fabtoons

Christmas goodies

2011-12-14T07:46:00.000-08:00

Hey folks, do not despair! The Duckie Christmas market will solve all your Christmas shopping dilemnas — or some of them anyhows — and Sean Azzopardi and my good self will be plying our wares there in the foyer of the Barbican this Saturday and Sunday 17 and 18 December from 2-9.30pm. There are rumoured to be other comics folk there too.

Comical Animal 6

2011-12-03T01:53:00.000-08:00

There is a new issue of Jim Medway's brilliant Comical Animal online!
Along with splendid work by Jim, it features contributions from such regulars as Alex Potts, Rob Jackson, Lizz Lunney, Fred Blunt, Rick Eades, Piotr Nowacki, Woodrow Phoenix and little moi.

Some comic reviews

2011-11-30T08:09:00.000-08:00

Here goes:

It's a Man's Life in the Ice Cream Business
by Rob Jackson
This 24 page in-depth examination of the business that is the manufacture, distribution and selling of said frozen dessert takes us from the germination of the idea in Rob's brain through his brave leap of faith in resigning his job and the obstacles he has to overcome in the guise of Hygiene, Health and Safety. His first market is a triumph, the second less so. The highs and lows, battling recalcitrant canopies, having to think on his feet and reinvent himself to suit weather conditions, make for a fascinating read told with the gentle humour that we expect from Jackson, and includes some unusual recipes.
Bring on Part Two!

Eight Tablet Dream
by Sean Azzopardi
What if Harvey Pekar had been British and could actually draw.... ? Sean gives us another bunch of beautifully drawn anecdotes, thoughts and conversations, his jaundiced self-deprecation interjected with a fierce sense of humour that had me laughing out loud on the tube.

November swag

2011-11-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks have seen a resurgence of activity, and quite a few events, notably Comiket, Thought Bubble and Ladeez. I seem to have accumulated a bunch of publications which I shall endeavour to review as I work my way through them.

Heading oop North

2011-11-18T12:23:00.000-08:00

I have just taken delivery of some brand new comics hot off the press for your delectation.
Tomorrow morning we will be winging our way up the M1 to Leeds for the Bubblé Fest. Hurrah! See you there!

A grand day out in Bishopsgate

2011-11-13T02:57:00.000-08:00

After five years of attending Comica's Comikets, the event has finally come of age.
Though previously held in some wonderful locations such as the ICA and the Pump House in Battersea Park, this the first time that the combination of venue and location has worked so well to bring in the kind of footfall that I'm sure made every exhibitor's day worthwhile. With plenty of passing trade, free entry and a magnificent continuous large-screen live drawing display kept visitors in the hall. A parade of talents, including such luminaries as Posy Simmonds, Woodrow Phoenix, Sarah Macintyre or the rockstar-like Brecht Evens, below, enthralled the punters and inspired them to purchase product.

Well done Paul and Peter and all the team!
And thanks for being such wonderful table companions, Sean, Sally Ann and Joe Decie.
Then we went to the pub.

Check out lots more pics HERE.

Next week Leeds Thought Bubble...

Come and get it

2011-11-09T07:18:00.000-08:00

Things are gaining some kind of momentum as the convention season gets into its stride. This Saturday you will find me touting the old comicfare at Comica's Comiket at the Bishopsgate Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, London, 11am to 6pm, alongside my old muckers and fellow B.A.S.T.A.R.D.S Sally Ann Hickman, Sean Azzopardi and Oliver Lambden and many other eminent folks of the comic fraternity.

It's a paper and it's a comic

2011-10-27T06:02:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody, rejoice!
Your new favourite comic newspaper is ready, featuring contributions from Sean Azzopardi, Tom Humberstone, Kristyna Baczynski, myself and many more. Click here for details.
Paper Science 6 will be on sale at MCM Expo this weekend and is available from the Words and Pictures website as of now.
Or you can wait a few weeks and pick up your copy at Comica in London or Leeds Thought Bubble.

The revolution starts here

2011-10-21T05:16:00.000-07:00

Last night, we gathered in a fantastic house close to the British Museum for the launch of Nicola Streeten's graphic memoir, Billy, Me and You, a frank reflection on the aftermath of losing her two year old son. Her unflinching examination of her and her partner's ways of dealing with this terrible tragedy, from suicidal thoughts to angry judgement of others' inadequate responses, may sound like a harrowing read but Streeten's honesty at revealing some of her less generous thoughts, along with her sense of humour, manage to keep this sensitive material far from grim, while remaining extremely moving. In the words of The Guardian, it is quite a feat.
And that is another reason to rejoice at the success of this project. Despite much recent progress in the way comics are perceived in the UK, we still have a long way to go. Like the music business in the late seventies, the mainstream press and publishing world still seem stuck on the idea that the virtuoso artistry of the package outweighs its content. It took punk rock, much of which has stood the test of time and has gone on to be a huge influence, to explode that myth. I see this book in the same revolutionary vein, its artwork not seeking to soothe the reader with beautiful images, but rewarding with its raw emotion, and an ultimately uplifting message, those who can look beyond esthetic orthodoxy . Bands like The Ramones and The Clash were denigrated as poor musicians by the establishment, but their legacy still carries more power and energy than anything any supergoup ever produced.
This is brave step in the right direction, helping to bring about a shift in attitude. UK readers and publishers will eventually understand that Sequential Art is more than a series of illustrations arranged pleasingly on a page, but words and pictures combined to convey stories, ideas or feelings, that transcend the sum of their parts.

Comics are more than pretty pictures!

Cominget yours at Comiket

2011-10-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

Next month I will be exhibiting at Comica's Comiket alongside my good friends and very talented individuals Sean Azzopardi and Sally Anne Hickman, as well as many other creators and publishers. It will take place at the Bishopsgate Institute and entry will be free.

Comics are for kids

2011-10-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

YEAH, RIGHT!

Hey Ho No Show

2011-09-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

Friday night's show at Flashback Records was great fun, with a good turnout, and beer and some artwork too. Thanks for organising, Sean!
Unfortunately I had to cancel my table at the Bearpit Comic and Zine fair. Work reared its head on top of a lot of other obligations, and after a couple of days stressing out, I followed the advice that something had to give, and that was the trip to Bristol.
I'm sorry I had to miss it, but I hope it's a big success and they do it again. The good news is that I have finished the job in time, and it's still only 4pm.

Flashback to Bear Pit

2011-09-16T01:15:00.000-07:00

Next Friday 23rd September We are Words and Pictures are launching an exhibition of Comics and Music at Flashback Records in Crouch End in which I will be showing some pieces of work.
And on Sunday 25th I will be heading west to Bristol for a day of comic and zine trading at Bristol Comic and Zine Fair 2011

Job almost done

2011-09-12T04:14:00.000-07:00

Almost completed my contribution to Paper Science 6, here's a sneaky peek...

War - The Human Cost

2011-08-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

At last Saturday's panel at the Imperial War Museum we shared the stage with Sean Duffield of Paper Tiger Comix who, along with contributors Dan Locke and Ben Naylor, was discussing his latest publication War - The Human Cost.
I have just finished reading my copy and I would urge anyone who cares about our planet to invest in one. This is a compelling 260-page collection of hard hitting comics from many contributors from around the world. The quality of this anthology is unquestionable; top notch artwork and proper intelligent discourse, covering conflicts all over the globe going back over a century, it tells a variety of stories and looks at the issue from many perspectives. Not only will you be contributing to a worthy cause (Campaign Against Arms Trade), you might actually learn something too.
And I haven't even listened to the CD yet.

