DUBLIN CITY COMIC CON --REPORT

Hello all. Got back from Dublin yesterday. Lets just say i'm suffering now for all the fun i had this weekend.

Met up with Will Sliney on Friday night before the con for a good old catch-up session. He headed too the hotel bar, where organisers and guests of the show were all out. A surreal moment was when i saw John McCrea chase Jim Lee out of the room. It was funny to see all the old hands go nuts while us young newbies behaved ourselves.















After Will and i set up our table, we met Alan Nolan, who presented me with his new Sancho issue that a cover i had illustrated months ago, which was great. I'll post it during the week. I took a break from the table to attend the Breaking into Comics panel. The panelists were Stephen Mooney (CSI, Angel), Nick Roche (Transformers, Doctor Who), CB. Cebulski (Marvel's The Loners), and Stephen Thompson(Star Wars, Star Trek). It was a really interesting panel and everyone had some great points, especially C.B., who gave some great advice to artists/writers who are looking to make a name for themselves in the biz.
















C.B Cebulski and Nick Roche at Saturday's panel.

During the day i did some sketches, sold a few comics, and showed some Frankenstein preview pages to folk. I'm happy to say everyone seemed to like my work on the book so far.




















Stephen Mooney and Stephen Thompson seemed to get some well-deserved props over the weekend. Here's Mooney doing a sketch for a fan. Thompson was doing some kick-ass sketches as usual. Thompson. I hate that guy. Mooney too.

Got a Jim Lee sketch! That was not only a highlight of the weekend, but a highlight of my life. As i said in the Birminham post, i don't geek out over artists much anymore, but Jim Lee....? Geeking compulsory. I should rellay scan that sketch....


I don't have any photos of it, but i was a panelist on Sunday's Irish Comics panel, along with Will Sliney, Alan Nolan, Gar Cummins and Pádraig O Méalóid. Was really fun, although i was just crcking jokes the whole time. I don't think i had any insightful advice for anyone. I was happy to take part, as there really is a lot of irish comics coming out these days, and was worth discussing.





















Did some decent sketches myself, this being one of them.
















Jackie, Setphen Mooney, Lisa Jackson, Dave, Stephen Thompson, C.B. Cebulski, my empty chair, Jamie, Sinead, Marney and Will Sliney after the con on Sunday.




















Bespeckled Irish Comic Creators Nick Roche and Me.
















The ineviable face-off. It's been established that myself and Will are the Thompson/Mooney for a new generation, seeing as myself and Thompson are similar characters, as are Will and Mooney. Here, we face off. The winner? Undecided. I'm rooting for the Shalvey/Thompson team, but i may be biased.

















Thompson laughing when finding out that Mooney is a big fan of 'The big guy upstairs'. Thats Jesus, to you kids.
















The gang. Lisa Jackson, myself, Jackie, Mooney, Will, C.B., and two people i don't know.

Below: Thompson.
















Two more people i don't know, guest of the show Jock and organiser of the show, John Hendrick.





















Sound man! C.B. gets a round in.

















Myself and show organiser Dave Hendrick.


















C.B. Cebulski and myself. Note how we both look off-camera like in those crappy TV shows when a character takes a photo of other characters. I hate it when they do that! Anyway, i'm veering off the point. The point is ....uh ....C.B. was sound, or something.

In summary, it was a great con.. It was great to come home to the city of my birth and attend a really impressive show, inlike having to go to the UK for one, as i've always had to do in the past.

I guess i'd just like to say thanks to everyone who said hello, bought a comic or asked for a sketch over the weekend. I hope ye had a good a time as i did.


Dec.

DUBLIN CITY COMIC CON --THIS WEEKEND!

Well, it's finally here, this week is the big Dublin Con. Went last year and had a blast. It's strange to think that in only a year i've made some great friends from that one weekend.




















