tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76041714972827105542024-03-05T09:03:16.765+00:00The Boys' Own BlogSIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-86358373523032881872013-12-24T11:01:00.000+00:002013-12-24T11:01:02.001+00:00Merry Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68_6Ge9v1a9Onx7yJmfR41OxxzQpLK3TTFDqnL2hv12_sLX4IY02FIZhRmeQrYEl59gGP315lmypT2BW6lBK3DDE4M60YkChkEFTrRCRWmRZCyVFUXX9sGMXpzPWVqCfIsFHk_fjauVk/s1600/wwcards-5l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68_6Ge9v1a9Onx7yJmfR41OxxzQpLK3TTFDqnL2hv12_sLX4IY02FIZhRmeQrYEl59gGP315lmypT2BW6lBK3DDE4M60YkChkEFTrRCRWmRZCyVFUXX9sGMXpzPWVqCfIsFHk_fjauVk/s400/wwcards-5l.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-33164828046261472122013-12-23T18:18:00.001+00:002013-12-23T18:18:29.411+00:00I'm not dead... honestly.<div style="text-align: justify;">I know... I suck at blogging.
<br />
<br />
But let's not dwell on my laziness... since it is almost Christmas let's have a look at some nice art by the warm and lovely WJC...
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqcYTxeAhYScKOnA7S6oX3fjx3OgkZZJNUnpagbjV7hQf_yjgHI8S2nFoCC18qbgISa5pLSAQBHwbt4ezPN6oHnKeAqjO6yXo9O7pX3uqnzUOAncRuFuzKGj_d2j1pNWov2NcA9VajH8/s1600/recoloured.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqcYTxeAhYScKOnA7S6oX3fjx3OgkZZJNUnpagbjV7hQf_yjgHI8S2nFoCC18qbgISa5pLSAQBHwbt4ezPN6oHnKeAqjO6yXo9O7pX3uqnzUOAncRuFuzKGj_d2j1pNWov2NcA9VajH8/s400/recoloured.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
...featuring the Black Sheep and Georgie!
<br />
<br />
I might not have been blogging much but I have been hard at work offline.
<br />
<br />
Honest.
<br />
<br />
I have now finished three scripts for short stories featuring the Black Sheep... one of which I have shown to a small handful of people I trust... and so far the feedback has been encouraging. I have outlines for about thirty more short stories and i'm working on a couple of longer stories that are a bit more ambitious.
<br />
<br />
I have also been putting together a revised edition of my Black Sheep bible with updated character bios and designs for over a hundred characters.
<br />
<br />
I'll try to post more often in the new year... but no promises because I don't like lying right to your cute little faces.
<br />
<br />
Meanwhile you can check out more from WJC over on his <a href="http://warwickjohnsoncadwell.blogspot.co.uk/">blog</a> and his gorgeous new Quinthaven poster book is currently available to buy.<br /><br /><br /></div>
SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-530019397032413112012-12-24T22:40:00.000+00:002012-12-24T22:40:03.578+00:00Merry Christmas<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPtlvzdwVvn9wVF5B5v3MiB9MB2ezR1Hb6skLRouxtgEsp_svGZsbdIEbApk7yooaEZGVoGoYhO7XGejNDMeXNmTi-lExH8kVBoEFtkIN0O95kbzzxpYuTiztPAD0FV5tZCeC3Ehpfq0/s1600/Superxmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPtlvzdwVvn9wVF5B5v3MiB9MB2ezR1Hb6skLRouxtgEsp_svGZsbdIEbApk7yooaEZGVoGoYhO7XGejNDMeXNmTi-lExH8kVBoEFtkIN0O95kbzzxpYuTiztPAD0FV5tZCeC3Ehpfq0/s400/Superxmas.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-12208741820655926482012-11-23T15:30:00.000+00:002012-11-23T15:30:02.439+00:00His Friend and Companion, the Lovely Georgie Gilmour<div style="text-align: justify;">It's been a while sooo... let's talk about the woman in our hero's life... Georgie Gilmour.
<br />
<br />
Georgie is a young widow living alone in a crappy little flat and struggling to make ends meet with very little money. Originally from a lower-middle class family she fell on hard times and had to sell her house when her husband was killed in the war. Now she survives on her husband's war pension and makes a living illustrating children's books... later on in the comics she will enjoy modest success with a newspaper strip she creates about a little bear called Sidney.
<br />
<br />
I think because of the turn her life has taken when we first meet her she is quite a sad figure... melancholy and lonely. But after a while she starts to come out of her shell and it turns out she actually has quite a fun and adventurous personality. She is down-to-earth and smart and mischievous and cheeky and sometimes a little bit of a tomboy.
<br />
<br />
Georgie and her husband were not on good terms when he left for the war... their relationship had been strained for some time because of debt and she said some things she regrets... she was anxious to work it out with him but he never made it home.
<br />
<br />
Since she lost her husband she has trouble sleeping at night and often goes to a little all-night cafe near where she lives to sit and sketch... this is where she meets our hero. As i mentioned in a previous post Rupert is also unable to sleep since the war and has taken to wandering the streets at night incognito. Georgie likes to watch the people around her in the cafe for inspiration for her sketchbook so she sees through the working class clothes and accent and realises there is more to him than he wants people to see. Over time the two begin talking and confiding in each other and become close friends... two lost souls connecting.
<br />
<br />
But their relationship is complicated... both of them are damaged goods since the war... Rupert is a mess of nerves and emotions and Georgie is still grieving for her husband and is feeling guilty. So there is a strong attraction and connection there but also a sense that it is wrong and shouldn't be acted on... it all feels a bit illicit really.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZdzyygVbrVqwEUVAtO_05ozvgqgTIBj5dH807aiHSBBiXUbyXaFxqsraJOSMDvadXLythc_JiUjoQ8tQhcV7YBzLVSC3mFc9BPRhTNh67gX5EYgTRLE013TT9WA2mtaV-KmXcs6wAVHQ/s1600/011+Georgie+Gilmour+New.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZdzyygVbrVqwEUVAtO_05ozvgqgTIBj5dH807aiHSBBiXUbyXaFxqsraJOSMDvadXLythc_JiUjoQ8tQhcV7YBzLVSC3mFc9BPRhTNh67gX5EYgTRLE013TT9WA2mtaV-KmXcs6wAVHQ/s400/011+Georgie+Gilmour+New.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Georgie was a tough nut to crack frankly.
