Book of Eli Poster

Here's my man, Denzel...

from page...



...to screen!

So, what am I working on at the moment?

Wait a minute! That's not...

is it?

Whatever Happened to the Green Pedestrian Palm".

2000ad's Xmas issue, Prog 2010, on sale 16 December 09, contains my new Future Shock: "Whatever Happened to the Green Pedestrian Palm?"



It is cearly inspired by the star of Seventies Public Information Films, The Green Cross Code Man, whose previous comic-strip exploits were handled by The Govenor himself, Mr. Dave Gibbons...




But as the story progresses I broaden my targets to include other lame super-hero mascots dreamt up by advertising executives who think it's hip to jump on the comic-strip bandwagon. So look out, Mister Muscle!

Please buy it, I put a lot of work into it!

New Book of Eli Trailer!

They've just released a NEW "Book of Eli" trailer... and it looks great!



It also gives me an opportunity to show off some of me boards...again! Here's the lovely Mila Kunis in action... and yes, she's every bit as lovely in real life. Sigh...

Jap's Eye...

Got approached by a record company to design a sleeve recently (yes, they still make them). Knocked this out, gratis, to convince the band I was the right man for the job...



It obviously didn't impress them 'cos they never got back to me... and I eventually found out they went with someone else.

Committed muso's may be able to deduce the identity of the band from clues in the picture...

Working on The Book of Eli. Part One.

Unless the film company wants further changes to the tie-in webisode I've been working on, like a dog, I think I can confidently say that my involvement with The Book of Eli is now officially over.

Here's a sneak peek:



The Book of Eli is a post-apocalyptic action movie being released in January 2010, starring Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman. This is the film that brought me so much criticism on the net, because it caused a certain amount of delay to my work on The Twelve.

What I couldn't tell my critics, until now, is the fact that my involvement with The Book of Eli actually predated the publication of The Twelve by a good 14 months. In fact, aside from the project's creator, Gary Whitta, I have been attached to this movie far longer than ANYONE else.

I'd known Gary for a couple of years, and we had discussed potential comic-strip collaborations at various points in our acquaintance, but we could never synchronise our schedules. During one of our many phone calls (where we discuss how much better we'd run Hollywood given the chance), Gary mentioned the script he'd just written: "The Book of Eli". He dropped some subtle hints about how he'd like me to create a piece of promo art to accompany his script... and, eventually, I volunteered my services for free on the proviso he pimped my work to whoever purchased his screenplay.

Here it is: THE VERY FIRST DRAWING EVER PRODUCED OF ELI.



This now hangs on Gary's office wall.

Luckily, it seems I encountered one of the two honest people in Hollywood, as Gary was true to his word. The script had fallen into the hands of The Hughes Brothers. They were keen to present the project to Denzel Washington... and I suggested re-drawing my original art to resemble the actor. Gary mentioned this to Allen Hughes and he was interested to see what I can do.

I turned in six drawings of a bad-ass, post-apocalyptic Denzel and they seemed to go down well.Here's one of them:



At this point I was contacted by Albert Hughes, who handles the visual aspect of their films. He toyed with the idea of commissioning some more presentation pieces to show the star but there was some concern over whether I would be able to get them done in time for their big meeting.

They went with someone else.

But as fortune had it, he let them down somehow, and they came back to me. So I worked through several days and nights to produce some concept art to show Denzel Washington.

It seems he liked what he heard and saw, and he agreed to do the film.

All systems were go, and I started producing further concept art, along with the genius that is Rodolfo DaMaggio.

The film looked set to go into production without a hitch... and then the writer's strike came along and torpedoed it. I resumed my work on The Twelve and assumed my involvement in a Hollywood film was over.

Then, one year later, I got a call telling me the film was green-lit and Albert Hughes, (the other honest man Hollywood), told me I still had the job of story-board artist... if I wanted it. Damn right I wanted it... ever since I was a kid! I was to pack my bags and get ready to head out to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to join the pre-production team.



In truth, this wasn't the first film I'd ever been offered, but on the previous two occasions I did refuse them in order to honour my comic commitments. You don't get rewarded for doing that... and the warm glow of pride at your own loyalty lasts about as long as it takes to get your next bank statement.