This year's con is a huge step up on last year's one, with the headline guest being Jim Lee, the biggest star ever to come out of comics. Probably the most popular artist the medium has ever produced. While my tastes veer to more indie styles these days, this is the man that made me want to draw comics. I remember picking up a reprint of X-Men issue 1 when i was 12 and i was hooked! Damn you Jim Lee!

Carlos Pacheco had a big effect on me too. He got me out of my Jim Lee/Andy Kubert phase and opened me up to a more dynamic style, that showed how much you could push your knowledge of anatomy.

Liam Sharp drew the first American comicbook i ever bought. Nuff said

I was practically raised on Hitman, created by John McCrea, 'Nuff said there also.

There's an incredible group of talent with more recent artists who've make a name for themselves such as Adi Granov, Ben Oliver, Steve McNiven, Dougie Braithwaite and Jock.

Let's not forget the writers.

Mark Millar is arguably the biggest writer in comics right now, and Paul Cornell is not only becoming well known for being a writer, but for being a very good writer.

But last, and certainly not least are the 'New Kids On The Block,' the Irish talent. Great guys one and all. I speak of course of Stephen Mooney, Stephen Thompson and Nick Roche. All these guys are at the top of their game, working on high-profile books in the States(Angel, Star Trek and Doctor Who, respectively). I'm insanely jealous of them all.

Of course, i'll be there, flogging my wares along with the ever-handsome Will Sliney. He'll have copies of Atomic Rocket Group 66, i'll have Freak Show, Your Round and some Hero Killers too. I'll also have a folder of some Frankenstein work, just to tease you all. I've also been asked to appear on a panel aboul Irish Comics on Sunday at 11AM, so be sure to come to that and heckle me.

So, if you don't make this con, you are officially a leper. There's never been a con with this many high profile guests in Ireland before. I just wish it was saturday right now.

For more details about guests, the venue and panels, check out the Dublin Comic Con Website or MySpace page.

See you Saturday!

Dec.

SHALEV

My editor at Classical Comics, Clive Bryant, was interviewed this week on Newsarama about Classical's first graphic novel, HENRY V. He also mentions upcomming books, such as mine, ie, Frankenstein. There's also mention of artists working on these books.

"Some of the established talent in the comic book industry involved include the wonderfully talented Gary Erskine, Eagle Award Winner Declan Shalev and Panini/Marvel UK’s Jon Haward"

.....sigh. First mention of my name on Newsarama and they get my name wrong. Still, it's a mention, and i sound more interesting ....italian or something. Maybe i should consider changing my name althogether.

You can read the whole article here

Dec.

LAYOUTS

Due to popular demand (well, at least from Mooney), here's a layout page for something else i'm tipping away on. Bad language censored, for you impressionable kids. I'm looking out you Luke and Tyler.





















In other news, i got the rest of the Tim Skinner script off my Hero Killers partner-in-crime, Andy Winter and i gotta say; i love it. I have 3 pages of it done, but i'm not sure when i can get back started on it. I really want to wrap up Book 2 of Freak Show, and there's some other stuff i wanna get out of the way. I'm gonna colour Tim Skinner too, so the sooner it's drawn the better. There's a LOT going on it though, it's gonna be quite a challenge to draw, never mind colour.

Dec

I'M STARTING WITH THE MAN IN THE MIRROR

I'm asking him to change his ways.

















More Frankenstein.

Dec.

JAMES




















Doing some much-needed Freak Show work. Two cons within a month meant i had to concentrate on Frankenstein in October, so trying to pick up the pace on Freak Show a bit.

Also, just saw a funny post on Bob Byrne's site about Rob Liefield. Check it out here.

Dec.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN



















Wanted to do a sketch, but didn't have the time. Instead, here's my first, proper take of the Frankenstein Monster that i did while trying out for the Frankenstein job. He's different in the book, but from this you can get an idea of what he looks like.

Dec.

BAT SKETCH

While at Birmingham i did this little Batman sketch. Nothing fancy, but i quite liked it.




















