Saturday, 1 September 2012

Late August

Hello!

Right. Few tiny things - still wading in a swampy gloop of muddy colouring so my art output has been extremely limited - but my crikey things are still going on in a sort of wonderful way

BLAM - August

The Bristol Comic Creators group had our sixth (!) meeting - and it were glorious. The above sketches were done by the incredibly talented Andrew Scaife (http://andrewscaife.tumblr.com/) betwixt G&Ts and we had a great night of comic creation -- >
- the next event is on September 11th and rest assured it is pretty much always at least forty percent brilliant. http://www.facebook.com/events/394619523924866/

2000ad's National Signing Event
Not sure why but I got the absurdly talented Dylan Teague and Patrick Goddard to both draw Karl Urban as Dredd at the signing event in Bristol. The fan screening of the film occurred in London this week and I've found myself inundated with positivity about the new Dredd film with wossisname Karl Urban. Recently Alex Garland, writer of the film, had answered questions on the 2000ad forum and it literally melted every single drab of negativity I'd ever had (NOT JUST ABOUT THE FILM BUT ABOUT LIFE IN GENERAL) - I think, with Dredd 3D, a fan barrier has been crossed. A fan wrote it, the fans love it, the fans accept it. I feel incredibly privileged to be a "FRIEND OF THARG" (not slang for anything) in 2012 - and I can't wait to see that bastard film.
It was glorious meeting the two of them - Mr Teague even had a look over my colouring portfolio and  was terribly lovely - I still have a ballbag full of stuff to learn but I bloody love it. Mr Goddard had with him the entire next part of Savage which has some killer double-pagers in it and a couple of pages of Pat Mills script which was enlightening. As in (AND TAKE NOTE SMALL-PRESSERS) he was incredibly minimalistic just "character shoots at this" "Panel 5: John looks peturbed Panel 6: There is an explosion". No huge descriptions - just story. He be Pat Mills.

Neil Innes
Quite lovely.

Baroness
One of the odder things to happen this fortnight was that I went to see Baroness at the Fleece in Bristol. I enjoyed their set and captured a photo of their singer/guitarist/AMAZING COVER ARTIST Mr John Baizley with the intent to draw it up. You know, for unnecessary fan art purposes.

Then the next day their tour bus crashed in Bath. The band, three crew and the driver were all injured and taken to nearby hospitals. All are doing groovy - but Baroness' tour has been taken off-the-rails for obvious reasons. Weird anyway - so I sped up the fan art and it looks awful. I just hope the band (who be brilliant) aren't turned off the South-West by their experiences and come back to us again soon!

Transmissions from the Colour Swamp
More teasers from the enormo colour job - shared by the letterer Nikki Foxrobot (no relation) - this will be on sale at Thought Bubble, I've been told. If you're going, give me a shout and I'll give you a turkey. 

Bristol Doodles
Some drunken Bristol drawings done with BLAM members - all ties in with http://drinkingcreative.tumblr.com/ - if you're a local artist IT'S WORTH DOING.

The Psychedelic Journal of Time Travel
The first two images from next year's Psychedelic Journal have been UNLEASHED. Oscar Maltby &  David Broughton's Time Templars and Chris Mole & Neil McClements' Whiskey & Wormholes. Bloody smashing!

O

Thursday, 16 August 2012

Out of the Colouring Swamp...

...COMES A BEAST!

Well then - it's been a very hyper-active fortnight. Dear Geoffery has returned from a sojurn to the (sort of) frozen North and the Polygon is a great deal warmer for it. There was a little festival at which I did some compering (I just shouted essentially but was apparently appreciated for not trying to be funny because I'm about as witty as a horse).