Radio days

2011-08-18T03:23:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday night Eileen and I appeared on a special edition of Alex Fitch's Panel Borders on Resonance FM informing people about the goings on this weekend at the Imperial War Museum. Click HERE to listen to the programme.
Check Paul Gravett's blog for a full report and information about the event.

Comics and war

2011-08-05T11:13:00.000-07:00

Two weeks after Austerity Caption, my mother and I will be appearing at the Imperial War Museum to present Philip and Helena in the context of the Comics and Conflicts event.
Eileen's moving account of her wartime experiences might surprise those of you who imagine it was all spam and powdered eggs.

Bubbling with excitement

2011-07-04T01:58:00.000-07:00

Yay! I am looking forward to going to Caption in August and have got round to booking a table at Leeds Thought Bubble in November.

Now to produce some new work...

Go East, young man

2011-07-03T00:51:00.000-07:00

Dan Lester has left the building.
On Friday, after two and a half years in Harlesden, Dan has packed up his belongings and headed for the Far East in search of new adventures.
What seemed like a month-long farewell party culminated last Thursday June 30th in his final goodbye to the comics fraternity at the launch of David B's latest oeuvre, the Self Made Hero published Black Paths. I have so far only dipped in to my copy, a thing of beauty, the usually stark black and white line work complemented by gorgeous colour. I will savour it slowly to make the pleasure last.

Dan could barely contain his joy at his awesome leaving card.

A month of events kicked off for me with David O'Connell's very jolly Queen Mum Workshop at Orbital, part of the International Alternative Press Fair, on June 9th. The 16th saw the London Print Studio play host to a private view for the Imagined Cities exhibition. Dan's official farewell barbecue took place on a rainy Saturday 18th (Sarah McIntyre wrote a report here). Next up was the Comix Reader launch on 22nd June – get yourselves a copy already, it's only a pound for chrissakes!
July 1st we celebrated We Are Words and Pictures displaying their work at Bookartbookshop and last night we popped by the incredibly talented Julia Scheele's birthday drinks in Camden.

Latest news is that Dan arrived safely in Korea and has started making friends.

Comical Animal 4

2011-06-03T02:49:00.000-07:00

It is online.
I have contributed.
It is fab. It is free!
You should subscribe.
Check it out.

A woman's point of view

2011-06-02T02:13:00.000-07:00

Having failed so far to find any reviews of this by a woman, here goes.
Chester Brown's Paying For It, a graphic memoir detailing his experiences with prostitutes as a customer, is a fascinating insight into the mechanics of a transaction that tends to be mysterious to a lot of us.
Unless engaged in said activity in one or other capacity, one has but a sketchy idea of the interaction. Chester Brown presents a totally deadpan, and presumably honest, picture of his dealings with a number of women over a period of five years. Prompted by the end of a relationship and coming to the conclusion that the only part of it that he misses and can't get from friends or family is the actual sex, he rationalises that it would be easier and cheaper to pay for the occasional shag.
This is actually very funny as he details calculating how often he can indulge without it costing him any more than dating a girlfriend, gets all wound up and paranoid about how to hook up and worries about the etiquette.
The reactions when he confesses his actions to people, the Woody Allenesque discussions between him and friends (mostly fellow cartoonists Seth and Joe Matt), the thoughts that go through his head while engaging in the activity all contribute to the humour as we vicariously follow this odd skull-headed creature into unknown territory.

But once he has got over the initial awkwardness and fear and gets more confident with the milieu, it starts to become an uncomfortable read. As he tries to reconcile his supposedly non sexist attitude with his dispassionate dissection of the women he visits, evaluating the attractiveness and the performance of faceless females (the facelessness, he argues, in order to protect their privacy). He visits review sites and starts leaving reviews himself. He seems unable or unwilling to look too deeply at some of the situations he finds himself in. He wants to believe that all the women he visits are simply business women who have chosen this profession as logically as he decided to use them. There is a total lack of questioning as to the myriad motives and experiences that may have lead them to this place. And an inability to consider that maybe what they are telling him is not the truth. Maybe he was very fortunate in only meeting such well adjusted ladies, maybe all johns are polite, mild mannered individuals like himself, who even tip when they don't have to. Maybe Canada is a country where everything is nice.
At the beginning, he is constantly afraid of being robbed, beaten up or arrested, it doesn't seem to occur to him that those are the risks the women are taking. In the lengthy notes at the end of the book, Brown seems intent on justifying his position by glossing over the darker aspects of the trade - pimping, violence, drug addiction and trafficking. He refuses to see that the relationship is not one of equals; he is in a position to take it or leave it, while they are bound to provide the service, however repugnant he may be to them. He is in control as to whether the transaction takes place.
While I believe all women should be free to dispose of their bodies as they wish, including selling them, most have complicated reasons for going into prostitution and too many are forced into it. Chester Brown's premise that prostitution is just a form of dating and that one day everyone will just buy sex from each other is actually hilarious. He doesn't seem to understand that the world is already that way, just that he's not rich enough to participate in that particular feast. Since time immemorial, the elite have generally been able to mate with the better looking females of the species. Wealth allows men, however old or hideous, to take their pick, and pension off the no longer nubile.
Paying For It is an appropriate title, as money is the crux of the matter and Chester just needs to make more of it to make his dream a reality.
As an autobiographical comic, this is fascinating. We observe tiny figures in rigidly laid out panels from a distance as we follow Brown on his encounters. An articulate and intelligent, apparently kind and gentle, but emotionally remote and ultimately self-deluded man, he has managed to justify his solution for getting laid with attractive and mostly younger women, without risk of rejection or getting involved, by naively denying any troubling aspects of the trade that he is engaging in.

Slow but hopeful

2011-05-26T02:32:00.000-07:00

A taste of something I have contributed to issue 4 of Jim Medway's excellent Comical Animal.
Hoping to kickstart me back into action and break this cycle of BLOCK.

Funny Bunnies

2011-04-01T03:05:00.000-07:00

Yeah! Issue 3 of Jim Medway's excellent online comic Comical Animal is up for your perusal.
Featuring mostly rabbits ('tis the season to be hoppy), with contributions from Jim, Fred Blunt, Rick Eades, Alex Potts, Lizz Lunney, Joe List, Rob Jackson, Gary Northfield and yours truly, Jim's project is a winner. At the moment it's still free to subscribe so get yourself signed up.
Since the London Comix and Small Press Expo, I seem to have lost my spark, but the appearance of buds on the trees and the odd ray of sunshine are coaxing me out of hibernation. I have been seen wielding a pencil, and may even break out the ink...

Punk meets small press comics

2011-03-14T03:42:00.000-07:00

Last week was the opening of the St Albans Punk and New Wave Exhibition.
Thursday night saw us head out to the burbs for the opening at the St Albans Museum, along with Sally, Heather and Ian.

It's a really nice space, small but perfectly formed. We loved the army of (punk?) bishops in the first room, while the displays in the main area looked fab. Browsing the exhibits and bumping into people I hadn't seen for so many years was a curious experience and brought back some memories. Phil and Angie Smee from Waldo's Records had contributed a large amount, and I was pleased to see quite a lot of my stuff on show.
I was a bit surprised at the lack of labelling, as visitors who weren't part of the scene at the time might benefit from a little more information.

The first London Small Press and Comix Expo was held in New Cross last Saturday. Replacing the Webcomixthing, this new event in Goldsmiths College benefited from taking place during term time, in a larger and better lit hall. Rob Jackson very kindly invited me to share the table that Koyama Press had sponsored for him. Thanks Rob and Koyama!
The new East London line made it easier to get to than I originally feared, the show was well organised, my new comic sold well after a slow start, so all in all a good day, and I would go again.
Too tired to face the pub, Nick and I headed instead to East Dulwich where Heather, after a long day at ChiChiRaRa, found the energy to knock up a scrumptious curry.

ladee done comics

2011-03-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

I have contributed some artefacts to the St Albans Punk and New Wave exhibition that kicks off next week, details here. Heather and I headed out there to drop the stuff off, we hadn't been back for over twenty years. Strangely, the town doesn't seem to have changed that much... By the way, if you're in South London and a lover of the vintage, check out ChiChiRaRa, her shop in East Dulwich, you won't be disappointed.

