MACC-POW! guest list

It's all happening this Saturday! Join us at Macc-Pow! 2022 July 2nd at Macclesfield Town Hall! 10AM to 4PM. Here's the official guest list!

For more info, check out the website...

http://maccpow.co.uk/ 

 

Macc-Pow! - a festival dedicated entirely to comics and it's free to enter!

 

It's MACC-POW! this Saturday!

I'm looking forward to going to Macc-Pow! this Saturday as one of my favourite comics event returns to Macclesfield Town Hall on July 2nd after three long years. Other guests are: Tor Freeman, Rachael Smith, Nick Brokenshire, Sean Phillips, Jacob Phillips, Laura Howell, Charlie Adlard, Roger Langridge, Sayra Begum, Charlot Kristenson, Sonia Leong, Tim Quinn, Dicky Howett, Iman, Jim Smith, Emmeline Pidgen, and Asya Voitenko. Quite a list! (Update: Unfortunately Rachael is unable to attend now.)

I'll be doing sketches on request, and selling my comics Derek the Troll and Combat Colin Nos.2 and 3. I might even bring along a couple of original pages to sell, depending on what I can find and if there's room in my luggage. 

Hope to see you there! http://maccpow.co.uk/

FANSCENE ends with two spectacular issues

 The final two issues of David Hathaway-Price's superb digital fanzine FANSCENE are available to download now. This time they focus on the old 'zine Fantasy Advertiser, with artwork, interviews, articles and memories from many of the people who were involved in comics fandom back then. (Including my recollections of when I was a regular contributor to FA with my Back to Blighty / Best of British artilcles.)

David has done an incredible job compiling these fanzines, which serve as an essential record of those bygone days for future generations. If you want to learn about (or recollect) those days (and presumably anyone interested in comics history will) then you can download the zines for free at this link...
https://davidprice5.wixsite.com/classicukcomicszines/fanscene

Cor!! Buster! Have you grabbed it yet?

A reminder that the *official* revival of Buster and other classic characters is still available from the publisher's web shop. Accept no imitations. 

 

This was a pleasure to draw, reviving Buster and Co. after so many years, with scripts by John Freeman. The book also contains many other strips by other creators bringing back the classic characters for the 21st Century.

 

Cor!! Buster Bumper Fun Book, 96 pages, available from this link at Rebellion's store:  

https://shop.treasuryofbritishcomics.com/catalogue/RCA-H0018

 

Upcoming conventions...

All being well, health and rail strikes permitting, I'll be at these comics conventions over two consecutive weekends...

Next Saturday (2nd July) I'll be at Macc-Pow! one of my favourite shows, which returns to Macclesfield Town Hall after three years of being an online event. Organised by the ever-enthusiastic Marc Jackson (a brilliant cartoonist in his own right) it's a free event for all the family. I'll be sketching and signing, and bringing along Combat Colin Nos.2 and 3, Derek the Troll, and maybe some other bits and bobs. Other guests include Laura Howell, Sonia Leong, Rachael Smith, Tim Quinn, Dicky Howett, Charlie Adlard and many more! 

Full details here:

http://maccpow.co.uk/ 

The weekend after that, from Friday 8th July to Sunday 10th July, I'll be returning to Olympia in Kensington for the massive three-day London Film and Comic Con. There's a huge guest list of nearly 50 comics guests including Dave Gibbons, David Leach, Rachael Smith, Nigel Parkinson, Jessica Martin, John Freeman, Mike Collins, Ian Richardson, John Higgins and many more! (Plus a load of guests from film and TV too including Marina Sirtis, Martin Shaw, Sophie Aldred, and many others).

You can find out the full details at this link:

https://londonfilmandcomiccon.com/ 

Hope to see you there! 

 

No News is No News

As some have asked about the next Combat Colin comic...

I'm afraid I still don't know when issue 5 will be published, or the reprints of issues 1 and 4. It still depends on finances and personal health, and the necessity to put mainstream comics work before self-publishing.

I know some suggested crowdfunding, but I'm not doing that.

As I've said before, when there is any new developments it'll be announced here and everywhere else where I have a social media prescence. You won't miss it when it is announced.  

It will happen but I've no idea when. Sorry.

