Roleplaying comics (14) - Thrud bits and bobs 2

Two final postcards from Carl Critchlow advertising his self-published Thrud comics.

Roleplaying comics (13) - Thrud bits and bobs

ok, so to (very nearly) finish up with Thrud we'll have a quick look at some Thrud 'extras' that are out there.


The first is the volume that Titan books published in September 2013 (see below)

This reprints all 5 of Carl's comics plus you also get:

• Thrud shorts - reprints from 'Valkyrie Quarterly' role playing game magazine
• some White Dwarf reprints
• a coloured Bloodbowl strip from The Citadel Journal
• 2 pages of Thrud sketches from Carl's sketchbook

Here are 3 promotional postcards that Carl issued

Last Thrud post is tomorrow, sob!

Near Myths issues 1-5

Here's my quick guide to independent comic 'Near Myths' - issue 4 is sought after for its work by a young Grant Morrison

Near myths - issue 1

Near myths - issue 2

Near myths - issue 3

Near myths - issue 4

Near myths - issue 5

Kickstarter campaign - Ian Kennedy illustrates Lady Flintlock

Just a quick break from Thrud-related postings to bring you news of a Kickstarter campaign that features legendary British comics illustrator Ian Kennedy. Ian has only recently illustrated his first 2 US style comics, albeit a re-working of a British comics character, Johnny Red issues 2 and 8 (see below)

Well now he's illustrating something completely different...he's provided the cover for a Kickstarter-backable campaign for Flintlock comic issue 2. I backed issue 1 and thought it was great, 3 good b+w stories, good art throughout, a real throwback to the adventure comics of my youth.


Anyway, Ian has got involved and this is part of the cover he's drawn.

I'm not showing you the whole cover as I want you to go to Kickstarter right now and read more about this great comic and learn how you can get hold, not only of this comic, but also a limited edition print of the cover.


Point your browsers this way people...


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1815843378/650798457?token=8e17cce9


You can back the campaign from tomorrow (Wed 28th Sep) - Steve's only looking for £500, so why not help him reach his goal? I know I will.

Roleplaying comics (11) - Thrud issue 4

From June 2005 comes Thrud issue 4, this story is called 'Thrud Rex' and sees our pea-brained hero temporarily become king of the fabled city of 'Shazza-n-Gazza', since time immemorial a shimmering beacon of high culture in an otherwise savage landscape. Needless to say Thrud's reign is short, brutal and destructive.


Front and back cover art are shown below.

Roleplaying comics (10) - Thrud issue 3

Thrud issue 3 from June 2004, front over and a typical page of interior art mixing Carl Critchlow's incredible detail with slapstick humour.

The story is entitled 'Lava Louts' and sees Thrud do battle with both the dreaded 'Black Currant' (seen falling off his horse below) and a lava god. Chaos, and beer, ensure. A fantastic read.

Roleplaying comics (9) - more Thrud

Back in the early 2000's Carl Critchlow revived his barbarian hero for a series of comics, eventually running to 5 issues.


This is issue one from June 2002 and is called 'Carborundum Capers' and features some of Carl's most excellent puns - the magician To-Me Ku-Pa anyone?


Front cover

Back cover

This is issue 2 from January 2003, the story is called "Ice 'n' a Slice" and features beer, woolly mammoths, ice pixies and Luddi-Ell (the great ice wyrm).

Front cover

Interior art

Roleplaying comics (8) - Thrud the barbarian graffik novel

Bit of a change of direction here as we look at comics that came from a roleplaying background but which weren't actually roleplaying comics themselves. Make sense?


That leads us to the one, and only, Thrud the Barbarian, Carl Critchlow's hilarious tale of a pin-headed, muscle-bound oaf and the (mis-)adventures he gets up to. I always though this was quite the best thing about White Dwarf magazine. This is 48 pages of Thrud lunacy (reprinted from White Dwarf) and is well worth seeking out.

More Thrud to come!




Carl's website is here


http://www.carlcritchlow.com/

2000ad festival announced

Massive 2000ad festival just announced for 11th February 2017 at the Novotel hotel in Hammersmith!!

See you there?

Tickets on sale soon



Roleplaying comics (7) - Legend maker

So here's an oddity, it's called 'Legend Maker' and this is the first issue. 24 pages in full colour.

It's sub-titled the first role-play adventure game comic which, as we've just looked at Diceman, isn't quite true. The artwork is functional at best.

Luckily for us there's someone out there who loves this comic, all 4 issues of it (plus 8 issues of the associated 'mini adventure comic').

http://legendmakerarchive.blogspot.co.uk/



Front cover

 

Back cover

Interior art  



Roleplaying comics (6) - You are Maggie Thatcher

Humorously subtitled a dole-playing game this Hunt Emerson and Pat Mills 86 page take on the politics of the mid-1980s (book published in October 1987). Hunt's trademark art makes this a fantastic book even without the added benefit of a Pat Mills game to play your way through. Recommended. 

Book is designed by Rian Hughes.

The front and end-papers would make a frankly terrifying wallpaper for your computer.

