Props to the Babes + Issue 7 Preview

MINIONS!

Long time no whitter!

It's been a crazy couple of months here at the Headquarters, what with finishing the calendar and putting together The Epic Issue 7 -- Issue 7 will from this day forward always be referred to as The Epic Issue 7 because it is going to be an incredible 60 advert-free pages -- as well as maintaining a very sensible "normal person" job and catching two kinds of flu, we are plum tuckered out!

So how on earth are we going to manage to fill 60 pages without publishing a single advertisement? Well, there's going to be a little of this...



and this...



and some of this...



a disproportionate amount of this...



as well as a buttload of reviews of some amazing new releases from Fat Wreck, Alternative Tentacles, and some other folks we love to hear from AND all of the regular features you know and love. We've got a completely thrilling interview with Austin Lucas, an introduction to Craig Jeffrey, The Exposed, 10 Minutes with Alexis from rockin' bespoke retailers Smarmy Clothes, and the long-awaited interview with the BWB calendar's Ms. March, musician, model, and all-around awesome chick, EnglanE.

*takes breath*

Wow!

Speaking of sexy things, thank you so much to all of you who helped with the 2011 Babes with Brains Calendar! We managed to raise £100 for Women's Aid, and given that this is our first calendar and we had no real publicity outside of the old FB, that's not too shabby. We're already getting volunteers to model for 2012 and I cannot WAIT to get started.

In other news, congratulations go out to our COTC columnist Jen Johnson and arch villain Keiran for getting married -- they had an awesomely weird, cupcake-filled, Rick-rolled (yes, really) wedding, and good times were had by all.

And we're also very sorry to have to extend condolences to the very same Jen (and her family) for the loss of her mother this week. We love you, dude.

And then there's Arizona. We've been glued to the newspapers all week since we heard about the shooting in Tucson and although it didn't directly affect anyone at the Headquarters or our vast network of contributors (as far as we know), we're thinking of the victims and wishing good things & fast recoveries for the wounded. Although it's true that it might not be completely fair to blame the actions of one obviously disturbed individual on anyone or anything, we sincerely hope that everybody (regardless of political persuasion) takes this as an opportunity to take a step back and stop being horrible to each other. Obama is not ruining the world, and all Republicans do not share the sentiments of Glenn Beck. Sometimes you've got to turn off Fox or MSNBC or whatever and just be nice to people. Is that too much to ask?

Probably.

Nevertheless, Fox news is issuing a "challenge" to all Americans via Glenn Beck to renounce all violence. Nice move. Too bad for them that, contrary to popular belief, not all Americans listen to Glenn Beck. If they really wanted to get through to people, they'd put it on the Simpsons.

Cardiff is relatively unaffected. It feels crazy to me that I'm here while all America continues to experience these crises. It's the kind of feeling you get when you don't personally experience a huge change but know that it happened -- did it really happen? If I go back, will everything be different?

Probably not. People don't change.

It's kind of comforting in a way.

Babes with Brains Calendar for Women's Aid

Have just updated the website with a pre-order link and a preview of our Babes with Brains Calendar for Women's aid. We have Women's Aid's official blessing and thank you, so we're good to go!

Our models have been chosen (the seven published cover girls and the next five) and we're trying to arrange another few photoshoots to get some new pictures for the occasion.

I'm going to re-post the info I posted to the website here, because it's important, and I'm just going to tell you the same thing, so:

Villains, Minions, Virgins of the Undead! The Antagonist is thrilled silly to present our 2011 Babes With Brains Calendar!

It's twelve months of full-colour, spiral-bound glory featuring twelve (and just maybe a top secret lucky #13) beautiful women chosen for their considerable intelligence and kindness of disposition!

All proceeds will be donated to Women's Aid to help them in their quest to end domestic violence.


Babes with Brains

Babes with Brains: a tongue-in-cheek title for an overdue concept. For those of you just joining us, the models featured on the covers and throughout the issues of The Antagonist are the Babes, women of all ages and walks of life chosen for their intelligence over their dress size, lovingly photographed in places and situations that are personal as they are playful. This project is attempting to show, one issue at a time, that all women are beautiful and that there is nothing sexier than a woman who can crush you with her mind (as if anyone needed convincing).

We've had the honour of photographing some incredible women over the past year and half, and now we're bringing them all together in a series of new pictures for a cause: to raise money for Women's Aid.

