Spider-Man Play Jazz

As a child I remember thinking that Spider-Man had to be the most difficult superhero to draw, because of all the lines and detail. It seems easy now, so I suppose I must have become a proper illustrator. How about that!

Stan the Wonder Cat and Spider-Men

Stan the Wonder Cat.


Spider-Men.

Webcomic

I'm frustrated with Super Sam and John of the Night, but not because I'm unhappy with it. The story and characters work well. The main problem is that I'm finding it difficult to finish. I know exactly how the strip ends and what the final scenes are, but the pages leading up to that are a little vague. Not only that, but it's taking me more pages to get to the ending than I originally planned.

It's a bit like running a marathon, in which you're exhausted, but that's okay, because you can now see the end of the race in the distance. Only, as you're running towards it, the race end is moving away from you at the same speed.

However, endings are really hard and it would be easy to mess the whole thing up, simply because I was in a rush to finish it and get onto the next project.

As for the next project, I've got some strong ideas.



All previous episodes can be seen here. forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/?cat=21

Thor Dalek

What if The Mighty Thor was a dalek?

They Swopped Jumpers

Dennis and Charlie.

Hulk, 1963

A one page hulk gag strip. The idea for this came to me about ten years ago. Now, finally, I've actually drawn it. Amazing.

Caption, Oxford

At the weekend I went down to Oxford to attend the annual Caption Small Press Comics Convention.

I haven't been to Caption for many years, as I'd got caught up in the world of psychiatric nursing, and I'd thought of myself as retired from all that comics stuff. Except, of course, there must have been a small part of me still holding out, as I never stopped drawing, and I continued to write and illustrate my own comics, even though no one saw them and there was no real chance of them being published. This is something I just do, because its in my blood.

So it was great to return to Caption and meet up with both new and old friends. I was totally inspired by the event. I received an incredibly warm welcome from everyone. The small press scene is very much like a family. You can be away, like I was, for years, and be welcomed back into the fold like you'd never been away. I must thank everyone for being so kind and generous.



Taken on my drunken walk back to the hotel from Caption 2008 (I got lost).



The Escape panel: Woodrow Phoenix, Ryan Hughes and Paul Gravett.



Paul Gravett, Tony Hitchman and Gavin Burrows.



Taken during one of the panels. On the left Matt Brooker and in the foreground, Andy Konky Kru.



Woodrow Phoenix, Chris Butler, Damian Cugley, Andy Konky Kru, Paul Gravett. Ryan Hughes.



Susan Burghart, Sarah McIntyre, Ryan Hughes.

John and the Painting

A fairly recent page from my ongoing webcomic, Super Sam and John of the Night.