Make It Then Tell Everybody

Dan Berry is a Champion. If the U.K comic community were put altogether on an island, he would be made Prime Minister, no doubt. PLEASE check out all his work here.

Since last October he has been making hosting the 'Make It And Tell Everybody' (almost entirely) comic podcast. I have enjoyed each episode greatly and learned a lot listening in to the chat and creaming off all the best secrets of how these things are made.


At the 2D Comic Festival in Derry a couple of weeks ago (something I MUST post about) Dan recorded a conversation with me and it got posted today. I do a lot of 'Um'ming and 'Yeah'ing but it was good fun.

To be fair, the whole weekend was excellent and a lot of excellent comic chat was chatted, mainly loudly on a street corner, sloshing pints and swaying in the chilly evening air.

Have a listen to the Pod, lots to be learned. And if you do, please donate a bit too.

Andrew MacLean's HEADLOPPER

It's out TODAY and available from Mr MacLean himself here
I was very pleased to do a pin-up for the issue (amongst some righteous company) This is it.

Bristol Comic Expo

I am at the Bristol Comic Expo this weekend, plying various wares, selling prints and drawing and biting my nails at the imminent arrival of Solid State Tank Girl #1 next week!!

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY at GOSH Comics

I'm going to be at GOSH Comics in Berwick Street London on saturday enjoying their Free Comic Book Day celebrations and painting Tank Girl on their window. Loads of great people in attendance and lots coming for the fun. It'll be my first FCBD in years where I haven't spent the day at sea. So i'm looking forward to it loads.

(Perhaps not one for the window)

1000. Apparently.

This blog has been thoroughly neglected of late. I'll try and keep up but lots of work (which is exciting), bad organisation (not so exciting) and the combination of twitter (@warwickjc) and instagram  (@wocco) has meant this blogspot gets left behind.

I had a birthday recently and was given an A3 Moleskin sketchbook which is getting sporadic attention to wind down when all other drawing is going nowhere. Still the best way to relax, even when work has been to draw all day.

I'll post more up as they get done. Anyway, this is Blog Post One Thousand.

Off Life and The Unvisible Man

Off Life comic issue 4 is out in many Bristol and London bars cafes and available top download free from their site. I have a single page strip in this one amongst a bunch of cracking strip, including a beauty from Dan Berry.

Mondo's Game of Thrones Exhibition

The Hound

Last month I got the opportunity to exhibit with stella artists in Mondo Gallery's Game of Thrones Exhibition. A superb chance and I was proud to have my work hang there.  Here's one of a couple of videos of the show online.

Above is the inked artwork that was exhibited (and sold) and here is a digitally coloured version I couldn't resist trying out.

Also, I tried a Samwell as well, in fact he was my first plan until I got a hankering to try The Hound

Samwell tarly

Webtrip Season 1 The Album

Last year I was very happy to have been asked to participate in the WebTrip project. It was great fun to do, watching Jules and Romane travel Europe 'hosted' in 10 different countries by 12 artists from those places. I look forward to seeing Season 2 starting next month (particularly as I know some of the excellent artists participating)

Season 1 is available online (as will Season 2 be next month) but last years story is looking for funding to become a superb album. Please have a visit of the site and maybe even back the book!

Thanks.

DANGERITIS

Robert Ball and myself have started a comic and a tumblr, Dangeritis

It's a webcomic at this stage, a webcomic in progress. We do a lot of talking about comics and have had more than our share of 'what if . . ' conversations so collaberating on a project seems uncharacteristically sensible. We both have a mighty amount of work on the go at present and penning the worlds best comic and then provide the worlds best art (all without spoilering every step as we are awful show offs it seems)  seemed unlikely.

As the comic pages turn up (and we are 3 in already) other works will appear and not all our own. But as the required pages are met Derek Danger's adventures will be printed in traditional form too.

Keep an eye on it's development if you're interested. Also, we will be exhibiting at next months London Super Comic Con more on that soon.

Surprise from Will Morris

So pleased to see this pop up on twitter last week, the SUPERB Will Morris drew Hunch Parsons

Will Morris' Hunch Parsons

I'm sorry that Hunch is lost in the weeds at the moment. Work will continue after i've finished with a couple of projects. An unspoken resolution of mine is that i'll not be carrying any current projects into next year, so they'll all be done by then (but you didn't hear that right)

Will Morris' book launch

Will's beautiful book The Silver Darlings, published by Blank Slate Books is officially launched at Gosh Comics next month. I recommend you get it at all costs, a wonderful volume.

Sketching with a torch

Added to ink doodling last night as there was a torch within arms reach so I experimented slightly with added lighting (and atmosphere?). Taking photo's of actual drawings and mucking about with filters like instagram can offer results that may not be reached otherwise.

