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.

Judge Dredd Superhero Squad!

An update on my crazy life later...but for now...here's an idea I've been toying with to submit to 'Zarjaz' fanzine.

Update!

It's been a bit since I updated. The main reason being that I've taken part in 'National Write a Novel Month' . It's going okay but it's very, very time consuming. So, after Thanksgiving I'll start updating on a more regular basis and I'll have a status update on projects that I'll be working on for the New Year.

2000ad Mash-Up - Part Three!

I couldn't resist doing a Slaine combo. First I thought, Slaine v 2000ad's Blackhawk and then said..nah! Slaine and 'The Living Axe' from 2000ad's Dan Dare strip. Seemed a perfect combo because of Slaines 'Kiss My Axe!' slogan.

I still think the Zombo/Ace garp combo one is the best. Gotta do that one up proper!

Influence Map - Update

Two more additions and then I move onto writers.

Erik Larsen
I'm a big fan of Larsens mainly because of his attitude towards creating comics. I remember reading somewhere that he doesn't have a sketchbook, that he just draws straight onto the page and if the panel looks strange...he doesn't redraw and redraw it. He just moves on and says to himself that he'll get it right next time. I love that attitude. I may not totally agree with him on politics but his comics approach, I can get behind. His approach to the medium is a big influence on me and 'Savage Dragon' is one of the best books out on the market at the moment.

Cam Kennedy
Panel layouts. Subtle posing. Great Storytelling. And nobody draws future war as great as Cam Kennedy. I always look at his work and marvel at it.

2000ad Mash-Up - Part Two!

I'm having so much fun with this! I got plenty more.

2000ad Mash-Up!

From the 2000ad forums.

The Idea

"Mixed up 2000ad, the greatest crossovers that never happened. Nemesis and Dan Dare together for the first time, Nikolai Dante and the Space Girls? Dredd taking out Big Dave? no? Well if you think you can do better you think of one!"

My idea....Zombo meets Ace Trucking Co. I'll draw this up proper later. I still have two or three other ideas to do. back to sketching. You'll see them up here soon.

Back from the New York Con

Picked up a whole lot of books at the con, spent a small fortune too! Rich brought me a John Higgins sketch that he got at BICs! Sweet!

The Bride of Frankenstein - Final

Probably my last update before I head off to the New York Con. I had lots of fun doing this watercolor. Part of me wants to keep it but...C'est la vie. It'll be in Rich McAuliffe's hands in NYC on Friday. I'll try for another post before I leave.

The Bride - WIP #3

Nearly done.

Influence Map - Update

Carlos Ezquerra
As I said in the last post Carlos has always been a constant. His work looks so simple...but like so many Great Masters, it is deceptively so.
For more, read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Ezquerra

The Carlos Ezquerra Project

The 'Secret Project' page I was working on can be revealed!
It's for a 'Get Well' book for Carlos Ezquerra.

Mark J. Howard (legendary Shark on the 2000adOnline forums) found out that one of the greatest artists ever to draw for 2000ad (and one of the greats overall), the guy responsible for co-creating many characters including Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog and Major Easy, Carlos Ezquerra had lung cancer. Carlos had an operation to remove the cancer and was recovering in hospital. Mark took it upon himslef to round up as many contributors as he could and put together a nice 'Get Well Soon' book for Carlos. It became a 'secret project' because he didn't want Carlos to know, but rather to surprise him.

Carlos received the book and was blown away by how much he is loved and appreciated by the fans.

Why not? I say.

Carlos has been a constant influence in my life since I was a nipper reading 2000ad and that is an over 30 year relationship!

Get well soon Carlos. You'll always feel like part of my family.

To read more about this amazing project go here...
http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/index.php/topic,29439.0.html

Influence Map - Update

Ron Smith
I didn't really have much of a appreciation for Ron Smith when I was a youngster reading 2000ad. Mike McMahon and Brian Bolland were the 'flashier' artists to me back in those days. I really gained a better understanding and appreciation for Ron Smith when I got older...pretty much the same thing I saw with Jack Kirby's art.

Ron Smith, for me, is and was the definitive Dredd artist of the 80's. He added a certain 'American' look to Dredd. Almost superhero-ish without being a superhero. And his near impossible poses worked perfectly for him. Something he has in common with Kirby. To me Ron Smith is the english jack Kirby.