 

Pup Parade preview for BEANO No.4142

It's a lazy summer's day for the Bash Street Dogs in Pup Parade next week. What happens next? Find out in Beano No.4142 when it goes on sale on Wednesday 29th June!

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Re: Comics Salopia

I'm very sorry to say that I won't be able to attend Comics Salopia this weeknd due to health issues and a GP appointment.

Guests who are attending include Dave Gibbons, Laura Howell, Nigel Parkinson, Esad Ribic, Sonia Leong, Charlie Adlard, and Mike Perkins amongst others! 

My apologies for letting anyone down but I hope you'll still support the show and meet up with the superb guests who will be there.

https://comicssalopia.com/

Art auction ends Wednesday night

Just a reminder that the auction for one of my original Daft Dimension strips ends tomorrow (Wednesday). 

Not a print, not a copy, this is my original art that was used for Doctor Who Magazine No.574 earlier this year. 

For more info / photos see my eBay page at this link:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203995230873

All bids much appreciated! Good luck!

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Preview of the next DAFT DIMENSION for Doctor Who Magazine 579

Published every four weeks, there's a new issue of Doctor Who Magazine out this Thursday, 23rd June. Amongst its packed content there'll also be another Daft Dimension comic strip from me, and you can see a sneak preview above. 

Like those Whovians in my strip, I'm sure we're all excited to see the coming developments in Doctor Who on TV, and the official magazine is a great place to read all about it! Don't miss issue No.579 this week!

https://doctorwhomagazine.com/ 

 

 

Preview of the next Pup Parade

Here's a little look at a panel from my next Pup Parade strip. This week the spotlight is on Pug as he becomes... wait for it... DOGtor Strange! 

Geddit? 

Don't worry, that's not the punchline! :)

See what happens next in Beano No.4141, on sale Wednesday 22nd June!  

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Dandy and Beano Annuals ready for pre-order

A reminder that the 2023 annuals will be published this August but you can pre-order them now directly from D.C. Thomson at this link:

https://www.dcthomsonshop.co.uk/books/annuals 

As I've mentioned before, I did work for both The Dandy Annual 2023 and Beano Annual 2023. Specifically Keyhole Kate and Postman Prat for the Dandy, and Biffo the Bear for the Beano book. All characters that I enjoyed working on and hope that one day I will again. Here are some preview images...

 

Original DALEK art for sale

I'm selling another of my original pieces of artwork. This is my Daft Dimension comic strip that appeared in the official Doctor Who Magazine No.574 back in February of this year featuring Daleks!

This is my original pencil and ink artwork on Bristol Board. Not a print, not a copy. 

Bidding runs until Wednesday 22nd June but there is currently a 'Buy it Now' price if you want to make sure you get it. 

See more photos of the artwork at this link:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203995230873

Have you backed The77 No.8 yet?

Just a quick reminder that the Kickstarter for The77 issue 8 still needs a little more support to reach its target. Britain top independent comic is packed with all new comic strips from new creators as well as established pros and one of those strips is my Sgt.Shouty character. 

In issue 8, Sgt.Shouty comes closer to finding out the mystery of the Moon. It's Shouty daftness all the way.

You can find the Kickstarter campaign at this link:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/the77comic/the77-comic-8

 

Interview on Soundcloud

If you missed our interview at Lawless Comic Con the other weekend you can now listen to it on Soundcloud. Leonard Sultana interviews editor/publisher Ben Cullis along with artist Andrw Sawyers, Steve MacManus, and myself as we talk about working for The77 comic! 

You can listen to it at this link:

https://soundcloud.com/englishman-in-san-diego/lawless-comic-con-bristol-2022-in-profile-the-77-comic-290522  

If you want to help The77 issue 8 become a reality, please pledge your support for the Kickstarter that's currently running at this link:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/the77comic/the77-comic-8

The77 REISSUE No.1

Back cover by me, front cover by Ade Hughes.

 

If you missed the first issue of The77 before it sold out, they've now released The77 Reissue 1 which features a selection of strips from the rare first issue plus some new bits. One new bit is a Sgt Shouty back cover pin up by me. The first episode of Sgt.Shouty is reprinted inside.

You can buy the comic (and other 77 back issues) from the publisher at this link: https://the77comic.bigcartel.com
 

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In Beano 4140...

