Green Jean Blues

The biggest news of the last fortnight has to be the fact I'm on MY FIRST EVER PANEL at next fortnight's Cardiff Expo. It'll be on the Sunday and here is some more info from the Sidekickcast

"
1230 – 1315 How to get Ahead in Small Press / Self Publishing:

An insight from a selection of established indie creators and publishers on their small press/self-publishing experiences. You will hear about success stories, possible pitfalls, lessons learned, and words of warning, as well as the enormous sense of achievement once your own project is released into the big wide world.

Panel members: Dan Harris (Lou Scannon), Owen Watts (Dr WTF & The Psychedelic Journal of Time Travel), Richmond Clements (Futurequake Press), Lizzie Boyle (Disconnected Press), and Monty Nero (Death Sentence)"

So blimey. Blimey. Blimey. Come along if you're around to see a babbling maniac in action - I don't interview well. Beyond the panel Geoffery and I will be selling the first Psychedelic Journal of Time Travel as well as Jamella & Marmalad, prints, AN EXCITING SMALL PRESS TOP TRUMPS DECK (more details in a TICK) and copies of the Bristol Bear Pit zine. Blimey, it's going to be a full table. Without the TARDIS and the jellybabies I'm sure we'll fit it all in...

What's all this about a SMALL PRESS TOP TRUMPS DECK?! Well - this be it - titled "Off Panel" and featuring some of the best indie folk there is - masterminded by the busiest man in the Small Press Nich Angell. You can find out more on the Facebook page. Jazz & I's contribution are three cards depicting the main folk of Jamella & Marmalad. 

"WHAT IS THIS MYSTERIOUS JAMELLA AND MARMALAD?!" I hear you scream. First, stop screaming. Secondly - buy it why not. Buy one for a friend, buy two for an enemy - buy twenty for every atom in your body but first stop screaming. Seriously. You'll wake everyone.

My Dreddhead/Judge Blankface ramble continues - here's Uncle Albert a recent from the last few days but I also did a Spongebob wot was posted up on the glorious Everything Comes Back to 2000ad here. Remember, if you've requested one I have written it down and it will get done. Just not now. Now I'm writing this blog.

The 2000ad forum art competition for February is rolling along - looking a bit fabulous as always - the theme be "2000ad masterpieces" - the one above by the faultless Allister Mackrell who's just a bit bloody ridiculously brilliant. More here but it ends on Sunday so get yer skates on if you want those prizes!

The February meeting of the Bristol Comic Creators happened the other week and our doodletheme was SEA MONSTERS - this glorious beastie was done by Jordan Collver. If you're local and fancy getting involved our next event is on the 12th of March (more details here) and if you fancy seeing other sea monster wot were drawn that night check oot the FB page for more.

 Here's the latest Flaubert page - the twentyfirst actually. Was a bit shocked the other day to see that page eleven was done in February '12. So... yeah that's a professional turn-out. Not even one a month! Rest assured though - when the thing be finished you won't know WHERE to look. Apart from ASTONISHED. Which is not a PLACE. It was written, as always, by the glorious Geoffery Crescent.

Finally I got a bit of overdue colouring done for Matt McLaughlin's madcap El Bigote. Pencils by bonafide comics titan Shaky Kane and inking by that legend of letters Mr Jim Campbell! Utterly honoured to colour over the two of 'em. Keep your eyes peeled over at El Bigote HQ for more information!

O 

Monkey Changes Everything

Recently updated The Psychedelic Journal blog - the issue is completely finished and things are rattling along nicely. Take a peek at our more detailed comings and goings here: http://thepsychedelicjournal.blogspot.co.uk/.

The fifth issue of the Bear Pit Zine - a Bristol anthology - is nearly upon us, and Geoffery Crescent and I did a one-pager for it. More importantly, it's rammed full of amazing comics by glorious Bristolians. I'll have it on my tables at all cons this year, Cardiff and so on. Give us a shout if you fancy getting your hands on one. More details at their tumblr - !

The 2000ad forum art competition went mental in January - and the winner, Jon Taylor, is representative of how ridiculously brilliant it's become - all that detail! Second place was Chris Askham, whose eerie halftones chill the bones - !

In third was the mysterious newcomer STEVONATRON whose breathtaking digital painting of Hammerstein wowed the lot of us -

Walking away with the smashing "most honourable mentions" nod is Matt Herbert's fantastic zombie Dredd sculpture. The chap swung himself Tharg's Choice for another awesome Dredd sculpt back in October. 

Blimey. Finally the Mighty Tharg's Choice went to small press legend Leigh Shepherd - and his atmospheric interpretation of The Moses Incident.