In a fit of self-indulgence and vanity, I am posting a rare thing – a not hideous current picture of me. Taken by Oliver Lambden at his birthday drinks do the other night. There.
I like it.

The following night, Monday that was, I managed to speak for a whole fifteen minutes at Ladeez Do Comics. It was a very good evening, the other speakers being my lovely and talented fellow B.A.S.T.A.R.D Sean Azzopardi, Karrie Fransman and her posse from London Print Studio presenting their impressions of Angouleme, and the cerebral John Miers explaining his experimentations with language.
My thanks to Sarah Lightman and Nicola Streeten, the Ladeez in question, whose warmth and generosity help draw out any recalcitrant participants. The after show curry was much needed and helped thaw us out, the heating at the Rag factory leaving somewhat to be desired.

Next upcoming event will be the London Small Press Expo at Goldsmiths on March 12th. Rob Jackson has kindly offered to share his table with me. And I will have a new comic.

Angouleme Comics 2011

2011-02-04T01:57:00.000-08:00

My second visit to Angouleme was a more relaxed experience than the first.
For starters I knew now that spending six days with my chosen companions would not ruin our friendship. This year, Dan Lester, Sean Azzopardi, Oliver Lambden and myself were joined by Sally-Anne Hickman and Rob Jackson. Though quite a large crowd to squeeze behind a table, we rubbed along fine, wandering off at will to check out the rest of the festival. Our spacious lodgings meant we could chill out by the fire and play pool when we had tired of the frenetic bar-hopping and party-seeking. Having scoped out the layout and the town previously made it easier to plan my sorties and hone in on the bits I fancied seeing. And not being so overwhelmed by the whole hugeness of it all made it easier to take in.
There were familiar faces – it was lovely to catch up with Abby Denson, Tim Fish and Xavier Lancel back again on the LGBT stand. Sally Anne and I popped over to the theatre where they appeared on a panel alongside Fred Harper and Charlie Adlard.
This time I checked out the permanent collection at the museum as well as the excellent Parodies exhibit, while Baru's wall of artwork was pretty humbling.

We made the effort to get to the Castro Building on Saturday morning where Dash Shaw, Marc Bell and John Pham gave a most entertaining and informative talk.
There were more brits than last year: the Nobrow group and Pittville Press were also exhibiting, Karrie Fransman brought a delegation from the London Print Studio and Dan Berry was teaching at the Maison des Auteurs. Let's not forget Ellen Lindner, gamely touting the Comix Reader, who could be found recovering in Le Chat Noir alongside Stephen Betts, Cliodnah Lyons, Tanya Meditzsky , Patrice and John Aggs and Gary Northfield. We even bumped into Alex Potts of Turd Party fame.
We had some fantastic neighbours in the tent. Adriano Barone and Christian Marra of Passenger Press were unfailingly warm and their sense of humour was as off-colour as ours.
Now home and suffering from a mysterious virus, I am working my way through my bunch of swag. Wednesday's official Comix Reader launch party helped to alleviate the withdrawal from 24hr comic immersion, and most cheering was a favourable mention of my contribution in this review of Solipsistic Pop 3

Hiatus over

2011-01-11T04:43:00.000-08:00

Angouleme is fast approaching and I need to get my act together. Like last year a contingent of B.A.S.T.A.R.D.S, will be heading down to South West France to represent the British Independent Comic Scene. This time our numbers will have swelled to six with the addition of the gorgeous Sally-Anne Hickman and the brilliant Rob Jackson. I am really looking forward to the trip; knowing what to expect removes any trepidation about whether the table will be big enough or the accommodation suitable – one does feel a certain responsibility as organiser . I can relax and concentrate on making the most of the experience. Plus we will be travelling on my birthday...
Christmas and New Year went by smoothly. Andrew came over and helped Granny move into her appartment, in time for Lucy to reclaim her room on her return from Quebec.
Life is gradually settling back into some kind of normality, I produced a review for Electric Sheep last week and will soon get back to the comic I was temporarily stuck on.
2010 was a tough one. Bring on 2011, I am ready!

Warm and fuzzy

2010-12-07T04:58:00.000-08:00

The Christmas season kicked off with our very own Annual Empoverished Cartoonists Xmas Party on Sunday. Dan and I duly set off on the Oxford tube and swelled the attendance numbers by 100%. A most pleasant day was spent in the excellent company of Paul Rainey and Pete Clack, while we hatched our plan to take the comic world by storm and consumed many pints of ale. And onion rings, made with real onion no less.
Fired up with enthusiasm for social contact, I dragged Dan over to Brick Lane last night, only to find I had misread the email and Ladeez Do Comics is scheduled for NEXT Monday... I made amends with a pint of stout.
The last month has flown by with a trip to Paris to pack up Ma's belongings, Thought Bubble, the move, organising the work on the flat, and even a fair few days of proper work.
Thought Bubble didn't disappoint, definitely the best con in England for small pressers, and the bestest party afterwards. The next day I mumbled pathetically through a short presentation to the Ladeez (some of them were men) – I hope to give a better performance some time in the future if they ever ask me again.

Pubs, performances and revivals

2010-11-09T23:38:00.000-08:00

I have been such a bad blogger. There are mitigating circumstances but I won't bore you.
I missed mentioning last month that the incredible Mr Nick Tesco performed on a stage with the Members for the first time in several years and was fabulous as always. We can but hope that the love he was rewarded with by all and sundry will spur him on to repeat the experience.
Last Sunday was Comiket in Russell Square. A most positive day, though the punters consisted mainly of trainspottery collectors ( "I only buy comics that have cricket or Fred Basset in them" was one riveting exchange). Easy to get to, convivial company, and the drawing performance thingy on the screen was a good initiative.
There have been mutterings of a pubdraw revival, your chance to sit in a pub and draw cocks in other people's sketchbooks. Or even get on with some work – watch this space.

Off to Paris today to pack up Ma's appartment as the move is imminent – should give me a couple of hours drawing time on the train.

Of sheep and monsters

2010-10-23T00:16:00.000-07:00

Two soirees unfortunately clashed on Thursday evening. However, with some skillful time management, we managed to attend both. First up we hot-footed down to Waterloo for Sarah McIntyre's Vern and Lettuce launch at the Stamford Arms. The place was packed with sheep-knitting yarnstormers, there was champagne and cake, and great company from the comics and illustration fraternity. Clutching our signed copy, we rushed back to the London Print Studio to catch the last gasp of the launch of That's Novel, an exhibition of graphic novels on the Harrow Road featuring our good friend and fellow bastard Paul Rainey with some brand new images.
Meanwhile, back at the drawing board, with the realisation that everything I have produced of late is destined to appear in other people's collections, I am attempting to create something new in time for Comiket which will soon be upon us.

