FRANK has finally rolled out in Previews for pre-order! If you want to ask your local comic hop to order a copy, use MAR181859 !
Appearance: TRUE GRIT, the lives behind the comics
I'm super excited to be taking part in a cool conversation with other local comics pros! This will be a great event to kick off your Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo week of fun!
Details and ticket purchase info is below
GDC Alberta South Chapter proudly presents this special panel discussion of comic creators featuring Troy Nixey, Riley Rossmo, Ben Rankel, and Nick Johnson. Moderated by Chris Doucher.
A career in comic art has been a dream for a lot of people, but getting there takes grit. Join us on this disccusion on the lives of these comic creators, the journey, the roadblocks, war stories, and more.
Join us on April 25 at the Plaza Theatre and ask these comic creators any question!
Doors open at 5:30pm.
Don't forget to get your early bird ticket before April 20th.
https://truegritcomiclives.eventbrite.ca/
Article on CBC News
CBC's David Bell wrote up a piece on my upcoming graphic novel FRANK. He even put together a really cool text-over-video clip you can watch. You can also check out some of the art from the book!
Interview on CBC
I got to join Doug Dirk on The Homestretch on CBC Radio Calgary to talk about my upcoming graphic novel, FRANK.
Interview in Avenue Magazine
I did an interview with Madison Farkas at Avenue Magazine in Calgary about my upcoming graphic novel, FRANK.
Star Wars x Xmas
Some times you have to take a break from drawing your graphic novel to draw a rancor with xmas ornaments on it.
New Book Announcement - Frank
From Renegade Arts Entertainment:
Award winning independent publisher Renegade Arts Entertainment is excited to be travelling back in time with comic writer/artist and WCMA nominee Ben Rankel to produce FRANK, a historical-fiction graphic novel set around Canada’s most devastating natural disaster.
The Frank Slide was a rockslide that buried part of the mining town of Frank, Alberta, Canada, on the morning of April 29, 1903. Over 82 million tonnes (90 million tons) of limestone rock slid down Turtle Mountain covering the eastern side of Frank, the Canadian Pacific Railway line and the coal mine. It was one of the largest landslides in Canadian history and remains the deadliest, as between 70 and 90 of the town's residents were killed, most of whom remain buried in the rubble.
Cartoonist Ben Rankel says, “We’ve really got some huge historical events that have happened here in Alberta and I’m very excited to be working with Renegade Arts Entertainment to share an exciting and engaging story in an epic setting. I’m proud to be able to share my passion for Alberta history and comics with the world.”
While set during the actual events of the Frank Slide tragedy, the story and main characters will be fictional. Renegade Arts Entertainment Publisher Alexander Finbow says, “We want to inspire people to be interested in the history of Alberta and learn more about this terrible and avoidable disaster at Turtle Mountain but still allow ourselves narrative freedom to tell a compelling and engaging story that will bring in more readers. That’s why we’ve chosen to use fictional characters and plot entwined with the real history. We continue to only publish stories that truly convince us they need to be told. That’s what FRANK is—a story that demands to be shared.”
FRANK, written and drawn by Ben Rankel, is scheduled to be published by Renegade Arts Entertainment in late 2017.
Renegade Arts Entertainment is an award winning Canadian graphic novel publisher established in 2009. Founded as a creator owned company, Renegade publishes 3-5 titles a year. Renegade’s mission is to bring stories to life that we are passionate about and believe others will be too. Renegade operates from Canmore, Alberta and works with creators from many different countries.