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The first live-on-stage interview at a comic book convention in the UK, and quite possibly the world, that will subsequently be broadcast as a podcast around the world will take place at this year’s Birmingham International Comics Show (BICS) in the UK on October 13-14^th in the rather fitting venue of the city’s new science museum, The Thinktank.

Hosts for this revolutionary new take on media-communications events will be The Geek Syndicate who were nominated in the Best Entertainment category for 2007 Podcast Awards 2007 this year. The Geek Syndicate who will be interviewing two former Eastern European-born artists who have been making a name for themselves on a global level, special guests Adi Granov and Essad Ribic.

The development and increasing international appeal of the iPod community over the past twelve months is a matter well documented. Following the impressive rise in popularity accorded one of its British practitioners, The Geek Syndicate, over the past twelve months, BICS invited the collective to develop a format that could take place and be viewed as an on-stage theatre event at the show then heard around the globe.

“The Birmingham International Comics Show is a great place to pop your comic convention cherry!” said David Monteith of The Geek Syndicate.

“Last year’s show in Birmingham was the first comic convention I had ever attended.” said Geek Syndicate partner Barry Nugent. “It was a completely different experience than I expected and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who loves comics and wants to hang out with like-minded people. I was also amazed by how accessible all the special guests were.”

Opening all barriers to help foster comics as both an important entertainment and educational medium, both historically and beyond into the future is one of BIC’s mandates. To this end the idea of quite literally having two artists who originated in the former soviet nation of Yugoslavia express their views globally in a live context was deemed entirely appropriate.

Adi Granov was announced as one of Marvel Comics’ Young Guns in 2004. In the proceeding years he has worked as a comic book artist for that company, including not only a relaunch for the Iron Man comic but being involved in the visual design of the suit armour for the forthcoming 2008 Iron Man film.

Essad Ribic makes a welcome return to BICS, having proved an entertaining guest at last December’s debut show. From Loki to The Silver Surfer, his painted artwork has also found favour at Marvel America, and a buying public.

“I applaud the organisers of the Birmingham comic show for helping to raise the profile of UK podcasting”, said David Montheith.

The podcast interview is not the only exclusive new technology based events at BICS 2007. There will also be a two part Digital Colouring Master Class presented by returning American guest Matt Hollingsworth, and Comics & Technology hosted by Britain’s John Freeman as the future role of the internet, mobile phones and over new media are discussed.

The future looks bright at the BICS 2007 this October!