<br />
<br />
I must confess that i have read almost none of the Shadow pulp stories... but i love the 1930s radio show and i listen to that over and over. One of the things i like about the show is the relationship between Lamont Cranston and Margo Lane. Margo isn't some clueless damsel in distress who needs to be rescued every week... she is capable and intelligent and witty. Cranston treats her as an equal... a companion and confidante. And the scripts dance around this with subtle innuendo and flirting but you just <b>know</b> the two of them are at it like rabbits secretly.
<br />
<br />
Similarly my favourite comicbook couple is Wesley Dodds and Dian Belmont from Sandman Mystery Theatre. I love that they have a mature and adult relationship that has ups and downs and is comlicated and interesting. It feels real. Dian is one of the most well observed and believable female characters in comics... over the course of the series you watch her change and grow as a person and discover who she is and what she wants out of life... which in comics is a rare and endearing thing. And of course we are left in no doubt that these two definately <b>are</b> at it like rabbits.
<br />
<br />
So i had those characters and relationships in mind when thinking about Georgie.
<br />
<br />
I said before that i wanted the Black Sheep to explore the seedy underbelly of interbellum Britain... i wanted to do something different than the usual posh-person-investigates-cosy-drawing-room-murder-mystery story which is all we ever seem to see in this era... i wanted to take a look people who didn't live in lovely country estates or twee little villages and who committed crimes that were horrible and grubby.
<br />
<br />
But because of the Batman-meets-Bertie-Wooster premise the Black Sheep <b>had</b> to be one of those posh persons... so i had to find some of way of drawing him into this other world that he would never be exposed to normally. I thought the easiest thing to do was make Georgie working class.
<br />
<br />
My original idea was that she should be a nurse. In fact she would have been a nurse in the psychiatric hospital where Rupert is sent to recuperate after the war... she would have formed a connection with him and continued to see him in secret... in the beginning just as someone who understood what he had been through and wanted to support him as he struggled to adjust to civilian life again... and then later as conspirators and lovers.
<br />
<br />
I liked that this idea made their relationship seem a bit more illicit and interesting.
<br />
<br />
But the more i looked into it in practical terms nursing just didn't work. Altho not unheard of it was rare in the 1920s for working class women to become nurses. Also most psychiatric hospitals were located way out in the country and for the sake of the stories Georgie really needed to live in the city. More to the point tho nurses work ridiculous hours so she just wouldn't have the time for any amateur crimefighting with some guy in a funny costume.
<br />
<br />
So i needed a bit of a rethink... it seemed like my options were limited badly.
<br />
<br />
I mean these stories are set in the 1920s and despite all the freaks and monkeys and death rays you have to ground them in some semblance of realism or it all becomes a bit <b>too</b> silly. In the 1920s the reality was that women did not have a lot of opportunities open to them in terms of careers... mostly they were expected to stay at home and be mothers and housewives... and what jobs they could get tended to keep them busy all day.
<br />
<br />
On the other hand i didn't want to go too far in the other direction and make her <b>too</b> independent and capable because that would seem unrealistic and silly.
<br />
<br />
I thought about resorting to the plucky investigative reporter trope but it seemed a little too cliche even for me... Lois Lane, Vicky Vale, Linda Park, Dale Arden, April O'Neil, Polly Perkins... it's been done to death... and in real life in the 1920s female reporters were very rare anyway.
<br />
<br />
I even thought about making her Rupert's maid or cook or something but i didn't want her to seem subservient or beholden to him... she had to be able to stand on her own two feet and make her own way.
<br />
<br />
And while i was thinking about all this i also had a notion that she should be active in one or two charities and women's movements too so that i could use her to look at some of the social issues of the time... so i was doing some research on the suffrage movement and i noticed that almost all of the more notable suffragettes were middle class and writers or artists of one kind or another.
<br />
<br />
Hmmm.
<br />
<br />
I don't think i'm clever enough or well-read enough to write her as a serious writer... and i didn't want her to be too bohemian so i thought it best to avoid making her a painter or a sculptor or something. But the image of her hunched over a drawing table churning out work-for-hire illustrations and newspaper strips for little money and no recognition was for some reason quite appealing.
<br />
<br />
It all clicked from there... and hopefully people like the character and find her interesting.
<br />
<br />
So... that's Georgie Gilmour anyway.
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-32674778872521955152012-08-27T16:12:00.000+01:002012-08-27T16:12:40.693+01:00Merry Christmas<div style="text-align: justify;">I need something to focus on that isn't sad and horrible... so i suppose i should start thinking about writing again.
<br />
<br />
So... while i dust off the keyboard and fire up the little grey cells here is another Black Sheep picture to tide you guys over...
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGbS-xLZPzWgKnAH8vMnplgDH2ejPuo5bEp6K9PPV5qotXUemyUxQ6bi_5rWqkUUFa4cbt5B6Ek6FpGxnGV4rO1U4ggJV2uhqHF3XbqeTyUxLVbJJAZsPw29bHScWlzmj0aTZKNIsEQU/s1600/davesheep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGbS-xLZPzWgKnAH8vMnplgDH2ejPuo5bEp6K9PPV5qotXUemyUxQ6bi_5rWqkUUFa4cbt5B6Ek6FpGxnGV4rO1U4ggJV2uhqHF3XbqeTyUxLVbJJAZsPw29bHScWlzmj0aTZKNIsEQU/s400/davesheep.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Nice eh?
<br />
<br />
Dave Flora did this one a few weeks ago.
<br />
<br />
I have been bouncing ideas off of Dave from the beginning and he always has something useful or encouraging to say. I really appreciate all the support he has shown me in the last few months... he is a good friend and a ridiculously talented guy.
<br />
<br />
Check out his characters Ghost Zero and Doc Monster over on his <a href="http://daveflora.blogspot.co.uk/">blog</a>.
