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<title>Tabella Publishing</title><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/index.html</link><description>Reviews</description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><dc:rights>Copyright 2008 Tabella Publishing</dc:rights><dc:date>2010-04-21T20:14:34+01:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
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<lastBuildDate>Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:21:04 +0100</lastBuildDate><item><title>Another great review on Shelfabuse.com</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-04-21T20:14:34+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-62</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-62</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Trial and Error: The Aviated Efforts of Jean Baptiste de Bomberaque Review


Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 by Carl Doherty under Graphic Novel Reviews


...Oh to have lived in the era of madcap pioneers, an age when the boffins contributing to the advancement of mankind weren&rsquo;t just academics in white overcoats but brave dreamers willing to risk life and limb in order to change the world.   Trial and Error: The Aviated Efforts of Jean Baptiste de Bomberaque, a darkly humorous picture book from award winning artist &Oslash;ivind Hovland, chronicles the endeavours of the titular aviator, a fictional inventor whose place in history, we are told, has been eclipsed by the Wright Brothers&rsquo;s aeroplane design.


Trial and Error: The Aviated Efforts of Jean Baptiste de Bomberaque


Presented as a cross between a photo album and the intertitles from a silent movie, Trial and Error is a labour of love that&rsquo;s anything but laborious to read.   There are few words on each page, if any, but Hovland has a gift for telling mature stories with images alone.   For example, in one fantastic double-page spread we see de Boberaque preparing for his father&rsquo;s funeral; the opposite page shows the same interior but decked out with schematics of bizarre flying contraptions, and the accompanying text &ldquo;life goes on.&rdquo;


I read Hovland&rsquo;s second effort A day in the Life of Alfred first, and while I felt that to be a deeper and more touching read (if a book with so few words can be defined as a read), this tale of aerial obsession is by far the more charming of Hovland&rsquo;s two picture books.   It&rsquo;s a little costly for a book you&rsquo;ll read in minutes (&pound;11.99 for 32 pages) but it&rsquo;s a purchase you&rsquo;ll want to return to again and again.


I originally set up shelfabuse.com purely with conventional, &ldquo;panels and speech bubbles&rdquo; comic books in mind, yet frequently I receive books that are hard to categorise &ndash; not that art or literature should fit neatly into any specific genre or medium, of course.   Trial and Error: The Aviated Efforts of Jean Baptiste de Bomberaque may not be a comic or a graphic novel by definition, but it is definitely sequential art, and &Oslash;ivind Hovland should be applauded for making this peculiar little niche entirely his own.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>A day in the life of Alfred&#x2c; reviewed on Shelfabuse.com</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-04-15T18:27:16+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-61</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-61</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Thanks to Carl for a great review A day in the life of Alfred:


&ldquo;There&rsquo;s something wrong within A Day in the Life of Alfred.   An insidious, gradual feeling of unease that will work its way into your subconscious without you even realising it.   Perhaps it&rsquo;s due to the book&rsquo;s format, a sort of picture book for adults in which Norwegian-born artist &Oslash;ivind Hovland uses minimal words to convey his story, that it only becomes apparent quite how claustrophobic and downright depressing A Day in the Life is several minutes after you&rsquo;ve finished reading.


&ldquo;This is Hovland&rsquo;s second book, a spiritual follow-up to Trial and Error: The Aviated Efforts of Jean Baptiste de Bomberaque, and what perhaps links the two books is that they both express an emotion.   While Trial and Error chronicled one man&rsquo;s obsession with flight, A Day in the Life is a haunting tale of isolation and the residual effects of bullying.   This naturally makes it a far less charming and humour-laden read, but Hovland&rsquo;s knack for layered storytelling, even when confines to just 25 images and less than 500 words, shines through nevertheless.


&ldquo;Hovland&rsquo;s art is similarly different from Trial and Error, at times resembling the frustrated scribblings of a troubled, possibly autistic individual. ...  Reilly styled layers, his red overcoat and mittens the only colour in an otherwise monochrome book.   Only on a second reading did I appreciate the layers of meaning in Hovland&rsquo;s illustrations, the repetition of patterns and shapes that define his lonesome protagonist.


&ldquo;As he embarks on his monotonous journey to work, A Day in the Life of Alfred&rsquo;s crimson everyman becomes an increasingly tormented figure, with his need for daily routine all that justifies his solitary existence.   But perhaps what&rsquo;s most tragic about Alfred is just how familiar his perpetual suffering feels.&rdquo;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hiyama vols 1 &#x26; 2 reviewed on Shelfabuse.com&#x21;</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-04-06T20:45:12+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-59</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-59</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[&ldquo;Hiyama&rsquo;s depiction of 2019 London isn&rsquo;t far removed from our present &ndash; which I found peculiar until I realised that England hasn&rsquo;t changed drastically since 1999 &ndash; but with amplified levels of crime and an irrevocably corrupt police force willing to turn a blind eye.   Tired of watching his superiors tolerate London&rsquo;s criminal underworld, Officer John Torrent teams up with Chen Hiyama, a martial artist turned vigilante whose one-man crusade against crime soon becomes a family activity.


The first volume of Hiyama sees Chen Hiyama&rsquo;s crime-fighting legacy passed onto daughter Mei when his wife is senselessly murdered by a member of a London crime gang.   In volume 2: Devils Within, set two years later, Mei once again takes to cleansing the streets of scum when her daughter Bee is kidnapped.   I originally planned to review both volumes of Hiyama separately, but after reading both thought it fairer to combine the two. 

