Human Rights Comics Part 3

That is, the last - and probably the best - batch for this year. This time two substantially more professional artists joined me in drawing comics about the topics of the letter writing marathon that Amnesty International launches every year before the International Day of Human Rights.
I chose to draw about the village of Nabi Saleh in Palestine. All the basic information you need to know is included in the comic:

For more information, visit this page: http://nabisalehsolidarity.wordpress.com/

Last, but not at all least, here you can see the works of fellow creators Magdolna Kasza and Szabolcs Tebeli "Brazil" as well:
http://kepregeny.blog.hu/2013/12/15/emberi_jogi_kepregenyrajzolas_a_hungarocomixon

Dear Readers, I think it's time I wish you a Happy New Year and lots of great comics experience for 2014. There may be an additional surprise update before the new year, but who knows...

Human Rights Comics Part 2

The latest piece I have made for Amnesty International Hungary. It's women 's rights this time around.

Panel 1

Ildi: Here’s your lunch bag. Make sure you eat the apple too!

Husband: ÁÁÁÁÁ! (big yawn) Good morning!

Ildi: Your coffee, darling.

Panel 2

Colleague: Ildi, the boss is free right now if you want to have a word with him.

Ildi: Thanks Joe, I’ll go over in a minute.

Panel 3

Boss: So, what can I do for you?

Ildi: Well, we were talking with the guys, and it turned out that they earn more than me. I think I work just as fine as them though. How’s this fair?

Boss: I’m sorry Ildi, but how long can I count on you? You guys will surely want to have another kid sooner or later…

Panel 4

Teacher: I’m afraid Tibike is not very good at Maths. Could his dad devote some time to studying with him?

Ildi: My husband is a journalist and he has absolutely no knack for numbers. I, on the other hand, graduated from the University of Technical Sciences, so I think I can deal with the second grade’s syllabus…

Panel 5

Ildi: Why didn’t you tell me that you were having problems with Maths?

Son: I thought I understood it… You are always so busy anyway.

Panel 6

Husband: Hey darling! I left work earlier today, and thought I would do the washing by the time you two get home!

Ildi: Wow! A pleasant surprise for me at last today!

Autumn sketches

Comics for Human Rights

Hello again Folks,

...and now for something completely different (or not so completely, as my old followers may remember that I already have a history of 'meddling' in 'restless' civil activities:

http://agentoozecomics.blogspot.hu/search/label/Gy%C3%B6ngy%C3%B6spata) ...

So, I have been involved for a couple years now with Amnesty International Hungary, mostly as an activist and a human rights educator. They have currently organized a competition between schools, during which the students learn about human rights linked to school subjects. A few of us put together a pack of tasks related to a certain human rights topic every second week.  I'm - certainly ;-) - making comics, which the kids have to complete. Here are the ones I have made so far:

1. Freedom of expression

     There's not too much to translate here, as there’s hardly any text.

Demokráciát! (the graffiti on the wall) = We want democracy! (shortened form)        

Alkotmány utca (the street sign in the upper right corner) = Constitution Street. This is a street in downtown Budapest, which leads to the Parliament. There have been a few demonstrations here in the last couple of years, mainly because of Hungary’s new and not too progressive constitution, which has been modified so far about five times since it was  accepted in 2011.

 


2. Poverty

     For the occasion of the Anti-poverty World Day on 17 October

Panel 1

Homeless man (thinking): Winter is coming… It would be good to find a heated and safe place to stay…

Young guy: Yea, the new apartment rules! And the rent is only 120 € plus overheads per month!

Other young guy: Cool!

Panel 2

Homeless man (thinking): I could do with some regular cooked food too…

Mother: Let’s have a menu here sweetie, shall we? I have no energy left for cooking today!

Kid: Alright, Mum!

Panel 3

Homeless man (thinking): Of course everything costs money. If only I could work for a while…

Yuppie: Leave me alone, will ya? You know as well that it isn't worth to take a job for that much!

Panel 4

Homeless man (thinking): Well, that’s the way it is…

Policeman: Good afternoon Sir! May I see your ID card?

