The Mighty Yammer: Crossover 9

Working on:
A new six page strip written by Richmond Clements that will eventually see print in Zarjaz. Featuring one of my personal favourite 2000ad series. I’m pencilling my third page this week and having a blast!

I’m also working up a single page strip for the 2000ad messageboard competition. Good fun these and this is a chance to try something completely different.

Latest from FQP:

FutureQuake Completed pages- 35
Pages to be lettered- 15
The cover query I’d got has been sorted, as the strip relating to one of the covers is now delayed. On the plus side, I’ve now got the cover to next issue sorted!

MangaQuake
Received pages: 6, including a sublime back cover.
The new covers are in the printers, and I plan on collecting them and having a postal run this weekend.

Lost Property
Printing! I’m all go for this now, with any late strips being carried over to next issue. I’ll sort a cover scan for next week.

DogBreath
Been contacted by some of the contributors to earlier issues, and hopefully will be receiving strips shortly, bit of a bonus that!

Dave

The Mighty Yammer: Crossover 08

Working on:
Father Whiplash- Finished inks and the pages have now gone to Richmond Clements for toning. Really pleased with the result of this strip, think it could be some of my best work yet.

Latest from FQP:

Taking place on October 28th is Lancaster comics con and FQP will be there.

The website is going to be getting a new look. No definite date yet, but the work has begun on redesigning the imagery and layout.

FutureQuake Completed pages- 25
Pages to be lettered- 17
This issue has two covers on the go, as we are unsure of the final running order. We have seen a preview of one of the images and it promises to be a stunner!

MangaQuake
Now available from the FQ Shop!
Received pages: 3

Lost Property
Strips completed- 50 so far, with the last few arriving soon. I can also reveal that if all goes to plan, this issue will be all colour printing where the strips need it. All for £2.00!

DogBreath
Nowt new but I’ve heard that there may well be some original art in the offing soon…

Dave

The Mighty Yammer: Crossover 07

Bit of a ramble this week, I’ve been asked about how Bryan and myself actually put the mixed art episodes together. The truth is not that well on my part, as I was impatient.

I sent Bryan rough pencils for each of the strips, showing who was where and what they needed to be doing.



After this I inked the epiode and waited for Bryan to send his part. What I should have done was wait for Bryan before inking.



Bryan sent me drawings to fit the roughs I sent him, which always delighted me. His work is so good. After I inserted Mike into the Yammer strips I transferred the file to greyscale, which in the long term was a mistake, as I’d love to be able to show the high contrast in the initial images. One of these images was also used on the cover for Lost Property 02, and was a good part of where the idea came from for that cover.



After this it was over to be lettered and voila!



Bryan sent me a rouch idea of what he needed Yammer to be doing for his strips, and if he’d got them, a rough set of images to match.



After that I’d draw the Yammer to fit the images and mail them to Bryan.



To my delight, I’ve found the versions of the strips that Bryan originally sent me, so I can now show the final couple of episodes in colour. Enjoy.



You’ve all seen the results of the strips over the last few weeks, and I hope that the above gives a bit of an insight into how I handled the technique. I apologise to Bryan now for showing some of his work without making sure, but it wouldn’t be complete without showing it.

Working on:
Father Whiplash- inking page 4.

Latest from FQP:
FutureQuake Completed pages- 25

MangaQuake cover saga- nothing from Mess studios for 4 weeks now. Even allowing for holidays this is not good.
Received a replacement cover from Mongoose McCloud which I’m prepping for print, along with a new inside cover containing a brief ’why?’ about the cover.
We’ve begun receiving interior pages for issue 03, and they have given us an idea for a very different cover.

Lost Property:
Covers done (wonderful colours by the mighty mini-Bolt) and a lot of the strips formatted.

DogBreath:
Received the line art for the opening strip, and mighty fine it looks. Hoping to have this ready for Lancaster, but it might have to wait for the Custard factory.

Is this the longest post I've done? Could be...

The Mighty Yammer: Crossover 06

Working on:
Father Whiplash- inking page 3.
Jon & Gorath- Greytones on part 23, pencils on part 24.

Latest from FQP:
FutureQuake Completed page- 25

MangaQuake cover saga- nothing from Mess studios for 3 weeks now. Even allowing for holidays this is not good.

Lost Property:
After last weeks push I’ve now got a lot more strip on the way, and I’m planning on starting to put the book together in the next two weeks.

Sorry for the rushed post, but I'm up to my eyes in real work. Should have something actually worth reading next week

Dave

The Mighty Yammer: Crossover 05

Some weeks are productive, and other weeks aren’t. I’m still inking Father Whiplash, but I’m only on the second page. Life is just too damn busy sometimes.

I’ve begun a push to get strips organised for the next issue of Lost Property, as I’ve only gotten approx 15 pages of strip so far. For those out there who don’t know what that is, you know the strips I run each week- three or four panel jobs, sometimes silly, sometimes not? I put out collections of those every so often and I’m prepping for another. If anyone wants to have a go, get in touch.