...Gruff79 is reportedly an ex-serviceman, a musician in the British Army, who began working on the first book in 2003, which gives you a pretty good idea of how much patience and perseverance is required for such a project.   Gruff79 isn&rsquo;t going to garner much praise for his art, which is crude at the best of times but still has a certain charm to it.   Fortunately, his murky imagery and punk approach also take the edge off of Hiyama&rsquo;s frequent and graphic violence.


While I didn&rsquo;t have a problem with Hiyama&rsquo;s level of violence, Mei and her father&rsquo;s vigilante efforts have disturbingly little impact on their day to day lives.   While Gruff does weave the effect that Mei&rsquo;s &ldquo;hobby&rdquo; has on her daughter into the second volume, witnessing Chen merrily dispense quips as he slices up scumbags willy-nilly and jokes about the previous night&rsquo;s activities to his family the following morning over breakfast is disconcerting to say the least. 

...Hiyama has been published in the smaller Manga format, and with its hyperkinetic bloodshed, Eastern influences and breezy pace, that&rsquo;s clearly where the series&rsquo; market lies.   While Devils Within is by far the better book, you&rsquo;ll need to read the first volume of this proposed six-part odyssey to appreciate what Gruff79 presumably hopes to accomplish; a serial that begins simple and becomes increasingly involving with each instalment.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Thanks to ShelfAbuse.com for a fantastic review of Thomas Wogan ...</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-03-31T08:15:23+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-58</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-58</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In fact, I think it&rsquo;s safe to say that you won&rsquo;t find another book like this out there.   Whereas many indie comic writers strive to emulate the mainstream industry, David Hughes has created something that probably couldn&rsquo;t have existed were it not initially self-published.


The eponymous Thomas Wogan is an insipid, Delia Smith-obsessed office drone who mysteriously awakens naked in a featureless white waiting room alongside five anthropomorphic animals and an egg.   As an ominous LCD screen counts towards their separate appointments, Wogan and the beasts (a frog, a bat, a fish, an anemone and a cuckoo) each recap the moments before their arrival in the white room. 

...As the book shifts between Thomas Wogan&rsquo;s life and possible afterlife, we are taken through his bland existence, as Thomas drolly discusses his love for beans on toast and his love for &ldquo;competent, methodical and safe cook&rdquo; Delia Smith, which goes beyond disturbing (Thomas even owns a jar of Delia&rsquo;s body hair), to the events that led to his presumed demise.


Hughes&rsquo; art is equally twisted, with some truly demented caricatures that fans of David Firth&rsquo;s animations on www.fat-pie.com will absolutely love.   Interestingly, Hughes adopts a more realistic visual style for the animals&rsquo; own finales, which range from comical to tragically pointless.


Thomas Wogan began life as a self-published title, and has justly made its way into a shiny, repackaged volume from Tabella Publishing.   Thankfully, Tabella hasn&rsquo;t gone to drastic efforts to cover the books handcrafted origins but for some snazzy new lettering, which may lack the original&rsquo;s personality but should hopefully sell the book to a larger audience.   Hughes definitely deserves the attention; his first graphic novel, The Immeasurable Adventures of Gorky Park, garnered only a humble audience.


At just &pound;5.99, Thomas Woman is Dead isn&rsquo;t going to take you more than half and hour to read, but it&rsquo;s a book that will linger in your mind for much longer, and definitely merits a re-read.   This witty take on Sartre&rsquo;s No Exit has oodles of charm and a meek but sympathetic protagonist that readers might identity with more than they&rsquo;d like to admit.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Painting Dorset in watercolour reviewed in Artists and Illustrators magazine</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-03-10T20:15:54+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-57</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-57</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


There&rsquo;s a little review of Marilyn&rsquo;s Painting Dorset in watercolour in this months Artists & Illustrators magazine - snapped today in WHSmith:


Cheers,


Kev.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Fantastic review of Thomas Wogan over on the Paradox Comics blog</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-02-17T20:07:44+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-56</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-56</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[&ldquo;Thomas Wogan is one of those archetypal British losers that are instantly recognisable due to their prevalence in homegrown popular culture over the years.   He's the kind of unassuming guy that would go unnoticed in a crowd, but shine a spotlight on him and he becomes a unique and curious character to observe.   Locked into a never-ending daily routine, his habits and hobbies are as bewildering as they are hilarious, and they're never anything less than fascinating.


The title might drop a bit of a hint about the plotline, but it's not quite as clear cut at that .   Deciding - for reasons only known to him - to break his monotonous routine, Wogan inexplicably finds himself naked in a nondescript waiting room.   Seated in the other chairs are a cuckoo, a sea urchin, a toad, a bat , a fish and an egg.   What follows is a series of vignettes where the occupants relay to each other exactly what they were doing before mysteriously appearing in the waiting room. 

...Potentially depressing subject matter is enlivened by a large dollop of black humour as the general mundanity of the characters' lives becomes clearer, with the reasons they find themselves in the waiting room ranging from the bizarre to the ridiculous.   Wogan himself is an endearing creation (despite himself), his obsession with the minutiae of Delia Smith's life being a particularly successful running gag.


Hughes&rsquo; witty script is packed with wry observations and his art is mixes it up to great effect: there's an air of realism to many of the animal cast as well as the backgrounds, while the human characters - particularly Wogan himself - have a far more cartoonish look about them, adding a layer of pleasing incongruity to the proceedings.


