Thursday 30 December 2021

Reflecting on 2021

Highlights of my year in chronological order.

I don't think anyone has escaped this year unscathed by the pandemic. Even if most of us have been very fortunate in not catching the virus it's still affected our work, our social lives, and our mental health. With other disappointments and setbacks in life it all adds up to a year most of us would rather forget.

An increasing number of friends across the UK have contracted the virus this year, some mildly, some more severe, and I wish you all a full recovery.

Despite the ongoing situation, some of you found happiness and huge changes in your lives for the better, and I'm very pleased about that. Other friends experienced a lot of sadness and upset and I hope things will turn around for you soon.

By nature I'm an independent person who enjoys solitude, but this pandemic has pushed it to the limit. I enjoyed my walks in the local parks and countryside in the summer though.  

I am very grateful for the few times I did meet up with friends, whether face to face or just online. It really gave me a boost to have a laugh with good friends both in my home town and at the one comic convention I attended this year in Coventry. I hope to see more of you next year.

I'm also grateful to the editors who commissioned me for work this year, from traditional material such as Keyhole Kate for The Dandy Annual to more unusual one-offs such as The Statues of Liverpool comic and the billboard art for the Shrewsbury Comics Trail.

However, it was certainly a year of reduced workload and, subsequently, self doubt that affected my work rate. I'm busy for the next few weeks but beyond that point... that's a worry. I appreciate there are many of us in the same boat, as is the nature of freelancing.

Counting my blessings... my Daft Dimension strip continues in Doctor Who Magazine every month, and Sgt. Shouty will still be in The77 every few months. I'm pleased to announce that I'm about to start on a new weekly mini-strip for Beano, which should begin in March. Nothing like the workload I had a few years ago though so I hope it leads to more.

I'll be taking on private commissions soon (watch this space) and selling off more old pages of artwork from Buster and the like.

Finally, thanks to all of you for following and reading this blog. None of us know what the next 12 months will bring and we have to be pragmatic whilst still maintaining optimism. I hope we all get through 2022 intact and I wish every one of you a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year.

16 comments:

Peter Gray said...

Glad some work with the Beano...keep trying new places to do cartoons..and hope you have a better year...did think of you over Christmas...

SID said...

Hi, Lew.

Things may never be the same as before but I am confident that things will improve albeit slowly.

I hope 2022 will be a better year and definitely would be interested in your commission rates when you publish them.

Lew Stringer said...

I enjoyed Christmas, Peter. I was going to some friends for dinner but they both had Covid so I spent it on my own. I'm quite happy with my own company though. Bear in mind I've lived on my own for half my life.

I thought of you at Christmas too because I know this year wouldn't be the same for you. Wishing you all the best for 2022.

Manic Man said...

unrelated.. one thing I got my father over christmas was a couple more volumes of Judge Dredd Complete cases and something I completely forgot about.. one of there reference jokes in part 6 of the Oz story is a pile up taking place at the junction of Stringer and Brickman.

Can't remember which issue of 2000AD that one was from..

Lew Stringer said...

Yes, it's in Prog 550 from way back in 1987. It was a pleasant surprise to see that back then. :D

Lew Stringer said...

Thanks SID! Happy New Year!

Keith said...

All the best for 2022 Lew. Keep your spirits up!

Kal said...

Good to learn that you'll be back in the Beano soon. My daughter will be especially chuffed as you're the first Beano artist she met IRL, thus her favourite.

Look forward to a possible commission and maybe a page or two of published artwork. Oh, and the continued adventures of that shouty chap.

Happy new year.

PhilEdBoyce said...

Happy New Year Lew, hopefully we're halfway out of the dark by now, hopefully more actually! Really happy to hear about the Beano work and hope the momentum continues as 2022 begins.

Lew Stringer said...

Thanks everyone. Wishing you all a Happy New Year!

David said...

Really looking forward to seeing your work in the Beano again in 2022. And fingers crossed for a few convention appearances too. All the best!

Lew Stringer said...

Thanks David. I'll be at the Lawless con in Bristol in May and hopefully some others later. Nothing else confirmed yet though of course.

Ian M said...

As other posters have said, good to know there is some work coming your way, and hoping that 2022 will be better (it couldn't be worse than the last two!).

Happy New Year, Lew

Lew Stringer said...

Thanks Ian. I think it's going to require a lot of effort for many of us to forge ahead and keep afloat over the coming weeks. Hope we can all manage it.

Gareth said...

Don't forget Monster Fun! You'll be drawing new things for it yes?

Lew Stringer said...

I'm afraid not Gareth. They've already got all the artists and writers they need for this year. It was good to work on the special last year though.