Comic health issues

2010-10-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

The lovely Ian Williams has done me the honour of including TMNTITW and Sole Searching on his Graphic Medicine website dedicated to promoting comics associated with all aspects of medicine. Along with highlighting such classics as Harvey Pekar's Our Cancer Year, David B's Epileptic and Charles Burns' Black Hole, it features the work of Thom Ferrier whose strips give us an insight into the doctor-patient relationship from a GP's perspective. Disrepute is a beautifully handbound collection of probably autobiographical stories while Fear of Failure is also a cracking story that you can follow online.
I have been having plenty of NHS dealings recently, mostly positive, what with getting my mother back into the system after a more than forty-year absence from this country. Nick had a fall resulting in another trip to A&E and yet another fetching scar on my darling hubby, only accentuating his Oliver Reedness – I'm not complaining. My own mishap involved a tiny invisible bump on my face that I decided should get checked out. I was sent to the melanoma clinic, just in case, where the attending doctor told me it was benign and proceeded to blast it with liquid nitrogen. I attended my nephew's beautiful bucolic wedding sporting an enormous crusty burn on on my chin, giving me the appearance of someone in the tertiary stages of syphillis. After four weeks it is finally clearing up...

Bastards, Gin and Science

2010-10-07T01:14:00.000-07:00

Well all the copies of Bastards 2 have been distributed to the various contributors. Last Friday, Paul Rainey was up in town to check out the London Print Studio Gallery where he will be exhibiting in a couple of weeks as part of this year's Comica festival. We took the opportunity to get together with as many of the gang as could be mustered in Portobello Road, to hand out copies and drink beer.
In between the usual domestic duties, and some not so usual, somehow contributions to Solipsistic Pop 3, Paper Science 3, Gin Palace 2 and the Observer Competition got finished and delivered.

A lot of these publications will be launched at Leeds Thought Bubble next month where I will be exhibiting. For anyone impatient to get their hands on the new B.A.S.T.A.R.D.S 2 I will also be appearing at Comiket Independent Comics Fair in London on November 7th, although other contributors will be at Birmingham next week and at MCM Expo at the end of October.

Piles of bastards

2010-09-27T23:25:00.000-07:00

Due to a surfeit of obligations, blogging has taken a backseat of late.
Boxes of Bastards 2 now sit in my hallway, awaiting distribution to said Bastards.
The finished article is a thing of wonder, a real fat proper BOOK!
Last week Ellen Lindner organised a mass Whores of Mensa comicsigning at her pad, a rather jolly affair with booze and cake.
I discovered that Richard Cowdry has moved into our neighbourhood, upping the concentration of comicfolk in NW10.
Applications have been sent off for the upcoming french comicfest and I am attempting to complete my other assignments with looming deadlines while still overseeing the rehabilitation and relocation of my mother.
All in all, busy busy times...

A comic for all ages

2010-09-17T05:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it looks like Solipsistic Pop 3 will soon be unveiled, so here's a peak at Marc Ellerby's cover.
As a contributor to this august publication, I will allow myself to express immense pride at being part of such a gorgeous thing. That's enough of that, I am a miserable worm, I am not worthy, etc...
Find out more at solipsisticpop.com

Whores and bastards

2010-09-12T01:23:00.000-07:00

After a long hiatus in my blogging, here is some news.
Last week saw the launch of Whores of Mensa 5 at a spiffing party organised by Ellen Lindner, who also happens to be editor of said publication. The comic is a brilliant collection of party-themed pieces, containing works by the likes of Patrice Aggs, Sarah Macintyre, Ellen, Jeremy Day, moi, and a host of others. Click here for a full list and more details.
As a contributor, I was of course was invited to the event in Maartje Shalkx's envy-inducing loft/studio in Kingsland Road. The comic cognoscenti enjoyed booze and cake and were regaled by the spinnings of one Reginald Frothy. Nick noted that we were in the heart of Vietnamese restaurant heaven and we swore to return to these parts...

Meanwhile The long awaited B.A.S.T.A.R.D.S 2 is ready and in the capable hands of the printers! With contributions from such talents as Dan Lester, Paul Rainey, Rob Jackson, Oliver Lambden, David Baillie, Sean Azzopardi, Phil Spence, our favourite Norwegian, and on the girl's team Sally-Anne Hickman and my good self, you are in for a treat. Coming in at a whopping 208 pages, I can barely contain my excitement!

And another thing I forgot to post: My friend Jim Medway has created "Comical Animal" a new online comic about funny animals. It features an amazing line-up of artists , none more so than the brilliant Gary "Smoking Ducks" Northfield. I did a cartoon for it based on a fifties Tiny Tots strip called 'Jumbo Jim and his brother Tim'. Here's the preview issue. Why don't you subscribe and get on the mailing list? It's free (I think).

Coming soon

2010-09-06T12:20:00.000-07:00

Why I've been so quiet of late.
Well, part of the reason anyway.

Hypercomics and Pumphouse doings

2010-08-26T23:59:00.000-07:00

Been rather sidetracked of late with the business of family, but as for the business of comics, I managed to attend the opening night of Hypercomics at the Pump House in Battersea Park and (wo)man a table at Comiket last Sunday.
I am also in the process of pulling together BASTARDS 2, the second issue of the anthology that took us to Angouleme this January, watch this space for more details. And I am beavering away at my contribution to Solipsistic Pop 3, honest!

There have been other distractions, notably the visit of my good friend Nick over from LA with his family, entailing various reunions. Only three of the original line up could make it but can you spot the difference between then and now?

Chillin with the comic folk

2010-08-02T06:25:00.000-07:00

Made it to Caption for a lovely chilled Sunday yesterday. I attended talks by Sidney Padua, animator and creator of Lovelace and Babbage, as well as Darryl Cunningham's interview about his brilliant Psychiatric Tales chaired by Sarah Macintyre.

Ellen Lindner has put up a video here in order to raise funds for the upcoming Whores of Mensa 5. Check it out!
I have contributed a story to it so I have a vested interest.

Breaking news

2010-07-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

I've been away in France looking after my Mum. She fell and broke her hip while we were there. Been getting familiar with the french health system, but she can't go on living there on her own, so the time has come to think about the long term, and moving her back close to us.

Consequently not much comic making recently :-(
I need to get back into the swing of it now that I'm back, as I have committed to contributions to Gin Palace 2, Solipsistic Pop 3, Dan's Vomit Anthology and of course the Observer competition is upon us again.....
And that's on top of my own ongoing projects.

I will only be going to Caption for the day on Sunday as we're broke and a hotel is an expense we can do without.

Bad Medecine

2010-07-17T07:35:00.000-07:00

Boys at school

2010-05-28T09:20:00.001-07:00

Finally sent off my contribution to Whores of Mensa 5, Ellen Lindner, Jeremy Dennis and Mardou's rocking journal of ladies' cartoon art .

This one is the Party Issue so you can guess the theme of my strip.

This weekend is MCM expo. I will not be attending this time, but the line up of top creators looks to be as sparkling as ever.
Schmurgen Jonerhaffs is rumoured to be making an appearance...

Naked lady and comic ladeez

2010-05-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

Today, at a life drawing class with Sean and Sally Anne, I made some nice pictures of a lady with no clothes on. After years of pleasing yourself, it makes a sobering change to have someone look over your work and suggest how you might improve your technique. Certainly inspires you to up your game.
Last night I finally made it to the monthly Ladeez Do Comics evening at the Rag Factory. The theme was comics of a medical bent. Philippa Perry presented her excellent and acclaimed Couch Fiction, I got to meet her at last and she is as witty as her book. She was followed by Thom Ferrier who was very amusing about the pressures of being a GP in a remote Welsh valley, and proceedings wound up with a cheerful look at cancer in comics.

How the croissant crumbles

2010-05-23T03:34:00.000-07:00

This gorgeous weather is making sitting in semi darkness trying to conjure up long forgotten images even harder.

The past is another country, sometimes hard to relocate.

From comic launch to comic pooch

2010-05-12T01:54:00.000-07:00

Last week, the project Emma Price has been involved in for what seems like for ever was launched at the Book Club in Shoreditch and the gang turned out in force. I also had the pleasure of bumping into Anne Witchard there, who has published a learned tome since I last saw her.
Sunday saw Gwen celebrate her birthday at the Lexington where I was introduced to a most charming individual by the name of Bruce Lee.