So, yeah, The Twelve had to go on hold and I headed out to New Mexico.

I'll never forget my first day at the studio: I was given a tour by Dawn Todd and shown to my office. It was, she told me, previously occupied by a certain Frank Miller while he was working on The Spirit. "You have no idea how ironic that is!" I told Dawn. Regular readers of my blog will be only too aware of the irony, and my opinion of the fedora-sporting one's work.  I can only assume the only reasons he didn't leave a turd in the room for me is he's oblivious to this blog and/or my entire existence. However, pretty much everyone I met at the studio had nothing but kind things to say about working with Mr. Miller, so I reckon I should refrain from dissing the man in future. I'll do my best, anyway! 

Stay tuned for further reports of my adventures in New Mexico!

Some more San Diego Comic Con sketches:

By day, a mild mannered comic strip artist...

I don't just use my illustrative skills to draw comic strips and film storyboards, you know...

Oh, no; sometimes I use them to actually fight crime!

Yesterday, I was forced to visit my local bank to pay off some of my ever-expanding credit card bill. I found myself studying this extremely charismatic fellow in the queue ahead of me ( sounds a bit "gay" for a married man like me, I know... but, hey, I'm an artist! We do these things.).

This fellow then proceeded to say something to the girl behind the counter that persuaded her to hand over loads of money.

Yes! It was a robbery!

By the time I realised what was happening he'd escaped with the loot. I gave my contact details to the bank and then ran like the wind back to my studio and set about hastlily drawing some pictures of the robber. I'd studied this guy quite intensely and could remember every detail of his likeness and clothes.

I took my drawings round to the local cop-shop. Finding it full of your usual oiks and ne'er-do-wells, I was reluctant to broadcast my status as as a grass (yes I'm aware of the irony of that last statement given that I'm now announcing my deeds to the world on a blog)... so I gingerly approached the desk and whispered "I'd like to report a serious crime...". The copper patiently asked for some more details, so I mouthed "The bank robbery ...". This got his attention and he asked me if I was a witness.

"I'm more than a witness!" I blurted, "Check these out!"

I held up my drawings, and the policeman's eyes widened with astonishment! "That's him!" he splutterd. " 'Ere, come and have a look at this!" he called to his colleagues. They trotted over, took a look and exclaimed "That is spot-on! It IS him!".

Seems they'd already picked up a suspect who matched my drawings exactly. I then spent the afternoon giving a statement... but I can't really expand on the situation any further than that for obvious reasons.

The drawings are now in the hands of the police and will probably be used as evidence when the case comes to court. But, yes, I did take scans and if I can show them at some point in the future I will!

The strange thing is, I've occasionally mused about being in a situation exactly like this. Sad, I know! Could this be a bizarre form of cosmic ordering on a subconscious level? If so, maybe I could put my powers to use in getting someone to buy The Filth's film rights?!

Major update time...

Wow... I have not blogged for ages.... and I've got so much to report, too.

First up, I was on the cover of 2000ad last week:



a picture that initially started out looking like this:



I was desperate to eschew the computer and do a fully painted piece, but I must confess to surrendering and adding a few digital tweaks, which you'll notice when you compare it to this, unadorned version:



If anyone fancies owning this piece, do get in touch; I'm open to offers.

San Diego Convention sketches

Eli-vation!

Just got back from the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con...

How would I describe the experience? MENTAL!!!!

Mental! Mental! Mental! That's how.

I was mainly there to capitalise on my involvement with The Book of Eli, a film that I MADE (with .... cough... a little help from The Hughes Brothers and Denzel Washington.... cough.) Seen the trailer yet? If not, check it out here... and bear in mind, while you are watching it, that I MADE THIS!!!




Um.... ahem...

Okay, I'm going to do my utmost to not come on like some sub-Millar self-promotion junkie... but if I am allowed just one little opportunity to parade myself to the masses, this is it, three minutes in:



As I said, mental.