Thomas Wogan Is Dead is wonderfully witty little read that tackles one of the major, universal, unanswered questions.   It theorises that, for all the human race's protestations of being the superior species, we are destined to end up in the same place as every other living thing once the lights go out for good. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Great piece about &#xd8;ivind Hovland on the Comics Bureau</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-02-12T19:01:25+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-55</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-55</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Thanks to Dan Berry over at the Comics Bureau for a great piece on &Oslash;ivind&rsquo;s books:


&ldquo;Much of Hovland&rsquo;s work is sparsely nar&shy;rated but lav&shy;ishly illus&shy;trated.   In format, both books are sim&shy;ilar to children&rsquo;s books.   Don&rsquo;t let this ana&shy;logy fool you though, the storytelling shows a&nbsp;deft&shy;ness and sub&shy;tlety of visual nar&shy;rat&shy;ive that bears up to repeat read&shy;ings.   You don&rsquo;t so much &lsquo;read&rsquo; Hovland&rsquo;s work as take in each ele&shy;ment of the type, image, com&shy;pos&shy;i&shy;tion and nar&shy;rat&shy;ive.   Great stuff.   Go and buy it all immediately.&rdquo;


Read the full piece here.


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hiyama &#x2013; dark&#x2c; dark vigilante family saga&#x2026;</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-01-29T11:19:09+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-54</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews.php#unique-entry-id-54</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Thanks to Richard at Forbidden Planet for a very comprehensive review of Hiyama volumes 1 and 2 ...


&ldquo;...   Putting my dislike of the genre aside, the comic functions pretty well &ndash; it&rsquo;s a manga style thing, both in artwork and pacing and the story certainly had me turning the pages, wondering where it was all going.   The artwork, all greys and charcoals at first drops into darker hues when the real violence starts &ndash; possibly too dark at times, there are moments where these old eyes were straining to make out the details.


The art develops throughout and by volume 2 there&rsquo;s a much better sense of control and composition which results in not only a better read but a couple of genuinely impressive images along the way ...&rdquo;


Nor really Richard&rsquo;s thing, but as he says ... &ldquo;there was enough in there for me to finish it and for those of you reading this who like this sort of thing, I imagine you&rsquo;ll enjoy this a lot more than I did.&rdquo;


Read the full review here: http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2010/hiyama-dark-dark-vigilante-family-saga/


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Painting Dorset in watercolour</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-11-30T18:34:55+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-53</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-53</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Marilyn Allis&rsquo; new book has been reviewed in &lsquo;mags4dorset.co.uk&rsquo; :


&ldquo;Painting Dorset in Watercolour


By Marilyn Allis


Published by Tabella Publishing   ISBN 978-0955808-89-0   A beautiful collection of studies capturing the coastline, countryside, buildings and people of Dorset.   Dorset Artist, Marilyn Allis, has written this full colour teaching book to inspire you and fi re up the imagination.   With 33 demonstrations and ideas, complete with step-by-step guidance on creating your own watercolour masterpiece, Marilyn gives her advice on how to capture the essence of obvious and unusual landmarks from around Dorset.   Marilyn won the SAA artist of the year title in 1999 with her picture &lsquo;Ben at Weymouth&rsquo;.   She runs workshops in local villages and exhibits in galleries throughout the country.&rdquo;


Click here to visit the site.


Kev.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Trial and Error reviewed on Forbidden Planet</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-11-25T07:02:10+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-52</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-52</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Thanks again to Richard Bruton over at Forbidden Planet for a great review of &Oslash;ivind Hovland&rsquo;s Trial and Error:


&ldquo;The second of &Oslash;ivind Hovland&rsquo;s books for Tabella that I&rsquo;ve had the pleasure of reading, although this is actually his first published graphic novel and shows a lightness of tone and a talent for comedy timing that you don&rsquo;t see in his second work &ldquo;A Day In The Life Of Alfred&ldquo;.


Trial and Error concerns itself with the life and dreams of Jean Babtiste de Bomberaque, a French nobleman with a passion to fly.   Through his life we see his passion defeated time and again as he reaches for the skies and comes crashing back to earth, although for his very earliest attempts he did manage to lose the family pet when he experimented with a hamster-carrying hydrogen balloon.   But he prevails, getting nearer and nearer to that dream of powered flight in this pre Wright Brothers world.


Trial and Error is incredibly short for a graphic novel, it&rsquo;s just 32 pages long, but since each double page is actually a very cleverly designed single flowing image, the action starting on the left and flowing, without panel borders, over to the right in a single sweeping movement &ndash; it&rsquo;s effectively&nbsp; just a 16 page story, with no dialogue and even very few captions.   But that doesn&rsquo;t matter since &Oslash;ivind Hovland&rsquo;s art does all the storytelling we need, all lush, thick blacks to begin with, and later, as the dreams of flight really begin to take off, more and more dominated by white as the sky begins to fill the pages, freeing us to fly with Jean Babtiste de Bomberaque (or JBB as he labels his planes) ...


&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a thick vein of visual comedy running through Trial and Error as JBB builds more and more refined flying machines that are launched over a countryside becoming increasing littered with past failures and he soars and falls, soars and falls, soars and &hellip;. well, you&rsquo;ll just have to read it to see won&rsquo;t you?