In the dark

In the Inn

Shadowy Characters

The colouring for Shore Leave was an attempt to reproduce to some extent, the look of pencil on paper drawings photographed in poorer light. So it's worth using filter apps however snooty photographers get. And worth posting WiP pics along with weather shots and your dinner.

The Lovecraft Anthology II Now digital

Harley and Randy up to no good

One of a bunch of highlights last year was the chance to be included in Self Made Hero's Lovecraft Anthology II (Blogged here on it's release)

My cover in progress.

Self Made Hero have now taken some of their titles digital including The Lovecraft Anthologies. The first is a superb volume and they also have Ian Culbard's excellent adaptations available. Looks like they are suitable for most kindle formats.

I love a bit of H.P.

Happy (not so) New Year!

Right, lets start this again. Lots on, lots to tell, lots of excuses to make.

But first, here's this.

The Pudding Factory (What? AGAIN??)

Repeated again this year. my first blog posts from 2007. 

Unchanged and uncorrected (though it sure needs to be)

Even though the day shifts are done the aroma of
hot nuts and sweet fruits stray through the city in the
chilly winter night.

The Pudding Factory warms the heart of the city,
especially at this time of year. The family of workers
bustle and graft producing puddings, fancies and
delectables for all occasions, special or not.

Tarpin Espenny, corporate ogre and corpulent scumbag
regards the Factory with disdain. It is happy and generous
and many other things that he holds in contempt.

Securing the obedience of the malevolent keeper of the
neighbouring zoo, Tarpin attempts sly sabotage.
Randolph pokes the wild beasts of the reptile house through the
adjoining wall into the pudding factory.

The ensuing cross contamination and perilous food hygiene
became a real concern for the factory's loyal patrons.

Almost without exception, customers of the pudding factory
were forgiving and tolerant of the unusual incidents. The zoo's
kinder staff recovered and returned the beasts as they appeared
and business continued as the Yuletide grew nearer.

This good will clearly displeased the sour Tarpin
who viciously resolved to escalate his assault on the pudding factory.

Randolph relished the opportunity to practice with his explosives
 and the timers tick on into the night.

KA-BLANGOO!!
The first explosions freed the zoo's wildest captives,
the following charges steered the stampede toward,
 and then into the pudding 

The whole animal riot charges through the pudding factory,
crashing through festive comestibles and
industrial appliances with equal abandon.

At this stage pudding production was on an indefinate hiatus.

Damage was done to both pudding stocks and to vital ingredient
supplies. The factory staff battled against the misfortune and were abley assistant again, by the good staff of the zoo.

The joined forces of the pudding staff and the zoo keepers
set about the clean up and removal of all those animals
gentle and small enough to stay still. While the larger and
wilder beasts did pretty much what they liked, for the meantime.

Of course the wild rumpus could not be confined to the factory
and the animal mob takes to the chilly winter evening.

Much to the smug approval of the vile Tarpin who
watch the commotion from his window.
Gleefully savouring their struggle, the truly unpleasant swine.

Despite Tarpin's point of view a steady resolve was making a difference
and animals and festive delectibles were separated
and returned to their respective quarters.

As it turned out, the animlas themselves helped to restore order.
The zoo patched up its cages and the factory filled its gappy walls.

Unsettled at the growing harmony Randolph, again, raises the stakes.
Whilst the factory staff and zoo keepers struggle to resolve matters,
he takes his service revolver and sabre he incites the wilder animals to a frenzy.
Though someone has spotted this nefarious activity.

Randolphs nefarious actions had been noticed by a glad hearted stranger
who tackles the ruffian appropriately. With the malevolent catalyst
subdued, the pudding factory problems should be resolved in time for Christmas.

The strangers influence settled the brutes but the peace would not last long.

Out of doors the remaining animals were returned safely to the zoo staff.
The ingredients and kitchen chaos was collected and tidied.
Pudding factory workers, zoo keepers and customers and anybody
passing by had lent a hand. Peace crept through the chilly winter night.

Disregarding the harmony now rampant in the factory,
Randolph had gain the upper hand in his set-to with the red rescuer.
The severest blow however, was stayed by the hand
of a grateful stray, yet to return to his home.

At last, the engineer of the Christmas chaos reaches his sticky end.

The puddings, pies, cakes and treats where finished and
distributed all in time. The staff at the factory shared a celebratory
sweet feast with the zoo keepers. Glad satisfaction warmed
the city in the chilly winter night, followed by the aroma
of hot nuts and sweet fruits.

But what of that dastardly humbug?

Merry Christmas, to those who deserve it.