And Rob Clough of The Comics Journal has reviewed several of my comics HERE . Yay!

Free Paper from comic maestros

2010-05-01T04:07:00.000-07:00

Don't forget today is Free Comic Book Day. Go pick up your copy of Paper Science 2 at Orbital! I am very proud to have been allowed to contribute to what should be a class act as it was put together by the same team as this next item.
Thursday night at the launch I picked up a copy of Solipsistic Pop. Once again it is a triumph. From its gorgeous cover (with flaps, I like flaps), through 64 pages of excellence, rises the smell of quality. The 12 page Funnies newspaper section kicks off with Stephen Collins' genius summing up of the internet. And it comes with a lovely tote bag. Eat your heart out Marie Claire, now I can get free goodies with something I actually want to read (and keep).
Buy your copy HERE.
Well done Tom, Matt and all involved, once again you have raised the bar for comics in this country! We can only be inspired and strive to improve.

Cartoonists do coffee

2010-04-28T06:35:00.000-07:00

Look who was in my garden yesterday? The lovely and talented Sarah McIntyre trekked all the way from Sarf London to have a cosy chat in the sunshine among the apple blossom and the washing. It's good to hang out with the comics sisterhood, draw pictures and talk about life, cartooning and pens. I found out Sarah lived in Moscow for two years!
I am now blushing as she has posted a full report of the encounter with pics and everything. It makes my house sound interesting as opposed to just messy.

Free comics up for grabs

2010-04-28T01:23:00.000-07:00

Richard Bruton has kindly posted a review of Striptacular 2 on Forbidden Planet.
You can read it HERE

And don't forget Saturday is Free Comic Book Day. Matt Sheret and We are Words + Pictures will be handing out a free newspaper featuring a veritable smorgasbord of the best of British independent comics with work by Sean Azzopardi, Tom Humberstone, yours truly, Joe Decie, Lizz Lunney, Mark Ellerby, Jamie McElvie and countless others at Orbital. More information HERE
Tonight I will be heading over to Kings Cross for the launch of Solipsistic Pop 2 at the Cross Kings. This one looks to be even more awesome than the first issue!

Uni comic fest

2010-04-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend saw the first Uni Comics Festival at the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield. I was lucky enough to be offered a table, thanks to Sean and Daniel Goodbrey and ended up sharing it with Andrew Cheverton who was premiering his lovely new hardback West: Justice. I took part in a panel about autobiographical comics chaired by Paul Rainey, along with Marc Ellerby and Phil Spence. The hour of discussion passed most agreeably, an intimate affair as the panel outnumbered the audience. Sales were slow, to put it mildly, and I was becoming positively despondent by mid afternoon, when Dan made my day by selling one of the wrestler paintings I had put on his table. Things picked up after that and after a few drinks with Sarah McIntyre, Gary Northfield and all the other lovely comics folk I headed home a happier bunny.
Hatfield is a convenient half hour drive from my bit of London, so should this become a regular event, I would no doubt attend again. I guess this was a trial run, but I would have thought there was room for at least double the number of exhibitors. A lot more promotion would be needed for the visitor numbers to increase substantially. It is off the beaten track and signposting was not clear either.
While I was there I got Doug Noble to pick out a couple of pages for his learned tome, well he is the editor after all, and I couldn't choose.
Oh and thanks to Matt Sheret I will be featured in Paper Science 2, a whole page no less! The newspaper will be handed out FREE on Saturday May 1st by We are words + Pictures for Free Comic Book Day at Orbital

Comic artists London bash

2010-04-21T04:16:00.000-07:00

How many cartoonists can you fit in a police station? And how do you round up a flock of comics folk? Booze and cake will do the trick. Assorted comicarati gathered Saturday night at the Fleece station, graciously welcomed by hosts Sarah Macintyre, Ellen Lindner, Gary Northfield and Lauren O'Farrell, and had a jolly old time, popping into the cells intermittently to relieve themselves. Darryl Cunningham's birthday was celebrated with a splendidly decorated cake, and I believe any disordely conduct whilst under the influence was in the main safely avoided.
We returned home to find our house full of teenagers but remembered to go and hide discreetly in our quarters, and not cause offence by our presence. After a day of rest, Monday was a beautiful day to drive to the seaside, the empty sky a bonus. We passed the airports, both closed, and traffic was blissfully light. Having dropped son off with daughter, treated them to a spot of lunch and stopped in the comic shop, we pootled along the coast to catch up with the Dawgtastic team for the night. Valerie's range of felt goodies now includes these dashing accoutrements.

Back home again and gearing up for Unicon this Saturday in Hatfield – printer don't fail me now!

Heartwarming reviews

2010-04-07T10:06:00.000-07:00

Gin Palace is getting some very favourable reviews. Here are links to The Comics Journal
Forbidden Planet and The Mithering Times

Thing to Shmurgencon

2010-03-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

This year's Thing went off smoothly. Having started out in two minds about the sticker passport, I ended up getting quite competitive with Sally Anne, pretty much filled mine and scored some beauties.
Due to extreme skintness I made very few purchases/swaps this year. Everything I came home with was top notch, from Ellen Lindner's gorgeous Train Lines mini and Joe Decie's musings in What I Drew volume 2 to Dan Berry's newspaper-sized Oxford Clay. (I have slight reservations about this format – it is wonderful to have room for the artwork to breathe, it looks fabulous, but it's so fragile and difficult to store safely...)
And to keep up with some of my favourite series, I now have the final part of Rob Jackson's Gothic mystery Great Deeds against the Dead, part 11 of Paul Rainey's epic No time like the Present and the latest Sally Anne Hickman Diaries, covering Jan-March 2010, resplendently clad and sparkling with touching honesty.
Rob also traded me a Schmurgendoll for a Bog Wizards duck! Result!

After the show we went on to Schmurgencon 4 at the Globe a few doors down.
Imagine my elation when presented with an award for Fastest Penciller by the great man himself. Unfortunately my joy was short lived as an obviously jealous party accidentally set fire to it soon afterwards. Oh well half an award is better than none.
I was in good company as other luminaries included Paul Rainey, Best Writer/Artist, Dan Lester, Best Painted Cover and David Baillie, Best Scrotum...

Striptacular 2

2010-03-26T09:31:00.000-07:00

I did it!
A brand new comic for your delectation, hot off the press, will be available from moi at the UKWebcomixthing tomorrow for the modest sum of £3.00.
Come on down to Mile End and grab yourself a copy!
There will be stickers too, and if you come later on, the Schmurgencon 4 awards are at the Globe, from 4.30 until closing time, just down the road. Uncompromising fun!

Stickers for you

2010-03-23T04:08:00.001-07:00

My stickers have come and will be available this Saturday for the Dino Saw Us project at the UKWebcomixthing in Mile End.

You can see a sneak preview of the almost completed Striptacular2 on the Sequential HERE.

Time alone

2010-03-22T04:56:00.000-07:00

Angoocomic

2010-03-15T03:12:00.000-07:00

I seem to be making progress.
Slowly.

Gin Palace

2010-03-13T06:50:00.000-08:00

Look what arrived in the post yesterday: Gin Palace!
It looks lovely and contains an eight page story by yours truly as well as some splendid work by Rob Jackson, Dave Hughes, Ant Mercer, Jarod Rosello, Lee Johnson, and Simon M. There is more info here
You can buy it from Rob's website, or wait until the Webcomixthing in two weeks.
Also I have ordered some stickers in order to take part in this Dino Saw Us idea at the Webcomixthing, but also just for the hell of it as I have never made stickers before.