So, i thought for a larf i'd colour it up a little (this blog could do with a bit of colour from time to time). No need to point out how crap the colours are, i just thought i'd have a go at colouring something loosely, while trying to add a bit of texture to it.






















Dec.

MONSTER INKS



















Here's the inks to yesterdays panel. Getting to draw more scenes with the Monster now, which i'm enjoying a lot.

Dec.

MONSTER PENCILS





















I posted a section of this scene before, but it was from my layouts. This is from the pencilled page. Inks soon.

Dec.

CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY




















Drooooool. This is the Kevin Nowlan piece i managed to get at Birmingham. Oh god, i'm so happy with it, i could mate with it.

Seriously.



Dec.

THE BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL COMICS SHOW (BICS)

Man, what a weekend. It started in Dublin at 6.30am waking up on my mates couch rushing to have a quick shower before my buddy Matt, his girlfriend Nara and myself had to catch a taxi to the airport. At the airport we met Mooney, Thompson, Lisa and one Mr. Fran Johnston.

We seperated once we landed in Birmingham, so we could all get settled in our respective hotels (or hostel in my case). I met the irish guys for a cup of tea (how irish)and left them so i could meet up again with Matt and Nara. We went to a bar we found last year and started drinking. This was around 2 o clock. We were soon joined my the patron saint of Brum, Ben McCool and who must be the patron saint of Croatia, Esad Ribic. There, i was drinking 8% cider! Thankfully i took a break to meet Will Sliney off the bus. We rejoined the irish crew for some grub and went back to the bar. Gotta say, it was great to be out in Brum with the irish crew. I've been going to British cons for years and at last year's Brum i had 2 or 3 irish mates at it. This time, it was more like 10. That was brilliant.

Friday night was the launch party, and boy, what a party it was. Met up with Andy Winter who i worked with on Hero Killers and David Baillie, who wrote me a story for Your Round. I may have had a bit to drink. I'm sure there were many witnesses to support this fact. Oh yeah, and these pictures do the same.....
















Nara and myself hamming it up for the camera.
















Another Croatian/Irish photo. This time Esad Ribic and me.















The Irish crowd. Stephen Mooney, Will Sliney, Stephen Thompson, Me and a very happy Lisa Jackson.















Good ol' boys Willy McSliney and Dec O'Shalvinator.















Things degenerate rapidly. Will, me, Niki Robinson, Leigh Gallagher, Andy Baker (servicing Matt Hollingsworth) and Matt servicing me.

The next day i had to get up early to meet and greet the clamtastic Bob Byrne. Safe to say, i was a bit rough, but after a greasy breakfast and some witty banter i was all set for the con. It was held in the very impressive Millenium Point building(sorry, no pictures). The Bristol conventions in May ars split between two buildings, and last years Birmingham convention had dealers and exhibitors divided into seperate rooms, so it was great that this year, everyone was all under one roof, with a seperate hall for talks/panels. Again, no photos. Why do i have no photos of the actual con, only the bars afterwards. My Saturday was spent sitting with Bob Byrne at my table, next to Si Spurrier, who was wonderful company. I met up with my employers, the good people at Classical Comics, and met and greeted lots of familiar faces. A friend of mine from Limerick, Alma O' Carroll had her first comic out, Redemption's Flame, and it's absolutely brilliant. I knew Alma had promise, but he's come on in huge strides in the last few months. See some of her work here. And here she is sketching....
















Saturday evening brought some more drinking, and some more posing...















Will, me, a cheeky Mooney, and a smiley Thompson.















Me and Bob Byrne.















A bottle of whiskey, Sir Michael of Wright, myself and Benny McCool (with a justifiably bemused looking Liam Sharp in the background).




















Team Anger; Guilia Brusco, Esad Ribic and me.