...It&rsquo;s very short, and a very quick read, but just like the first book of Hovland&rsquo;s I read, A Day In The Life Of Alfred, the artwork and storytelling is so sumptuous and involving that this is one to return to, to delight in.   Very good indeed.&ldquo;


Read the full review here.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Thomas Wogan is dead reviewed on decodingstatic</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-11-20T17:29:09+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-51</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-51</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA["I have been meaning to review Thomas Wogan is Dead by Dave ever since he gave me a handmade copy some time ago, it has been that long I can&rsquo;t even remember when!   Thomas Wogan is Dead has now been published by Tabella and has glossy covers, silky paper and extra pages at the beginning, which I feel adds to the story. ...  In the extra pages the other main characters can be seen lurking in the background and these little details which continue throughout add a lot to the story.


...as a grumpy stern eye cuckoo eye balls him, who is later needled by a natterjack toad.   In the waiting room they are joined by a bat, a fish, an egg and an urchin.   Each character relays their story interspaced by flash backs to Thomas&rsquo; life, which appears to have revolved around Delia Smith and her body hair.   I am particularly pleased with the mention of her drunken outburst at a Norwich City game, which was hilarious and quite frankly needed as we were throwing the game away! 


The subject matter explores all that is fundamental to life, cookery, family, sex and beach volleyball, coming across as light due to the excellent use of humour both written and visual. ...  response to the urchin&rsquo;s religious beliefs is as good an analysis and appraisal of religion I have come across.   He is sat with his arms crossed with a contemptuous look and utters &lsquo;What&hellip;utter&hellip;bollocks&rsquo;


...It is also a handy cook book with the genius suggestion of marmite with your beans on toast.   I bet Thomas didn&rsquo;t learn that from Delia, especially as his fascination with Delia doesn&rsquo;t appear to extend to cooking her recipes, sensible chap."
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Thomas Wogan is Dead reviewed on forbiddenplanet</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-11-20T08:03:49+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-50</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-50</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Thank to Richard at forbiddenplanet for this great review of Thomas Wogan:


"...   This Tabella Publishing edition is a step up for Thomas Wogan &ndash; a spine and commercial lettering add a nice professional touch to the book.   The art sits well in a more professional format, with all the grotesques of the original still there, and all of the sad, lonely existence of Thomas&rsquo; life portrayed just as well.   The extra pages flesh out a little more of his life, and add to the sense of poignancy of the tale.


"Thomas Wogan is still dead, but this new edition shows that there&rsquo;s life in the comic still.   I like it just as much as I did the first time around, except now, this better dressed, better presented Thomas Wogan is something I can sit on the shelf where it belongs."


Read the full review here.


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>A day in the life of Alfred reviewed on forbidden planet</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-11-11T08:04:53+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-49</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-49</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Richard Bruton has done a really thoughtful review of A day in the life of Alfred by &Oslash;ivind Hovland:


"I&rsquo;m coming down on the side of good.   When I went back I was looking for the patterns, looking for the details I&rsquo;d missed, looking at the art to spot the connections, the triggers to Alfred&rsquo;s troubles.   And as I read it again, and again, and again (it&rsquo;s only 50 pages and maybe 500 ish words after all) it got better each time."


Read the full review here.


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Thomas Wogan is dead reviewed on Grovel&#x21;</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-10-30T08:19:04+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-48</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-48</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Thanks to Andy at www.grovel.org.uk for a great review of Thomas Wogan:


"Every now and again you come across a little book that carries so much charm and character that you can&rsquo;t help but love it.   Thomas Wogan is Dead is a quirky book, in which the lead character finds himself in a waiting room of the dead.   His companions are animals &ndash; a bat that&rsquo;s been killed by a cat, a frog who&rsquo;s been squashed by a car, a cuckoo that goes postal and gets shot by a pest controller, even a sea urchin.   Death is always just around the corner in nature."


Read the rest here.


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Thebookbag.co.uk reviews Thomas Wogan</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-10-21T18:58:15+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-47</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-47</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Great review of Thomas Wogan on thebookbag.co.uk:


"...   It's a very droll drama, which is also somehow oddly humble in the successfully-wrought belly laughs it achieves.   It's easily worth one re-read.   And beyond that, it is recommended by the Bookbag ..."


Read the full review here.


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Fantastic review of Hiyama vol 2 &#x2013; Devils within</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-10-20T17:58:40+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-46</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-46</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Here's a snippet from a review of Hiyama 2 on myreviewer.com:


"This second volume is a much more accomplished work than the first and is a real page-turner that&rsquo;s almost impossible to put down.   The political and legal framework is challenging as vigilante justice is contrary to everything I believe in, yet the scenarios contained in this book make it almost appealing and desirable."


8 out of 10!


Read the full review here.


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Review &#x2013; Thomas Wogan is dead</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-10-20T06:03:43+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-45</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-45</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Scott Pack from the Friday Project has just published a review of TW on his bloh (meandmybigmouth):


"With Thomas Wogan is Dead, David Hughes has created a graphic novel full of black humour and uncanny observation.   I wouldn't be at all surprised if it becomes a cult classic but it deserves a wider readership than that, and at a very reasonably priced &pound;5.99 I hope it does."


Read the full review here.


Kev.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Thomas Wogan reviewed on myreviewer.com</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-10-19T19:43:45+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-44</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-44</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Busy day today for reviewers of Thomas Wogan; another one here:


" ...   Thomas Wogan Is Dead is a short book, some 88 pages long but it&rsquo;s a rather dry, dark and quirky tale that raised a few chuckles along the way..."