That's not the end of the zombie fun though - not by a long shot - all the entries were amazing, and a gander at the voting thread makes it fairly obvious that this has been the greatest bunch in years. It's going to be hard to top, that's for damned sure. But we'll give it a go - ! February's has already begun HERE

Finally - this brief update ends with the return of Crabcake. Finally after three years I'm getting round to the origin of the mysterious (and dead, or maybe not dead) Gastleas. Oho! See the whole thing on Facebook here - and lest ye forget I did a big blog about WHAT CRABCAKE IS last year: http://crazyfoxmachine.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/the-infinite-return-of-crabcake.html

O

2013

It's that time of year again!

...the start of it, I mean.

This. This is one entry for this month's 2000ad forum art competition. I'm not going to say anything too hyperbolic but IT'S THE BEST ONE THERE'S EVER BEEN. This entry, by Jon Taylor, is just one example of how completely ridiculously brilliant it's gotten - pop over to the forum and take a peek - MAYBE EVEN ENTER! http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,37666.0.html Entries close 27th January and there are AMAZING PRIZES to be won.

Here's the sixth ever Misery Wizard in all it's cynical glory - written by the astounding Rob Phillips and TIRELESSLY illustrated by the adequate O. You may have noticed that it's gone Grayscale. Why? Why not! Now go and feed the dog. All of Misery Wizard is available on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150970548995628.500210.150183980627&type=1

This went a bit batshit mental in the last fortnight. I regularly draw movie Dredd judges for various folk (you can see most of them on the forum) - and this one, Brian Blessed was shared by his page on FB. As it stands it has around 1,100 likes. Which is fucking crazy. You might ask "what was the upshot of this, Owen - Thousands of people liking your artwork?" and I'll say this and only this: Buggery sausage-all. Onwards!

This is the last mention here of The Journal as it now has it's own dedicated blogspot here: http://thepsychedelicjournal.blogspot.co.uk/ - so for updates, teasers and the like that's the blog to be watching. We've got one entry up already - a significantly brilliant submission tips thing by the assistant editor. Which is amazingly invaluable! Go take a bloomin' peek.

That there is Excelsior comics in Bristol - and as of this month there are some issues of Professor Elemental and Jamella & Marmalad in there. If you're local go and have a gander - support your independent merchants and your O!

Here's one of the jam comics that the Bristol Comic Creators come out with when we meet - it's always a lark and our next meeting is on the 12th February - FB event here: http://www.facebook.com/events/462510340463236/ RSVP if you can make it - !

I've done me a bloody picture of Aladdin for the Weekly Themed Art Blog. I've never drawn an original Aladdin before, and I MAY NEVER AGAIN. So. Lesson learned.

Finally revealed on FB - but this is a thing I've been lettering for months - it's a comic continuation of the original Death Race due out from Bluewater Productions this summer. Written by Mel Smith & Paul H. Birch - layouts were by the phenomenal Gary Crutchley - pencilled by Manuel Martinez inked by Mats Engesten, coloured by Antonio Cesar Argolo and lettered by me. This may be the last thing I ever letter so witness the car crash (pun intended) that is my lettering while you can!

And finally - my laptop died HORRIFICALLY this fortnight and I'm using the madam's knackered old one. This was a wee test to see if I could still adequately draw on it... the conclusion? No. But then I never could anyway ;)

O

Festive Fustications

Hello!

It's been a damp, damp, damp, damp festive fortnight. Stuff happened though - STUFF ALWAYS HAPPENS. There's stuff happening right now at this very second in time!

Here is a really amazing bit of fan art for Geoffery and I's Flaubert St Cloud by the glorious Ghostpockets. It'll be back, rest assured, large as life and sweary as ever in the new year!

This is the poster for the fourth Demoncon in Kent - I've just been announced as a guest at Demoncon 5 in March - !!!  (event here http://www.facebook.com/events/413330588721907/?fref=ts ) It should be a massive, massive lark. Can't wait!

This is the dean. Community is coming back (probably) in February and I cannot wait. Unless NBC decide to postpone it until SPACE COLLAPSES. Which is a POSSIBILITY.

Here's a bit of artwork (!) I did for GCSE art just over a decade ago - it's Mega-City One and it's not very good. The Cursed Earth was all pastels, and the city all pencils. What a concept. No wonder I didn't pass it ;)

This is a one-pager for the next issue of Bear Pit - a Bristol 'zine that'll be out in the new year (details here: http://bearpitzines.tumblr.com/) - written by Geoffery Crescent and drawn by me.