I'm really hoping that 2000ad readers will enjoy this film. When I read the script for the first time, I thought "Excellent. Here's my chance to put The Cursed Earth up on the screen. I approached every shot with a 2000ad-sensibility: that gritty, mucked-up decadence that you don't seem to get in US comics.

Unfortunately, my "Book of Eli" poster signing didn't go so well... on account of the fact that my posters went missing and didn't get found until after my signing was over. Can't win them all.

Tharg in in the USA!

Here's a sneak peek at the cover of the free 2000ad sampler Tharg will be giving away at The San Diego Comic-Con (featuring a fully painted cover by yours truly)!




And don't forget to pick up this week's prog, either, because it contains my self-penned Terror Tale: Counts As One Choice. Hope you like it.. 'cos I've got loads of other stories I want to tell.

One Sheet to the wind!

So, I think everyone's seen my "Book of Eli" Poster by now.

Here's a look into the process of its creation:

When I was asked to create the teaser poster, it gave me a chance to think about some of my favourite film one-sheets.

I've always been a fan of your classic "full-figure hero up-shot" image typified by these beauties:







So, with that in mind, I roughed up this scene:



I thought it turned out pretty well, and I was looking forward to painting it in full-on acrylics. However the film company didn't share my enthusiasm and asked me to try again. They suggested I may want to utilise the gas-masked character:



I gave it a shot, but I felt it looked a bit "28 Days Later". I then decided to go all blacksploitation... and do something in the spirit of these:







Here's what I came up with:



The film company loved this, I got the all-clear and started work on the finished art. I got this far...



and then I found out I'd given Denzel the wrong weapon and they decided to switch the vehicles. I thought I may as well finish the version I was working on and put it on eBay when the film comes out.


I roughed up another version, just to make sure...



and then worked on the logo placement...



and voila, Bob's your uncle!

California Dreaming

Next week I will be attending the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con. This is usually a pretty expensive trip for a struggling artist like myself, so I need a pretty good reason to justify the outlay to my ever-patient wife and kids. Luckily this year I have several damn good reasons to excuse this extravagance:

Firstly, I'll be part of the group promoting Denzel Washington's upcoming new film, "The Book of Eli". This is is the production that took me away from The Twelve for a couple of months, much to the irritation of a some of the readers. What can I say? I was dazzled by the Hollywood money, the opportunity to travel and the chance to work on a blockbuster movie, one of my lifelong ambitions. However, I had been attached to this film for as long as I'd been working on The Twelve, and if everything had gone to plan I would have been able to do both jobs without interruption. But these things rarely work out so conveniently.

Anyway, I'll be at the Warner Brothers panel on the Friday 24th. After that, I'll be signing this exclusive "Book of Eli" teaser poster I drew over at the Warner Brothers stand:



My next blog entry will catalogue the many versions this poster went through until we reached the finished product.

And hopefully, I'll be able to reveal some more production art as we get closer to the film's release. I don't think it spoils anything to say its a post-apocalyptic action movie... and I hope I brought a 2000ad / Cursed Earth vibe to it. That was the intention, anyway. What can I can say is you'll get to see Denzel Washington kick serious arse in this film... "Man on Fire" is a mere taster compared to the righteous vengeance he rains down on the scum in this film.

My second reason for wanting to attend the Con is Comic related. Much to my delight and amazement, The Twelve has been nominated for an Eisner Award in the "Best Limited Series". I doubt if it will win given the frustration of the readers with the book's erratic schedule, but I am flattered by its inclusion and will be attending the ceremony on the off-chance I get to do my best Kate Winslet impersonation.

(AND, stop the press: I may have some more new Twelve news for you soon. Don't wanna count my chickens, so I'd better not blab yet... but things are looking up.)

2000ad will have a presence at Comic-Con and Tharg tells me he'll be giving away a special sampler to seduce our colonial cousins into reading The Galaxy's Greatest Comic. Apparently, my art will be gracing the cover of this book. I can't show it off yet, 'cos it will also be the cover of prog 1650, I think. It features a classic portrait of The Mighty One zapping the planet Earth with bolts of pure Thrill Power.

This is a self-financed trip, so I'll be doing my utmost to pay my way by doing sketches and selling art at the Splash Page Comic Art stand, booth Number 4400. Please stop by and say hello, or even to give me grief over The Twelve; I'll be ever so humble.