Team .....uh .......4 A.M. Bob Byrne, Lorcan McGrane, me (now with karate action), Lee O' Connor and Dom Reardon

I woke on Sunday, surprised that i had no hangover. More of the same on Sunday, which was great. I went to Matt's colouring panel, which was really interesting. Definately a highlight of the weekend. By the time it was over, i wanted to colour everything around me! Another highlight was when i managed to get a big A3 sketch off one of my favourite artists, Kevin Nowlan. I was so excited when i heard he was attending the show. I don't geek out much these days, but man, i had to when it came to Mr. Nowlan. Mike Mingnola was there too, but i got a sketch off him in San Diego last year, so i was happy. Very happy.



















Matt's colouring demo.

Sunday night was a much more relaxed affair. Saw Michael Wright's band SKELTER perform in a very surreal venue, and caught up with my good pal James Hodgkins and fellow organisers of the con, Andy Baker and Shane Chebsey.















The organisers Shane, James and Andy.















PILE-ON!!!!!! The organisers, and a Will and a Matt on top of them.


In the end, I had an absolute blast, even better than last year. Hopefully next year will be even better.

Thanks to everyone who said hi, and thanks to everyone who's photos i robbed for this blog post. I'm looking at you Bob.

Dec.

HOME

Ahhhh the green hills of county Clare....















After Sub-Con i decided to take a couple of days off to visit some family and friends. Spent a couple of days in Quin and Ennis in County Clare (above) and a few days with friends in Limerick (below)

























After that i did a couple of days work in Stephen Mooney's studio, he being a gracious host as ever. Here's Steve working away on his pages.......
















And the 'guest drawing-board' that i was using, with all my Frankenstein work crap on it....

















Once i'd enough work done, i picked up my mate Matt and his lovely girlfriend Nara from the airport. We spent a couple of days (walking and drinking) around Dublin. Mega thanks to John, Keith and Tony for putting us up for the couple of days.

One of the days we met up with the 'irish gang', ie, Mooney, Thompson, Bob Byrne and their respective partners for a trip to the Guinness brewery, dinner, and a couple of drinks after, which was great. I love meeting up with those guys.
















More drinks at the Porter House followed, and some Croatian Brandy as a nightcap. We all had to be up early for Birmingham......

Dec.

SUB-CON REPORT

Couple of weeks late on this, but better late than never. Flew over to Ireland a day or so before Sub-Con. Thanks again to Stephen Mooney for putting me up and letting me share his studio. Thanks to Stephen Thompson for slipping me a few answers on "Buzz". Mooney, Thompson and myself headed into the con on Saturday morning where we met up with Will Sliney, Bob Byrne and all the other usuals.

Have to say, i had a great day. Me and Will shared a table beside Simon Furman, who was a pleasure to talk to. Met a good few folk who were looking for Freak Show sketches. Will signed a fair few copies of Atomic Rocket Group 66 which by the way, looks just brilliant. From what i saw, Thompson was bangin' out a rake of brilliant sketches. Man, i hate that Thompson fella.

I was part of a panel on 'Irish Comics' along with Steve Mooney, Alan Nolan and Will. I really enjoyed it, it was great to hear questions from the crowd about various aspects of irish comics. All of us on the panel joked with each other a lot, which i hope was entertaining for the audience.

Later that evening, Steve Mooney and his girlfriend Jackie, Stephen Thompson and his girlfriend Lisa and me and my girlfriend Will Sliney went for a lovely dinner and a couple of pints. Razor sharp wit was aplenty, but i provided none of it..

Here be some photos from the day....



Will donning a Green Goblin helmet.





















A fan with a sketch i did for him.





















Steve Mooney, Will Sliney and part of Jackie's forehead.
















The Thompsons. Lisa and ....uh ...Thompson.























Dec.

Greetings all. Just a little note to say i'm back in Aberdeen, but need to take a day off to recover from the past 2 weeks. I should have a report of Sub-Con, My visit home and finally, the Birmingham con. I've had an absolute blast, but man am i suffering for it now. More tomorrow.