Here be a Santa-themed Dreddhead for Christmas. I wanted to put this up first thing on Christmas morning but the day got carried away with me - ! Hope everyone had a good 'un and that this helmetbeard chap didn't smash his way into your house and shoot everyone. Stomm.

Here's some people cameoing in my story for the Psychedelic Journal of Time Travel - now finished! phew. 

Blinkin' blimey - this is a sneak preview of super-star mega-awesome artist Neil Ford's contribution to the Journal - the roughs alone are spellbinding. Oh I've got the gloryshudders.

A proper teaser here for Jamie Lambert & Chris Askham's Source of Infection. It's only a few months until the launch of issue 1 and there are going to be many teasers between now and then. See them on the Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/psychedelicjournal and our new Twitter here: https://twitter.com/Psych_Journal

Happy new years!

December Doings

Shivery salutations!

It be a cold December and MANY THINGS have occurred in this last freezing fortnight -

The 2000ad Forum Art Competition ended the other day, and the winner was the above AMAZING drawing by the incredible Allister Mackrell. The picture is just a scratch on the surface of what amounted to an amazing competition though - and the other finalists can be seen here: http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,37573.0.html. We start up again in January but until then, the most creative and enthusiastic forum on the net has more treats in the form of the Advent Calender which is here - and amazing!

Jamella & Marmalad is now on Comicsy! It's an interesting format and by JOVE it's a fine read - if you fancy buying a copy saunter over this way: http://www.comicsy.co.uk/crazyfoxmachine/ - Also on Comicsy is The Last Ride of Henry Holden - a Western one-shot that I coloured for Time Bomb comics this past summer - http://www.comicsy.co.uk/t1m3bomb/store/products/the-last-ride-of-henry-holden/ - so if you're in a comic-buying mood I'd be muchly chuffed if you checked them out!

Above is my uncut interview with The Geek Show from Thought Bubble. Quite rambly and not as informative as I'd intended it to be, but there it is. Cheers to the chaps for all the kind words and fine effort that went into putting together the show, I'll definitely be listening again!

Here's an illustration teasing the next Elemental comic which is drawn by the amazing Jennie Gyllblad - in Prof comic news there's a brilliant new FB group set up by Elemental writer-king and originator of the project Chris Mole - http://www.facebook.com/profelementalcomics keep your eye on that for comings and goings with the upcoming second issue! Also the first issue got a fantastic review from the SFX blog!!! http://www.sfx.co.uk/2012/12/14/blog-professor-elemental-review/

8th January is the date of the next Bristol Comic Creators meeting - if you're local or not, and want to chinwag about creating comics, doodle, have a little cider, RSVP over at the FB event here - or just show up! http://www.facebook.com/events/506722316027506/?fref=ts

The Twentieth page of the goatsaga known as Flaubert St Cloud. At this rate we'll be done in time for Christmas (2020)! Written, as always by the amazing Geoffery Crescent and fully chronicled here <-- p="p">

Here's an oddity: Spock singing Leonard Nimoy's hit "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins" to the new Bilbo. Why not? The idea is by Jazz - who also wrote this incredibly brilliant and incisive review of the new Hobbit film here:  http://sauteedpotatoesandonions.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/a-long-expected-blogging.html

Here's a pissed-off looking festive Tharg for the 2000ad forum's amazingly vibrant Advent Calender.  You may have noticed that he's sporting the same Dreddbody thing that I've been doing for a while. Lazy? NOT A BIT OF IT.

and finally to celebrate the last month of production for the first volume of the Psychedelic Journal of Time Travel here is a teaser for a story that'll be appearing in the digital version - "The Journey" by the brilliant Stephen Prestwood. Who is brilliant.

Have a blimmin' good few weeks orf work, whatever you're celebrating and let's hope against hope that I finally get that GIANT BADGER I've always wanted. 

Thought Bubble

Hell of a Thought Bubble this year, lots of amazing folk, lovely chat and overpriced booze - as is always the way with conventions!

Best way to view it is through the comics ye've brought back - so without further ado it's time for a bit of stash dissection. Disclaimer: If my synopsis of any of these things are vague it's because I haven't read them yet - I've got a backlog of comics to read!