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-14746270810609571782012-07-06T15:01:00.000+01:002012-07-06T15:01:07.296+01:00The Meaning Of Life Is That It Stops<div style="text-align: justify;">
Some of you will know by now that last month my mum passed away.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUor0Lmou-feVfWO_VaZco6enzXFRcFywwewRDc7-YUwvV6pGbgXf0QvAu4HY3Vr7e5_1V6gCqX3H-GRm-GFBdXvIVpA4zxXO3CkvkOuMhFQlsJx5CZ8sVexaJPFaRvU92ifRt4fqn-Fw/s1600/memum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUor0Lmou-feVfWO_VaZco6enzXFRcFywwewRDc7-YUwvV6pGbgXf0QvAu4HY3Vr7e5_1V6gCqX3H-GRm-GFBdXvIVpA4zxXO3CkvkOuMhFQlsJx5CZ8sVexaJPFaRvU92ifRt4fqn-Fw/s400/memum.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Cancer.<br />
<br />
Mum went into hospital about four months ago complaining of stomach pains... she never came back home. It was a hard thing to watch.<br />
<br />
So much for the doctors giving her the all-clear in january.<br />
<br />
I am heartbroken.<br />
<br />
My mum was... lovely.<br />
<br />
It isn't fair that she had the life and death she had... for as long as i can remember it was a struggle... suffering and worry and misery. Mum worked hard her entire life and never asked for much in return... she just wanted everyone else to be okay and happy.<br />
<br />
No matter how hard things got she just kept on fighting.<br />
<br />
No complaining or wallowing in self pity.<br />
<br />
I wish i could be so strong.<br />
<br />
I love her... and without her my life seems a little less brighter and a lot more empty.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-59976717956827032952012-04-27T17:49:00.000+01:002012-04-28T02:37:08.163+01:00WJC Sketches the Black Sheep<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's been a few weeks since i last wrote... misfortune and illness and blah blah blah... but i am still hard at work on the Black Sheep comic whenever i have the chance and things <b>are</b> moving along.<br />
<br />
In the meantime i thought i would share this sketch of the character by <a href="http://warwickjohnsoncadwell.blogspot.co.uk/">Warwick Johnson Cadwell</a>...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYeFTYoQYU4DazPJ6V1HGOQ6v62uwHO6ViudddPMMcpJ-dwOWhY8lznZZenvJt-pakflZn3SJOBmW6FnYJbrbjWqWxETuK1WGOSs-wx0hoasW37PGR4yE26S289Mpkn0pEKLcv4w2H3U/s1600/WJC+Black+Sheep+Sketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYeFTYoQYU4DazPJ6V1HGOQ6v62uwHO6ViudddPMMcpJ-dwOWhY8lznZZenvJt-pakflZn3SJOBmW6FnYJbrbjWqWxETuK1WGOSs-wx0hoasW37PGR4yE26S289Mpkn0pEKLcv4w2H3U/s400/WJC+Black+Sheep+Sketch.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
...and here it is after i tried to throw some colour on...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0Vmp_P7GB6I5xK2SfKwvIN-EPwokADqfCpa3f255Hi2TpwavuGRKA1_dhhXhDA3nUWQl56cbCadUc8M7hCzplMxOLh9IZ_S0vl5RuGiKJlR3G4-ajohPw2Tg6xxKiHDyabU-ILycyjo/s1600/WJC+Black+Sheep+Coloured.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0Vmp_P7GB6I5xK2SfKwvIN-EPwokADqfCpa3f255Hi2TpwavuGRKA1_dhhXhDA3nUWQl56cbCadUc8M7hCzplMxOLh9IZ_S0vl5RuGiKJlR3G4-ajohPw2Tg6xxKiHDyabU-ILycyjo/s400/WJC+Black+Sheep+Coloured.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
I think i am right in saying this is the first drawing of the Black Sheep done by someone other than me... and it's a beauty. I cannot tell you what a buzz it is seeing something i created brought to life by such a talented artist... it's amazing.<br />
<br />
WJC was one of the first people i told about the Black Sheep and he has been really supportive and encouraging. I was chatting to him about Ramsden a while back and happened to mention this other idea i had floating around in my noggin. I mean it was all there from the start but i thought that at best it might be fit for a short throwaway story. Warwick seemed quite excited about the character tho and his enthusiasm convinced me that maybe i was on to something bigger. I began to properly brainstorm the character and his world and it sort of snowballed from there.<br />
<br />
So... uh... blame that guy.<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-76015178980616043722012-03-05T12:20:00.001+00:002012-03-05T12:23:50.605+00:00Barsoom Swag<div style="text-align: justify;">I thought i would share this gorgeous Ben Caldwell commission i got ages ago...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MAG5xaXioe6TSuD3Kzj9XEsRdE-bDwhdNNJtefWg7_EWra2UH9RVf1p2z_PqnuhZ-Ycn-n5bOOHAz6I7Oom9BUvl9MEGeETOwZUsEgjkV1p73-ye1Rk6xXI6UxHcKS7O82zIZmpwKZ4/s1600/BenBarsoom.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MAG5xaXioe6TSuD3Kzj9XEsRdE-bDwhdNNJtefWg7_EWra2UH9RVf1p2z_PqnuhZ-Ycn-n5bOOHAz6I7Oom9BUvl9MEGeETOwZUsEgjkV1p73-ye1Rk6xXI6UxHcKS7O82zIZmpwKZ4/s400/BenBarsoom.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705286904137091458" /></a><br />John Carter and Dejah Thoris with some Tharks, from Edgar Rice Burrough's A Princess Of Mars.<br /><br />I have had this for a while but with all the horrible shit that happened in the last few months i never got around to posting the thing. I figured with the John Carter movie coming out this week tho it was about time.<br /><br />Ben is super talented and did a phenomenal job with this, so i cannot thank him enough.<br /><br />Check out more from him by clicking the Dare Detectives banner on the right or by visiting his <a href="http://purgetheory.blogspot.com/">Purge Theory</a> blog.<br /><br />Happy bunny.<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-20836544033810923042012-02-29T13:25:00.003+00:002012-11-24T10:27:23.154+00:00The Devil is in the Details<div style="text-align: justify;">I mentioned in a previous post that i am not much of an artist and that i have some things i do when collaborating to help artists visualise whatever it is i am imagining. <br /><br />One of the things i do is make little photo reference collages. <br /><br />I don't remember how i got started doing this... a lack of confidence in my ability to draw probably. I have used these collages quite a bit with the Black Sheep and showed them to some artist friends and the feedback has been encouraging. It seems that they really benefit artists as visual aides... but also they seem to be a fantastic way of stimulating interest in whatever it is you are working on. <br /><br />I also find that they help me really focus on a character and refine his or her personality. I created a PDF of collages and sketches and character bios and stuff for the Black Sheep which has been invaluable... it lays out all my ideas neatly in one easy to read document that keeps me focused and prevents me forgetting things... and i can update it whenever necessary.