YOUR ROUND



Yes, YOUR ROUND: TEQUILA is finally finished and off to the printers. Hopefully the book will be in print in time for Bristol, we'll just have to see. Posted here is the absolutely brilliant cover by my good friend James Hodgkins, who also did some design work on the book, the back cover, and a short story too. The book features a short story by my other good mate Bob Byrne, who bailed on me to be with his girlfriend after me flyin back to Dublin to see him and everythin'. Gay.
And me you ask? Well i drew the main story, a 12 pager called Hustle, and also did a 2 page strip, which you can see here as a little taster.

Enjoy!

More updates soon.





Dec.

YOUR ROUND ALMOST FINISHED

Yep, Your Round issue one; TEQUILA is nearly wrapped up. Some technical shennanigans must be involved now, but art-wise, the book is done. If all goes well, the book will see print in time for the Bristol convention in May.

I'll post the finished cover soon, it's a cracker.

Did a back-up story for it, on top of the 12 issue 'masterpiece' i finished recently. Here's a few panels...












Dec

SEPTIC ISLE

Andy Winter, writer of Hero Killers and the forthcoming Blood Psi recently asked me to do a cover for his next book, SEPTIC ISLE.

I really enjoyed doing the last cover for Andy, so i was more than happy to do another for his Moonface Press books. He's always very encouraging of whatever ideas i come up with.

In this case, since this book is a graphic novel, rather than a 20 or so paged comic book, i went a bit further with this design, utilising the back cover as well as the back. I wanted to have a striking front image, and bring in some story elements in the back, where the text/blurbs will be. The way i worked it out, when the image is folded over, the main character will be peering out at the viewer at either side.

Here's the front....






















And the whole wraparound image...

















Dec.

HUSTLE

My aforementioned book, Your Round will be out for the Bristol Comic Expo in May. Due to deadline problems Mike Collins will no longer be in the first book. Instead, my good friend James Hodgkins, who's inkwork has graced the pages of Lucifer, Batman, Jenny Sparks (and many more) is filling Mike's shoes.

The main story, 'Hustle' is illustrated my myself.

Here's the first page, to wet your appetite.






















Dec.

DRINK ANYONE?

A panel from my contribution to Your Round.



















Dec

ANOTHER SPIDEY COMMISSION

Was asked to do another Spider-man piece, that included his black costume somehow. So, i went with a shadowy piece, where he's wearing his traditional red and blue duds, but in his shadow, we can see the black costume.




















Dec.

HERO KILLERS NOMINATED FOR EAGLE AWARD.

I'm thrilled to announce that Hero Killers, written by Andrew Winter and illustrated by myself has been nominated for this years Eagle Award for Favourite British Black and White Comicbook.
To say i'm pleased would be a huge understatement.
I'd like to thank everybody who voted for the nomination, really, thanks so much.
Maybe, if ye all voted for it to win .....it just might.....?

Here's the link;

http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/vote.asp

Thanks again,

Dec

More Pencils.













Dec

Okay, i can officially announce that aside from Freak Show, another title i'm working on is a self-publishing endeavor called Your Round..

This had been on the backburner for a while but slowly making progress. The aim is to have an issue out for the Bristol con in May, but it's gonna take a lot of work on my part.

Your Round is an anthology series set in a pub. Any pub. Everybody has a pub story, Your Round is where creators can tell one. The first issue, 'Tequila,' has 3 stories. One by Mike Collins (artist on Doctor Who, Superman, Star Trek, etc.), another by Bob Byrne (of Mbleh, The Shiznit and 2000AD fame) and one more by myself.

Will have lots more news on this soon, along with some pages, but here's a little taste for now....









Dec

Spidey Comission

Just finished this piece. Was asked to draw a piece that had 'something to do with Spider-man 3, so i wemt with an image with the black costume taking him over.




Dec.

Freak Show 3 in the can.


Just finished up issue three. Still have to do fix bits up and letter a bit but otherwise, all the hard work is done. This news also follows the news that issue 3, isn't actually going to be issue 3. Freak Show, instead of being relaesed in 12 single issues, will instead be 4, 60page 'mini-trades,' if you like. So now, the 3 part story i've just finished will take the form of a collected story arc, in a prestige-like format. I believe issue one, (which was initially issues 1-3) will be out for the Bristol convention this year.