This what I hope they will look like.

I will also endeavour to have Striptacular 2 ready in time...

Neddy go Russia

2010-02-25T14:02:00.000-08:00

Ned is heading off to St Petersburg on Saturday so here's a little something from my strip that is appearing in Rob Jackson's upcoming Gin Palace anthology - to be unveiled next month at the Thing and Schmurgencon 3.
What's the connection?

Gin Palace

2010-02-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

I've been working on an eight-page contribution to Rob Jackson's forthcoming Gin Palace anthology. Here's a sneak preview of the first page. I haven't settled on the title yet.
With a lot of different projects on the go at the moment, I just have to keep plodding on, trying not to think too much about how much there is or it gets too overwhelming and I grind to a halt.

Angouleme report

2010-02-09T01:24:00.000-08:00

A week ago Monday I returned from the amazing 2010 Angouleme Comic Festival, but more pressing events quickly took centre stage .
Tragically, my father in law's health had taken a downward turn over the last month, and by Wednesday, a good and kind man had left us for good. Both Nick and his brother were in attendance, but the speed of Arthur's demise still left them reeling from the actual realisation that they were truly grown up. They wouldn't be able to ask Dad for advice... It's been a steep learning curve but things are now taking their course, the organising and sorting helping to channel the grieving process.
I won't be writing a full report on Angouleme, but have posted pictures on the B.A.S.T.A.R.D.S. site as well as on facebook
The whole shebang was totally awesome, I saw the likes of Robert Crumb and Aline Kominsky, Sempé, Moebius, Fred, Willy Lambil, Lewis Trondheim, Blutch, to name but a few, and even handed over comics to Ivan Brunetti and J-C. Menu. There were exhibitions, a museum, talks, we were interviewed for Chilean TV, consumed a lot of pizza and wine. We stayed in a lovely house and didn't fall out. We met some wonderful people, especially the lovely Abby Denson and Tim Fish who had come all the way from the States to the LGBT stand. Not only does Abby write and draw great comics, she's a punk musician, and writes a blog about cake!

angooblog

2010-02-05T06:15:00.000-08:00

Some sketching on the train, including some(unfounded)worries about what to expect.

Saw Ivan Brunetti and Robert Crumb

Miss Angouleme 2010

2010-01-20T02:42:00.000-08:00

Phwoarrr!

And today Sole searching got a lovely review on the Forbidden Planet Blog. Must be a good omen. Of something...?

Snow business

2010-01-11T01:17:00.000-08:00

OK. Been an interesting few weeks, not least the inclement weather that has caused Nick to be trapped in his father's flat in Surrey for the last seven days with no interweb, a dodgy freeview box and three John Wayne movies.
Having spent a large part of the previous week with his seriously ill Dad, he went back down last Monday for 24 hours to set up care arrangements and hasn't been able to set foot outside since Tuesday. He finally managed to sort out internet access via a neighbour's wifi yesterday afternoon, so may be regaining a modicum of sanity... We are now hoping he will be able to return by Tuesday.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, Granny and Andrew had come over from France so things were pretty full on for a week around New Year. Thankfully they weren't caught up in any Eurostar stuck-in-tunnel type shenanigans on either leg of their journey.
Oh and a Happy New Year to you all.

Now must gather wits and get back to business.
Angouleme is only 17 days away! AAAARGH!!!!

Holy holidays

2009-12-26T03:35:00.000-08:00

Crumby crimble crush

2009-12-13T07:30:00.000-08:00

That Christmas feeling is starting to make itself felt, as festive activity steps up a gear...
Popped into the Scream gallery on Thursday to catch the Crumb show before it folded; it was fantastic to be able to examine his artworks up close and personal, without the crowds there had been at the Whitechapel back in 2005. I was both pleased and disappointed at the prices (pleased their value is being recognised, but disappointed to be so out of reach of even my wildest dreams).
Friday night saw us totally knocked out by the fancy footwork and tonsil action of the cast of Hairspray led by Phill Jupitus resplendent in petty pants and frock. Not a fan of the West End musical genre as a matter of course, I was completely bowled over by the way the John Waters film had been so perfectly adapted as a stage show. Truly uplifting fun.
And now we have a tree, so let the miracle happen...
Oh and it has. We have a place to stay in Angouleme and it's not too shabby. Nice one Sean!

Punk pub and outsider art : weekend win!

2009-12-04T06:12:00.000-08:00

Went to Fulham today for Ned's rugby club lunch.
We spent a lovely afternoon in the Wheatsheaf on Fulham Road with excellent company and food, and to top it all the pub happens to be run by the son of old mates of Nick's from the punk days. The framed vintage posters on the walls led to conversation with the manager - turned out they were his Mum's!
Whilst on the subject of punk, Nick has handed me the next installment of the memoir, so need to get on with drawing...

If you have the chance, I heartily recommend you get over to Primrose Hill and check out the Museum of Everything. Tucked behind the Library off Regent's Park Road, enter a wonderful space filled with all sorts of strange and brilliantly mad outsider art. It's on until Dec 23rd, it's free (donations gratefully received) and it is quite extraordinary.
Meanwhile Angouleme is becoming more and more of a reality. Well obviously it IS a reality as we have booked a table and now we have train tickets and we have ALMOST got our accommodation sorted.

Thoughts on the Bubble

2009-11-24T02:37:00.000-08:00

Leeds is definitely the best convention experience. Good size hall, good facilities, good attendance, and GREAT AFTERSHOW.
Drove down a carload of assorted comicsfolk to the sound of much hilarity. Richy K. ended up with a whole table while Sally Anne and I ended up with bigger space than we'd planned for, and the new tablecloth looked awesome: RESULT! Left it a bit late to check into our (very reasonable) hotel and got soaked walking back, hence the dodgy hair in the pic ( I know I look it, but I'd not had a drink yet, honest); also meant I managed to miss the panel game I was supposed to take part in (sorry, Ade).
Then the partying got under way. There was beer and pizza and burlesque sketching (Dan won the prize), and vodka and more beer and then there was DISCO! I'm not naming names but suffice to say that no one escaped the power of the turntable. As Sean so succinctly put it, now we've all broken the ice by exhibiting our moves, there's not much more we can do to shock.
Oh and I sold some comics, and badges too.
There's a proper review of the convention on downthetubes.com with a mention and a pic of yours truly.
Also more pics to be seen HERE. WARNING: may include dancing

Goodies for you

2009-11-18T07:34:00.000-08:00

With Leeds Thought Bubble coming up, here are some more goodies that may be up for grabs.
Form an orderly queue.
Actually I've just discovered something I'm quite rubbish at.
This clay modelling business is HARD, man.

Me and Dave Comiket 2009

2009-11-12T04:56:00.001-08:00

The lovely Dan Berry from the Glyndwr University took this and lots more great pics at the ICA on Sunday.

LOSER

2009-11-09T06:34:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year.
When I don't win the Observer Graphic Short Story prize again.
I've only just started checking out a few of the other entries as they start to appear online, but I can't understand why Jim Medway's didn't win. Although I understand Schmurgen Jonerhaffs was in the running...

Here's my entry:

COMICA 2009

2009-11-07T06:26:00.000-08:00

A glimpse of some of the fantastically collectible goodies you could get your hands on at this year's Comiket at the ICA today 1.00pm to 6.00pm.
COME ON DOWN!

Mark Smith 1960-2009

2009-11-04T08:22:00.000-08:00

A thoroughly decent chap

Dedicated musician
Exceptional human being
Always good company.