<br /><br />I thoroughly encourage budding comicbook writers out there to try putting together something similar when looking to attract artists to collaborate with... or even when pitching. <br /><br />Anyway here are the collages i did for the Black Sheep and his alter ego...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_4NLo279IQtLuheG8x98YNPjqlAbPmx2zoqABCmPDgg4rXuixsRr_gMiDmsRoS9k3fc6E3N2kncsv2JO2pi8anYYSJYWBNsLTwZvcPApeZeQMKfg2vZ4jLe6-8ts6fvUf8Vju2Ex5Jk/s1600/008b+Rupert+Rumney.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_4NLo279IQtLuheG8x98YNPjqlAbPmx2zoqABCmPDgg4rXuixsRr_gMiDmsRoS9k3fc6E3N2kncsv2JO2pi8anYYSJYWBNsLTwZvcPApeZeQMKfg2vZ4jLe6-8ts6fvUf8Vju2Ex5Jk/s400/008b+Rupert+Rumney.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708638294346707426" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbHJ61e0Iir1FPuci0nyO2uz2OJkzYiLSYTguVbefkecvjBJcrfi_kA_CPNESjZzU-VsxR_1awxYPo2eV9aOQk1DW1mDudr3lYb5lIH1cAJ1owtWNidxsvfdv6nrGDHgLnrFZoGZlnno/s1600/008+Black+Sheep+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbHJ61e0Iir1FPuci0nyO2uz2OJkzYiLSYTguVbefkecvjBJcrfi_kA_CPNESjZzU-VsxR_1awxYPo2eV9aOQk1DW1mDudr3lYb5lIH1cAJ1owtWNidxsvfdv6nrGDHgLnrFZoGZlnno/s400/008+Black+Sheep+3.jpg" /></a></div><br />Pretty self explanatory hopefully.<br /><br />I should mention also that sometimes when i come up with characters i like to imagine who might play them if it were a movie... it helps me visualise mannerisms and speech patterns etc and hopefully results in the characters feeling like distinct individuals... that's the idea anyway. And with the Black Sheep i usually have the awesome Craig Parkinson in mind while writing.<br /><br />So now you know...<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-1424782884911731922012-02-22T16:44:00.002+00:002012-02-22T16:47:06.052+00:00Beetlemania at Dark Horse<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLfV7ZPk9MsH_Kv2osiCCsdKHLJdyw5_NFN9CSc5ZgChq4Ba2XZwD0uHk5VS6q5BlS6UUnudd-IUTPueHrNSc2UCUlZQ-OysPQoOQX6SaJBFQOt9Cb2PGrmcki-1Up48A7KYxsXsndCQ/s1600/beet.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLfV7ZPk9MsH_Kv2osiCCsdKHLJdyw5_NFN9CSc5ZgChq4Ba2XZwD0uHk5VS6q5BlS6UUnudd-IUTPueHrNSc2UCUlZQ-OysPQoOQX6SaJBFQOt9Cb2PGrmcki-1Up48A7KYxsXsndCQ/s400/beet.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712000203591951730" /></a><br />I have been a fan of artist Francesco Francavilla for a while now... he is incredibly talented and versatile so i knew it was only a matter of time before the big boys took notice of the guy. In 2011 his career took off like a rocket and he landed plum gigs on Detective Comics, Black Panther, and Captain America... he also did covers for a whole bunch of high profile Dynamite and Dark Horse comics. It's nice to see him enjoying the success and recognition he deserves finally.<br /><br />I must admit tho... with all this other stuff going on i have missed his creator-owned series, and i was hoping he would be able to get back to those eventually.<br /><br />So... i was all excited to <a href="http://pulpsunday.blogspot.com/2011/12/black-beetle-lands-at-dark-horse.html">discover</a> that Francesco's neo-pulp crimefighter the Black Beetle has found a new home over at Dark Horse...<br /><br /><blockquote>"I’m working on a 24-page story, titled ‘Night Shift’ that will be spread over three issues of Dark Horse Presents. I am hugely influenced by pulp stories of the ‘30s and ‘40s, and wanted to develop a series that used that influence as a jumping-off point to explore some modern storytelling with fun twists. I think this will be a great introduction to readers who are new to this character and universe, but will also be an exciting new adventure for those who’ve been reading the online stories over the years."<br /><br />"As a huge fan of pulp and noir, working on my own characters and stories really gives me free reign to explore this world and create lots of fun scenarios and thrilling situations. The stories are definitely full of mystery and intrigue, plus I get to give The Black Beetle lots of cool and funky gadgets. ‘Night Shift’ promises to be full of action, excitement, danger, and double-crosses, so I am overjoyed to see this new tale in print, and hope this is the first of many more to come in Dark Horse Presents."</blockquote><br />Black Beetle previously appeared in an adventure serial strip called "Kara Bocek" which was posted sporadically on Francesco's Pulp Sunday blog <a href="http://pulpsunday.blogspot.com/search/label/Kara%20Bocek">here</a>, and is on hiatus for the time being. He also appeared in a limited edition <a href="http://pulpsunday.blogspot.com/2009/06/black-beetle-no-way-out-ashcan.html">ashcan</a> comic that Francesco put out at his own expense, which featured the opening chapter of a much larger Black Beetle story called "No Way Out" that Francesco has said he intends to finish as a graphic novel some day.<br /><br />But this april the Black Beetle will make his first mainstream comic appearance in the pages of Dark Horse Presents #11, bringing the character to a much wider audience potentially.<br /><br />I honestly cannot recommend this enough... Black Beetle stories are never less than fun and entertaining and gorgeous to look at... and i think it is important to support creators who are willing to step outside the safe zone and do their own thing. If enough folks show the character some love we might even get a full series out of it... hopefully.<br /><br />Preorder a copy from your LCS now using code <span style="font-weight:bold;">FEB12 0052</span>, and show Dark Horse there is an audience out there eager for this sort of thing.<br /><br />Also check out Francesco's newish Black Beetle blog <a href="http://theblackbeetle.blogspot.com/">here</a>, and of course his Pulp Sunday blog <a href="http://pulpsunday.blogspot.com/">here</a> is required reading.<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-51562815656777503462012-02-02T23:49:00.005+00:002013-02-20T15:55:26.573+00:00The Man Behind The Mask<div align="justify">I thought i should talk a little about the Black Sheep's alter ego... the man behind the mask... Rupert Rumney.<br /><br />I am a big fan of the 1990s Sandman Mystery Theatre comic... also the 1930s Shadow radio series... and one of the things i love most about those is that the focus tends to be more on the man than the mask... it's all about the character and what drives him and how he relates to those around him... an approach i hope to take with my own comic.