(from left to right)

--TOP ROW--

Something Wicked #8 (Futurequake Press)

With a cracking cover by Small Press man-about-town Conor Boyle, I got this comp copy for colouring the back page. It's a horror anthology by Futurequake ran by my favourite editorial team in the history of the world - Richmond Clements & Dave "Bolt 01" Evans. http://www.futurequake.co.uk/shop.php

The Last Ride of Henry Holden (Time Bomb Comics)

This is the one-shot that I spent my summer colouring - by Steve Tanners' Time Bomb and a cracking story from Alex De-Gruchy. It's had some very good reviews and it's worth buying, I'll say that. If not for morbid curiosity at what my colouring looks like over more than five pages but for the story, the art, Mike Bunt's epic inking and Nikki Foxrobot's kickarse lettering. http://timebombcomics.com/index.html

Afterlife Inc. #2 (Jon Lock)

Mr. Jon Lock is one of the most passionate, hardworking and consistently creative people in small press - which is a lot to say for a field composed entirely of passionate, hardworking and consistently creative people. If the first volume was anything to go by - the second collection of Afterlife Inc. will be a well of slick artwork, brilliant characters and unique scenarios. Highly recommended. 

http://www.jonlock.com/afterlifeinc

The Last Days of Man (Omnivistascope)

Look at this bloody cover. I bumped into editorial king of kings Paul Von Scott and had this on sale - I literally couldn't stop myself buying it. It's a compilation of collaborations between him and Paul McCaffrey, who, if the cover alone is any measure - is the most amazing man on Earth. 

http://www.omnivistascope.com/shop2.html

Futurequake #22 (Futurequake Press)

The latest Futurequake - my favourite small press anthology ever - always brimming with glorious Future-shocky style tales from the most varied and reliably brilliant creators in the Small Press (me being the exception). Another comp copy for colouring the back cover - a brilliant story drawn by MY FAVOURITE ARTIST EVER George Coleman.

http://www.futurequake.co.uk/shop.php

---MIDDLE ROW---

The Complete Rainbow Orchid

Garen Ewing's Rainbow Orchid has been recommended to me by literally every small press person I've ever met. A rollicking adventure-style thing with pleasingly European artwork - one of those that I bought off the man himself and only realised on my return South that I could've got him to sign it d'oh! 

http://www.garenewing.co.uk/rainboworchid/

Lilly MacKenzie & The Mines of Charybdis

My absolute creative hero Simon Fraser - was selling copies of his graphic novel - and I managed to nab one of the last ones. Serialised in the Judge Dredd Megazine and ACT-I-VATE - it's a brilliant sci-fi thriller crammed full of his beautiful fluid artwork and coloured masterfully by another inspiration: Gary Caldwell. Worth obtaining if you can or at least reading if you can't!

http://activatecomix.com/9.comic

How to Kill Bears (Disconnected Press)

The aforementioned Conor Boyle forms one half of the creative duo that run Disconnected Press - formed just this year they've already got four very strong anthologies to their name. The other half of the duo - Liz Boyle - puts together a smaller themed anthology to go alongside their main and I'm privileged enough to letter it. The first one was called Lost:Boys and in this, four stories are linked by a beary theme and by the fact that all the artists in it are up-and-coming female creators. Brimming with new artistic talent and odd tales, it's a fascinating tome

http://disconnectedpress.wordpress.com/how-to-kill-bears/

Zarjaz #16 (Futurequake Press)

The holy grail of fancomics - the wonderful Zarjaz. I can't recommend it higher, and with such a beautiful cover the fantastically fantastic Jon Haward and the amazingly amazing Nigel Dobbyn it's truly a challenge NOT to want to buy it. 

http://www.futurequake.co.uk/shop.php

The Lovecraft Anthology #2 (Selfmadehero)

A truly accidental purchase this one, as I was jabbering nervously to editor Dan Lockwood and he opened it to point something out. I remembered reading about it, and saw that it was of a surreal and magical quality so I bought it on the spot. Whoops. But also notwhoops - because it looks bloody special.

http://www.selfmadehero.com/title.php?isbn=9781906838430#

Who on Earth Was Thaddeus Mist? (Accent UK)

I was introduced to the author of this superb-looking gothic halfthology who shares my name and occasionally a goblet full of ale at the secret annual "Meeting of the Os" - where Owens from all walks of life meet and talk over eachother. He be Owen Michael Johnson and Thaddeus Mist be one of the finest-looking tomes I saw that weekend. 

http://www.accentukcomics.com/index.html

Stiffs & The Pride (Dead Star Publishing)

Until Gavin Mitchell is hotter property than my Sun-based beach shack I urge you to enjoy his small press artistic output in the searingly slick two books I utterly failed to buy off him & the chaps at Bristol but DID manage to get at TB. Since then he's got all tangled up with the brilliant Aces Weekly - 

http://www.facebook.com/StiffsComic

http://www.facebook.com/ThePrideComic

---BOTTOM ROW---

MOA-192B (Decadence)