Dec.

I'LL SEE YOU ON THE DANCE-FLOOR

After a day of listening to 80's classics at Steve's place, it finally affected my work. Notice Victor's expressive 80's dancing. Dancing on a table and everything. If that's nor 80's i dunno what is. I reckon he's dancing to Duran Duran's 'The Reflex.'

God knows that's how I dance to it....





















Gonna be quiet for the next few days. Once i finish work today i'm meeting up with a mate and showin' him around Dublin for a couple of days, then it's the Birmingham convention in ....uh ....well ...Birmingham. I've been looking forward to this con for ages. Your Round will finally will get a big public launch, i'll get to meet up with old buds, make some new ones hopefully, and the usual antics. Get yourself there if you know what's good for you!!!

I'll be back blogging next week, if i survive the next few days that is.......

Dec.

BACK TO WORK

Yep, i'm back at it today. I'll do a big report on Sub-Con and my week off next week sometime, i need to get crackin on some pages so i can take a few days off to go to Birmingham this week. I took photos and stuff, but i'm back at Steve 'Hot-dog' Mooney's studio doing work, but once i get back to my own studio, i'll do up posts on Sub-Con, my trip home, and the Birmingham show. In the meantime, Will Sliney has a bit about Sub-Con on his blog, and Mooney wrote up a nice little report where he ridicules me during most of it.

Also worth mentioning Will Sliney just got picked up by the Classical Comics crew. Nice one Will!!!!!

Speaking of Classical Comics, here's a piece from the newest batch of Frankenstein layouts......






















Dec.

SUB-CON






















Yep, it's finally here, SUB-CON is on tomorrow. Sorry for the lack of posts this week, i've been real busy tring to wrap up this month's Frankenstein pages, so that i can attend tomorrows show. Currently working from the very generous and handsome Stephen Mooney's studio since i flew over from Scotland yesterday.

Really looking forward to the show. There's a real wealth of comic talent coming out of Ireland these days, and i'm happy to call most of them close friends. Except Bob Byrne. He's dead to me.

I remember when i was growing up in Cloughleigh, in Ennis, Co. Clare i was sure i was the only kid in Ireland drawing comics and that someday i'd be known as 'the irish comics artist.' Flash forward 12 or 13 years and here i am, attending a con with fleet of irish creators. Fair play to Rob Curley (Freak Show creator/writer) for organising this con, and getting quality overseas guests like Pia Guerra and Steve Niles, British mainstays like Talbot and Moore/Reppion, while still giving us lesser known Irish guys decent props.

My soul-mate Will Sliney is unveiling his first published book at the con; ATOMIC ROCKET GROUP 66. I've got a pin-up in it, so that's reason enough to pick it up, but on top of that, Will drew the whole story and from what i've seen, it looks great.

The Rock and Roll duo of Stephen Mooney and Stephen Thompson will be there, both previously worked on FREAK SHOW, but have moved on to bigger and brighter projects in the states.

And of course, that Byrne fella will be there, going ON and ON about gettin' into 2000AD. That's all he ever talks about.

Seriously though, i remember the first time i met the Bobster was at a small con Rob organised. Not as big as what's on tomorrow, but i had a laugh all the same. Good times.......

Anyway, if you're knockin' around Dublin tomorrow, come by and i'll give you a free sketch...... if you buy one of my books that is.

Dec.

P.S. I won't be posting for about a week. Taking a few days off to visit friends and family while i'm back in Ireland and as i'm sure you know, there's no such thing as the 'internet' in Ireland.

Well, not in Quin village anyway.

MY FAVOURITE PAGE

Every now and then i belt out a favourite page. Not that it's necessarily better than the others, but it just turned out the way you wanted to. If you're very lucky, it'll be better. That's very rare.

Anyhoo. This is a bit from my new favourite page.....















Dec.