<br /><br />In an earlier post i think i summed up the Black Sheep as Bertie Wooster crossed with Batman. <br /><br />I'm assuming most people are familiar with P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster... but if not then Bertie Wooster is basically a rich idiot whose long-suffering valet is forever having to extricate him from various awkward situations... the stories are really very funny. <br /><br />I was reading one of the books a while back and it occurred to me that, since most of the stories were supposedly narrated by Bertie, maybe he was just playing up his stupidity for the sake of a good story. And from there i daydreamed a whole scenario where Bertie Wooster was an idle twit by day, and by night a deadly vigilante.<br /><br />So the Black Sheep's alter ego owes more than a little to Wodehouse's loveable moron.<br /><br />Another major influence was Herman Cyril McNeile's Bulldog Drummond. <br /><br />Captain Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond is, like Bertie Wooster, a rich gentleman of leisure... but unlike Bertie he is a two-fisted force of nature. After the war Drummond is bored and restless so decides to become a private detective of sorts... altho his brand of detection is often little more than outright vigilantism. It's fantastic pulp fun... and even tho the writing can be a bit dated at times i thoroughly recommend checking the books out as they were a heavy influence on the likes of James Bond and Doc Savage... and now also on the Black Sheep obviously.<br /><br />All of which brings me back to Rupert Rumney.<br /><br />Before the war Rupert was an idle waster living on his parents' money. So when the war comes his parents decide to enlist him in the hopes that the experience will make a man of him. <br /><br />Of course they had no idea how horrific the war would be or what terrible things their son would have to endure in the trenches... his eyes are opened and he gets to experience the very worst of humanity.<br /><br />In order to survive he has to learn to fight... and he discovers he is rather good at it... something which disturbs him greatly.<br /><br />By the time the war ends he feels broken and numb and empty. <br /><br />On returning to Britain he is sent to an asylum to recover from his experiences. <br /><br />But when he leaves there to go home the thought of settling back into his old vacuous lifestyle horrifies him... he wants to do something real and meaningful with his life. <br /><br />Such as wearing a mask and kicking the shit out of gangsters... of course.<br /><br />Rupert establishes a double life... as far as most people are concerned he seems to revert to his old self... an idiot with too much cash and not enough common sense... while in secret he is out on the streets at night prowling.<br /><br />Righto... i think that's enough for the time being.<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-45922121430491877042012-01-27T18:59:00.003+00:002012-01-27T19:26:09.540+00:00I'm an Uncle... Again<div align="justify">I suppose i should mention that the reason i didn't update the blog sooner was that a baby boy happened to my sister last thursday.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzy69366IBSka2J1ySkgLysfU21zOdxQ8c2B1mrJyj5zs2g0OKleYWJBgOZ1JItRZ1SSM9UxAZChA8AUz2LSVP3HsvaHPpbYMGphKzGVXFT_y6UqQ0egaFyxinhYEiiEInB9agyT2qj90/s1600/charly.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzy69366IBSka2J1ySkgLysfU21zOdxQ8c2B1mrJyj5zs2g0OKleYWJBgOZ1JItRZ1SSM9UxAZChA8AUz2LSVP3HsvaHPpbYMGphKzGVXFT_y6UqQ0egaFyxinhYEiiEInB9agyT2qj90/s400/charly.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702388605054865202" /></a><br />Charly weighs in at "some" pounds, does not bounce, likes to wear his hats at a jaunty angle, and is to all intents and purposes a complete person. <br /><br />I haven't been able to find any satanic markings.<br /><br />Congratulations to mummy and daddy.<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-70065467220076229222012-01-27T13:02:00.002+00:002012-01-27T13:09:16.573+00:00A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing<div style="text-align: justify;">One of the most frustrating things about being a writer is not being able to draw my own ideas... i mean i can draw a little, but not well enough to illustrate an entire comic series. <br /><br />I don't know how it works for other writers in this sort of situation but i know that i usually have a very clear idea in my mind about how some of my characters look... so when i'm lucky enough to be able to collaborate with an artist it's not so much about working with them to create the look of the character as it is working with them to capture the image i created in my head already.<br /><br />I try to do as much as i can to help the artist visualise the way a character "should" look... sketches, photomanipulations, collages, really longwinded and pedantic descriptions of every little detail of clothing.<br /><br />So... here is a sketch i did of the Black Sheep's costume...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8kAyEBbuxWznkafO3_7dLE7W-LBYgoq3GrwNnI-CoYImFgOCL_z4ZgFwEOE_cLcoT46jgoc_whvSItgA4yXjZrHEMsAUiuDNScUmIlkPMiovASTA4TSrsHZiFxhRE1Pea4A38VpBOsE/s1600/Black+Sheep+Design.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8kAyEBbuxWznkafO3_7dLE7W-LBYgoq3GrwNnI-CoYImFgOCL_z4ZgFwEOE_cLcoT46jgoc_whvSItgA4yXjZrHEMsAUiuDNScUmIlkPMiovASTA4TSrsHZiFxhRE1Pea4A38VpBOsE/s400/Black+Sheep+Design.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698623814047954978" /></a><br /><br />I had a number of things i wanted to achieve with this costume.<br /><br />I wanted it to look iconic and be easily recognisable... i thought it was important that people should be able to take one look at the character and know who he was no matter who was drawing him or which medium he was appearing in. On the other hand i wanted to steer clear of a proper "costume" with tights and a cape and all that sort of thing. I thought it should look like he was wearing an outfit that he had thrown together from old clothing and souvenirs from the war or something.<br /><br />I also wanted something that would allow him a degree of anonymity. Cloth caps and woollen coats were pretty much the uniform of the working class back in the 1920s... and it was common for motorcyclists and chauffeurs etc to wear breeches and leather boots, so even those would not draw too much attention. Once our hero buttons up his coat and slips the mask in his pocket he can blend into the crowd and pass undisturbed throughout the city.