I'm very excited, and can't wait till the book is out.

Dec

The gang.


Scanner hasn't made it's way here yet, so a photo will have to do for the time being.


Dec.

Aberdeen BABY!

Yes my friends, i have left the cold, wet shores of my beloved Ireland, for the ...uh, cold, wet shores of Scotland. Still trying to settle into a routine, for setting up the studio and so forth had proceeded to the detriment of my creative output. The main thing is i have a space, net connection, access to materials and a vast amount of comics at my disposal. Aberdeen seems to be a really nice town. Everyone i've met seems pretty sound. People seem to be generally impressed when i say i draw comics here, rather that the "Heh? Watcha taaaakin' abou'?" i get back home.

It's cold. Colder that home, but nothing of arctic proportions. Some scottish accents have bested me, generally the drunker they are the tougher they are to understand. Much like myself i imagine. Haven't explored the city as much as i should have, but i know my way. around the centre, that's a start, i guess.

Things i've learned since coming here:
I do not fall gracefully. I've fallen twice since i got here.
'Shams' are called 'neds' here.
Animals leave a lot of white hair on black clothes.
6 shots of tequila in one night won't kill me.
Girls like my red tie, but my red shoes impress no one save myself.

Waiting for my iMac and scanner to be shipped over. My entire life is on that thing so hopefully it'll arrive in less than two pieces.

Here's some photos:




Asylum Books and Games, underneath which i toil away in my studio.












Inside the shop. Look at all the comics!!!













And all the sculptures!

















The Bassment. Other than where i'm sleeping and the shop, this is where i've spent every night since coming here. Yes, it's a pub.











And my studio. Ooooh. Look at the nice chair.













My fancy new lamp, with a stand for a drawing board, minus the drawing board.












My laptop, as i write this very post. Ain't technology grand?












Me working away, doing the very little bit of work i've done since i've got here.












My shadow, in Scotland.

















And an unfinished panel, just to prove i've done something.













Well that's me done talking for a while. Go away. Come back later.

Till then, i remain,

Dec.

Freak Show Inks.


Very excited to be nearing the end of Freak Show issue 3. Had some personal troubles recently, and trying to organise the move to Scotland next week has pretty much halted my progress on the book. Getting there though.

Really looking forward to the new story arc too.

As i said, moving to Aberdeen on thursday, so won't be posting for a week or so. Will put up a big report on the move once i've settled.

Dec.

Death, by Zombie.





This is some more work from that aforementioned zombie project. I have a pencilled version below somewhere. Some fool actually wants to buy this piece. He's crazy methinks. Sex-mad also.

Dec.

Freak Show Inks.

You should know who this guy is by now.

Dec.

The Shiznit.



Was asked to contribute to the latest Shiznit issue, the brainchild of Bob Byrne. Frequent Shiznit collaborator Brian Kenny wrote a 2 page story for me which i was more than happy to do. Not finished yet, here's a panel to peak your interest.

Dec

Final Band Illustration.



This is the last piece i did. Went down the more bloody route. The character looks too much like Iron Maiden's 'Eddie' character, but otherwise i like it. I like the blood red being the only colour.





















Dec

Eagle Award Nominations.

Hello all, below is a link to the Eagle Awards site. Introduced in 1976, the Eagles are the comics industry's longest established awards. Nominations are now being solicited for the 2006 Eagle Awards. The winners will be announced at the Bristol International Comic Expo on Saturday, May 12 2007 at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Bristol.

If it takes your fancy to nominate Hero Killers for Favourite Black and White Comic Book -British, then i wouldn't take any offence whatsoever. If not, i would recommend Tongue of the Dead, by David Baillie, Freak Show by Curley, Mooney and Thompson, or Phonogram, by Gillen and McKelvie.

http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/nominate.asp

That's all for now,

Dec.

Band Illustrations



I have some pieces i did a few months back. A local metal band were looking for illustrations they could use for posters and t-shirts and the like. Did some and they ended up not using them or paying me for my time, which was annoying as i was getting busy starting Freak Show and was only going to do other work if it was paying. Anyway, here's one of them























Dec