We miss you.
X

Sexy norwegians

2009-11-03T00:26:00.000-08:00

With two down and two more to go this convention season is picking up pace. Next up this Sunday is Comiket in one of my favourite settings, the ICA, such a gorgeous building, but also the place where I first made contact with a lot of my comic buddies.
Handmade and bound last Sunday was pretty successful. It was also the first outing for my new Tshirt and minicomic Foreign Bodies combo, as well as premiering my friend Schmurgen's venture into merchandising. I will most likely be promoting his wares at Comica, as he forgot to book space there. Drop by my stall and get your hands on you very own cuddly Norwegian to love and fondle. More info HERE

Halloweentime

2009-10-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

It's my favourite festival of the year again! And to mark the occasion I will be unveiling a new minicomic and Tshirt at Handmade and Bound this Sunday. If you want to see the whole thing, I've posted it on the Sequential HERE.
I hear there will be plenty of other goodies on offer including something quite surprising from the uncompromising Schmurgen Jonerhaffs.

I will be celebrating fully with my little nieces who come over from France especially. Friday night, the V&A is putting on a special evening under the heading In the Dead of Night, Saturday we will be indulging in a spot of your good ole trick or treating, while Sunday offers up the unbounded joy of THIS. I think I might die of excitement!!!
Luckily Handmade and Bound is just up the road from the British Museum, or I might consider giving it a miss.....

Cos I'm worth it

2009-10-27T03:56:00.000-07:00

Well, that was different. I felt decidedly underdressed as an uninterrupted flow of ninjas, monsters and nymphets filed past my table. The beating drums and inane singing made my head throb as I sweltered in the heat generated by thousands of bodies encased in lycra, fake fur, pvc and cardboard. And that was before downing the five cocktails – electric lemonade administered a much needed shock to revive the system after two days of being ignored by the manga buying fraternity.

Highlights of the weekend, pub with fellow small pressers not included, were the visit from Annie and Joe (who enlightened us philistines on some of the costumes on display), purchasing a gorgeous little watercolour from Gary Northfield, and a rare appearance by the elusive Schmurgen Jonerhaffs, promoting his new material. Check out more PICS HERE

The bastards are on their way

2009-10-20T00:45:00.000-07:00

Finally got word of imminent arrival of printed comics! In time for MCM at the weekend, yippee!
My printer is playing up as usual. Does it to me before every convention, probably nerves. I'm getting quite excited as I'm gearing up for a run of events over the next month starting this Saturday, and taking in Handmade and Bound on November 1st, Comiket on November 8th and Leeds on November 21st.
Printer don't fail me now!

Epic soundtracks

2009-10-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

Despite the distractions of the last couple of weeks, I'm back in harness on the Members epic tale, slowly growing, page by page...
London Expo is looming and Leeds will soon be upon us, so the printer will be put through its paces over the next few days.

Meanwhile other projects are bubbling under.

Serge Clerc's Le Journal

2009-10-10T00:26:00.000-07:00

On my trip to France, along with a couple of other titles, I picked up a copy of Serge Clerc's Le Journal, his frenetic story of Metal Hurlant magazine. The perfection of Clerc's line always takes me back to the golden age of the NME when they had decent writers. I would devour it cover to cover week after week, and marvel at the composition of his retro illustrations. I now find out that this rigourous stylist, whom I could only dream to emulate, was creating these formally impeccable images out of what appears to be turmoil and chaos.
Plucked from the provinces when barely grown to collaborate with the sophisticated Dionnet and Manoeuvre, he is bombarded with culture and has to absorb a lifetime's knowledge of scifi, cinema, comics and rock n roll at an accelerated rate, while at the same time trying to get to grips with alcohol and women (and I'm only half way through).

I had been slightly disappointed by the narrative quality of those Clerc albums I had read up to now, finding his style to dominate over content, a certain glacial distance.
But here is a work that gives me a sense of the man wielding the pen, of his struggle for perfection, of his fear of being sidelined by rivals, of his feet of clay.
Clerc will always represent an unattainable summit of graphic excellence, but with this book he has managed to make me warm to him. He reveals his self doubt, his relentless desire to learn and improve, a kid trying to keep up with and impress the adults around him.
The contrast between the fautlessness of his line and the disjointed insanity of his storytelling has turned my admiration into love.

Shmurgen is BACK!

2009-10-02T02:28:00.000-07:00

I'm off to France again tomorrow so gutted that I will miss THIS!
Anyway pop along if you're in the neighbourhood and grab a sandwich and a comic from our friend Schmurgen, I understand he has a new one out.
The lovely Sally-Anne Hickman and I met at Gosh to get our books signed by Joe Sacco, author of Palestine, on Wednesday. We stood in line and were impressed that he took the time to talk to everyone. Also he is far smarter than me, as he draws himself in his comics much uglier than he really is, so one is agreeably surprised on meeting him.
I have just listened to Sally-Anne's Thursday interview on Resonance FM. Listen to it HERE to find out what she's working on. Oh and she gives B.A.S.T.A.R.D.S a mention too.

Good vibes

2009-09-30T05:02:00.000-07:00

Some very kind words from Rainbow Orchid maestro Garen Ewing HERE and another plug on Down the Tubes HERE. Thanks!

Launching the assault

2009-09-29T00:13:00.000-07:00

And we're off. The fastest anthology in comicdom has come together in record time from glimmer in Dan's eye to finished printed artefact in 30 days, not too shabby eh?
76-pages of comictastic goodness from the likes of Paul Rainey, Sean Azzopardi, Phil spence and many more to take to Angouleme and a comic convention near you.
B.a.s.t.a.r.d.s are GO!

And so to bed

2009-09-23T14:32:00.000-07:00

Finally got my entry to this year's Observer competition completed. Phew!

Bassic instincts

2009-09-18T01:19:00.000-07:00

Was taken to Shepherd's Bush Empire last night by my lovely Lucy to see Alela Diane perform. Though they played and sang beautifully and the sound was great, the totally static nature of the performance meant that the experience didn't add much to the pleasure of listening to her albums. Only the presence of her rhythm section, notably the crutch thrusting antics of Tom Bevitori on bass, for some of the show added a compelling visual element and humour to the proceedings. Wonderful how nappy changing and spoon feeding goo eventually grows into mother-daughter bonding over a pint of Guinness...
I have my space booked at London MCM Expo next month thanks to Richy Tempolush's organisation, yippee!

Saturday night at the nick

2009-09-14T02:50:00.001-07:00

After an intense week preparing our secret weapon to take on Europe, headed down to the the police station for an excellent party to launch Fleece Station Studios , Gary Northfield, Sarah Macintyre and Vivian Shwartz's fabulous new space. The only thing that stops me from being totally consumed by my jealousy is that it is in Deptford, which would be a tad inconvenient ...

On your radio

2009-09-03T03:39:00.000-07:00

Guess what? Today I am on the radio being interviewed by Alex Fitch for resonance FM!
It was recorded back in March at Schmurgencon, so no mention of my more recent work, but I was agreably surprised by the lack of cringeing it occasioned on hearing it. Obviously a sterling job of editing as I recall having had a few drinks and babbling somewhat.
It will be broadcast at 5pm. Click HERE for more information and links to the podcast.

Stirring stuff

2009-09-02T05:24:00.000-07:00

Back from our travels to find that the cats have survived, as has Dan, possibly on a restricted diet, judging by the packets littering the kitchen.
Plenty to get on with, what with school starting tomorrow, anthologies to be organised, competitions to be entered, wine to be drunk...
With all our strenuous sporting activities, the swimming, the karting and the canoeing, I can't think why we haven't returned toned, tanned and rippling.
Surely the occasional soupçon of foie gras and confit is permitted...

Goin' South

2009-08-20T12:24:00.000-07:00

Will be heading South tonight, for Tex Axile is at his European residence. The drive to the foothills of the Pyrennees will us take two days, with a stop somewhere near Limoges.
We will be making a not so small detour on the way back in order to fill our boot with wine.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, exciting developments may be taking shape, Dan manning the fort and taking the initiative to rally the troops.