The creators (as drawn by Hunt Emerson) 

Roleplaying comics (5) - 2000AD's Diceman issue 5

Issue 5 cover by Hunt Emerson

'Space Zombies' art by Mike Collins, concept Pat Mills, story/game by Simon Geller and lettering by Richard Starkings

Art by Hunt Emerson, game by Pat Mills

'You are Dice man in murder one' - art by Steve Dillon, story/game by Pat Mills and lettering by Tom Frame

and that was the end of the series, there were however, as we shall see, more roelplaying comics yet to come.

London comics calendar - updated 20 Sep 2016

Thought it might be useful to try and pull together a listing of upcoming comics events, please let me know if I've missed any

note that new items are highlighted in red


London comics calendar

Exhibitions

The story of British comics so far cor, by gum, zarjaz, The Lightbox, Woking, until 31/12/16
http://www.thelightbox.org.uk/the-story-of-british-comics-so-far-cor-by-gum-zarjaz-2016

Pictures from Punch, Cartoon Museum, 2/11/16 – 22/01/17

http://www.cartoonmuseum.org/exhibitions/future-exhibitions

Future shock, Cartoon Museum, from 25/01/17

http://www.cartoonmuseum.org/

 

Comic marts

Comiket @ The Lightbox, Woking, 08/10/16
http://comiket.comica.london/exhibitors/
 

November 20th

http://londoncomicmart.co.uk/
 

Launches / signings

Mezolith book 2 (Ben Haggarty & Adam Brockbank) @ Gosh comics, 23/09/16
http://www.goshlondon.com/2016/09/mezolith-book-two-launch-party/

Jock signing @ Forbidden Planet, 24/09/16

https://forbiddenplanet.com/events/2016/09/24/jock-signing-forbidden-planet/

Kyle Higgins @ Orbital comics, 28/09/16

http://www.orbitalcomics.com/kyle-higgins-signing-wednesday-september-28th/

2000^th issues of 2000AD @ Forbidden Planet, 01/10/16

https://forbiddenplanet.com/events/2016/10/01/celebrate-2000th-2000ad/

Peter Milligan signing @ Forbidden Planet, 05/10/16

https://forbiddenplanet.com/events/2016/10/05/peter-milligan-signs-discipline/

Joe Kelly @ Orbital comics, 17/10/16

http://www.orbitalcomics.com/joe-kelly-spider-mandeadpool-signing-monday-october-17/


Dave ‘Good dog, bad dog’ Shelton appears as part of this event @ Foyles, 19/10/16
http://www.foyles.co.uk/Public/Events/Detail.aspx?eventId=3007

Talks

Curator talk about exhibition, 22/09/16
https://www.thelightbox.org.uk/Event/curator-talk-story-of-british-comics


Rian Hughes will be talking (briefly!) about comics & illustration, 23/09/16
http://www.houseofillustration.org.uk/whats-on/current-future-events/limelight-night-illustration-v-design/event-type/talk

Peter Hampson talks about his father Frank Hampson, 08/10/16
http://www.thelightbox.org.uk/Event/fundraising-talk-by-gum-dan-dare-in-conversation-with-peter-hampson

Isabel Greenberg & Tom Gauld, 13/10/16

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/the-future-of-the-graphic-nove-98695

Art ‘Maus’ Spiegelman at the Barbican, 11/11/16

https://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=19901

Alan Moore talks to Stewart Lee 07/11/16

https://membership.theguardian.com/event/an-evening-with-alan-moore-and-stewart-lee-27276217902


Where to buy original art
http://www.chrisbeetles.com/
https://www.bookpalace.com/cgi-bin/mf000001.pl?ACTION=SHOWFORM


Good places to buy (second-hand) British comics
http://30thcenturycomics.co.uk/
https://www.bookpalace.com/cgi-bin/mf000001.pl?ACTION=SHOWFORM
http://www.mgeshops.com/book-comic-exchange/
http://www.rayguncomics.co.uk/ [limited 2nd hand section but even so]
http://www.orbitalcomics.com/ [limited 2nd hand section but even so - also stocks small press titles]

Roleplaying comics (4) - 2000AD's Diceman issue 4

Cover by Brendan McCarthy

Only two games in this one, first up is 'Dice man in bitter streets' drawn by Steve Dillon, story/game by Pat Mills and lettering by Tom Frame

Secoon story is 'Slaine in the ring of Danu', pencilled by Mike Collins, art by Mark Farmer, story/game by Pat Mills, lettering by Mark King

this was reprinted in the Slaine gaming book at the end of the year.

Roleplaying comics (3) - 2000AD's Diceman issue 3

On sale June 7 1986 (according to an ad in the back of issue 2)

Story one art is by Mike Collins & Mark Farmer; story/game by Pat Mills; lettering by Tom Frame

Story two is illustrated by John Ridgway; story/game by Pat Mills; lettering by Kid Robson

and in the third story Bryan Talbot illustrates a Pat Mills game lettering by Mark King

Roleplaying comics (3) - 2000AD's Dice Man issue 2

2000AD's Dice man issue 2, front cover by Glenn Fabry

Story one - The ABC Warrior vs. Volgo, the ultimate death machine - art by Steve Dillon, story/game by Pat Mills, lettering by Kid Robson

Story two - You are the dice man - art by Graham Manley, story/game by Pat Mills, lettering by Mark King

Story three - Slaine in Dragoncorpse - art by Nik Williams, story/game by Pat Mills, lettering by Tom Frame

Later re-printed in the Titan Books Slaine title.