It won't all be work. I haven't done a con for nearly a year so I'm relishing the chance to hang out with my comic strip buddies...like good ol' Liam Sharp, who has generously accepted my offer of sharing a room (proving he's the most forgiving man in comics when you consider what happened to his budgie the last time we shared living space. It's a long story).

Lock up your daughters, America: Frazer Irving will be straddling your West Coast, like a three-legged Colossus of Lurve! He'll probably spend the week answering a million questions about Gutsville's fate in a way that will hopefully take the heat off The Twelve's shenanigans. Hang in there, Fraze, we know it'll be worth the wait!

The Govenor, Dave Gibbons, will be there too, probably promoting The Director's Cut of Watchmen. And yes, I'm aware I am now straying into name-dropping territory.

And, last but not least, I'll be hooking up with my movie-biz pal, Brian, who is coming dressed as The Laughing Mask. I kid you not!



I hope it's another classic Con full of scandal, gossip, fights and laughs. I'll obviously keep you informed.

God gave Rock and Roll to us.

Big thanks to me ol' mate Steve Bunche who made my morning by bringing this to my attention:

Liam Sharp: Multi Talented Git!

Renaissance man, Liam Sharp is at it again! This time he's written a book and I mean a proper book... none of that stories told in pictures bollocks!

"GOD KILLERS" has been receiving praise from some very big names indeed.

I tried to embed a promo video that included all the rave reviews from the likes of China Miéville, Mike Carey, Jeff Vandermeer, Dan Abnett, Paul Cornell and Douglas Rushkoff, but it was beyond my technological means.

You'll just have to take my word for it. Actually, don't... just buy your own copy and find out for yourself just how good it is!

You can buy it in Waterstones, or at these links:

http://machivariuspoint.weebly.com/buy.html

More info here:

http://www.liam-sharp.com

I know as much as you do.

Let's talk about The Twelve.

Ah, sod it. Let's not.

Experience has taught me that it's probably better if I maintain a dignified silence, despite some of the aspersions cast in my direction on the boards (and, yes... I'm aware that "dignified silence" is not one of my strong points as regular readers, acquainted with the forensic details of my genitalia, will attest!).

I'll just leave you with everything I know on the subject of the book's future:

"it's going to be finished come hell or high water"

So says JMS in a Comic Book Resources interview.

Think I've found my T-Shirt slogan for this year's San Diego Con.

In the Phantom Zone!

Bloody Hell. I'm getting too old for this malarkey. It's two in the morning and I've been working for seventeen hours straight. Yeah, I know nurses do this every day... but still... I'm frazzled.

However, the cover is finished. And tomorrow I'm back doing film work! Hooray for Hollywood!

(And before anyone complains, if I had Twelve scripts I would be drawing them.)

Phantom Patrol

I thought it was about time I brought you some news on my comic career, rather than on my testicles.

First up, Bear Alley Books are bringing out an all-new collection of "The Phantom Patrol", and I'm creating an all-new wrap-around cover for it, as seen above. (Yes, I had to draw every single blade of grass. That's what I do).

The Phantom Patrol was a strip that originally ran in The Swift in the early sixties. Drawn by Gerry Embleton, it chronicled the adventures of Sergeant Joe Trimm and his platoon who discover a crashed UFO on the island of Crete in 1941. Pinned down by the Nazis, our heroes escape by the means of a time-travel device purloined from the flying saucer. So begins the time-spanning adventures of "The Phantom Patrol"! With a tank, a landing craft, a handful of guns and a captured Nazi, the British infantry unit find themselves in the midst of the Trojan Wars.



The Phantom Patrol is a superb yarn of a kind that British comics did best. Fast-moving and wildly plotted, the story grows more complex as the patrol battles its way through Egypt and Private Paddy O'Connell finds himself adrift in time with a police trooper from the future. Flitting from one historical event to the other, will the Sarge and his men manage to escape back to now... and, given the situation they left behind, will they survive even if they do get back?

"Here come the Trojans—armed to the teeth! Get ready for big trouble!"

