Stinky Sock Rampage!

There's a new issue of Toxic in the shops and a two page comic strip by me in there. Stinky Sock Rampage features Team Toxic attempting to thwart the latest evil scheme of Hallie Tosis! 

Toxic No.238. Out now for £2.99. http://www.toxicmag.co.uk

ICE in August

I'm pleased to add another date to my convention schedule this year as I've been invited as a guest to ICE the International Comic Expo. The event takes place on Saturday 2nd August 2014 at 'The Studio' in Canon Street in the centre of Birmingham, just a short walk from both major railway stations in the city. 

I've always enjoyed the comic conventions in Birmingham so I'm looking forward to this.

Here's the full list of guests that are confirmed so far:

STEVE RUDE
GORAN PARLOV
ROLAND BOSCHI
JOHN PAUL BOVE
MIKE COLLINS
AL DAVISON
RUFUS DAYGLO
IAN EDGINGTON
HUNT EMERSON
MARIE JAVINS
JESSICA MARTIN
BEN OLIVER
DAVID ROACH
DECLAN SHALVEY
LEW STRINGER
BRYAN TALBOT
DYLAN TEAGUE
EMMA VIECELI
PHIL WINSLADE

YISHAN LI 

For more info, visit the ICE website here:
http://internationlcomicexpo.wordpress.com/

See you there hopefully! 

Lord Snooty returns!

As Beano subscribers have now been informed of the news I guess it's OK to reveal that the mystery mini-strip I've been working on is Lord Snooty. 

The character who first appeared in The Beano No.1 back in 1938 has had several runs of various length in the comic over the past 76 years and I consider it a privilege to be the latest cartoonist to bring his tales to a new readership.

For me, Snooty's original artist Dudley Watkins will always be the definitive one, and I enjoyed reading those stories as a child in the sixties. I'm not trying to imitate the style of the late Mr.Watkins in any way but I was asked to retain Snooty's classic look with the bowtie, white collar, black jacket and of course his top hat. There'll also be a few of his old Pals turning up from time to time along with the local bullies The Gasworks Gang. It's quite a formidable task taking on such a legendary character as Lord Snooty but I hope the readers enjoy the strips.

The new series of Lord Snooty mini-strips that I've written and drawn will begin in The Beano No.3737, on sale Wednesday 4th June. 

Walter!

Here's Dennis the Menace's nemesis, Walter, who guest stars in this week's Rasher mini-strip. If Rasher's nearby, you can guess what happens to that cake. 

We're nearing the end of Rasher's run in The Beano now. Only another few weeks to go. I've really enjoyed writing and drawing his porcine pranks. Too busy to miss him at present though as I'm knee-deep in various pages for the 2016 annuals. Then there's the mini-strip that's replacing Rasher. What will that be? Find out soon!

This week's Beano is bagged with a bunch of decent gifts including a 32 page Diary of Dennis the Menace book preview, a K'nex toy, Star Wars cards and more. £2.99 from newsagents and supermarkets. Here's the front and back of the package so you know what to look out for...

Good luck for winning an Unlucky Frank original!

I've just put my original artwork on eBay for an Unlucky Frank strip that I drew for Viz No.219 a couple of years ago. Frank's a character I've only drawn a few times but it's fun to do stories about that accident-prone chap. 

Bidding ends in 7 days, on Sunday May 25th, so good luck to any of you who go for it. All bids are much appreciated. Click HERE to go to my eBay page. 

Turnips are revolting!

Rasher gets a shock when he goes for a turnip snack! Here's a quick preview of my latest strip in The Beano, on sale now!

Smasher Preview

I sent off another couple of completed pages for The Dandy Annual 2016 today. Working on more tomorrow. And the day after that. And next week. I won't show you previews of those for a long time yet because the book won't be out for at least another 14 months! 

However, what I will show you is a panel (above) from The Dandy Annual 2015, which should be in the shops sometime in July of this year. As you can see, The Smasher is back again, and I'm pleased to say that I wrote/drew/coloured/lettered five pages of his smashing strips for the book. (Plus I illustrated an extra puzzle page featuring the character.) 

I have a few other pages in the book too, and I'll show you glimpses of those at a later date. 

The Dandy comic had a great 75 year run, and I'm sure we all miss it, but I'm happy that the annual is continuing. Long may it carry on. 

The latest Team Toxic

Here's a preview of part of this week's Team Toxic strip before dialogue and captions were added. The Team compete against each other in a race, but Doc Shock has an ingenious method of cheating, - or so he thinks. 

See the full two page story in issue 237 of Toxic, on sale now in newsagents, supermarkets, airports etc. £2.99.  

Comixology Colin!

From today, Aces Weekly Volume 1 is available to buy on Comixology. Over 200 pages of all-new comic strip by a variety of creators, including a new Combat Colin 3 pager by me. 

Up until now, the digital-exclusive comic was only available to read on the Aces Weekly website, but now the entire first volume can also be downloaded to your Comixology app. 

Comixology have changed their technology recently so the app is now solely a reader, and you have to go to their website to buy the comics. After which the comics can be opened in the app to read.

Take a look at the Comixology website to see the list of creators who have contributed to Aces Weekly Vol.1 and purchase your copy for £6.99.
https://www.comixology.co.uk/Aces-Weekly-1/digital-comic/83759

Cover of the Comixology edition.

Roast Pork

Copyright © DC Thomson and Co. Ltd.

Here's a preview of half of my Rasher mini-strip from today's Beano. This was drawn a couple of months ago but I guessed that by the time it saw print we'd be having an early heatwave. (I always try to tie my strips in with the seasons if possible.) Some weather forecasters have also predicted one for this coming week. It's a bit cool and cloudy today but we'll see how the rest of the next seven days pan out. Whatever the outcome, it's always bright in Beanotown! 

Drawing Brickman, 1985

There's me on 8th September 1985, 26 years old drawing a Brickman story for Swiftsure No.6. 

Swiftsure was an independent anthology comic published by Martin Lock's Harrier Comics company. It did actually pay a page rate. Not as much as the big companies, but it paid. 

I was still living at my mum's house back then, in case you were wondering about the floral wallpaper! I used the spare room as a studio. Well, I say studio. A flat table to draw on, and the rest of the room piled up with comics. Different address now, and I have a proper drawing board, but I'm still surrounded by comics.

Want to see the story I was drawing that day 29 years ago? Here you go...

This strip and more can be seen in the Brickman Begins! book, available from my website. The book is advised for mature readers only as it's a bit rude in places:

http://www.lewstringer.com/page7.htm