London comics calendar

Thought it might be useful to try and pull together a listing of upcoming comics events, please let me know if I've missed any

London comics calendar

Exhibitions

The story of British comics so far cor, by gum, zarjaz, The Lightbox, Woking, until 31/12/16
http://www.thelightbox.org.uk/the-story-of-british-comics-so-far-cor-by-gum-zarjaz-2016

Pictures from Punch, Cartoon Museum, 2/11/16 – 22/01/17

http://www.cartoonmuseum.org/exhibitions/future-exhibitions

Future shock, Cartoon Museum, from 25/01/17

http://www.cartoonmuseum.org/

 

Comic marts

Comiket @ The Lightbox, Woking 08/10/16
http://comiket.comica.london/exhibitors/
 

October 16^th, November 20th

http://londoncomicmart.co.uk/
 

Launches / signings

Mezolith book 2 (Ben Haggarty & Adam Brockbank) @ Gosh comics, 23/09/16
http://www.goshlondon.com/2016/09/mezolith-book-two-launch-party/

Jock signing @ Forbidden Planet, 24/09/16

https://forbiddenplanet.com/events/2016/09/24/jock-signing-forbidden-planet/

Kyle Higgins @ Orbital comics, 28/09/16

http://www.orbitalcomics.com/kyle-higgins-signing-wednesday-september-28th/

2000^th issues of 2000AD @ Forbidden Planet, 01/10/16

https://forbiddenplanet.com/events/2016/10/01/celebrate-2000th-2000ad/

Peter Milligan signing @ Forbidden Planet, 05/10/16

https://forbiddenplanet.com/events/2016/10/05/peter-milligan-signs-discipline/

Joe Kelly @ Orbital comics, 17/10/16

http://www.orbitalcomics.com/joe-kelly-spider-mandeadpool-signing-monday-october-17/


Dave ‘Good dog, bad dog’ Shelton appears as part of this event @ Foyles, 19/10/16
http://www.foyles.co.uk/Public/Events/Detail.aspx?eventId=3007

Talks

Curator talk about exhibition, 22/09/16
https://www.thelightbox.org.uk/Event/curator-talk-story-of-british-comics
Peter Hampson talks about his father Frank Hampson, 08/10/16
http://www.thelightbox.org.uk/Event/fundraising-talk-by-gum-dan-dare-in-conversation-with-peter-hampson

Isabel Greenberg & Tom Gauld, 13/10/16

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/the-future-of-the-graphic-nove-98695

Art ‘Maus’ Spiegelman at the Barbican, 11/11/16

https://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=19901

Alan Moore talks to Stewart Lee 07/11/16

https://membership.theguardian.com/event/an-evening-with-alan-moore-and-stewart-lee-27276217902

Roleplaying comics (2) - 2000AD's Dice Man issue 1

Issue 1 of 2000AD's spin-off publication 'Dice Man', cover by Glenn Fabry

First game, The house of death - art by Bryan Talbot, story TB Grover [a pseudonym used by Alan Grant & John Wagner], game by Pat Mills, lettering by Tom Frame

Second game, The torture tube - art by Kevin O'Neill, story by Pat Mills, game by Pat Mills, lettering by Steve Potter

Third game, Cauldron of blood - art by David Lloyd, story by Pat Mills, game by Pat Mills lettering by Gordon Robson

Later re-printed in the Titan Books Slaine title.

Roleplaying comics (1) - Slaine

Published by Titan Books in December 1986, cover art (and internal art) is by Glenn Fabry.
72 pages, £4.95, black and white art throughout.

The first story is a Slaine story entitled 'Cauldron of Blood' - art by David LLoyd, story by Pat Mills, game by Pat Mills and lettering by Gordon Robson.




Second story is 'Dragoncorpse' - art by Nik WIlliams, Story/game by Pat Mills and lettering by Tom Frame.




Final story is 'Ring of Danu' - art pencils by Mike Collins, art inks by Mark Farmer, lettering by Mark King and story/game by Pat Mills.




All of these stories were reprinted from another comic series, which we'll start to see tomorrow.

theme 'week' will be

...role-playing comics I think.


I loved role-playing games as a kid (D&D, AD&D, Warhammer and many others) and also the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, their official website is here
http://www.fightingfantasy.com/


and there's a wiki page here
http://fightingfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Fighting_Fantasy_Collection_-_Puffin_Books


Anyhow, this is a bandwagon that comics didn't ignore so we can look forward to seeing artwork by some of Britain's top comics talent.


Come back later today for post #1

George Nicholas week (8) - Were Bears comic

Were Bears comic issue 1

Published by Clearmark Productions ltd, 77-83 High Street, New Malden, Surrey, KT3 4BT


32 pages, 80p


All of these George Nicholas comics are obscure but this one seems to attract the most interest (i.e. go for 'big' money on e-bay) - there was an associated set of soft toys.