A little explanation is needed here too: homelessness has become a burning issue in Hungary, as there are several thousand homeless people in Budapest only. The government and the mayor of the city wish to deal with this by trying to remove these people from public places ie. they have declared that it is a criminal offence to stay on the street, in parks etc. A cynical idea to its core, which does not improve the situation in the slightest way.

Well, we definitely live in interesting times here, so at least there's plenty to draw about.

The Frog King

Hey Evryone!

Long time no see... I'm quite shocked my PR guys did not post any work-in-progress or other sort of pictures in the last couple of months, but now here's my new comic.
An adaptation of a tale by Andersen, the longest comic story I have completed so far.
The idea was conceived during the Hungarian Comics Association's comics making course this spring.

 

Panel 1

Ronaldinho missing!

The former Golden Ball-winner football star did not return to his home in Rio de Janeiro after his team’s victory (Atlético Mineiro 3 Cruzeiro 1) last weekend in the playoffs of the Brazilian National League.

Details coming soon!

Panel 2

Princess: OOOOOh!

Panel 3

Princess: (thinking) Oh, I hope he’s alright… Now I have to train for the keepie-uppie competition!

Panel 1

Princess: Oops!

Panel 2

Princess: NOOO!!!

Panel 4

Princess: (sobbing)

Panel 5

Unknown voice: Why are you crying, princess?

Panel 8

Princess: Were that you speaking?

Frog: Yes that was me. So, why are you crying?

Panel 9

Princess: How could I not cry when Ronaldinho disappeared, and now the gilded ball he had signed for me fell into the lake!

Panel 10

Princes: Now how will I enter the keepie-uppie competition?

Panel 11

Frog: I can retrieve your ball if you enter the competition with me in doubles!

Panel 1

Princess: With you…?? …Okay, for sure!

Panel 4

Frog: Hey there!

Panel 5

Princess: Wow, thank youuuu!!

Panel 6

Frog: Hey, wait up! How about the competition?

Princess: Thank youuuu

Panel 7

Narration: Two days later, at the keepie-uppie competition…

Presenter: Holy Molly, that was an amazing performance by the competitor from Swansea. But now, it’s the turn of our very own prodigy!

Panel 8

Princess: Yes, yes! Coming right now!

Panel 1

Princess: Hello everybody! It’s great that so many of you are here today!

Frog: Hold it there, princess!

Panel 2

Frog: You promised to play keepie-uppie doubles with me here, if I retrieved your ball from the lake, but then you left me standing. Now, how’s that fair?!

Panel 3

Princess: (thinking) Ooooh…. Shiiiite

Referee: Your majesty?

Panel 4

King: My daughter, is this frog speaking the truth?

Panel 5

Princess: Well… he retrieved my ball indeed, but…

King: Then you will play doubles with him!

Princess: (thinking) Oh, that sucks…

Panel 6

Princess: Alright frog, let’s be done with it! Everyone’s laughing at me, I hope that makes you happy!

Panel 8

Crowd: OOOOOOH, Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho: Thank you so much, Princess!

Panel 9

Princess:: Wowaayyyuuuooohhh…. And this now how?

Ronaldinho: An evil voodoo warlock turned me into a frog after last weekend’s game. He had surely bet some money against us… I had to find a princess who would play keepie-uppie with me!

Panel 1

King: Well, this is all very joyful! But could we see that keepie-uppie at last?

Panel 2

Ronaldinho: Your Majesty’s wish is my command! I recommend everyone to watch closely!

Panel 3

Narration: It was definitely worth watching… This was probably the most splendid keepie-uppie that the folks have ever seen around here.

Crowd: Wooow! Hooo! Heyyy!

Panel 4

Narration: Although few could wait until the end.

Referee: Two thousand five hundred, two thousand five hundred and one….

Panel 5

Ronaldinho certainly returned home after the competition….

Panel 6

But the princess did not grieve because of this.

Panel 7

Dear Princess!

We are glad to notify you that on the basis of the remarkable result you achieved during the qualifier, you have entered into the final of the Keepie Uppie World Cup.

Panel 8

Narration: But who is she going to play doubles with in the final?

                                                                                           The End

Da Corvin story iz rollin' on!