Read the rest here.&nbsp;


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Another review for Thomas Wogan&#x21;</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-10-19T19:41:03+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-43</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-43</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Just a little one this time:


"Wonderfully absurd graphic novel.   Kafka meets Vic & Bob.   (****)"


http://meandmybigmouth.typepad.com/


Kev]]></content:encoded></item><item><title> ... and another one ...</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-10-18T18:34:20+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-42</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-42</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA["Thomas Wogan is dead ... very good ..."


There a bit more to it ... here.


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Review &#x2013; Thomas Wogan is Dead</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-10-18T18:22:50+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-41</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-41</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Just saw this great review of TWID:


"This is a excellently told short story that has a very odd and unnerving atmosphere.   The perfect blend of sad characters and simple but extremely effective art work give the story a very emotive appeal that I seldom find in comics.   Not to say it doesn't exist but its something I have not really come across myself in my limited experience."


Click here for the full review.


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Trial and Error and A day in the life of Alfred reviewed</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-10-02T17:17:07+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-40</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-40</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Thanks to Scott for this excellent review of Oivind's books:


"Big Pictures


While we are on the subject of graphic novels I wanted to mention a couple of curiosities from a relatively new publisher called Tabella.   I suppose they would be classed as graphic novels but I think it would be more accurate to call them picture books, for they share more characteristics with children's picture books than anything else."


Read more here:


http://meandmybigmouth.typepad.com/scottpack/2009/09/big-pictures.html


Cheers,


Kevin.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Trial and Error and A day in the life of Alfred reviewed.</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-09-11T23:27:30+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-39</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-39</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Just got the English translation of the Kunst for alle review:


&ldquo;Illustrator &Oslash;ivind Hovland has created 2 picture ( art) books tackling the destiny of to completely different individuals.   He tells the story of the lonely Alfred's life in the big city, and about a 1900 century J.N de Bomberaque. the books keep text to a minimum, and works therefore as visual art books.   The graphic illustrations are in black, white and red.


Hovland explains that the intension behind the book about Bomberaque was to create something of a photo album which has been forgotten and hidden away in an attic for over 100 years.


Both books are esthetically beautiful&nbsp;and complimenting addictions to your bookshelf.&rdquo;


Kunst for alle is Scandinavia's largest and probably most read art magazine.


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Norwegian reviews of Trial and Error and Alfred</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-08-30T15:06:42+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-38</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-38</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi, 


Back from holiday now, and just found this Norwegian review of A Day in the life of Alfred and Trial and Error.   Not sure what is says yet, but I hope to have an English translation soon:


http://www.kunstforalle.no/redaksjonelt.asp?  meny=6,214&act=read&RecNo=2406


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Reviews of Alfred and Trial and Error</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-08-17T10:04:19+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-37</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-37</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Brief reviews of A day in the life of Alfred and Trial and Error here: 


http://meandmybigmouth.typepad.com/


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Reviews of Trial and Error &#x26; A day in the life of Alfred</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-06-08T18:40:32+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-36</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-36</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Obviously with ambitions to create something of his own he has produced his first two books, released by Tabella Publishing.&nbsp;


...Trial and Error: The Aviated Efforts of Jean Babtiste de Bomberaque, his debut work, is a wonderfully whimsical look at aviation in all its forms seen through the eyes of an ambitious (and fictional) Frenchman who, since he was a young boy, has been dreaming of powered flight.&nbsp; 

...Knowing full well that the Wright Brothers got there first and that Jean Babtiste de Bomberaque doesn&rsquo;t exist doesn&rsquo;t stop this from being a funny and involving experience that is mainly to do with the wonderful illustrations rather than the minimal text which appears as writing on Jean Babtiste&rsquo;s sketches.&nbsp;   It&rsquo;s the sort of book that you read through and then turn immediately back to the beginning just to soak up the beautiful chiaroscuro illustrations.&nbsp;   I did exactly the same thing with&nbsp;300&nbsp;which I read and then revisited for no other reason than to marvel at the artwork by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley.&nbsp;


...This is the sort of book you will find yourself buying several times as you will lend it to a friend and then forget and want to look at it again , or it could become a semi-permanent fixture on your coffee table as you can pick it&nbsp; up and read it in the space of a commercial break.&nbsp; 

...Obviously with ambitions to create something of his own and has produced his first two books, released by Tabella Publishing.&nbsp; &nbsp;


...You really feel something for Alfred when you get to the end and I immediately re-read it with an entirely different viewpoint.&nbsp; &nbsp;


Obsessed by cobbled streets and with an almost autistic attention to numbers and places,&nbsp;A day in the life of Alfred&nbsp;shows his journey to work, his path from the elevator to his desk and an encounter with a man who constantly passes on his way to and from the office.&nbsp;


In under 56 pages &Oslash;ivind Hovland is able to get so much emotion into the illustrations and sparse text that you really feel for Alfred and the book is touching and affecting.&nbsp; 

...With books by the same author, you tend to assume that if you liked one you would like the other but this isn&rsquo;t the case here as they are so different.&nbsp;&nbsp;   They have different audiences and, although I liked them both, there will be people who prefer one to the other as this is dark and quite moving whereas&nbsp;Trial and Error&nbsp;was whimsical and quite fun.&nbsp; ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>BICS 09</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-05-27T08:18:05+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-35</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-35</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Just received our booking confirmation for the British International Comics Show (BICS 09) in October!   Can&rsquo;t wait.