Punky reggae comic party

2009-08-17T05:56:00.000-07:00

My first visit to Caption was a resounding success. After the usual shouting match, we headed off down the M40 on Saturday, Dan in the back and Richy K's stock in the boot. 45 minutes later, we rolled up outside the East Oxford Community Centre. The location was lovely and funky, run by a couple of sweet guys to the wonderful sound of classic roots reggae.
The communal table system worked very well: free to hang out with old mates, meet new ones, draw (a bit), and drink. And be really envious of Karen Rubins' position as Comic Artist in Residence at the V&A (couldn't have happened to a nicer person).
Garen Ewing's inspirational long journey to mainstream publication and Sarah Macintyre's look at children's picture books were the other two talks I made it to.
Nick got to chill out , drink beer, read the paper and get invited back to DJ there in October...

I got my hands on Paul Rainey's gem of a Book of Lists, laugh out loud funny and gleaming like a little jewell in glorious gorgeous glossy full colour. This is far more than some one-joke humour book, this is a portrait of a very engaging character, built up through an accumulation of little snippets of information, a judicious use of repetition, warm and wonderfully candid in its revelation. Above all it is human, I may not be a bald single middle-aged male, but I can identify with his anxiety, his anger, his embarrassment and his joy. Get youself a copy HERE.
And to cap it all, had we not stayed in such a ridiculously overpriced hotel, my sales would have covered our expenses...

Caption coming up

2009-08-09T06:43:00.000-07:00

The boy is off to Majorca tomorrow. Will send him off with a mixture of joy and envy.
What will we do with ourselves in his absence? Oh, I know. RELAX!
And go to Caption of course. Booked a nice hotel.
I will be flashing around previews of the magnum opus, it's astounding how time consuming colour work can be....

Great Deeds Against the Dead

2009-08-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

The prolific Rob Jackson has treated us to yet another superb comic.
Issue One of Great Deeds Against the Dead is a ghost/mystery story involving a painter, a dead wife, an eerie house and a couple of creepy looking psychic adventurers. It is wonderfully drawn – I particularly love the depiction of the storm – Rob's style is very precise and totally legible, and keeps the story going at a cracking pace. My only slight criticism would be that he crams so many frames on to each page that my failing eyesight occasionally has to strain to make out the background detail. And I'm going to have to wait a while to find out what happens next...
The second part of the book, Colonial Amusements consists of a series of outdoor scenes and landscapes, presumably of Bolton and its surroundings, rendered in the style of Jackson's travelogue epic On the Banks of the Mighty Croal. My favourite page has to be the underpass, featuring the best grafitti ever!
Once again, Rob Jackson has delighted me with a warm, gentle and brilliantly silly comic, and on the back page he even tells us why he does it. Get yourself a copy HERE, especially as he's offering FREE postage throughout August!

Check out my website, it's got new stuff on it.

Challenging concepts

2009-07-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

More vintage Tesco taking shape:

Today I found this very complimentary review of Rob Jackson's Pasty Anthology which mentions my contribution HERE. It's American and they seem to be struggling with the very concept of Pasty but managed to enjoy the oeuvre none the less.
I am planning to go to Oxford and attend Caption this year. I only discovered yesterday that they have a brochure one can contribute to. I have until tomorrow to come up with something. And draw it. I like a challenge! Especially with a theme like AWAY WITH THE FAIRIES.

Up and at 'em

2009-07-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

I'm BACK from France and I've found I've got a fantastic review on Forbidden Planet for Striptacular HERE and I've been working on a new project with Nick, so let's go baby...

Prolific or what?

2009-07-08T08:34:00.000-07:00

I have just received Rob Jackson's marvellous Pasty Anthology through the post.
Jam packed full of mouth wateringly hilarious material from Rob, Jim Medway, Dave Hughes and more!
And did I mention that I contributed a few pages? get yourselves a copy here, you won't be disappointed!
At this moment I have newly published work in an astonishing number of comics, namely Richy K Chandler's excellent Bunch 2, Jim Medway's Garden Funnies 2, my own Sole Searching and now the Pasty Anthology bringing it to a total of four.
Ubiquitous, moi?
At 176 I picked up Part 9 of Paul Rainey's wonderful graphic novel There's no time like the Present, which keeps up the top quality of the series' storytelling and artwork. Get yourself a copy here.
And I finally got my hands on Undertow, Ellen Lindner's masterful, and beautifully drawn tale of delinquents, drugs and redemption set in sixties Brooklyn.

Stepping up to 176

2009-06-26T06:53:00.001-07:00

All done printing and stapling my brand new 24 pager!
Put your best foot forward and stride on down to 176 for a fab day out in Camden and pick yourself up a copy while you're there.

A sneak preview of a tale of treacherous footwear.

Spot the difference

2009-06-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

Dan is overjoyed at the sight of his birthday cake.

Dan is sorely disappointed and wondering why a scantily clad lovely hasn't jumped out.

See Dan with all the gang at 176 on Saturday!!!

Garden Funnies finally bears fruit

2009-06-17T07:47:00.001-07:00

Hurrah! I just received a parcel of Jim Medway's Garden Funnies 2 hot off the press, packed with such great talents as the Medway himself, Alex Potts, Liz Lunney, Banal Pig and MYSELF, and boasting an ace cover by Gary Northfield!
It's been long in the making but worth the wait...
Go order a copy from Jim HERE,or mosey on down to 176 next week and pick one up off my stall.

Power to the people

2009-06-10T07:51:00.000-07:00

Another first for LUC: convention costs have henceforth been abolished. Well for this one anyway.
The blessed Oli has announced that 176 will now be completely FREE for those lucky exhibitors who have boked a table. Details hereWhat will he come up with next?

Just over two weeks to get a new comic ready.
Will she do it? watch this space.

Our glorious leader

2009-06-04T05:55:00.000-07:00

Back to business at last as Oli, finally freed from the tyranny of exams, reconvened the weekly pubdraw.
It was a select gathering and, along with the good doctor, topics such as 176 and comics were discussed...
Read Oli's interview about LUC conventions here.

Manics at the Roundhouse

2009-05-30T06:20:00.000-07:00

Great gig last night, the Manics are a powerful live act, James Dean Bradfield all over the stage as Nicky Wire, unfortunately nobbled by a slipped disc, stood rigid at the other end. The trio delivered an empassioned set in two halves, a moving rendition of the new album of Richey Edwards' lyrics was followed by an hour of greatest hits culminating in Design for Life, bringing back memories of a nappy-clad Ned singing along in his car seat.

Sole searching

2009-05-29T00:58:00.000-07:00

Lucy went down with a nasty bout of flu last week. While she was on the mend, in an idle moment we looked up swine flu on the NHS site. Instead of a list of symptoms, they have a questionnaire. Having replied No to all of the questions she ticked Yes to feeling some aches and pains (a pretty normal flu symptom) and was immediately directed to this screen!
We ignored it. The next day she felt much better.
Been putting recent experiences into strip form.
With a bit of luck (and less slacking) should have a new mini out for 176 which will be upon us before we know it - only four weeks to go!
Oh yeah and for the first time ever I did a quiz on facebook only to find out that I am a manic depressive. Five multiple choice questions, some of which didn't offer any appropriate answers - it's got to be true innit??

Bubbling under

2009-05-07T02:13:00.000-07:00

Last weekend a most uplifting installation by William Forsythe soothed the spirit in a disused train shed behind King's Cross.
Other than a drunken episode and a pubdraw, very little else to report as I try to pull some ideas together for another mini before 176.