<br /><br />I was aiming for something similar to the classic pulp character the Shadow. Mike Mignola's Lobster Johnson and Dave Flora's Ghost Zero were also inspirations.<br /><br />I'm not sure if i succeeded in creating something iconic... but i am sure that there aren't enough comicbook vigilantes out there who wear cloth caps, so at the least he has that going for him y'know?<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-7383307234860956842012-01-17T13:05:00.021+00:002012-02-13T14:12:08.077+00:00What Ho, Black Sheep<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n06vavvIm3rY00xDRXpDd_WTnsKL4scVla8JoeiFE1NCBQOlkPF4y7NlO-_kxKgO9p4QPZ7AzmWF_T3w1NIHZBpPKV_odUZZR7whn01que1hdWClv5jjRkDg8A_5Kd4JfR8r5_bFbDw/s1600/craigsheepnew2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n06vavvIm3rY00xDRXpDd_WTnsKL4scVla8JoeiFE1NCBQOlkPF4y7NlO-_kxKgO9p4QPZ7AzmWF_T3w1NIHZBpPKV_odUZZR7whn01que1hdWClv5jjRkDg8A_5Kd4JfR8r5_bFbDw/s400/craigsheepnew2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708622471471279394" /></a><br /><br />I have mentioned before that i was working on a few other comicbook ideas besides Ramsden... in fact i just realised i wrote this...<br /><br /><blockquote>"Probably the one that is closest to becoming a thing is the one with the 1920s vigilante. It's a sort of British hero pulp that i've been describing to friends as Bertie Wooster crossed with Batman. It started out as a throwaway idea and snowballed into something i think might be quite fun and interesting."</blockquote><br />...almost exactly a year ago.<br /><br />So the "something new" i have been teasing is actually something i have been working on in secret for a long time.<br /><br />Anyway as i mentioned all those months ago i came up with a comic about a 1920s vigilante... and i called him the Black Sheep.<br /><br />Really.<br /><br />It's about a man who returns home from the Great War and struggles to fit back into society. <br /><br />Britain has changed since the war... the war created a generation of monsters and lunatics and lost souls struggling to cope in a world which has moved on without them... a new breed of villainy is appearing... new enemies and threats are emerging from all corners... everywhere there is suffering and injustice and cruelty.<br /><br />It is clear to our hero that the authorities are out of their depth and ill prepared to cope with this new world of horrors... but the war had taught him all about horror.<br /><br />So he determines to make a stand and do that which the authorities cannot to stem this tide of anarchy.<br /><br />But really it's about a man in a funny outfit getting into fisticuffs with cockney gangsters, evil hypnotists, bitter dwarfs, mad scientists and inventors, amoral vamps with remarkable profiles, wannabe fascist dictators, cranky monkeys, secret societies, disreputable spiritualists, psychotic tramps, and a criminal mastermind that no one knows exists.<br /><br />Or something.<br /><br />I had some things i wanted to do that i was never going to be able to do with Ramsden because of the setting. <br /><br />I wanted to create an iconic British comicbook character... or at least try. I love the old American comics and pulps and newspaper strips from the 1930s... classics such as Batman, the Shadow, Dick Tracy. I wanted to create something similar to those... but done in a very British way. <br /><br />I also wanted to play in the same sandbox as P.G. Wodehouse and Agatha Christie... but to look at their 1920s Britain from the gutter and explore the seedy underbelly.<br /><br />And finally i wanted to comment on some of the things i saw happening around me... and it struck me that a lot of those things... the coalition government, the recession, the mass unemployment and strikes, the surge of support for racist organisations such as the BNP, the recent war, terrorism, celebrity culture, drug culture, the redefinition of gender roles... were analogous to things that had happened in the 1920s... history repeating.<br /><br />So... that's the idea.<br /><br />Over the next few weeks i'll talk a bit more about this character and his world... i have put a lot of thought into this one so there should be lots to talk about... and maybe some of it will even be interesting. I also have some designs and sketches and photomanips i can share.<br /><br />Anyway it's out there finally so i hope it isn't too silly.<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-24420435204748902362012-01-13T12:51:00.003+00:002012-01-17T15:11:18.825+00:00A Tease For Something New - Part Three<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_V76NvFlZ-kgfEYh9s682sOM-FsmrfL9EHE74Bo5u5Weq3DUszlJHx2AJkXVuXNZeJMwKl2estME7eby8K92-_K4ef6BrbsyGxARbya1DOHM3lGxWdFpnm6UejlQYdKEsSUBHqOPfd8/s1600/cardsmall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_V76NvFlZ-kgfEYh9s682sOM-FsmrfL9EHE74Bo5u5Weq3DUszlJHx2AJkXVuXNZeJMwKl2estME7eby8K92-_K4ef6BrbsyGxARbya1DOHM3lGxWdFpnm6UejlQYdKEsSUBHqOPfd8/s400/cardsmall.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693648990862140722" /></a><br /><blockquote><div style="text-align: justified;">"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."</div><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small; ">- George Orwell</span><span style="font-size: x-small; "></span></div></blockquote>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-65570535244599792722012-01-12T11:44:00.003+00:002012-01-17T15:11:33.908+00:00A Tease For Something New - Part Two<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_V76NvFlZ-kgfEYh9s682sOM-FsmrfL9EHE74Bo5u5Weq3DUszlJHx2AJkXVuXNZeJMwKl2estME7eby8K92-_K4ef6BrbsyGxARbya1DOHM3lGxWdFpnm6UejlQYdKEsSUBHqOPfd8/s1600/cardsmall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_V76NvFlZ-kgfEYh9s682sOM-FsmrfL9EHE74Bo5u5Weq3DUszlJHx2AJkXVuXNZeJMwKl2estME7eby8K92-_K4ef6BrbsyGxARbya1DOHM3lGxWdFpnm6UejlQYdKEsSUBHqOPfd8/s400/cardsmall.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693648990862140722" /></a><br /><blockquote><div style="text-align: justified;">"A considerable percentage of the people we meet on the street are people who are empty inside, that is, they are actually already dead."</div><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small; ">- George Gurdjieff</span><span style="font-size: x-small; "></span></div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justified;">"God help us, for we knew the worst too young."