PRESS RELEASE –
The host of Strip Panel Naked, a weekly YouTube series with over 10,000 subscribers that breaks down comic book art, has now launched a digital magazine celebrating comics and the craft of the medium. The magazine will accumulate exclusive features from a multitude of writers, including critics, fans and professionals, such as Rob Williams (Suicide Squad, Unfollow) and Sons of Anarchy writer, Ollie Masters.
Hassan Ostmane-Elhaou, who “has single-handedly raised the bar for comics criticism” (Dec Shalvey, artist of comics such as Marvel’s Moon Knight, Deadpool and DC Comics’ Batman) and host of Strip Panel Naked (www.YouTube.com/StripPanelNaked) has launched a digital magazine, www.PanelxPanel.com, to widen the discussion around comics and truly celebrate a medium which has arguably been long overlooked and misunderstood by the masses.
Each edition of the magazine, set to launch June 28th, will be split into two halves. The first will explore one particular comic, looking into the process behind it and speaking to those who had a hand in creating it. This will be exhibited in interviews, essays and an exclusive Strip Panel Naked column that will completely focus on the chosen comic for the issue. The first issue will cover Black Mask’s Beautiful Canvas, a comic launching on the same day as the magazine.
The second half of the publication will feature: creator-on-creator interviews with influential industry personalities, a short comic book that is exclusive to each issue, comic recommendations from a huge range of voices related to the medium and insightful articles and essays. Contributors for this stimulating magazine include The Wicked + The Divine writer Kieron GIllen, Sons Of Anarchy writer Ollie Masters, writer of Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Ryan O’Sullivan, Eisner-nominated A.V. Club’s Oliver Sava and letterer for Black Cloud, Aditya Bidikar.
This digital publication is the brainchild of Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou who is currently the host of Strip Panel Naked, a weekly YouTube show which has just passed its one year milestone with an impressive 10,000 subscribers. The show has been given high praise by artists and writers, including Chris Samnee, Scott McCloud and Declan Shalvey.
Hassan wanted to create PanelxPanel to give writers and fans alike a platform to express the love they have for all of their favourite comics and celebrate every little component which goes into creating these visual stories. Kieron Gillen (The Wicked + The Divine, Star Wars: Darth Vader) said of the first issue: “The most visionary, necessary and NOW comic publication since Matt Fraction’s Savant, the best looking one since ever. I like it so much I’m writing a review for it as soon as I finish this sentence.”
Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, creator of www.PanelxPanel.com commented:
“Comics needs a platform where niche and popular comics are celebrated side by side; where all elements that go into these visual stories are recognised equally. Most importantly though, I wanted a publication that was created full of love for the medium and the craft and work that goes into it. Enter PanelxPanel.”