Influence Map - Update

Harvey Kurtzman
EC 'War' comics, Mad magazine, Little Annie Fanny, Jungle Book!
A great storyteller! I would study his layouts for hours to try and glean some knowledge of his pacing and storytelling. A Master of composition. Simplicity itself.

Influence Map - Update

Wally Wood

My first exposure to Wood's work was a teenager. There was a Marvel UK weekly B+W reprint, (As far as I can remember, I can't remeber the title of the comic book!) that reprinted some of the sword and sorcery comic strips that Wood drew. It instantly stood out to me and I've been inspired/influenced by him ever since.

There are a lot of stories about Wally Wood. I remember hearing one story in particular. It was when Wood had received a fan letter saying that his work was past it and not up to scratch and that his assistants handled all the work, not him - in other words, he was washed up. Wood saw this as a challenge and produced, what is too me, his greatest work 'To Kill A God' .

This story was told to me when I worked at Fox Animation Studios by Jun Lofamia. Jun brought in the strip in question to show me...and I blew it up on the copier on paper 24x36 and i'm not kidding you. The attention to detail is amazing and some of it gets quite lost 'regular' size.

And the thing is...he probably drew it drunk! Wood was an alcoholic!

Below is the first page of the strip. if you can...search it out. Well worth the time looking.

Wally Wood - Genius!

The Bride of Frankenstein - WIP #2

Here's the latest update on Rich's Bride pic. I got sidetracked working on three 'secret' projects. Hopefully, in the next month or so, I'll be able to reveal what they are. They're all biggies, but one is HUGE!

Influence Map - Update

Alan Davis
For me, he is the definitive superhero artist. His work is so fluid and alive. He can draw anything. He is the only artist that can draw 'serious' and 'cartoony' in the same story and get away with it. I love his 2000ad work, his Marvelman (that's right, Marvelman...none of that Miracleman bullshit!) Captain Britain, Detective Comics...Excalibur, X-Men, Avengers etc I can go on. Oh and the talented so and so can write too!

He's always an inspiration to me.

Influence Map 4

Art Adams
My first exposure to Art Adams was an Action Annual featuring Batman and Superman. And it blew me away. His art, to me, is very illustrative and the amount of detail he slips into his background panels is amazing. Whenever I look at any of his work...I usually find myself just in awe at the amount of detail he puts in. I can spend literally hours looking at his work. Oh, and he too, can draw the ladies. really, really well!

Influence Map 3

Adam Hughes
Probably the best Cheesecake artist there is at the moment. He's the 'Good Girl' artist that all others aspire to be. I first came across Adams work on Maze Agency and then his Justice League run and even back then you could see that there was something special about his work.

He just went from strenght to strenght and I avidly started to buy anything Hughes. I would find myself buying pure crap just coz a Hughes drawing graced the cover of it.

For me, he's right up there with Mucha and Vargas.

Influence Map - 1,2

Okay. Everyone is doing an 'influence map' these days. So, why should I be different? Well, I'm gonna be. I'm going to do an 'Influence' and 'Inspiration' map. It seems to be a better fit for me. Because there are a lot of people who's work I look at that inspire me, rather than influence me. And I see them as just as important as the ones that 'influence' me. Does that make sense?

First up..the Master...

Will Eisner
Growing up in Ireland reading comics, I had no clue to who this guy was until a work friend (Who became one of my best friends, Jim Seville) introduced me to some of his work...namely The Spirit. I was hooked ever since. What Eisner did with the comics medium was amazing.

I was also fortunate to have Mr.Eisner as a teacher waaaaaay back in the day. I learnt more about storytelling from those few weeks with Mr.Eisner than I have ever since!!!

Below...proof of my boast! (Look how skinny and fashion challenged I was..er...cough...still am!)



Frank Cho
Coz, I like the ladies. Well, the way Cho draws 'em. I'm a big cheesecake fan! (Oh, really, you say sarcastically!) And Mr.Cho is one of THE best. No skinny malinks for Cho...his babes have got meat and bones to 'em. Whenever I'm in a rut...I lookee at his doodles. They be teh arsom!