</div><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small; ">- Rudyard Kipling, <i>Gentleman-Rankers</i></span><span style="font-size: x-small; "></span></div></blockquote>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-70008889304998851992012-01-11T12:19:00.003+00:002012-01-17T15:11:47.119+00:00A Tease For Something New - Part One<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_V76NvFlZ-kgfEYh9s682sOM-FsmrfL9EHE74Bo5u5Weq3DUszlJHx2AJkXVuXNZeJMwKl2estME7eby8K92-_K4ef6BrbsyGxARbya1DOHM3lGxWdFpnm6UejlQYdKEsSUBHqOPfd8/s1600/cardsmall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_V76NvFlZ-kgfEYh9s682sOM-FsmrfL9EHE74Bo5u5Weq3DUszlJHx2AJkXVuXNZeJMwKl2estME7eby8K92-_K4ef6BrbsyGxARbya1DOHM3lGxWdFpnm6UejlQYdKEsSUBHqOPfd8/s400/cardsmall.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693648990862140722" /></a><br /><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">"I know nothing of life but despair, death, fear, and fatuous superficiality cast over an abyss of sorrow."</div><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small; ">- Erich Maria Remarque, <i>All Quiet On The Western Front</i></span><span style="font-size: x-small; "></span></div></blockquote>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-62246852701159367252012-01-10T16:52:00.001+00:002012-01-11T13:04:43.445+00:00That Is Not Dead Which Can Eternal Lie...<div style="text-align: justify;">Ramsden is... on hiatus.<br /><br />I am still working on the comic... and i still hope to do it at some point in the future... but for now it will take a back seat as i find that my enthusiasm lies elsewhere.<br /><br />I mean with all the things that happened to me in the last few months i lost momentum on the comic... my head was all over the place and comics were the furthest thing from my thoughts. And then when life started to settle a bit and my mind started to turn back towards comics i found i was excited about working on... something else.<br /><br />So i apologise to those of you who might have been looking forward to some mounties-versus-monsters action, but i am afraid you will have to wait a while longer.<br /><br />In the meantime...<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-37861765290249964862012-01-10T15:46:00.002+00:002012-01-10T15:50:48.647+00:00Annus Horribilis<div style="text-align: justify;">In august of last year my dad passed away.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8x_R6mfp-b5fXzwwonkIupRCwIUuO9c308kxYoJULddy-bATvbsETqJSalbD8VR_tkmUuM3lGRBrnkRxDBPp_u1_AORNL3AdZC_uo2wgBW6VLVasNvIXRdQMRwkhLw2Co_-JGCDq6Dj4/s1600/dadblog.jpg"><img style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8x_R6mfp-b5fXzwwonkIupRCwIUuO9c308kxYoJULddy-bATvbsETqJSalbD8VR_tkmUuM3lGRBrnkRxDBPp_u1_AORNL3AdZC_uo2wgBW6VLVasNvIXRdQMRwkhLw2Co_-JGCDq6Dj4/s400/dadblog.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692661984484683362" /></a><br />My dad wasn't a Great Man... he wasn't famous or important... he didn't do anything that would stand the test of time or change the world for the better. <br /><br />But he was a decent man and a good father... sometimes that is all a man needs to be... and he mattered to his family.<br /><br />I loved him very much and i miss him every day.<br /><br />Some other highlights of the last twelve months include: backstabbing and being let down, illness, cancer scares, miscarriage scares, elderly-uncle-disappearing-up-a-mountain-overnight-and-sparking-a-nationwide-manhunt scares, stress, break-ups, legal battles, the brutal torture and murder of a family friend, cowboy builders, shit hair, more illness, financial strain, weather, and an inability to drive.<br /><br />In many ways last year was the most difficult year of my life so far, and at times i thought there would be no end to the misery.<br /><br />So... fuck you 2011 and good riddance...<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-638399502952017702012-01-04T19:06:00.001+00:002012-01-04T19:11:22.483+00:00Testing, testing...<div align="justify"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOMRLfxIdFUBGbttJt688Ko4TLZcyVOnB7Snm32cmmsv2dB9Ej5nY7AsWfYWVX9nLgDGIrB2bsXr8cA8sOGTkYZHZb_kOr4G2rjX399Hoax3gMBJeauteGm4db2Qi1ZhRu6j6Jywq31E/s1600/testcard.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOMRLfxIdFUBGbttJt688Ko4TLZcyVOnB7Snm32cmmsv2dB9Ej5nY7AsWfYWVX9nLgDGIrB2bsXr8cA8sOGTkYZHZb_kOr4G2rjX399Hoax3gMBJeauteGm4db2Qi1ZhRu6j6Jywq31E/s400/testcard.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693855683272481026" /></a><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-3477673242600505552011-01-14T16:04:00.012+00:002012-01-17T15:27:08.728+00:00A Scout, a Constable, and a Captain<div align="justify"><br />Here's a look at some of the other characters from the first arc of Ramsden...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQkCk5OEQnBW3LSNBD64C3zZn9D3Xov5smwdx6XTi2druPHJ1KXmVuK7JO1USEACPJ05KuB6MWjODhHtJd_6fckN11bv9u7Nto1rradVbOciTXXgSmx1oC_MX2QNn8Xe0MUA_qWoG6O14/s1600/taliriktug.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQkCk5OEQnBW3LSNBD64C3zZn9D3Xov5smwdx6XTi2druPHJ1KXmVuK7JO1USEACPJ05KuB6MWjODhHtJd_6fckN11bv9u7Nto1rradVbOciTXXgSmx1oC_MX2QNn8Xe0MUA_qWoG6O14/s400/taliriktug.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562074269329141506" /></a><br />Inuit NWMP scout Taliriktug. I think his name means "strong arm" unless i did the homework wrong. I based his look on young Charles Bronson mostly.<br /><br />Amongst other things he should be useful for telling readers and other characters all about the culture and mythology.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgnxBA_2HjAcwSFzkhrmqtmNm4HWzkMVcgmIqYmSBjg6I-2Q6ZBG_E1qr_uX30XVQ32204cnA_cYFcykzxQnwKWOva5_wtSfkjiHyZGVmI8u55m5xtrzsd_1GBzZOjH56I2-EdhdtOlk/s1600/William+Dunn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgnxBA_2HjAcwSFzkhrmqtmNm4HWzkMVcgmIqYmSBjg6I-2Q6ZBG_E1qr_uX30XVQ32204cnA_cYFcykzxQnwKWOva5_wtSfkjiHyZGVmI8u55m5xtrzsd_1GBzZOjH56I2-EdhdtOlk/s400/William+Dunn.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562074268758203218" /></a><br />Constable William Dunn... a naive farmboy type from New Brunswick, whose idealism and faith in his fellow man will be tested by the reality of the situation he will be thrust into. <br /><br />I suppose for want of a better term he is Ramsden's sidekick.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPFwUcGEyzXTUa2IqUMPkqYA-J28hBEZ5vR3FBpkrEidSF0z27Ki9Aox71RXZOnOvMg4vGsQngDon-Pd8cjOsA6k06dEjALm0ZcxXL3A3OZLanU1WOp0NUOk0R-0O_WJLfNgh-qgqHSM/s1600/captain+drummond.