31 January 2020

Heads - Spiral of Lies; Rik Jackson talks!

I won't be at True Believers comic festival this weekend but I wanted to mark the event in some way - as luck would have it friend of the blog Rik Jackson was in town so we caught up...


'Heads - spiral of lies' - give us the elevator pitch
Three girls in giant animal heads are committing crimes all over London and private detective Steve Datsun is tearing himself apart finding out why. He’s just hunted down a client who was kidnapped by a sinister doom metal band who have been inciting mass suicides and is now determined track down La Trin, the underworld kingpin he believes is the golden thread to all of these despicable activities. While his police friend questions the recovered kidnap victim Datsun corners La Trin and discovers an unnatural surprise as all secrets prepare to be revealed.
It’s the forth issue in the Heads! mystery and the web of deception is spreading at an alarming rate. I’m currently writing issue five, which will close this story arc.

It's live on Kickstarter now - how's it doing?
It funded in the first 24 hour, so I’d say its doing pretty well! Each Heads! Kickstarter that I’ve run has set a new record for me one way or another. Issue three gave me my highest number of backers, which I’m very proud of as backer numbers climbing on a third issue is very rare. This time round I hit the target so quickly which totally took me by surprise. (you can back it here)


2019 was a busy year for you comics-wise - you put out, what was it, 3 comics? 4 comics? For anyone who's missed out on these what did you produce and where can people get them?
I actually released four books in 2019. Issues two and three of Heads! were released, sticking to my release schedule of getting an issue out every six months. I did my first ever Inktober this year and compiled the sketches into a book. I decided to do my own theme and went for horror icons, so I got to draw characters from my favourite horror movies, like Michael Myers, Killer Klowns from Outer Space and Critters. And I also released Three Panels Of What?! which is a mini comic collaboration with my son, Dylan. All of my comics are available from rikjackson.bigcartel.com

Do you have conventions that you're planning on attending this year?
I’ll be at NICE in Bedford this autumn and hope to return to BAM in Bath if they’ll have me (Rachael and the team curate the exhibitors to get a good range and rotation of talent). Both of these events were excellent experiences for me last year so I’m keen to get back to them. I’m planning on hitting an MCM or two. I have three kids so the longer comic cons are sometimes hard for me to get to, but maybe I can make a family weekend of it.

For anyone who backs this Kickstarter when do you expect issue 5 to be ready to go?
The plan is an issue every six months, so I’m aiming for August 2020 for the fifth and final issue of this story arc. It’s going to be a challenge though. When I released issue one I has nearly finished issue two, so I had a huge buffer to play in. But issue three was a beast and Spiral Of Lies has been an unexpected challenge too, so I’ve burned my buffer! But at NICE last year I promised punters I’d be back at the September 2020 event with the final issue, so I can’t let them down.

You contributed to 'The whore chronicles' anthology comic - any more plans to work with other collaborators this year?
That was such a great project to be part of. It was a very difficult piece to do. If you’ve read it you’ll know that most of us were asked to draw three pages of four panels which portrayed a working girl sitting in a chair speaking to camera. Sounds easy, but its actually very tricky to keep so much continuity while adding subtle changes to each panel as the story plays out. There’s some great artists in there and I’m humbled to have my name on such a talent-filled credit list.
I’m going to be continuing work on Unfortunate Tales, which is a horror webcomic strip published on the Attack From Planet B website. Site owner Ken Wynne writes them and I’m on art duties. He’s great to work with and it’s a brilliant art challenge for me. Because each strip riffs on a classic VHS horror movie its like getting a surprise commission to do every month!
My friend James Clarke is doing colour work on some Heads! pieces. He’s designed and coloured the comic cover, coloured the stretch goal print and is making me some promo images from my line art and concept pieces. He’s new to the comics scene and I hope to see him doing more comics colour work as the year plays out. I’m really impressed by his skills so will definitely be working with him on some new strips later this year.


