Friday, 21 March 2025

Buy before postage goes up!

A reminder that postage rates are set to rise again in April and I'll have to reflect that in the prices in my online shop. If there are any comics of mine you're interested in, order before April to ensure you get them at current postage rates. (Obviously this won't affect the three digital comics Tough Guy, Barmy Tales, or Derek the Troll.)

Here's the link...

https://ko-fi.com/lewstringer/shop

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Thursday, 20 March 2025

It's TED THE TED! (1987)

 

Who remembers Ted the Ted? Not many I'd guess, because I created this character as a one-off way back in 1987 for Oink! No.29 and he never appeared again.

As you may know, Oink! featured a mixture of ongoing charcters and some only intended to last one issue, and Ted the Ted's Top Tips for Trendy Teddy Boys was one of the latter. It's always been one of my favourites though, especially his meek reaction to being clobbered by a handbag (see panel above). But now it's time to "Let It Go" as the song says, and it's currently in my auction this week!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/205361844062?itmmeta=01JPTJ36BKWRMM213QABRQR7SM&hash=item2fd0850f5e:g:hYMAAOSwfcVn2bX3

Click to enlarge to make it more readable.

I'm also selling a more recent piece; a complete Daft Dimension strip featuring the 13th Doctor, and it has a Christmas theme! It was published in Doctor Who Magazine No.533 in December 2018.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/205361839756?itmmeta=01JPTJ36BK8H08FC8CDZFA5HH9&hash=item2fd084fe8c:g:zzkAAOSw2Lln2bRl

The auctions on both of these items end this Sunday night, 23rd March. All bids appreciated! 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?item=203554298786&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562&_ssn=graphite47


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Tuesday, 18 March 2025

The Smasher (2015)

It always felt a privilege being assigned to create new stories of the classic comic characters I'd read as a child. One such character being The Smasher, a strip that was drawn by Hugh Morren in the 1960s. Other artists had drawn him in subsequent decades including the great Brian Walker, and several years ago I was asked to create new Smasher stories for The Dandy Annual.

Here's a two pager I did for The Dandy Annual 2016, that I drew in 2015. Script, art and lettering by me, and I also did the logo which I digitally remastered from one of the 1960s Smasher logos. 

The Smasher was basically The Dandy's answer to Dennis the Menace, but I redesigned his appearance a little. Always favouring sci-fi, I came up with Smasher fantasising about a situation that enabled me to include aliens and a giant robot that I thought would lend some visual impact to the pages. I hope the readers enjoyed it. 

Click / tap on the image above to see it at a much larger, readable size.

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Monday, 17 March 2025

74 years of Menacing

Today marks the 74th Anniversary of Dennis the Menace's first appearance in the Beano! I don't think I've ever drawn a Dennis strip but I have drawn him many times as a guest star in other Beano strips (such as Rasher) and in a few activity pages. 

Here's an activity page I was particulartly pleased with. The script was written by someone at the Beano but I drew it, designed it, and lettered the whole page. (Lettering was done using Tim Sale Lower, a Comicraft font that the Beano were using a lot at the time. https://www.comicbookfonts.com/Tim-Sale-Lower-font-p/bl025i.htm

I did this page for an issue back in 2012 so it was 13 years ago now but I thought I'd post it here in case you missed it.  

Before anyone asks, no, I'm not in the Beano these days. I enjoyed my years with the comic though. One of the highlights of my career.

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Saturday, 15 March 2025

Full guest list revealed for MACC-POW 2025

This morning, cartoonist and event organiser Marc Jackson revealed the full guest list for Macc-Pow 2025 and it features comics creators with a diverse variety of styles. A true representation of the UK comic scene, PLUS top tier guests from American comics Tom Scioli and Michael Lark! 

You'll find us all at Macclesfield Town Hall on Saturday June 28th! The show runs from 10am to 4pm and it's free entry!

This year Macc-Pow celebrates its 10th Anniversary and it's been my privilege to be a guest at every show. I'm really looking forward to being there again.

Here's the link:

https://maccpow.co.uk/ 

 

Wednesday, 12 March 2025

Viz! Daleks! Marvel UK and more in this week's art auction

I've put more of my original artwork up for auction for collectors to obtain. This week there's a Suicidal Syd page from Viz comic from 2009, a Macho Man strip I did for Marvel UK's Secret Wars comic back in 1986, a Captain Scarlet parody written by Kev F and drawn by me from the 1990s, a Daft Dimension strip from Doctor Who Magazine featuring Daleks... PLUS a page by the late great Jimmy Hansen that he drew in 1990 for Buster comic featuring the popular Ricky Rainbow character.

All original hand drawn artwork produced for the comics. Not facsimilies, not prints. 

The auctions end on Sunday night (March 16th). All bids are much appreciated. 

Here's the link...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?item=203554298786&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562&_ssn=graphite47


Suicidal Syd from VIZ (2009). One of the last Viz pages I have left.

Superghero parody Macho Man, created for Marvel UK in 1986.

Captain Scarlet spoofed as a theatrical luvvie! (1990s)

A recent Dalek strip I did for Doctor Who Magazine (2025)

Stunning artwork drawn by JIMMY HANSEN for Buster (1990)

Monday, 10 March 2025

On the Tel-Lee

The documentary The Life and Death of Christopher Lee that I drew a sequence for was repeated on Sky Arts last night. (Originally broadcast on 24th October 2024.) I'd done my drawings in full colour but they chose to broadcast them in black and white, presumably because my bit was set in the 1940s. A nice programme to be part of though!


 


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