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Happy birthday Tabella&#x21;</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-05-13T07:27:38+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-34</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-34</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


It&rsquo;s our first birthday today, so we wanted to say thanks to everyone who&rsquo;s helped, got involved, and submitted/sold/reviewed or bought our books.   It&rsquo;s been a tough year, not really the best time to set up a new publishing company, but here&rsquo;s to next year!


Cheers,


Kevin & Julie!]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>We&#x27;re moving our blog&#x21;</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-05-02T11:39:50+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-33</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-33</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


We&rsquo;ve decided to move our blog to Blogger (for a number of reasons, not least of which is ease of use).   So, the new blog address is http://tabellapublishing.blogspot.com/


It&rsquo;ll take a little while to complete the migration, so there&rsquo;ll be a crossover period, but hopefully this won&rsquo;t take too long.


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tabella offices closed until 27th April</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-04-18T08:20:14+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-32</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-32</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Just to let you know, Tabella&rsquo;s offices will be closed until the 27th of April.   We&rsquo;ll reply to any queries/process your orders upon our return.


All the best,


Kevin & Julia]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>New site design</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-04-11T11:02:30+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-31</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-31</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


I&rsquo;ve been meaning to do this for some time now, but at last I got the time to revise the site design.   We&rsquo;d love to hear any feedback/comments on the design, or on our books, etc. 


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>A day in the life of Alfred reviewed&#x21;</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-03-03T17:53:12+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-30</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-30</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi, also from thebookbag.co.uk:


&ldquo;This is a slender but strong work, and I found the whole thing astute.   The tragicomic story was well worth an instant second perusal.   We'll call it a graphic novel for want of a better term, but on the whole this shows the power to be had in just a few large, full-panel images, and the sparse captions facing them.&rdquo;


Read the whole review here.


Cheers,


Kevin.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Trial and Error reviewed&#x21;</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-03-03T17:50:08+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-29</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-29</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[From www.thebookbag.co.uk:


&ldquo; ...   This then might look like, and might well be dismissed as, a picture book for adults.   But there is a lot in here, from the full cycle of the story to the humour (and cuddly animals) that are there at first, and third, perusal.   This might just be the work of a man who is becoming, if is not already, a master of the sequential art form.&rdquo;


Read more here.


Cheers,


Kevin.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Downthetubes review</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-02-26T19:44:28+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-28</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-28</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Thanks to John Freeman for taking the time to do an indepth review of Tabella and our books:


Talking up Tabella


There's a sense of fun to the output of new British publisher Tabella (www.tabella.co.uk), which was was set up last year by husband and wife Kevin and Julia Quinn.   By fun, I don't mean their range is humorous, although some, like award-winning Norwegian artist Olvind Hovland's superb A Day in the Life of Alfred could probably be described as such; I mean these are books that Kevin and Julia clearly believe in and want to succeed, and they're going to get them out there no matter what conventional wisdom might say otherwise


You can read the rest of the article here.


Cheers,


Kevin & Julie.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Trial and Error reviewed on Grovel</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-02-09T08:06:43+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-27</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-27</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Excellent preview of Trial and Error on Grovel.org, the top online graphic novel magazine.   Check it out here:


http://www.grovel.org.uk/trial-and-error/


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>A day in the life of Alfred previewed on Grovel.org</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-02-06T17:06:46+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-26</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-26</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Just saw a brief preview of A day in the life of Alfred on Grovel.org; excellent, our first mention of the book.   Check it out.


Cheers,


kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>We&#x27;ve joined down the tubes ...</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-02-01T10:05:27+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-25</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-25</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi, check us out on down the tubes. 


<embed src="http://static.ning.com/downthetubes/widgets/index/swf/badge.swf?  v=3.12.3%3A14466" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="lt" wmode="transparent" bgcolor="#ffffff" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="206" height="64" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="networkUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fdownthetubes.ning.com%2F&amp;panel=user&amp;username=19qoy98z8bhoe&amp;avatarUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.ning.com%2Ffiles%2FWkIVM5qj8TZW-q2Fc913KyW%2Aau53lH2vGGFhkF1wYHJUwDMD%2AmYeTyJ-8H%2APChus-oWyY5bSXFhqUwU5C0vowMgJjTlmATno%2Ftabella.jpg%3Fwidth%3D48%26height%3D48%26crop%3D1%253A1&amp;iAmMemberText=I%27m+a+member+of%3A&amp;configXmlUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.ning.com%2Fdownthetubes%2Finstances%2Fmain%2Fembeddable%2Fbadge-config.xml%3Ft%3D1232625079" /> <br /><small><a href="http://downthetubes.ning.com/xn/detail/u_19qoy98z8bhoe">View my page on <em>downthetubes</em></a></small><br />


Cheers,


kev.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tabella&#x27;s books now available to view on Google books search</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-01-31T10:54:01+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-24</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-24</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


I&rsquo;ve just published links to the page previews on Google&rsquo;s book search.   So, as well as reviews and detailed information, each book&rsquo;s page on our site now has a link to view sample pages.


Check &lsquo;em out.


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tabella&#x27;s now on Facebook and Twitter</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-01-30T17:59:13+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-23</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-23</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Check out our Facebook page:


And on Twitter.


Cheers,


Kev.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hiyama volume 2 available for pre-order</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-01-25T12:41:29+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-22</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-22</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


We&rsquo;ve scheduled Hiyama volume 2 for publication in mid-June.   We do hope that it&rsquo;ll be available sooner, so do check back for updates.   If you&rsquo;d like to be kept informed or want to pre-order the book, just send us an email.