Without giving anything away, here's a quick preview of a bit of my next Pup Parade strip. Where are the dogs? Find out in Beano No.4140, on sale this coming Wednesday, 15th June!

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STINGRAY COMIC SPECIAL!

Today I received my complimentary copy of the Stingray Comic Special that I contributed to. I wrote and drew a new full page Oink the Seal page for it. You may recall that Oink the Seal was a comedy relief character that appeared in a few episodes of Stingray in 1964. He also had his own strip in the 1965 TV21 Stingray Special. I've tried to keep the same tone that the old strips have whilst making Oink look more like his TV version. (The version in the aforementioned 1965 special looked more like an ordinay seal, possibly due to artist George Parlett not having enough reference for the TV character.)

Other features in the new 32 page Stingray Comic Special include brand new photo strips by Martin Cater, a two page History of Titanica by Steve Kyte (who also did the covers) and a Loch Ness Monster robot cutaway by Graham Bleathman, plus articles and two prose stories. Sadly it's not available in shops and is only available as part of the Deluxe Edition Stingray Blu-Ray Box Set, but I thought I'd show you a preview anyway. 

It's a really nicely produced comic and I'm pleased to be part of it. You can order the box set from this link: 

https://networkonair.com/all-products/3395-stingray-the-complete-series-deluxe-edition-blu-ray-
 

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39 Years in Comics (The list)

To follow up my previous post about my 39 years in comics I thought I'd compile a quick list, off the top of my head, of all the comics/mags I've been published in over the last 39 years, not including fanzines or self published comics. I've probably forgotten some obvious ones...

The Daredevils (What If cartoons)
The Mighty World of Marvel (What If cartoons)
Spider-Man Comic (Captain Wally, Snailman)

Learn With Moonbird (children books, ghosting Mike Higgs' art)
Swiftsure (Rock Solid, Brickman)
Brickman (Harrier Comics on-shot, 1986)
Transformers (Robo-Capers, Combat Colin)
Action Force (Combat Colin)
The Real Ghostbusters (Blimey! It’s Slimer)
Secret Wars (Macho Man)
Thundercats (One Cat and His Cod)
Jackpot Annual 1986 (Scooper)
Whoopee Annual 1987 (Bookworm)
2000AD Annual 1985 (article on old comic heroes)
Warlock (Derek the Troll)
White Dwarf (Derek the Troll)
Oink! (Tom Thug, Pete and his Pimple, Pigswilla, lots of others)
Buster (Tom Thug, Pete and his Pimple, Vampire Brats, Specky Hector)
Viz (Pathetic Sharks, Felix and his Amazing Underpants, Norman the Doorman, various others)
UT (various)
Sweet FA (various)
C’Mon Ref! (Whitley Baywatch)
Sunday Sport (Norma Snockers)
Daily Star (short run of Whitley Baywatch Wanderers)
Speakeasy (Pedantic Stan the Comics Fan)

Triffik! (Tough Guy)
2000AD Action special (article on old UK comics)
Sonic the Comic (scripts)
CiTV Tellytots (Scripts)
Lego Adventures (Scripts)
The Seven Deadly Sins graphic novel (The Glut)
Toxic (Team Toxic)
Rampage (Mini-Marvels)
Marvel Heroes (Mini-Marvels)
Spectacular Spider-Man (Mini-Marvels)
Lucky Bag Comic (Horror Bags, Cheeky Monkeys)

Geek (Norway) (Suburban Satanists)
Herman Hedning (Sweden/Norway) (Suburban Satanists)
Beano (Super School, Rasher, Pup Parade, Big Eggo, various others)
Dandy (Postman Prat, Kid Cops, Keyhole Kate, a few others)
Beano Max (Super School)
Know How! (Various artwork)

Brickman Begins! (USA) (book reprinting Brickman strips)
Epic (Hygiene High, Eric Fail, Zombie Sports)
Aces Weekly (digital) (Combat Colin)
Doctor Who Magazine (The Daft Dimension)
Elephantmen (USA) (Brickman Returns)
Grindhouse (USA) (Li’l House of Grind)
Comic Heroes magazine (articles on old comics)
Comic Scene magazine (articles on old comics)

You Are The Hero (book. New Derek the Troll page)