You've worked with your son on a couple of comics now - that a fairly unusual arrangement - how does that dynamic work?
Yeah, I suppose it is! Dylan is twelve years old and wanted to give comics writing a go. So we worked together on a four pager for last years Little Heroes Comics Anthology. He’d worked on play scripts at school but never a comic script, so we studied some comics to find a technique that worked for him. He actually dissected a Nick Prolix strip at one point by writing a script for it so he could get used what he needed to write to make a comic script work.
The idea for Three Panels Of What?! came about when we started setting each other three panel challenges at comic cons. Dylan helped table with me at most of my conventions in 2019. On the train journeys and in quiet moments at the events we challenged each other to come up with three panel comics. Dylan would write three panels of undirected dialogue which I had to interpret with images, then I would draw him three images that he would have to write dialogue for. The result is never what we expect and has a subversive humour to it which we’re really proud of.


What Kickstarters are you currently backing or looking forward to?
I just backed Atomic Hercules by Tony Esmond and Adam Falp. What a great combo – those two are bound to come up with something insane! The 77 looks awesome as well, if you are into retro 2000AD style awesomeness. There’s a new Penned Guin collection running at the moment which is well worth a look, and in a slightly more mainstream arena I’m quite taken with Jimmy Palmiotti’s Creator Owned Heroes Collection.

You ca back 'Heads - Spiral of lies' right here, right now
Thanks for your time Rik!





30 January 2020

Dan Cornwell's work in 2000AD

I first got into Dan Cornwell's art when I first read Rok of the Reds a few years back, I love his art style and was delighted when his work started appearing in 2000AD. I don't read the prog regularly but I pick it up when Dan's work has been it, so I thought I'd try and list out all the issue of the prog / Megazine his work has appeared in - a 'prog slog' if you like. Listing all these out highlighted a couple of issues that I'd missed, gah!

I'm pretty confident that I've listed all his work but if you spot anything I've missed then just shout. 

So then, onwards for the prog slog...


2000AD issue 2045 Judge Dredd - War buds - part 1, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2046 Judge Dredd - War buds - part 2, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2047 Judge Dredd - War buds - part 3, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2048 Judge Dredd - War buds - part 4, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2049 Judge Dredd - War buds - part 5, art by Dan Cornwell


2000AD issue 2073 Judge fear - memories are made of this, art by Dan Cornwell


2000AD issue 2081 Judge Dredd - the chosen one, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2090 Tharg's terror tale - the ticket, art by Dan Cornwell



2000AD issue 2112 Judge Dredd - the eternity hotel, art by Dan Cornwell

Judge Dredd megazine issue 405 Judge Dredd - planted - part 1, art by Dan Cornwell

Judge Dredd megazine issue 406 Judge Dredd - planted - part 2, art by Dan Cornwell

Judge Dredd megazine issue 413 Judge Dredd - bad wiring, art by Dan Cornwell


2000AD issue 2124 Max Normal - How the Max got his stripes - part 1, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2125 Max Normal - How the Max got his stripes - part 2, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2126 Max Normal - How the Max got his stripes - part 3, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2127 Max Normal - How the Max got his stripes - part 4, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2128 Max Normal - How the Max got his stripes - part 5, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2129 Max Normal - How the Max got his stripes - part 6, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2131 Max Normal - How the Max got his stripes - part 7, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2132 Max Normal - How the Max got his stripes - part 8, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2133 Max Normal - How the Max got his stripes - part 9, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2134 Max Normal - How the Max got his stripes - part 10, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2163 Judge Dredd - kill Bloopy - part 1, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2164 Judge Dredd - kill Bloopy - part 2, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2163 Judge Dredd - kill Bloopy - part 3, art by Dan Cornwell

2000AD issue 2164 Judge Dredd - kill Bloopy - part 4, art by Dan Cornwell

Judge Dredd - Cold Wars (contains reprint of War buds)

All that art, all those progs and still yet to do a cover for the Galaxy's Great Comic - the campaign starts here

Cheers for all the great artwork Dan

You can follow Dan on social media @dancornwellart

29 January 2020

UPDATED: Commando covers by Keith Burns

I first came across Keith Burns art when he illustrated the Titan comics Johnny Red series, since then he's just started illustrating Commando covers and the covers are fantastic. Here's the covers he's done so far...