Domestic Violence is a serious problem that affects women, children, and men all over the world. One in four women in the UK alone will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Women's Aid is a charity that strives to put an end to the violence, raising awareness and protecting the affected, saving countless lives in the process.

It's an important cause, and that's why we're donating all of the proceeds of the calendar to help them in their mission.

Some of the models you know, and some of them will be new to you. We have stunning previously unpublished photos of Kitty Moran, Elizabeth T, Jen Sheehan, Lisa Ray, Emily V, and Ophelia from Issues 1 - 6, as well as some new faces including the lovely Liz Wride, Kylie R of Issue 7, and a special guest appearance from our personal rock star, Englane Read (see above).

The calendars are full-colour, spiral bound, designed from scratch by the Editor and include noteable dates (Pagan, Christian, and Antagonistic!) all year round. They are available by pre-order only, and you must place your order by midnight GMT on the 5th of December. They will be shipped to you anywhere in the world from the Headquarters, hot off the presses, in time for Christmas (or Yule). You can get them on the website or from our Squid Shop.

For more on Women's Aid, click here.

We'd like to remember those affected by domestic violence in the calendar. If you have anyone you'd like mentioned, please contact us.

48 Pages and Counting

Just a quick note to assure you all that although Issue 6 is taking its time, it is still coming, and the reason why it's so late is that the week it was due out, we got a fantastic interview with Mojo Nixon (!!!!) and a pile of other excellent submissions at the Headquarters. Instead of saving these things for Issue 7, I've decided to extend Issue 6 and just chuck everything in there unabridged.

And you know what? It's going to be GREAT.

I should know. I get to look at it everyday. Ha!

To add further oddness to life here at the Headquarters, the Facebook mob have demanded that Your Editor by numbered among the Babes With Brains (aw, shucks) and we're starting to take pictures. Although I've been on the cover more than anybody else (I've still got a ways to go to compete with Oprah's appearances on the cover of O), I still find it incredibly awkward to be photographed in any serious capacity. So they're probably going to be ridiculous. At least the ones I'll admit to. Jen's taken a few. Here's another one:



In other news, we here at the Headquarters are planning something very special for our ten year anniversary next year. We've been going for nine years next month, and next year for number 10, we're going to put together a super long magazine (or book) full of all of our favourite stuff of the past decade. That's right -- most the interviews, the features, the rants, the fake adverts, and the covers since high school, and maybe some new stuff, too.

Does that sparkle with you?

We've been getting some fantastic submissions this month and we now have even more readers in weirder places, but still we want more! More, Minions! Send anything and everything to primaryantagonist@gmail.com.

Babes with Brains #5-7

Yesterday's photoshoots went really well. We had three of them back to back in Swansea and it took about eight hours. Each turned out completely different, and I love them all! Here are my favourites...

#5: Emily V



For Emily we wanted to do a Madmen-style pin up set. I did her hair with hot rollers, but all the clothes are hers, she did her own makeup, and the natural light was perfect. This has been the easiest set yet, and I'm thrilled with the way they've turned out.

#6: Sammie R.



For Sammie we went for the '20s look and took the photos in her back yard, which is half-constructed and overlooks the sea and a block of patios, sheds, and garages. The final result looks like Clara Bow in an apocalyptic wasteland. I taught her the Charleston and she did it for a few minutes, much to the delight of her neighbours. I did her hair and makeup, and the clothes and back yard are hers.

#7: Jen J.



Jen wanted to go for a steampunky look with her corset, striped shirt, and utility belt. The theme isn't overly obvious, though, and the set is really a classic Antagonist-style white background kind of thing. I always used to take the cover photos against blank walls to make the designing easier (it's difficult to make the title stand out over varied backgrounds in mono), so that's what we did here. I did Jen's makeup, she did her own hair, the clothes are hers, and so is the wall. :)

So that was fun! Still looking for a few more to complete my collection and then I'm going to put them all in my underwater "garden" (three points to whoever knows what Judd Nelson film that's from).

People are starting to ask what the next series is going to be after Babes with Brains and I have no idea. I'd love to do something with guys but there aren't exactly dozens of volunteers. There's no concept yet at all, so if any of you have any ideas for photos you'd like to see or people you'd like to see in them, you know where to find me!