Here is one of the few images I caught from the Professor Elemental Comic Launch at the Marlborough Brighton. It was a great night of poetry, EXTREME HEAT and larking about. I have plenty of copies of the issue for sale, if you want one SHOUT.
One of my early June colourswamps - Rich Pickings by Derek Hamill and George Coleman. Lettered and edited by the legendary Dave "Bolt 01" Evans. You can see the thing on the Zarjaz blog - http://thequaequamblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/judge-dredd-rich-pickings.html This was initially printed in Zarjaz no.14. Really loved colouring this, Mr Coleman is literally a god. You can see his blog HERE
Also here's a proper look at the MAMMOTH colouring job that's eaten up all of my webcomic time like a big well-written bit of Western character drama. "The Last Ride of Henry Holden" is written by Alex De Gruchy, pencilled by Giorgio Ianotti, inked by Mike Bunt and it'll be published by Steve Tanner's Time Bomb Comics http://timebombcomics.blogspot.co.uk/
In-between colouring I've managed to begin to digest the huge amount of Small Press titles I bought at the Bristol Con (that was in May) - one was the glorious Afterlife, Inc. wot I had been sold by a very enthusiastic Jon Lock http://www.facebook.com/jonlockcomics <-- Chock full of brilliant characters and amazing art. Afterlife, Inc is worth your time.
Another was James Stayte's astounding "Now We Are Running..." which is a compilation of his hilarious strips. Works both as a masterclass in short comedic storytelling and something you could fling at anyone and they'd go "OUCH WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT IS THIS?! OH MY GOD I LOVE IT". Oh, anyway - yes so this is a panel from it that I coloured of my own volition - if you want it grab his face. http://www.stayteoftheart.co.uk/
Now this is a weird one - I did it for TAB's "Idiot" theme and it's the first picture I've done in aaages that met absolutely NO reaction whatsoever.... I suppose because (apart from the obvious) it's so specific. It's Neil Innes, and it's a screen capture from a video of his "How Sweet To Be An Idiot" - then I put an older version of him in a mirror mounted to a piano. Not quite sure why. And why the older mirrored version is in colour whilst his younger self isn't. I THINK (and stop me if I'm looking too much into it) but he'd said about the album something along the lines of:

"United Artists had been very kind to me ... In my own way, I wanted to repay them - by making a bunch of silly singles at a time when the music industry still seemed to have a sense of humour. Wrong again" 

It's sort of like, him looking back on his own silly self and sadly, sweetly musing on why it hadn't worked out. Whilst maintaining his own present silliness - and I can't express how influential that kind of attitude is.  Nobody really liked this picture, but it is a bit silly - and that alone made it worth doing. Onwards!

Very proud to say we've had our first proper review of Dr WTF 2012 in and it's a beauty. Muchos gracias to Andy Oliver of Broken Frontier.

"Doctor WTF?! defies easy expectations – this most assuredly isn’t humdrum fannish pandering –  and proves itself to be a clever little collection of Who-related shorts, both playful and inventive in their delivery."

Is a bloody lovely thing to hear. Our last ever show with the TARDIS/Jellybean sales technique and the final thirty-or-so copies will be on sale at Thought Bubble in Leeds this November. We'll also have the Professor Elemental comic, a very special Jazz & O comic and a fair old bit of promo material for the first issue of The Psychedelic Journal of Time Travel (submissions for the second issue are well-and-truly open - view the Facebook page for details) 

O

Wednesday, 1 August 2012

The Long Colouring Summer

Whoops!

It's been a wee while since my last blog as I'm hyper busy in my spare time thanks to Steve Tanner's Time Bomb Comics and a lovely big ol' colouring project I'm beavering away on.

There's always time for a blog though - ! 

Here - a jamcomic done with the Bristol Comic Creators group - drawn by me, Adam Coburn, Aidan Barnard, Andrew Scaife, Mike Scrase and me again. Very silly - if you're a Bristolian (OR YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH) and fancy joining in there are details of the next event here: http://www.facebook.com/events/236805313107533/?ref=ts) August 21st I believe. 


Secondly - here's me with a bunch of Professor Elemental comics - if you want one they're going for £5 a pop (not inc. p & p) and NOT ONLY that but if you're a Brighton-based individual there's a launch party happening on the 10th http://www.facebook.com/events/396622973718891/ that me, the writer and my Geoffery shall be in attendance. Sketching? PROBABLY.