Stikkums (art for digital app)
TV21 (Network edition for Gerry Anderson boxset) (Zoony the Lagoon)
The77 (Sgt.Shouty)
Liverpool Heartbeat magazines (various)
Cor!! Buster specials 2019/2020 (Buster)
Battle Special 2020 (Specky Hector the Comics Collector)
Monster Fun Halloween Special 2021 (Wiz War)
Animal Planet (Bad Pets)
The Kirknewton Story (Close Encounters)
Stingray Comic Special (Network edition for Stingray box set) (Oink the Seal)

Obviously some strips ran for longer than others. 16 years on Team Toxic, 10 years on Tom Thug, 4 years on Combat Colin, and so on but all in all it's a lot of ink and a lot of typing. :) Thanks to everyone for being there for part of the journey if not all of it. Hopefully the terminus is still a long way off yet!

 

EXTRA: Someone asked about the fanzines and small press comics I contributed to. I can't remember all of them but here's a short list...

BEM (article on Power Comics)

The Owl's Effort (Fandumb At Large illustrations) 

Chain Reaction (Fandumb at Large comic strip)

Camera Obscura (Prisoner fanzine for which I did Rogue Rover and Alistair Sadgitt)

 

Self published:

After Image (1979, various strips and articles)

Metamorph/Fantasy Express (1981 articles and strips)

Blimey! It's Brickman (1983)

Brickman on Toast

The Early Brickman

Combat Colin Summer Special 1967 (in reality published in the 1990s)

Combat Colin Special (c.2000)

Yampy Tales (Combat Colin and Brickman)

Rogue Rover (collecting the strips from Camera Obscura)

The Microlife of Alistair Sadgitt (collecting the strips from Camera Obscura)

Brickman Returns! (collecting the Brickman strips from Elephantmen)

Combat Colin (reprinting strips from Action Force and Transformers)

Derek the Troll (reprinting Derek strips from Warlock and White Dwarf plus Rock Solid strips from Swiftsure)

Pedantic Stan the Comics Fan (collecting all the strips from Speakeasy)

Barmy Comix (digital, reprinting selected Brickman, Combat Colin, Derek the Troll, Pedantic Stan  strips)

 

 

39 Years in Comics

It's the time of year to trot this old cartoon out again. As most of you will know this was my first professionally published cartoon and it appeared in Marvel UK's The Daredevils No.7, cover dated July but published sometime in June 1983. The first of a short series of 'What If' cartoons I did for them which soon led to other work including Captain Wally, Robo-Capers, Combat Colin and more, then a multitide of strips for other companies right up to today.

I've now been working in comics for 39 years (although I didn't go full time pro until 1984). Hopefully I'll reach the milestone of 40 years in 2023 but things have been very tough these past few years due to cutbacks from lockdown and other reasons. Work is picking up now but that's mainly one-off jobs and commissions. The days of being commissioned to do two pages a week for a comic seem to be a thing of the past for whatever reasons, but younger artists are thriving now and that's the way it's always been. Good luck to them all.

Meanwhile I do have a busy month ahead so I'd better get back to the drawing board! Thank you to everyone who's followed my work during the past 39 years and I hope you'll stick around for what's to come. Heck, I hope I stick around too!

 

 

Next two upcoming conventions

The next show I'll be at will be Comics Salopia 2022 in Shrewsbury at the end of this month. It takes place on Saturday 25th June (where you'll find me in the museum) and Sunday 26th June (where you'll find me in the grounds of Shrewsbury Castle). 

You can find out more info from their website at this link:

https://comicssalopia.com/

Then, a week later, I'll be at Macc-Pow! 2022 at Macclesfield Town Hall. Good to see this returning after two years of it being online only. You can find out more info at this link:

http://maccpow.co.uk/

 

 

Bash Street guest star

Here's a preview of part of my next Pup Parade strip. One of the things I like about doing this strip, apart from enjoying drawing the Pups, is that I get a chance to include some of the iconic Bash Street Kids sometimes too. Danny in this one for example. 

See the full story in Beano No.4139, on sale Wednesday 8th June!

Hip-Hip!

Part of my artwork for the comic.