The Highlight of this book is the amazing artwork of Gerry Embleton. It can't have been an easy strip to draw, what with all the historical reference he would have needed. Dinosaurs, woolly mammoths, ancient egyptians, vikings, romans, trojans... the range of subject matter poor old Gerry had to handle is staggering. And quite how he did it without the aid of Google is baffling. But do it he did, in impressive style.

Only rarely seen since it's original appearance in Swift, The Phantom Patrol reprints all 57 episodes in one blockbuster volume.

Artwork by Gerry Embleton

Written by Willie Patterson

Cover by Chris Weston

Edited and introduced by Steve Holland

ISBN 978-1-907081-52-1

120 pages, b/w.

To be published in August 2009

Ticked Off... or "The Passion of The Chris".

My lack of productivity hit new lows this week as most of my time was spent fighting the urge to scratch at what I could only assume was an infected insect bite in my nether regions. In truth, "scratching" doesn't cover it... what I actually wanted to do was wrap a crate load of brillo pads onto a garden rake with barbed wire and scour the living flesh from my throbbing, super-itchy thighs. Imagine "The Passion of The Christ" remade with Jesus as a willing subject!

I managed to resist this notion, and eventually decided to surrender myself to the ritual known as "showing your bits to the doctor". He knew instantly the impressive scale of The Weston Reproductive Organs was due to infection and not my natural manliness, and I was prescribed a course of antibiotics. Unfortunately, they did not stop the ever-expanding rash from spreading slowly down my leg and eventually extending below my knee; a progress marked in felt-tip by my ever-patient wife.

By sunday night, I became concerned that my swollen leg was beginning to affect my circulation, so I managed to get myself an appointment at the local District General Hospital, which I considered the repayment of a karmic debt since I had twice protest-marched to save that institution from closure.

Once there, I again I had to display my Great Balls of Fire but this examination did bear a bitter-sweet fruit with the discovery of a tick burrowed deep into the crook of my groin.

I was admitted to the hospital then and there. At first I thought I'd been placed in the geriatric ward by mistake, as I had to share a room with some extremely elderly ladies, one of whom was emitting the loudest death-rattle and whimper I have ever heard. It's hard to sleep listening to a fellow human being in the bed opposite you slide noisily off the mortal coil, and its hard to get angry about it too.

Her forlorn gargles were soon drowned out once the blind-drunk binge-drinking teenage girls were deposited in our room. You should have seen the violent behaviour exhibited towards the poor nursing staff by these loud, hysterical and abusive women. Eventually security had to be called to restrain one of them.

Any chance of the old dear enjoying a dignified death soon disappeared once these young ladies commenced their four-letter tirades demanding she cease the mournful gasped cries which were hindering their attempts to fall into alcohol-induced comas.

I wondered at the rationale of placing these teen-harridans in a ward with people who were clearly enduring their last moments on this planet, let alone with a sensitive geeky-type like me. I then wondered about what sort of state the NHS would have to be in that would make this situation unavoidable. Then I was carted off for x-rays at four in the morning.

I was then pumped full of intravenous antibiotics, and eventually released back home. But my leg is still swollen, and I'm anticipating a further rest at the tax-payers' expense before the next weekend, as I see no evidence of the medication working.

Coming soon... news about my comic work. Honest.

Caught Flashing!

"Klytus, I'm bored. What play thing can you offer me today?
A nice fat hardback containing all of Al Williamson's Flash Gordon strips?
I'm down for that!"



"By the way, Klytus: anyone ever tell you how much better it would've been if you'd have played Doctor Doom and not that botoxed wally from Nip/Tuck?"

"Oh, they have."

"Repeatedly."

"Well, it's true."

Result!

I'm not sure I've ever shared my love of sixties action movie posters with the world... but check out this little beauty I just picked up on eBay:



Y'see, this is why noone can be arsed to go to the cinema anymore... 'cos modern posters make the films look duller than dishwater! In contrast, look at the delights this film is promising...

Murder? Spies? Women?

I'm there, baby, I'm THERE!!!

