Thugs! Issue Four- Page 5!

Thugs! Issue Four- Page 4!

Influence Map - Update

Alan Moore
Do I really need to explain Moore's influence on me and a whole industry? Probably not.

My first exposure to Moore was his brilliant Future Shocks and Time Twisters. The 'Abelard Snazz' stories being amongst my favs. For me Moore added 'believability' to the absurd notion of the 'superhero' and in turn...ruined them for me (or enlightened me, depends on your point of view.) After reading 'Marvelman' (Not 'Miracleman!', you know where you can shove that!)...my mind was never the same. I can't look at superhero books seriously anymore. Damn him! And then his Swamp Thing run...holy crap! He truly is a genius of a writer. I've loved everything he's done from his 2000ad/Warrior/Captain Britain work all the way up to America Best Comics!!!

Alan Moore would be the fourth person on that British Creators Mount Rushmore and deservedly so.

For more Moore, click the link below...

Alan Moore

Thugs! Issue Four- Page 3!

Super Judge Squad!

Color version of a Dredd story idea I'm pitching to Zarjaz! Basically it's Marvels's Superhero Squad merged with DC's Superfriends with a touch of the Beano and Dandy!

I got a rough synopsis written up and ready to send off. Should be a good little 6-7 page project to work on.

Mrs Browns Boys - On TV!

I animated the opening and ending credits to the new BBC comedy hit series - Mrs.Browns Boys!
You can watch it on RTE (Irish Television) on Saturday nights and the catch it on the BBC on Thursdays.
It was a lot of fun to do and the BBC Producer for the series, Stephen McCrum and his staff were an absolute pleasure to work with.

Influence Map - Update

Frank Hampson

Probably the biggest influence on British comic books ever!

This is the man that raised the bar for comic strips on both sides of the Atlantic. People talk about Alex Ross today and how he uses models for reference etc..well, no offence meant but as much as I like Alex Ross work, he's not fit to tie Frank Hampsons shoelaces. Hampson was a perfectionist in his work. He took photo reference, built models and produced some of the most beautiful painted artwork ever to grace a comic book page...and he wrote too!

Dan Dare was his main creation which he wrote and drew, later with the aid of assistants (and even Arthur C. Clarke!) and the quality in writing and illustration for that strip has never been equalled or surpassed.

Pat Mills and John Wagner are two of the faces on the British Mount Rushmore...Frank hampson joins them as the 'Washington' of the monument. Blazing a trail for those to follow.

For more information click the link below...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Hampson

Thugs! Issue Four- Page 2!

Influence Map - Update

John Wagner
Continuing the theme of a British comic writers Mount Rushmore, up on that rock next to Pat Mills would be John Wagner. I can't measure the influence the man has had on me. He created such memorable characters and stories, it really is too hard to measure. The man was responsible for Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog, Robo-Hunter, Shako, Button Man, Doomlord (with Alan Grant), the 13th Floor, Darkies Mob, Dredger, Al's Baby etc the list goes on and on.

Read more here...
John Wagner wikipage

I blame Wagners 'Dredd' on my political views being a little bit askewed to the right of center...not too much...but enough!

:-)

Thugs! Issue Four- Page 1!

Thugs! Issue Four - NEW Cover Image

Here's the new cover inks. Didn't really care for the last one. This one is, of course, like all the others...a homage to a classic cover. In this case, the Kevin Maguire's cover for JLA Classified No. 8! A classic!

Influence Map - Update

Moving onto writers now...specifically comic book writers.
First up...

Pat Mills
Like a lot of the early 2000ad writers, Pat Mills was and still is a huge influence on my very impressionable mind. He created so many classic strips (Charleys War, Flesh, Hookjaw, Nemesis, Slaine, Savage etc) and villains (Torquemada, Slough Feg etc) over the years and even when his work got overly political in the 90's...it was still worth reading. A writer always on top of his game and a true comic book creating genius. The main drive and brains behind 2000ad in the early years and still breathing life into it today.

A living legend.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Mills for the 2000ad Podcast... and I told him that if there was ever erected a Mount Rushmore of British Comic Book Creators...he would be one of the faces carved into that stone!

For more on Mr. Mills...check out his Wikipedia page by clicking the link below.
The Godfather of British Comic Books!

New Year Resolutions

Not really a big fan of New Year Resolutions...but this year I decided to give it a go and see how long I can stick with them. I mainly see NYR's as a too do list anyways.

1. Finish off my novel. I fell drastically short in the 'Write a Novel Month' mainly because I spent a week snowbound in Utah visiting family and couldn't get any time to work on it. So, I have to reach the target of 50,000 words to be happy on that one.

2. Build a lifesize replica of a Dalek...a workable one. I know. It's crazy...but it's something I've always wanted to do. I even joined a Dalek Guild so I could get my mitts on the blueprints!!!

3. Lose a ton of weight. I've given up beer for the New Year...well, until I go to Ireland for my Dad's 70th! And myself and my beautiful wife signed up for 60 days of Bikram Yoga. I started today and I'm planning on going everyday for the 60! After the 60 days, I'll sign up in local gym. I want to lose between 40-50 pounds. I know I can do it. I did it before.

4. Win another soccer competition. Winning the league again in such a long time has got me chomping at the bit! My competitive spirit is on an all-time high. This goal obviously ties in with number three.

5. Get Thugs! Issue 4 out by May. The Phoenix ComicCon is in May and I promised Al he'd have the fourth issue by then.

6. Another Thugs! related one. I'm going to try and get as many issues of Thugs done and dusted this year. Myself and Al had capped the series off at 12 issues. He's outlined them all...now I need to get cracking!

7. Completely write and draw a Judge dredd story in a 'Superhero Squad' style for the 2000ad inspired Zarjaz fanzine! I already talked to one of the editors and he loves the idea...now I need to get up off my fat butt and write the synopsis to send him.

I'm sure when I start getting these complete...I'll have more 'To Do' to add. But for now...that''' do.