Photofrom the Forbidden Planet Set.
Back from Hi-Ex and finally getting round to sorting myself out. First off the next time I’ll be at a con will be in May, at the Bristol Event. Hotel booked and everything. Check out the pic on the right hand side.
Hi-Ex was great fun, always a pleasure for me to be there as it is perhaps my favourite gig in the country. It was great to meet up with old friends and make new one’s too. I was even asked for sketches- which was nice. Maybe next time I'll remember to take photo's.
Photo from The Hi-Ex site featuring the team for Red Sands! And Leonia Carroll too.
Whilst there though I had a bit of a revelation. I’m a bit of a soft touch on the whole- I’m a fairly easy going kind of guy, so I tend to bend over a bit more than I should as far as strips are concerned. When it comes to scripts it is much easier to be tough- as there are a team of script readers who will all be aiming for the highest level of quality, after all entire strips will stand or fall on the quality of the scripts. I like to think that the team at FQP, as well as Dogbreath & Zarjaz, is pretty hot at sorting strong scripts.
It is the Artists that I need to push more. Most of the artists involved in the titles I produce are of a level where they are polishing their craft ready to approach publishers (I’m not going to put any names in this, just not fair) but there are some that need to be pushed a little harder. This is not a judgement on their drawing ability, not at all- it is mainly to apply the same harsh standards we use for scripts to art. I’m going to start asking for more re-working of panels, and where possible I would like to be able to get hold of a set of pencilled pages for strips so that I can pass judgement before ink is put to paper.
After all, the artists providing the work want to reach a standard where they can approach professional editors and gain paid work- so if I let them submit art that I feel needs work I am letting them down.
Therefore if you are an artist working on a strip for me and I tell you that there is something I want you to change- I’m not being awkward for the sake of it- I genuinely want you to submit artwork that knocks me out. I may be called SMALL PRESS, but that doesn’t mean we have to have small standards.
Working list:Drawing:
The Crusader: Spoonful of Honeywith
Chris & Steve Denton.
Still inking page 1.
ABC Warriors: Mongrol- Blogging with David Withers &
Mike CarrollCompleted this Week!Publishing:
FutureQuake 16
Strip Lettering:
Bargain hunter- Completed
Strip Lettering:
B.O.O.B.I.E. trap- Completed
Something Wicked 06
Dogbreath 23
Bit soon to talk about this…
Zarjaz 10
Judge Dredd- Red In Toothe & Claw Completed.
Judge Dredd- Xtras- Art received and lettered. Awaiting final approval
Average Joe Lettering for Insomnia Publishing.
Ongoing. This week lettered: 0 pages.
Unfortunately I can't really show anything from this yet- I don't have permission. However- I’ve just sorted the files for a set of pages that will hopefully be appearing at the Bristol expo!
Angels of the somme is a strip with Timebomb for Alec Robertson & Bruce McLaren. Ink is still wet on this, but I’m doing this as a thanks to these guys for all they have done for me.
I’m also part of the team for the sequel to Red Sands- Writer Matt McLauglin and Artist Bruce McLaren have asked me to join in the fun of crafting the follow-up to the original by Alex Ronald!