I can't adequately express the deep, unsettling, transcendent nature of Stathis Tsemberlidis' amazing intricate artwork. So I'll settle for being tediously facetious. Stathis is a Bristol chap and partially responsible for the Bear Pit Zine group wot produce rad wee anthologies and have wizard marts and that. The next one is coming in the new year - details are here. Anyway there Stathis was and who do I see enthusiastically buying his stuff but the legendary Dave Taylor which is an endorsement and a half surely! 

http://www.decadencecomics.com/Home/moa-192b-1

Disconnected #2 (Disconnected Press)

The second Disconnected anthology with a cover by the indefinable, insuppressible, indestructible Matt Soffe who is not only one of the finest artists I've ever had the pleasure of meeting but is also a RIDICULOUSLY good colourist (get your face around Aces Weekly's Paradise Mechanism if you don't believe me) - a quick flick through assures me that, like the first volume - this is the most stylish small press anthology you could possibly want to buy. 

http://disconnectedpress.wordpress.com/disconnected-vol-2/ 

Western/The Scorpion #1/Thorgal #1 (Cinebooks)

If you like comics, which face it, you do to some degree - you'd love Cinebooks. European books translated into English - those cats do comics on a fairly epic scale, pretty much all of them are stunningly constructed - masterpieces of storytelling. I'm still waiting on the series that won my heart (Long John Silver) and the glorious Orbital to return (I've been assured this'll happen next year) so I gave a punt on these: The hauntingly gorgeous one-shot Western, swashbuckling saga  The Scorpion who many have said is like 2000ad's evergreen Nikolai Dante and utterly breathtaking nordic epic Thorgal which won me on art alone. If you've been tempted by Cinebooks but haven't decided to get some THEN BUY SOME. If you've never heard of them but are intrigued by what you hear THEN BUY SOME. If you've got tons of them and you couldn't possibly buy any more THEN BUY SOME. 

http://www.cinebook.co.uk/

WJC Prints

I've said it before and I'll say it again until my throat swells up and my head explodes: Warwick Johnson Cadwell is a genius. Got some prints, buttons and stickers off him. Plastered my face with them. 

http://warwickjohnsoncadwell.blogspot.co.uk/

Carcass & Slime #1

Ever since Birmingham con last year I've been meaning to follow-up on Carcass & Slime as Neil Williams was sitting next to us there - lovely chap with a gorgeous style so sharp that you could use it to cut open a horse. Don't though, you'll damage the horse. 

http://www.facebook.com/CarcassandSlime

Porcelain Sampler (Improper Books)

Finally, something HAS to be said for Porcelain - the guys at Improper Books had a quadrillion free comics that they gave out - and literally everyone that I saw was either holding one or ranting on about it - and even a minor gander through it shows why it generated such a buzz. It is utterly gorgeous - Chris Wildgoose is a ridiculously talented feller and I don't think I've been this excited about something I know so little about since bigfoot.

http://www.improperbooks.com/projects/porcelain/

Also I met Robert Llewellyn. Who is a lovely man.

Oh - and I got interviewed about the Professor Elemental comic by The Geek Show that'll go online at some point - until then they're running a competition that I contributed a print to: http://thegeekshow.co.uk/2012/11/26/the-flat-assassin-giveaway/

Here's Jazz, me and our table with all it's numerous bits and bobs on there - we were ably assissted by the writer of the Elemental comic Chris Mole and did strong business all weekend, met some lovely folk!

This is also the first con I've ever sold prints of my own artwork - which I was a little trepidacious about but they all sold quite well. None more so than my picture of Gregg Wallace which went almost immediately. People love that bald glorygrocer.

In other news - we sold out of Dr WTF so the only place both issues are available now is digitally via the brilliant Comicsy service, the first is £2 the second is £2.50 - head over there and fling some pennies if yer of a mind to! It all goes to funding the first print run of The Psychedelic Journal of Time Travel :D

http://www.comicsy.co.uk/crazyfoxmachine/

Also here is the latest teaser for the Journal - from my story with Rob Phillips. Tis mighty strange, and that's a promising thing indeed - it's been confirmed the Journal will debut at Cardiff next March. Which I literally cannot wait for - not for comic selling, you understand, but for the next inevitable STASH DISSECTION.

http://www.facebook.com/psychedelicjournal

Here's the latest entry into the November Art Competition on the 2000ad boards - there are only three days left, but be part of next week's voting and BRACE YERSELVES as there'll be no new competition 'til January due to the phenomenal forum advent calender. Which. Is. Phenomenal. http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,37381.0.html