations of race-fixing, Stone soon finds himself caught in a dangerous web of conspiracy and corruption.

The Murder Mile combines Paul Collicutt’s talent for sequential art with his love of track and field. As well as being an award-winning illustrator, he is a club runner, a qualified athletics coach and Chairman of the Phoenix Athletics Club.

Joining members of the comics and athletics community, another graphic novel fan, the Mayor of Brighton, also attended the launch – a grand addition to great evening.

A huge thanks to everyone who came, and to the staff at Dave’s Comics for providing such a fantastic venue.

You can read Rachel Cooke’s review of The Murder Mile in full here.

Curator Rosie Goldsmith’s plan to bring six of the best Dutch-language authors to the UK for a tour of six cities over six nights always looked ambitious. But with most of the country blanketed in snow, the High Impact tour’s success seemed even more miraculous as it reached London for its sell-out grand finale.

Taking place at the Tabernacle in Notting Hill, the final leg of the tour lived up to its ‘High Impact’ billing. The audience were treated to readings from an incredible group of Dutch and Belgian writers, from the poet laureate Ramsey Nasr to the prize-winning travel writer Lieve Joris. The London event also included guest appearances from three of the UK’s finest authors: Deborah Moggach, David Mitchell and Tracy Chevalier, who ended the evening with a reading from The Girl with the Pearl Earing. All three writers have been inspired by Dutch culture and written on Dutch themes, and all three had high praise for the contemporary Low Countries literature showcased at The Tabernacle.

Judith Vanistendael, the only graphic novelist on the bill, took to the stage to discuss her work in the light of the evening’s theme, ‘the Dutch Golden Age’. She recalled being moved to tears by the paintings of Golden Age masters Vermeer and Rembrandt. On an evening otherwise dominated by the written and spoken word, Judith’s talk served as an important reminder of the power of the image. Frames from When David Lost His Voice and Dance by the Light of the Moon were projected behind her as she spoke eloquently of her inspirations and intentions.

The audience and guests were entertained throughout by musicians Eric Vloeimans and Tuur Floorizone, who made the combination of accordion and trumpet sound as improbably perfect (as David Michell put it) as Wensleydale and Christmas cake. Like the rest of the evening, it was an excellent reminder that we should open our eyes – and ears – to international culture. Judging by the talent on show at The Tabernacle, the Low Countries would be a good place to start.

The High Impact writers’ personal blogs are being published every day this week on the tour’s website.

A unique project presenting the very best of Dutch-language literature to the UK, HIGH IMPACT is bringing 6 top writers from Belgium and the Netherlands on a tour of 6 cities for 6 nights of readings and debates.

They are the Low Country literati: all prize-winners and bestsellers back home, all writing in Dutch, producing some of the most exciting literature in Europe – but not nearly as well known or read here in the UK. Now for the first time, and in a unique collaboration, 6 of the best Dutch-language storytellers are coming together for a tour of 6 English cities – to perform for us and to discover what they may (or may not!) have in common.

Curated by Rosie Goldsmith, known in the UK as a champion of international fiction, HIGH IMPACT is a unique idea with a unique group of writers. You’ll hear the Dutch Poet Laureate side by side with Belgium’s leading graphic novelist, two global bestsellers, a thriller writer, a celebrated historian and a travel writer, together on stage every night. Selected from across Flanders and the Netherlands not only for their brilliant books but also for their wit, wisdom, fluent English and performance skills, they’ll wow you with their readings and ideas. Each night a different city, a different theme, a different type of venue. The tour ends with a final gala gathering in London and a performance alongside English literati including David Mitchell (The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet), Tracy Chevalier (The Girl With The Pearl Earring) and Deborah Moggach (Tulip Fever).

Running from 14–19 January 2013, HIGH IMPACT features SelfMadeHero’s very own Judith Vanistendael, ground-breaking author of Dance by the Light of the Moon (2010, translated by Ina Rilke) and When David Lost His Voice (2012, translated by Nora Mahony).

Judith will be appearing alongside Lieve Joris, Herman Koch, Ramsey Nasr, Peter Terrin and Chika Unigwe, showcasing the best literature from Flanders and the Netherlands in English translation.

Tour dates

Monday 14 January, Oxford: Blackwell’s Bookshop.
Tuesday 15 January, Birmingham: The Anglican Cathedral, with Writing West Midlands.
Wednesday 16 January, Liverpool: The Epstein Theatre.
Thursday 17 January, Sheffield: St George’s Church Lecture Theatre, with the University of Sheffield.
Friday 18 January, Norwich: Norwich Arts Centre.
Saturday 19 January, London: The Tabernacle.

Praise for Judith Vanistendael’s When David Lost His Voice:

“The final moments are big, bleak, brilliant and stark.” Rosie Blau, The Economist

“This is an amazing book, one of the best published by SelfMadeHero so far.” Rachel Cooke, The Observer