Cradlegrave

Anyone not reading 2000ad at the moment should amend that situation immediatly as they are missing out on "CRADLEGRAVE" by John Smith and Edmund Bagwell.

Check out the trailer for it here.

Judging by the first six episodes Cradlegrave could very well be the best thing John has ever written, and the only thing that stops me from wishing I had drawn it is the sickening knowledge that Bagwell is doing a far better job on it than I could've.

This is one of those rare moments when the right script went to the right artist.

It's Comic Gold my friends. COMIC GOLD!

Well done Smithy, you were always my favourite...

Back to Black

Here's the finished Black Max piece...



Not too different from the rough sketch... just a lot bigger. Truth is, if this was for publication I'd probably just clean up the rough a bit and go with that.

So what's next? Apparently I've got six more weeks of film work coming up, but I have no idea when that will arrive. Or my next Twelve script, either.

I've been approached to provide some art for a band, which is pretty exciting. More news on that as I get it.

Last week I continued my campaign to do existing writers out of a job by writing a new Future Shock for 2000ad. Tharg likes the idea but I haven't quite nailed the execution just yet. I'm nearly there, though, fingers crossed.

I've also been sounded out for some character designs for an animated series which would be fantastic. Can't reveal any details about that yet.

I have just started a new private commission too, a full colour one that may actually see print too. More details on that as soon as I've been given the all-clear.

I just knocked out a poster for Putner and Glen's new comedy show, Inglorious Stereo.





I've seen a preview of this show and it is bloody hilarious. If you're in London and fancy seeing some great new comedy sketches do check them out before they get given their inevitable Radio 4 series and TV spin-off.

So lotsa irons, lotsa fires... but not enough heat to set the world alight just yet.

Feeling Batty

Today I was gripped with the urge to draw a Black Max pin-up.



'The Black Max', was a strip that originated in The Thunder weekly comic way back in October 1970. Drawn by european supremo, Alfonso Font, it featured the villainous exploits of the German air ace Von Klorr, who used his flying skills and giant bats to fight the allies in WWI. After 22 issues, Thunder folded but The Black Max continued his adventures within the pages of Lion weekly. A couple of these stories were collected and reprinted in various annuals and summer specials.

Giant Vampire Bats, Biplanes, Haunted castles... Why don't we get to see shit like this in comics anymore? I was born in the wrong era!

I heard a rumour that Peter Jackson explored the possibility of making a Black Max film... I don't know if that's true, but I'd rather see him do that than produce another bleedin' elf movie! C'mon, Peter, embrace your inner gore-hound... and bring on the giant bats!

The Galaxy's Greatest...

Good ol' Tharg... always there when you need him!



The alien editor of The Galaxy's Greatest Comic, 2OOOad, was the first being to provide me with paid comic work... and the way things are going he'll probably be the last.

When you are halfway through a major series for an american publisher, but the flow of scripts seem to have inexplicacbly dried up... when you've depleted the cash you made on a film by taking time out to put together your own pitches... it's good to know you will always be welcomed back to the hallowed home of Dredd, Danté and The Strontium Dog.

Yeah, I've just completed a Tharg's Terror Tale that I think will be running in Prog 1645. It's a funny and creepy little yarn entitled "Count As One Choice", and it's all about the dangers of joining a... no, I don't want to ruin it. That's the first panel up there at the beginning of this post, featuring the Beetlegeusian himself.

It's been written by a new writer making his debut in the comic... and let's just say he really shows promise.

Alright, it's me!

I got so fed up waiting for a script I decided to write my own.

Hopefully, it'll be the first of many... but that's up to you, the reader. And Tharg, of course.

Do please check it out and let me know what you think... unless you hated it, in which case I don't need to know.

Splundig Vur Thrigg, Earth-dudes!

For the Man Who Has Everything...

Dave Gibbons is The Governor.

Today he is celebrating a significant birthday, so I couldn't pass up this opportunity to sing his praises.

I don't need to list Dave's achievements; they've been well documented over the last few months in the wake of the Watchmen movie.

