THINGS YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING AT

I'm at nearly 150 posts, so I think I've proven myself enough that I can start messing about a bit with the status quo (not the band).  I've so far resisted the urge to post links to hilarious videos I've seen, but have given serious thought to posting inspirational stuff I've found/bought.  Bottom line is, this is a blog about my creative work (in whatever form that may take), so I try to keep it strictly business.

However, I also have a lot of hugely talented friends who I want to give you the skinny on, so consider this the first in an infrequent series of 'heads up':

THE BIG BANG ISSUE TWO

(artwork by Jack Fallows)

The hugely talented wunderkind Jack Fallows has knocked out more comics and top-notch illustration work in the last year than I have in the last five.  And he's only 12.  Last year he (and his ubertalented co-writer Alexi Conman) put out The Big Bang, the first in a proposed series of minicomics.  It's cracking - think Lost but filtered through an indie comics sieve (and not shit like Lost was).

Well, they've only gone and followed it up with The Big Bang Issue Two, which promises to develop the already intriguing story into new and even more intriguing areas.  The cover alone is simply superb.  I for one can't wait.  Find out more about this title here.

SUGAR GLIDER

(artwork by Gary Bainbridge)

Secondly, and by no means least, we have a project called Sugar Glider from my pals Daniel Clifford and Gary Bainbridge.  Seeing the above picture is what prompted this post in the first place - it's some of the best work I've seen Gary do (and I'm usually in constant awe of his skills).  I'm not a big fan of your superhero comics - especially small-press superheroics - but this title promises to be something very special indeed.  Think what made Buffy so good, apply it to superheroes, package it in a Darwyn Cooke-infused box and you are starting to get the idea.  Daniel is a cracking writer and possibly the most enthusiastic and driven person I have ever met - he will most likely be running Marvel and DC simultaneously before he's 30.

(artwork by Gary Bainbridge)

You can read more about the title here and here.  The lads also have a Facebook fanpage set up to promote the comic here.  When it gets to 100 'Likes' a randomly-selected fan will get the complete book as a PDF, weeks before the official release.

Speaking of which, both these titles (and lots more) will be officially launched at this year's Thought Bubble convention in Leeds.  I'll be at the table with Gary, weeping gently into my ancient titles as Gary sells out Sugar Glider in mere seconds.  And the less said about Jack's extensive catalogue of delights the better.

I need to get to drawing.

DODGEM LOGIC 6 ILLUSTRATIONS - PART TWO

Here's the rest of the illustrations I did for the latest issue of Alan Moore's Dodgem Logic magazine:

a tasty box of vegetarian cinema snacks

a 1950s advert housewife 

and a holster for Christians

If you want to see these illustrations in their rightful place, or read articles by the likes of stand-up comedy legend Stewart Lee, then get yourself on their online shop and pick up a copy.

DODGEM LOGIC 6 ILLUSTRATIONS - PART ONE

I've been lucky enough to continue my association with Alan Moore's wonderful magazine Dodgem Logic through three issues now, and the latest issue marks the fourth.  Below are the first batch of the illustrations I produced for the "Daily Mustard" pages:

William H Macy as Jesus

spoof movie poster combining a famous Liz Taylor/Richard Burton film with one from Michael J Fox's back catalogue

Intrigued?  Get yourself onto their online shop and pick yourself up a copy of Dodgem Logic 6.  It's a mere £3.50 (inc. VAT) and well worth a read.

SOLIPSISTIC POP 3 LAUNCH

(flyer drawn by David O’Connell and designed by Tom Humberstone)



Solipsistic Pop 3, in which I have a four-page story, will be officially launched on Friday November 12th at The Black Heart in Camden, London.  Doors are 8pm - 12.30am and entry is £3.  As well as being among the first to be able to buy copies of the book (which is a mere £12 and comes complete with a free bag of retro penny sweets), there will be live comedy (from Bec Hill and Terry Saunders) and music (from MJ Hibbett and DJ Bitter Fingers).

More info on their website.  I'll not be able to make it, living as I do in the grim north, but consider the lack of awkward smalltalk with me all the more reason for you to attend.

HIVE FIVE

Not content with bringing down the overall quality of their last anthology, I've got myself in HIVE 5, the new title from the wonderful people at Grimalkin Press in the States.  This time around, I have a four-page strip, a sample of which can currently be seen on their site alongside top-quality work by the likes of Joe Decie, Lord Hurk and Craig Collins.  There's also more work from my super-amazing webfriend John Kinhart, so you know it's got to be worth a read.

The last anthology was a beautiful 132-page book with a gorgeous hand silk-screened cover.  It is currently going for a meagre £9 (including p&p) on their online shop (or $10 if you're in the US), so well worth the investment.

HIVE 5 is due out "soon-ish".  Keep checking back for more info.

DOODLEBOOK 1

Some pages from my doodlebooks.



I've probably got a proper, detailed sketchbook in me somewhere, but it's not showing its face at the moment.

TEEN WOLF CARD

Alex Musson, the editor of Mustard magazine and the writer behind my Dodgem Logic illustrations, had me do a Teen Wolf card for his cousin, who's a big fan of hirsute Michael J Fox movies.

I once went to a fancy dress party as Teen Wolf.  I looked rubbish.  True story.

8-BIT EMO T-SHIRT DESIGN

I came up with this one-tone t-shirt design for a project - based on everyone's favourite plumber - but in the end it wasn't suitable.  I still like it, though, so I might re-use it for something else.  Here it is in multiple colours of print/shirts:

And mocked-up as t-shirts:

The way Hollywood is eating itself at the moment, it's probably only a matter of time til they remake Super Mario Bros. with Justin Bieber in the Bob Hoskins role, so consider this an early bit of tie-in merchandise.