Thirdly, and most gloriously, I have a table at Thought Bubble. Not only am I chuffed to pieces but I'm CHUFFED TO PIECES. I'll be sharing it with m'Geoffery and Mr Chris Mole (writer of the Professor Elemental comic) and will have the LAST COPIES of Dr WTF 2012, some exclusive Jamella & Marmalad comics, the Professor Elemental comic and a few bits and glorious bobs. Also I will be in pieces. CHUFFED PIECES.

That'll do for now - I've missed out a lot of the last month's activity because I simply don't have the time - but you'll see the fruits of this Summer's colourlabour much later. Also - keep your eye on the Psychedelic Journal of Time Travel FB page... as things are movinghttp://www.facebook.com/psychedelicjournal

O

Friday, 29 June 2012

June Bug

Hello - !

What a busy month it's been, they always seem to be. I've mostly been WHEEZING MY LUNGS TO BITS like a nutter. I love hay fever. 

Now wassaall thissthen? The Bristol Comic Creator's group is getting it's own anthology. Still in development but with hopes to emerge by the end of the year/the beginning of 2013. A showcase of Bristol talent that'll be available locally - but that I'll also take about conventions and that. The stories will be short (3-4 pages) and will all feature Bristol in some way. If you're a local artist/writer/malingerer and want to take part just contact us on the Bristol Comic Creators Facebook Page! http://www.facebook.com/BristolComicCreators

Our next meeting also takes place in the Golden Guinea on the 10th of July http://www.facebook.com/events/316211651798766/ <-- 

My partner in crime Geoffery Crescent wrote a short story based on a picture of mine MANY MOONS ago - and it's really rather worth reading. And I'm not just saying that as head of the Geoffery Crescent fan club. Which I am. Go and take a gander - http://palantirqueen.deviantart.com/art/A-Party-at-Dragon-Claw-House-V1-285798457

The seventeenth part of the Flaubert epic. Now in full colour, Flaubert finds himself on the gateway to hell itself. Where will this journey lead, and why in crikey is Trolly fist-bumping Boris the Skeleton?! Also why is Laura Dora grafted to a pig, why do Meep's eyes glow, how is there a hovering sentient jacket and WHY. IS FLAUBERT. SUCH A FAT GIT. Some of these questions may at some point be answered. Stay tuned - spread the goatword. Or gurd.

 The third Misery Wizard, in which Shoetree's grandmother offends a Sikh policeman and the Wizard himself gives some lacy undies a laundering. There's more where this came from. MUCH MORE.
 Crabcake has returned. My space odyssey several trillion days in the making has been absent for a year now - but to leave something half-finished is to leave a dog on the motorway. Morally questionable. You can catch up with the saga here -  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150460319160628.421373.150183980627&type=1. Then mayhaps... A PUBLISHING I MAY GO.

 EL BIGOTE EL BIGOTE. Pencils by Grant Perkins, Inks by Mike Bunt, Colours by Me. EL BIGOTE EL BIGOTE  http://www.facebook.com/elbigotecomic

 Q: Can Gary Oldman?
A: Possibly
I fucking love the Fifth Element. It's a profoundly French film and as inventive as the day is long. We need more of that. Not necessarily that universe, but money being put towards bonkertude instead of endless ENDLESS remakes, sequels and adaptations. 
 Got me copy of the Professor Elemental comic this month - it's currently sold out but it'll re-emerge soon - keep your eyes peeled on  http://www.professorelemental.com/fr_home.cfm the Professorsite. Also there's an official launch happening in Brighton on the ................. 10th of August with poetry, comics and HOPEFULLY SOME GOOD CIDERS. 