All the best,


Kevin.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hiyama reviewed on UK Anime</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-01-17T19:45:17+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-21</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-21</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Just found this great review of Hiyama on UK Anime dot net:


...Set in a future England where crime goes almost unchecked on the public streets, Hiyama charts the destiny of the titular family - trained throughout the generations as fighters for justice, the reluctant Mei finds her beliefs altered by a criminal act that will see her take the road of bloody vengeance against those who wronged her.


I was somewhat surprised by Hiyama.   There was a vein of humour running through it that may not have been intentional, but still makes the book a lot more enjoyable - my personal favourite is when Grandpa Hiyama breaks a child-molesters spine and then tells him not to worry as he'll call an ambulance - cold comfort really!


I had to think about the standards by which I judge this book.   Clearly it's an early work of Gruff79's and the artwork is a bit rough around the edges, which leads me to be more leniant.   However, the book carries a professional pricetag, so I have to be realistic.


Firstly, the style won't appeal to everyone.   The artwork doesn't carry a strong manga influence in the traditional sense - the visual cues are far more&nbsp;Western independant in style than Japanese - there's a distinct lack of manga style proportions on the limbs,&nbsp;and the art style reminds me far more of Eastman and Laird's early Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles than any manga I've read recently outside of Tekkon Kinkreet, another title which took Eastern elements and mixed them into a heavily inked Western style.


The narrative also lacks a little polish, though it flows well enough to carry the story through.   If the artist continues to hone his skills, he could go on to achieve some excellent results, and this book could become quite the collectors item.   Taking the book on its own merits, it faces stiff competition from authentic manga (something most Mahnwa titles suffer from), but if you're looking for something a bit more "street" this could be right up your alley.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>A day in the life of Alfred &#x2013; Available now</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-01-10T10:40:33+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-20</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2009#unique-entry-id-20</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


We&rsquo;ve just taken delivery of a small number of advance copies of &lsquo;A day in the life of Alfred&rsquo;.   Click here for more information, or visit our shop.


Cheers,


Kevin.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Trial and Error reviewed</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-12-12T18:23:35+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-19</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-19</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Trial and Error has been reviewed in the Daily Echo:


&ldquo;&Oslash;ivind Hovland &ndash; Trial and Error (Tabella, &pound;11.99).   Graphic novel chronicling the life and times of a fictional 19th century aviator and his pursuit of powered flight.   The monochrome illustrations convey plenty of atmosphere and a dry humour.   &ldquo;


And here&rsquo;s the link:


http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/leisure/reviews/books/3972457.  Local_produce/


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Trial and Error &#x2013; Available now&#x21;</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-21T08:15:53+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-17</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-17</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


We&rsquo;ve finally taken delivery of Trial and Error &ndash; The aviated efforts of Jean Babtiste de Bomberaque.   For more information on the book click here, or visit our shop.


Cheers,


Kevin.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tabella featured in The Bookseller.</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-11T20:19:52+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-16</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-16</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


The Bookseller&rsquo;s graphic novel supplement has an excellent feature on new publishers in the genre (including ourselves).   Read it here.


Cheers,


Kev.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>HIyama featured in Neo magazine issue 52</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-10T20:20:17+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-15</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-15</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Manga musings &ndash; The rise of UK manga


Doujinshi in the UK seems to be on the rise, as the manga market grows and people begin to experiment more with creating their own volumes.   As well as this, we&rsquo;ve seen quite s few small publishers follow in Sweatdrop&rsquo;s footsteps and produce UK manga.   Dimensional is one such promising publisher &ndash; but we&rsquo;ve also had the pleasure of perusing a copy of Hiyama, from Tabella, which is currently on sale for &pound;7.99.


The book is by &lsquo;Gruff79&rsquo;, and tells the story of a dystopian future in which the police have lost all control of a now lawless society.   Gangs are common, organised crime is on the up, and there seems to be only one kind of justice on offer &ndash; that of the vigilante.   For years, the Hiyama family has served as a kind of protector of the people of sorts, bringing violent and often horrific vengeance upon those who have committed crimes.


The story is brutal, compelling and dark, but unfortunately the art style isn&rsquo;t quite up to the same ambitious standard as the plot.   The story is planed to span six volumes, and if your a fan of underground or pulp comics you&rsquo;ll definitely find something to like here, although others might find it a little rough around the edges.


If you want to find out more about UK-made manga, check out www.tabella.co.uk for more information about Hiyama volume one and future releases, as well as www.sweatdrop.com for scores of titles from various artists, and www.dimensionalmanga.com for the latest output from this UK publisher.


Thanks to Neo for taking the time for such a detailed review (though we think the comments about the artwork are, perhaps, a little harsh).


...Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hiyama spotted in Waterstone&#x27;s&#x21;</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-09T15:32:05+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-14</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-14</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


We took this snap in our local Waterstone&rsquo;s at the weekend (for no other reason other than we were thrilled to actually see it on the shelves).


Cheers,


Kev. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hiyama review</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-01T20:07:57+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-13</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-13</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


There&rsquo;s been another excellent review of Hiyama published on Myreviewer.com.   Check it out here:


http://www.myreviewer.com/default.asp?  a=109796


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Interview with Gruff79 in Soldier Magazine</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-01T09:41:55+00:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-12</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-12</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Soldier Magazine, in its November issue, has just published an interview with Gruff79.   As well as talking about his experiences in the Army (including his tour of duty in Iraq), Gruff also talks about his inspiration for Hiyama.   Click the link above to view the article in the digital edition of the magazine.