The MangaGate saga is still open and festering, with no communication during the last week, but a shedload of reporting being done. First I saw was a piece in Lying in the gutters and after that I saw links to several other forums as well. Thankfully the readers get that we are also victims of a wrong, and we’ve had some nice support. No sales though, which would have been a bonus.

Ah well, enough moaning, here’s the strips…




Dave

The Mighty Yammer: Crossover 04

This week I’ve been majorly busy trying to get all of Father Whiplash pencilled during a weeks leave. It is amazing how many ways there are to fill your day before you actually get round to drawing anything. However, I’ve managed it, and am now inking page 1.



My entry for the latest 2000ad online comp. Colours courtesy of my longtime collaborator Richmond Clements

For those of you who read this and do not read message boards, we’ve been subject to a rather fudged up piece of work, which is resulting in yours truly doing a lot more work for nothing than he’d like to.

MangaQuake message board

Read from about half way down and on through. At the moment we are trying to sort out a deal that will let us spin this into something positive and try to improve the vetting process in future!

Dave

The Mighty Yammer: Crossover 03

The Mighty Yammer: Crossover 02

This week the crossover gets going properly. If I've ordered these right then you 'should' be able to follow the plots through both strips.

I've also had the pleasure of having Richmond Clements colour a pic for me for the 2000adonline website.



I've also rejigged the logo and ID badge for FutureQuake, to be unveiled as time goes by.

As for other drawing I've just completed line-art on the last page of the first part of the new Whistler strip for Dogbreath. Just need to add tones and letter the complete thing then that is my main contribution done!

Off work now for two weeks, so I'm hoping to get a whole strip done for submission to the Judge Dredd Megazine. If it is accepted, I'll make sure everyone knows!

Laters
Dave

The Mighty Yammer: Crossover 01

The above is the opener in Bryan Coyle's Cannibal Salad strip that we did for Lost Property 02 as a crossover with the Yammer. Starting next week I'll be running an episode of both at the same time so that the strips will hopefully make sense.

This week we got some nice reviews in comics International. Check the
forums for scans.

This week I have finished the third Dreddheads strip, and put a couple of pictures up on the 2000ad Online website.



It has been announced that there is going to be a two-day comics event at the Custard Factory in December! A result for me as it is a local happening. More news as it happens.

Dave

The Mighty Yammer: 50

This week sees what is possibly the last episode of Yammer that I will draw. I’ve been drawing this feller for over ten years now, and I’ve finally reached the end. I do have an idea for more, but that is for waay down the line.

Starting next week I’ll be running the Yammer strips that ran as part of last Octobers Lost Property comic, alongside the Cannibal Salad strips by Bryan Coyle.

This week I’ve learned that if you don’t save multiple layer documents before you flatten them, then close, you will be left with a hard time trying to amend any of the layers.

I’m half way through the inks on the third Dreddheads strip with Paul Glasswell, and really enjoying myself. Hoping these will continue.

I’ve also been tempted to start drawing 2000ad characters for the message board as well.


Matt Tallon from the Mean Arena; A strip that has yet to receive a proper reprint.


Ace Garp, designed by the Maestro Bellardinelli.


and finally Nick Stone, another Bellardinelli character and a sketch I’m quite pleased with.

Dave

The Mighty Yammer: 49

This week saw the climax of the Albert & Myrtle strip, and it's delivery to the editors. Hopefully it will be available at Mecon in Ireland in the next few months.

I've also reached page 4 of the new Whistler strip for Dogbreath, as well as signing off on commissions for the first strips for the new comic. Exciting.

On the FQP Front, the cover to issue 07 of FutureQuake has been commissioned, and artists have been approached for interest in strips.

Forbidden Planet have just added a UK Small Press section to their website, and if you look under 'F' you may find something familiar...

Lost Property 03 has had some attention this week as well, with some new strips arriving and news of other strips that might be actually happening now. All good news there as I stil lhave 3/4 of the comic to fill.

Laters...

The Mighty Yammer: 48

Been a strange week, here at bolt towers, with the exiting of a script editor the completion of a set of line work pages and the commissioning of possibly the most fantastic opening script it has ever been my delight to read. More on 'that' particular piece of comic strip genius as it arrises.

Those of you out there who remember Jon & Gorath will be pleased to know that the first ten spisodes have now been accepted for printing in an up-coming title. No details as yet, but I'm very pleased to see those strips out there again.

I've also had a new batch of scripts, so when the Yammer concludes (12 weeks yet) I will have a lot more J&G for you to read.

Thanks to a recent sale in Thargs house of loveliness (www.2000adonline.com) I am now the proud owner of a Strontium dog action figure. Or rather I was, my six year old won't give it back and has taken to shouting 'Number four cartridge!' whist pointing the little Westinghouse blaster it came with. Dead proud me...

Dave

The Mighty Yammer: 47

This week has been steady. Got Albert & myrtle almost finished (line-art wise), so that strip ‘should’ be delivered soon.

I’ve had some nice strips sorted for Lost Property 03, so I’m pleased to see work beginning to trickle in for that.

FutureQuake garnered a pair of mentions in the current Comics International, which I’ll post here, and one of which raises an interesting question: What is the best format for presenting comics on t’internet? We currently have pdf’s of 1-3 on the FutureQuake website, with 4 to follow this summer. I can just sort another pdf, but is it the right thing to do?