I've said this before, but one of the greatest perks of drawing comics for a living has been the chance to meet and befriend the incomparable Mr. Gibbons. He, ( along with Don Lawrence, Jesus Blasco and Reg Bunn) was one of my first comic strip heroes. I discovered his work in the Wizard comic, way back in 1976, on a strip called "Year of the Shark Men"... and he was one of the first artists whose work I could favourably distinguish from the seventies' brit comic-strip crowd. I also have fond memories of the "Spring-Heeled Jackson" strip he drew for Hotspur comic, prior to his 2000ad work. D.C Thompson need to collect this series in a graphic novel one day, if they could only see what a goldmine they are sitting on.


I just want to say that Dave Gibbons has been a consistant inspiration and role model to me throughout my life and career. And, aside from being a great artist, he's a bloody good bloke. Always generous with his time and unbelievably modest for a man with THAT resumé. Always, polite, well-mannered and sincere...

like I say, Dave Gibbons is The Governor.

Happy Birthday, Dave.

Back to Britain.

Wow. I'm back. Actually, I've been back a while, but I thought I'd better keep me head down and crack on with The Twelve for a bit. I don't want to attract any more grief from irate fans of the book who were royally cheesed off by my temporary pursuit of much-needed Hollywood coin.

I haven't got the go-ahead to talk about the film work just yet... but, rest assured, I'll be doing some gratuitous grand-standing once I'm given the all clear. It'll make Mark Millar look like a shrinking violet in comparison! Well, probably not... but hopefully I'll be able to post some of the art I produced for the project at some point.

I'm once again in the position of waiting for scripts, so I finally found time to tackle my neglected commission list. This painting has been staring at me half-finished for a good two years: a Wild West-themed Captain Britain and Betsy Braddock. This was done for a friend of mine, John Bamber, who collects artwork of his favourite comic-strip characters rendered cowboy-style (that sounds rude).

You can see other examples from his collection here.




I'll try and update the blog on a semi-regular basis again, so, if I have any "fans" (hate that word) left, y'all make sure to come on back now, y'hear!

Making an exhibition of myself...

Last night I met up with Gossmeister General Rich Johnston (of Lying in the Gutters infamy) to view the penultimate night of the Comic Strip Art Exhibition he organised for Harrods. Joel Meadows was there to chronicle the event for his blog, from where I took the liberty of snatching this handy photo of me, Rich and my mate Dave Allcock.



Last time I saw Joel Meadows was at the Bristol Comic Convention when I disgraced myself by throwing a tantrum in an indian restaurant 'cos of the amount of time they took to prepare our meal...sigh. Glad you've forgiven me, Joel.

Also there to enjoy a pint at Al Fayed's expense was my homie from Aviliés, Frazer Irving. Frazzle is currently pouring his heart and tortured soul into his meisterwerk, Gutsville.



It was a totally surreal situation, standing beneath an escalator, staring at some of my favourite pages of art from comic strip history... like a page from The Killing Joke, the first ever published Dredd page by Mike McMahon... and this pair from watchmen:






If you haven't already checked out this cracking little display of gems from the funnybooks, tough shit. It's gone, like forever, man.

Random thoughts...

While I am on the subject of "retro sci-fi heroes"... could I just recommend the brand new collection of "Rick Random, Space Detective" reprints published by Prion.... which can be purchased here.

Rick Random, Space Detective, was a comic book character who appeared in "Super Detective Library", published by Amalgamated Press, from 1954.His first appearance was in the "Super Detective Library" number 37 in a tale titled "Crime Rides the Spaceways". Random worked for the Interplanetary Bureau of Investigation, and among his arch-enemies was a futuristic bank robber, John Jolson, who used a matter transmitter in one story to steal gold from London's Interplanetary Bank. Random's female companion was Detective Superintendent Andi Andrews.



Rick Random proved as difficult to kill off in the real world as he did in his sci-fi adventures. Indeed, I first discovered him in the pages of 2000 AD way back in 1979, when he was given an all new adventure drawn by his original artist, Ron Turner. Ron is the real reason to buy this enormous, 656-paged volume... it is The Bible of beautiful retro-tastic space art.You can check out more of his amazing artwork here.

Also, should sales of this book prove successful they'd be more likely to reprint a Volume Two. And I'd really like that.