Kev.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Myreviewer.com reviews Hiyama</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-25T09:20:42+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-11</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-11</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Myreviewer.com has just published a review of Hiyama.   Check it out here:


http://www.myreviewer.com/default.asp?  a=109483


Thanks to Si @ Myreviewer for taking the time to write such a detailed review.


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hiyama &#x26; People aren&#x27;t scary available now&#x21;</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-16T12:11:59+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-10</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-10</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


After what seems like ages, we&rsquo;ve finally taken delivery of Hiyama and People aren&rsquo;t scary.   Visit our shop for details.


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Xmas posting dates</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-12T09:39:11+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-9</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-9</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Here are the xmas posting dates:


1st Class UK			20/12/08


2nd Class UK			18/12/08


Special Delivery UK		23/12/08


Air Rest of World			10/12/08


Air Europe				12/12/08


Surface Rest of the World	20/10/08


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hiyama review on Amazon.co.uk</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-24T21:48:40+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-8</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-8</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[First customer review on Amazon:


&ldquo;I would say it's excellent for a first effort...but that would imply it's not that good...which it is.   It's thouroughly superb.   Gripping storyline, especially if you like seeing 'the bad guy' get what's coming to him in inventive, and often very gory ways.   Would recommend to anyone, and I'm eagerly awaiting volume 2.&rdquo;


C Clark]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hiyama advance stock sold out&#x21;</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-18T07:49:27+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-7</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-7</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


I&rsquo;m afraid that all the advance stock of Hiyama has now sold out.   However, we will be getting more in a couple of weeks.   If you&rsquo;d like to be informed of when the book will be back in stock drop us an email, and we&rsquo;ll let you know when it comes in.


Cheers,


Kevin & Julie.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hiyama review &#x2013; Grovel.org.uk</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-17T08:04:45+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-6</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-6</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


We&rsquo;ve just seen the first review of Hiyama, from Grovel.org.uk 


&ldquo;The British seem to be particularly good at dystopian near-future sci-fi, and its comic creators certainly don&rsquo;t shy away from the genre.   Hiyama is the latest to fan the flames with a manga-esque illustrative style disguising a horrific future, where corruption in the criminal justice system is so rife the honest police have to hire vigilantes to impartially carry out justice.   So when the Hiyama family is terrorised by one of country&rsquo;s most violent gangs, it&rsquo;s left to their daughter to wreak revenge.


Set over six volumes, this epic series looks set to thrill horror and sci-fi fans for some time to come.&rdquo;


Cheers,


Kev.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Advance copies of Hiyama available now.</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-08T19:25:04+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-5</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-5</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi, 


We&rsquo;ve just taken delivery of the advance copies of Hiyama, so the book is now available directly from our shop.   Numbers are limited, however, until the rest of the print run arrives from the printer, so sales will be on a first come, first served basis (in the interests of fairness, sales will be limited to one copy per order). 


Cheers,


Kev & Julie.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>New Hiyama preview ...</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-05T22:09:36+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-4</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-4</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


Just finished a new video preview for Hiyama.   Check it out on YouTube, etc. and let us know what you think.


Cheers,


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>New &#x2013; Cafepress shop</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-27T18:37:43+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-3</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-3</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


We&rsquo;ve recently set up our CafePress.com shop.   This will expand to include fantastic artwork from our books, available on T-shirts, posters, etc.   Do check it out and, if you&rsquo;ve got a special request let us know.   We&rsquo;ll be changing the content regularly, so check back regularly. 


All the best,


Kev.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Movie preview of Hiyama</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-02T18:54:28+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-2</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-2</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,


We&rsquo;ve just made a movie preview of Hiyama available; just visit the Hiyama page and click the preview link.   It&rsquo;s a 79mb file, so you need a good broadband connection, and a Quicktime plugin for your browser.   Alternatively, check out a lower quality version on YouTube.


Please, let us know what you think.


Kev.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tabella rides the graphic wave &#x2013; The Bookseller&#x2c; June 2008</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-02T14:16:38+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-1</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-1</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A new independent publisher specialising in the graphic arts and manga is hoping to take advantage of rising interest in the genres.


Dorset-based Tabella Publishing has been created by Kevin Quinn, who has ten years&rsquo; experience in publishing, and his wife Julia.   Its early titles include books by local artist Marilyn Allis, while the first book in a six-volume manga series called Hiyama, hand-drawn by a serving member of the British Army, will launch in September.   The company has been targeting local galleries and bookshops, and also plans to publish books on digital photography.


&ldquo;We&rsquo;re evolving into an arts and graphics list with an interest in manga,&rdquo; Quinn said.   Film adaptations of Japanese and American graphic novels were fuelling an interest in that genre,&rdquo; he added.   &ldquo;Everyone seems to be jumping on the manga bandwagon at the moment, and people are becoming much more accustomed to seeing it in the shops.&rdquo;


Tabella &ndash; Latin for writing tablet &ndash; will publish between four and five books by the end of the year, and hopes to double its output in 2009.   It is distributing its books itself.   More information about availability can be found at www.tabella.co.uk.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hello from Tabella Publishing.</title><dc:creator>info@tabella.co.uk</dc:creator><dc:subject>Reviews</dc:subject><dc:date>2008-06-20T16:54:17+01:00</dc:date><link>http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-0</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.tabella.co.uk/reviews_files/2008#unique-entry-id-0</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi, this is the new website for Tabella Publishing.]]></content:encoded></item></channel>
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