Did me a logo for new Bristol band THE UGLY VISIONS last week - sort of altbluesrock - an assuredly a bunch of chaps http://www.facebook.com/theuglyvisions
I love the smell of a paid commission in the morning. Pencils by Grant Perkins, Inks by Tom Schloendorn, Colours by me. If ever you want to commission me just GIVE ME A SHOUT. Open the window, shout out of it. I'll probably then arrive.

 This is John Munch. He has been in Homicide, The Wire, Law & Order, Sesame Street, Arrested Development, 30 Rock, The X-Files and NUMEROUS OTHERS as the same character. Which is some kind of continuity cake record I reckon. And therefore he is a god to me. The petition to get him in everything on television ever is now in progress. I WON'T REST UNTIL I SEE HIM IN WALLACE & GROMIT. Where's Wallace?
 What if Chopper had become a judge?
What if the 2000ad boards ran AWESOME art competitions supported by the mighty Tharg himself and with BONAFIDE prizes?
What if Owen moderated that competition and therefore had a vested interest in promoting it all over the place?

 What may seem outwardly like a bit of a silent period for the upcoming first Journal has in fact been RIDICULOUSLY BUSY. Editing scripts and whatnot - we've filled up the first issue and it's looking RATHER DANDY. I'm currently on an artist hunt - if you're an interested party give us a shout on psychedelic.submissions@gmail.com with sequential examples. Or don't- leave the house and climb that nearby tree. Go on.

Go on get up the tree.


O

Saturday, 9 June 2012

Early June and the House-Movin' Shuffle

Here's me and the missus at the door of our new abode. It's pretty durned swanky I tells ye! With turning taps and opening windows and all those mod cons. There'll be a housewarming at some point - those who want to get involved MESSAGE ME. I suspect there will be cider.

THE PROFESSOR ELEMENTAL COMIC

Who likes steampunk with their cup of brown joy? 

Because me, and the glorious James Feist, Ghostpockets and Noah Rodenbeek have been beavering away the last halfyear drawing a comic for chap hop phenomenon and Victoriana rapfellow Professor Elemental. It has a cover by Conan's Mike Hawthorne AND PLENTY OF LARKS.

You can buy it from his website http://www.professorelemental.com/fr_home.cfm

BRISTOL COMIC CREATORS

It's been a slow-arse fortnight for the group - but our next meeting is this coming Tuesday at the Golden Guinea as per. Do come along if you're able, it's a lovely pub and there's ALWAYS A FOLK MUSIC NIGHT upstairs - ! SAY WHAAAAT. Facebook event is here http://www.facebook.com/events/227436087371336/

HAIRY POTHEAD AND THE FLATTING O

Hairy Pothead is some manner of Harry Potter hemparody written by Canadian politician Dana Larsen and drawn by the amazingly amazing Trystan Mitchell. Who is amazing. I've been doing my first BONAFIDE flatting work for it - and the Trystanman has written a lovely blog about it here http://bigfootstudio.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/and-theyre-off-again.html?spref=fb

ART
From now on... dear Flaubert St Cloud will be in FULL COLOUR. Oh crikey do you really have TIME to do all that, O? No. But I'LL DO IT ANYWAY.
The second Misery Wizard written by eternal optimist Rob Phillips and featured, along with a full archive of Flaubert on the Crazy Fox Machine Facebook -- > http://www.facebook.com/crazyfoxmachine
Bit of Al Swearengen from HBO's superlative Deadwood series. Possibly one of my favourite television things ever. I BELIEVE IN LIFE AFTER LOVEJOY.
Some Thrill-Suckers emerging from those SINISTER Olympic mascots. Thrill-Suckers are 2000ad creatures who SUCK THRILLS. That's Tharg there in the background rubbing his formidable Betelgeusian chin.  This was for the 2000ad forum competition - NOW WITH PRIZES. The next one is here  - http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,36216.0.html - TAKE PART. WIN PRIZES.


That about wraps it up. No real news on t'comic front - Dr WTFs are still available - and the deadline for scripts for the first Psychedelic Journal of Time Travel is JULY 1st. So gettim in - !

O