It surely does... And by the way, yours truly has had two comics pages exhibited in Paris with lots of other members of the Hungarian Comics Association 
https://www.facebook.com/events/322129517912655/ Check it out if you can!

And now the page itself:

Panel 1

Colin: Huhh…! (groans)

Pip: I have told you it’s heavy, haven’t I?!

Colin: To be honest… Let’s have a little break!

Panel 2

Pip: What makes you think that we are heading in the right direction? Are there any people around here at all?!

Colin: Well, the Duke concentrated awfully hard when we stood in the passage gate. He must have known what he was doing!

Pip: How can you still trust him after he did this?!

Panel 3

Pip:  Alright, let’s step it up! Who knows how far we’ll have to walk till we find someone!

Colin: Hang on! There, over the bend… that looks like a…

Panel 4

Colin: …village! We can surely ask for directions there!

Pip: And also have a drink before we die of thirst!

Panel 5

Peasant 1: I’m telling ya, the comet means nothing good!

Peasant 2: Betcha it doesn’t!

 

Update time

Hey Folks!

The Corvin redrawing work is making good progress - in case anyone had a doubt - but it's still a couple of weeks till the sighting of the new page. Till then here's a snapshot of the story's chief villain, the profoundly evil and treacherous Count Ulrik of Celje:



Also, I realized that I had forgotten to make a note here about my article written in last November about a book called Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt, which was published on the blog of the Hungarian Comics Association. This book is a joint effort of the renowned comics maker/ graphic journalist Joe Sacco and the not less renowned journalist Chris Hedges, containing their account of visiting the poorest regions of the USA in order to reveal the extent of the damage done to these places by unregulated corporate capitalism. Here is the link to the review, alas also readable for Hungarian speakers: 
http://kepregeny.blog.hu/2012/1/07/sacco_es_hedges_kepregenye_amerika_masik_arcarol
Also, one of Sacco's pages as an appetizer for this highly recommended book:

Brand new Corvin page!

Well, you may have already seen its draft here last summer. Text as follows:

Panel 1
Pip: If you're saying so... And which way shall we start out?
Colin: Say, that way, as I already have my arm stretched out...
Panel 2
P: For all I care... But who's carrying the bag?
C: You can be first, and then I will it take over.
Panel 3
P: Pfff... I hope you'll do that soon. It's darn heavy!
C: Tribulations serve to strengthen one's character you know!
Panel 4
P: Isn't it enough tribulation to search for some barbarian chieftain at the edge of the world?
C: This is Transylvania, not the edge of the world. As for Lord Corvin, the priests always say that he is the shield of Christendom.
Panel 5
P: I haven't heard of that. But to be frank, I haven't been to mass for two months or so.
C: Then you surely deserve this much suffering! Your mum would surely slap you through the ear, if she knew!
Panel 6
P: Oh, come on, Mum isn't known for her slaps... Anyway, the whole thing is dead boring since they stopped preaching about eternal damnation.
C: Well, I'm quite fond of the idea that there is more to human life than just a vale of tears...

Corvin 2.0: (Just Like) Starting Over

Hey Dear Readers, welcome to my first post in 2013!
Last summer there was some talk on my behalf of redrawing the pages of my famously pending "graphic novel", Corvin. Now it's aaall happening!
Let's hope that it results in a more professional look than what I was capable of doing three or four years ago.

Now, behold Chapter 1, page 1 and 2:

 

Panel 3

Pip: Where on earth are we?
Colin: How should I know? I thought we were only testing the passage gate and arriving at the courtyard of the palace! Pip: Well, this is positively not Milan!

Panel1
Pip: What the heck is this?
 
Panel 2
Pip: Look, here's our pack!
Colin: Yep, and a letter too!

Panel 3
Pip: Whaaat...???

Panel 4
Colin: So that's why we had to test it at once!
letter: Ragazzi!
We are short on time so you had to travel right away. Do as I told and find Lord Corvin.
Best of luck,
Il Principe

Panel 5
Pip: So much about testing... Such a shifty crook! What shall we do now?
Colin: Let's go find this Corvin guy! We are supposed to be on his estates. Someone will surely give us directions!

Also, the following page is going to a genuinely new one. It will take a couple of weeks to appear here, as I haven't really started working on it yet.