A reminder that the latest Liverpool Heartbeat comic is the life story of The Queen and features strips by Russ Leach, Nigel Parkinson, Holly Bushnell, George Sears and me, working from scripts by Tim Quinn! If you follow this link you can order a copy of the comic by post:
https://www.liverpoolheartbeat.co.uk/shop/

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LAWLESS was FLAWLESS!

A big thank you to Su Haddrell for inviting me to the Lawless Comic Con in Bristol last weekend and for being a fantastic host. It was my first venture out of my local area in over two years and it was the perfect event to attend. A friendly, upbeat atmosphere with great people and lots of laughs. One of the busiest conventions I've done in 40 years, sketching from the moment I set out my table to the time the show closed. Thank you to everyone who stopped by for a sketch, buy a comic, or just for a chat. 

Waiting for my train at 6 A.M. on a deserted platform.

Good to have top artist Ian Richardson as my table neighbour.

It was great to catch up with old friends again such as Ian Richardson, Becky and Dan Cornwell, Paul Goodenough, Mike Allwood, Benjamin Conan Cullis, Leonard Sultana, Mike Collins, Graham Bleathman, Shane Chebsey, Brian Bolland, John Higgins, Joanne Alexander, Steve MacManus, David Roach, John Charles, Stuart Gould, and many more, and meet new people such as Stacey Whittle, Jo Heeley, Dave Heeley, Andrw Sawyers, Alexus Savage, Colin Maxwell, Sally Jane Hurst, Kek-W, Sarah Lea and many more. (I bet I've forgotten some I shouldn't have so please forgive this quick post.) 

Photo by RICHARD BRYANT.

 

Sadly I didn't get around to catching up with John Wagner or Glenn Fabry or visit the small press room. I did take a break for ten minutes though to visit a fantastic display of comic art curated by Graham Bleathman. Pages from Eagle, TV21, and Look-In brought memories flooding back of reading the comics those pages were drawn for. Graham himself is a fantastic artist of course, having illustrated numerous cutaways for Gerry Anderson comics as well as much more over his long career. Graham and I started out in fanzines around the same time way back in the late 1970s and it's always a pleasure to chat with him.

Frank Bellamy's front cover art from JOE 90 TOP SECRET (1969).

1960s art from EAGLE and TV21

 

 

Mike Noble art from TIMESLIP (LOOK-IN, 1971).

On Sunday afternoon I took part on a panel hosted by Leonard Sultana alongside my colleagues from The77; editor Ben Cullis, artist Andrw Sawyer, and the legendary Steve MacManus. The77 were also launching a new comic at the show; Pandora edited by Jo Heeley, a 40 page full colour anthology comic that you can buy from this link:

https://the77comic.bigcartel.com/

That link will also take you to where you can buy The77, including the Reissue of No.1 featuring some best bits from the sold out first issue and some new content including a back page pin-up from me. 

I can tell you now that The77 Publications are doing another comic soon! This Comic Is Haunted will be a brand new British horror comic and I'm hopefully doing a page for it. The Kickstarter for it begins next month and you can find out more details by following their Facebook page at this link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/695217408358133

It felt exciting and strange to go on a train for the first time in 26 months and to mingle in crowds again. Yet in some ways it felt like the past two years hadn't happened as we all readjusted like we'd only seen each other yesterday. Not that we can be complacent of course. The virus is still out there and still spreading, and I did wear a mask on the train. 

Summing up, there could be no better place to restart anyone's social life than at the Lawless Comic Con. A fun and welcoming event that I'll always remember. 

Joanne Alexander interviewed me live for her Facebook feed on Sunday morning and you can see that here:

https://www.facebook.com/joanne.alexander.5095/videos/397301232410631/

Best cosplay ever! Sarah Lea as GNASHER!

End of the show. Organiser Su Haddrell gets a round of applause.

I didn't have chance to take many photos but you can see more by visiting the Lawless Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/LawlessComicCon

...and if you wish to bid on a signed Lawless programme/comic where proceeds are going to a good cause, read about it here:

https://downthetubes.net/bidding-builds-on-signed-lawless-a-celebration-programme-in-aid-of-the-charity-calm-now-offered-with-unique-extras/

My next convention will be Comics Salopia in Shrewsbury on June 25th and 26th, followed a week later by Macc-Pow! in Macclesfield on July 2nd. More details soon!

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