I’ve had to replace the home printer and scanner this week, so I bought a lovely new HP printer/scanner from PC world. The quality of the scans is markedly up on my previous machine so I’m well chuffed.

Dave

The Mighty Yammer: 46

This week has seen me reach the inks on the long awaited Albert & Myrtle, which is progressing steadily. I've also completed two pages for the new Whistler series to appear in Dogbreath.

On another note, I'm wary of waffling here too much, as I think there are probably about 5 people who read it. That being said, those five will all know a lot of stuff anyway about me so why not?

Mark Woodland and myself have been approached to contribute some of our Jon & Gorath strips to a comic that is being produced and I've been helping sort out some images for a piece featuring Rogue Trooper. It will eventually appear on the 2000ad Review website. In fact, this is a pic I drew for that that the mighty Mini Bolt coloured for me. Think he did a bang-up job myself.



I've had word that someone appears to be running some sort of mini-vendetta against 2000ad related members of the UK Small press scene on Wikipedia. A bit pointless really, as most of those who produce the comics don't provide the Wiki info and so don't even know it is there. There is even a photo of me up on the Futurequake page that I didn't know about till Mrs Bolt found it! crazy.

Ah well, there are currently five episodes of Yammer left to finish the initial 50, so don't forget to check back next week for more!

The Mighty Yammer: 45

Not a lot to say this week.

Dave

The Mighty Yammer: 44

The mighty Yammer: 43

Agh! Missed a week! So much for a strip a week!
Any road- This week I’ve finished the second Dreddheads strip, which will see the light of day eventually. I’ve taken part in a project for the 2000ad Review site.
I’ve plotted and begun pencils on a strip that will hopefully be part of a project for MeCon in august and I’ve also finished the first page of the new series for Whistler.

Also, some scribbles for a strip for the next FQ: Father Whiplash!




A busy time in the house of Bolt!

Dave

The Mighty Yammer: 42

Well, Bristol went fantastic. We sold really well, and I’m currently waiting on a second set of FutureQuake and something wicked from the printers.

It was great to meet so many folks over the weekend, and it really helped recharge my battery. So much so that I (and Richmond Clements) have agreed to take over producing Dogbreath for Amanda.



Dave

The Mighty Yammer: 41

It is Bristol Weekend! I've collected the comics and everything should be on sale tomorrow AM.

This week I have completed all the Jon & Gorath scripts I'd got, ready for them to return, and I've pencilled a single page strip written By Al ewing for a project for the end of the year.

A weird thing about this years Bristol. It will see a strip see print that I had the pencils for at LAST YEARS event! Check out DogBreath 14 for the results.

The Mighty Yammer: 40

The Cd’s for both FutureQuake 06 and MangaQuake02 are in being printed, and everything else seems set for the Bristol weekend!

I’ve completed 3 new episodes of Jon & Gorath this week, ready for them to return after what seems like an age!

Also Dreddheads is proceeding well, the page is half pencilled and should be finished this time next week.

Dave

Dreddheads: Intro panel

This is the new intro and title panel I've done. The space at the bottom of the panel is for the title of the episode...

The mighty Yammer 39

The ink has just dried on the art for Yammer 50, so that means I am finished with all of the strips I want to do with this character.

I’ve begun work on a new ‘Dreddheads’ strip that will see publication somewhere and the next batch of strips for Jon & Gorath are all planned out as well.

In FQP News:
I have received a copy of Something Wicked, and it looks superb, really pleased at how it has come out.
This weekend also sees the final final deadline for FutureQuake and MangaQuake. Cue pulling out of hair as last minute problems arrive.

Dave

The Mighty Yammer: 38

Howdy!

First thing you might notice is the re-appearance of the Mighty Yammer, I’m almost 100% through with this guy, so hopefully I’ve timed this right and there will be a new episode here for the next 22 weeks.

Previously: Yammer is on the trail of a stolen military grade robot, which has ended up in the hands of an American Gangster. Also involved is Euro-thief N’il Point, who has just learned that the Yammer has been sighted. Now read on…



In other news: I love the corp is all finished with, and the majority of the pages have arrived for the next pair of FQP titles. Things are still fairly fluid, but as print deadline looms, that will change.

Dave

Strontium Dog: The cup-cake case...

This week: I’ve finished the pencils for I love the corp, and I’ve been working on a page to be seen in the next edition of Dogbreath. A nice little parody of the old Twinkie Ads in the comics of my youth, this has been a breath of fresh air for me.

The Bolt-mobile is back from the car doctors, and is now undergoing a steady period of rehab.

Today is Mrs Bolt’s birthday. Like all true ladies she doesn’t wish for her age to be discussed, so I won’t. However this is an opportunity for me to shout to the masses that my wife is wonderful and I would be lost without her.

Something wicked is in at the printers, and despite a last minute faff with the cover (I didn’t allow for trim space on the artwork) all seems to be progressing nicely.

The next two weeks see the print deadlines for FQ and MQ approach, so I may be a bit more frantic than usual next week.

Dave