Commando 5209 - American avenger


Commando 5215 - a matter of honour

Commando 5229 - shadow in the storm!

Commando 5241 - steel inferno

Commando 5259 - Braddock


Commando 5267 - Braddock demons

Commando 5289 - the Wombat and the Tiger

Commando 5297 - fog of war

Commando 5299 - Sladen's promise

28 January 2020

Kieron Gillen comics masterclass announced

A while ago (here) I identified Kieron Gillen's first comics work from November 2003 (in Warhammer monthly issue #74), sinec then he's gone to bigger and better things...Now there's an opportunty to attend a 'How to write a comic book' masterclass
The Guardian has this to say about the masterclass...
Learn how to get your concept onto the page and out into the world, in this evening masterclass with Kieron Gillen.
Marvel is having a moment. From the minute details in the world-building to the complexity of the characters and the scale of the stories, there are few things more exciting than a really brilliant comic book.
If you have an idea or concept for your own comic, but aren’t sure how to break into a seemingly closed industry, this masterclass with Marvel’s Kieron Gillen is for you. The writer of a huge range of comics - including the critically acclaimed The Wicked + The Divine, and Marvel Comics’ Young Avengers - Kieron will give you the advice he wishes he had heard at the start of his career.
Combining anecdotes, practical takeaways and a breaking down of individual stories and pages (plus Q&A), Kieron will take you through how to construct your jump-off point into a strong story, how the industry works - and doesn’t work, how to maintain your unique voice and style in a process that might involve more opinions than you’re used to - and more.
This is a unique opportunity to hear from one of the leading comic book writers in the world. If you’re in the early stages of crafting your own comic, you’re trying to get yours to land in a difficult industry, or if you simply have a story to tell, this is an unmissable chance to have your questions answered, and - more importantly - be on your way to realising your comic writing dream.
Course content
  • What a comic script is, what it isn't and how to make yours yours without making an artist want to kill you.
  • How the industry works and doesn't work. Demystification and warnings.
  • The whole Process - building your idea, your team and the book to show the world.
  • How do you work with artists, editors, inkers, colourists and everyone else. What works? What's ethical? What's both?
  • Narrative structure, at every level - the panel, the page, the issue, the series.
  • Q&A
Tutor profile
Kieron Gillen is a British comic book writer. He is known for co-creating the acclaimed comics The Wicked + The Divine, DIE and Phonogram. He has also worked on numerous projects for Marvel Comics, including Uncanny X-Men, Darth Vader, Young Avengers, Iron Man and Star Wars.
All Guardian Masterclasses are fully accessible but please contact us at masterclasses@theguardian.com if you have any queries or concerns.
You can book tickets here fro £49.99 plus £2.36 booking fee - the masterclass date is Wednesday 5th February 2020, 6:30-9:30pm


27 January 2020

David Pugh - convention artwork, part 3

Following on from part 1+2 of my guide to David Pugh's contributions to comic art conventions programmes (here and here), which itself followed on from my interview with David (here), here's part 3...

Glasgow Comic Art Convention (GCAC) 1992 - Dan Dare and Digby by David Pugh

Glasgow Comic Art Convention (GCAC) 1993 - the Mekon & Brill* by David Pugh


*Brill is from the comic 'The last planet'

United Kingdom Comic Art Convention (UKCAC) 1986 - Slainé by David Pugh

United Kingdom Comic Art Convention (UKCAC) 1987 - Slainé by David Pugh