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPFwUcGEyzXTUa2IqUMPkqYA-J28hBEZ5vR3FBpkrEidSF0z27Ki9Aox71RXZOnOvMg4vGsQngDon-Pd8cjOsA6k06dEjALm0ZcxXL3A3OZLanU1WOp0NUOk0R-0O_WJLfNgh-qgqHSM/s400/captain+drummond.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562074263385116434" /></a><br />Captain Drummond. I was going for a mix of Ray Winstone and Ian McShane with this guy.<br /><br />I don't want to say much about him other than he is bit of a bastard.<br /><br />And that's all for the time being.<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-9319252437085637082011-01-14T11:59:00.011+00:002012-02-02T22:53:44.894+00:002011<div align="justify">Okay so the holidays are over for another year and it's time for me to get blogging again.<br /><br />So it's 2011 eh?<br /><br />Normally i start the new year off with some resolutions... but as i almost never stick to those i thought this time i might as well talk about some of the stuff i will be working on throughout the next few months.<br /><br />Of course Ramsden is the main thing.<br /><br />It involves a lot of intensive research so i have a stack of books to read through before i can start writing. I'm making progress tho. In the meantime i know enough to be working on an outline... and i <strong>think</strong> i might have the bare bones of one that i don't hate. I'm pretty excited about the new ending i came up with the other day actually.<br /><br />Altho i won't be doing the art for Ramsden... <span style="font-size:78%;">i'm working with a fantastic artist but i don't want to jinx it by saying too much too soon</span>... i am working on character designs and i'll be posting some more of those soonish.<br /><br />Aside from Ramsden i have a few other ideas that have been simmering on the back burner.<br /><br />Probably the one that is closest to becoming a thing is the one with the 1920s vigilante. It's a sort of British hero pulp that i've been describing to friends as Bertie Wooster crossed with Batman. It started out as a throwaway idea and snowballed into something i think might be quite fun and interesting.<br /><br />I also have an idea for a WWII espionage comic... a description which doesn't even come close to describing all the things going on in this one. It's one of the oldest ideas i have and the one i'm most anxious to get right as it touches on all the things i most want to be writing about. It's something that is always in my thougths no matter what else i'm working on. I would <strong>love</strong> to say more about it but really i can't without giving too much away.<br /><br />And of course there's also my Victorian occult investigator, my Doc Savage wannabe, and about half a dozen other characters and ideas that may never see the light of day.<br /><br />So that's what i'll be working on... and i'll try to keep you updated along the way.<br /><br />It's probably a bit too late now to wish you all a happy new year but... y'know... happy new year anyway.<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-27992082677771488652010-12-25T01:04:00.003+00:002010-12-25T01:15:06.541+00:00Merry Christmas<div align="justify"><br />I haven't posted much in the last couple of weeks as i have been buried in research for Ramsden so there's not a lot to write about at the moment. Hopefully after christmas i'll have a bit more i can say.<br /><br />In the meantime i just wanted to wish you all a merry christmas and a happy new year folks!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5Dkkq1Wy6IsoLR8-L-kXXH1wEL3bxgKiA51fi7bGBgiNez_e8aaW16QcDlRipD5_f2XheIl_YWtbXSVuqQBxiQ7n6TwUafyUDDQDyuyHHbk1X7MsZkqmCSG_7ptVLUYWbBuch43mEGw/s1600/pulpsanta.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 346px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5Dkkq1Wy6IsoLR8-L-kXXH1wEL3bxgKiA51fi7bGBgiNez_e8aaW16QcDlRipD5_f2XheIl_YWtbXSVuqQBxiQ7n6TwUafyUDDQDyuyHHbk1X7MsZkqmCSG_7ptVLUYWbBuch43mEGw/s400/pulpsanta.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554421865324934114" /></a><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-4965551269925150502010-12-16T11:08:00.005+00:002011-01-31T13:45:59.837+00:00I'll Be Right Back<div align="justify"><br />As far as i know the old Zuda version of the first instalment of Dave Flora's Doc Monster hasn't been available online for a while now... the old Doc Monster site was taken down and Zuda no longer exists. <br /><br />I thought it would be nice for people to be able to compare the old and new versions of the comic... besides which i have a soft spot for those old pages... so here they are for you lucky folks to enjoy.<br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdpu_8EqcpU1gElYQ1b5kXceJs8S-SNHjuoN2qYuRPQZHeU99JqhVQGColBvLU-VPvtvyP5IJfUKQ6T-8cWuZsb1Q5BDRxo4SBPMRI3RMWbW5GzjReIAFjNuqS2vFk0l_WAhm1uIcuos/s1600/DMpg1_800x600.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551222965696656834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdpu_8EqcpU1gElYQ1b5kXceJs8S-SNHjuoN2qYuRPQZHeU99JqhVQGColBvLU-VPvtvyP5IJfUKQ6T-8cWuZsb1Q5BDRxo4SBPMRI3RMWbW5GzjReIAFjNuqS2vFk0l_WAhm1uIcuos/s400/DMpg1_800x600.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGVu0Pce952Gq1-UMLFNzU_u3bMBBx9whVcJj3fLrZcbuxPdeA76ibWfOYFK1_AI2tQrbhwzmgsay2CEc19yQB426t5ZZcB-ZdnT88SgW4Qo7nkPwh4Iaq_oUj5Ty4QGW7yH1i9xMVGM/s1600/DMpg2_800x600.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551222963202238306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGVu0Pce952Gq1-UMLFNzU_u3bMBBx9whVcJj3fLrZcbuxPdeA76ibWfOYFK1_AI2tQrbhwzmgsay2CEc19yQB426t5ZZcB-ZdnT88SgW4Qo7nkPwh4Iaq_oUj5Ty4QGW7yH1i9xMVGM/s400/DMpg2_800x600.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSONqa2IHTJ_EaNtqhMoyEMQBYJX3P0K0Zx9PjBJ_VWxl8iohm8weWAEvYcV24b3E0xAOYboOyvgsqoF3TVw0oOMltEKFQB-0EYWDgZtQ69ppQJz8Mub1bQYSd2U6K0JBAnpqJINsUbXc/s1600/DMpg3_800x600.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551222964668886498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSONqa2IHTJ_EaNtqhMoyEMQBYJX3P0K0Zx9PjBJ_VWxl8iohm8weWAEvYcV24b3E0xAOYboOyvgsqoF3TVw0oOMltEKFQB-0EYWDgZtQ69ppQJz8Mub1bQYSd2U6K0JBAnpqJINsUbXc/s400/DMpg3_800x600.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOtbEze-vO6o-jerXkr9_XwZH5WP4yxT7Mol0qCotmhFlK2kvuoa3gLwfYXBNzv7U_quTTG7uUQ1vFydfSOyssJuK4bpU7IkfMw50KVRwkXtnq8A02olLAbdX-CBOhLP1QbN_TOH0Wwo/s1600/DMpg4_800x600.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551222459786924210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOtbEze-vO6o-jerXkr9_XwZH5WP4yxT7Mol0qCotmhFlK2kvuoa3gLwfYXBNzv7U_quTTG7uUQ1vFydfSOyssJuK4bpU7IkfMw50KVRwkXtnq8A02olLAbdX-CBOhLP1QbN_TOH0Wwo/s400/DMpg4_800x600.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitm-ajkQMZm6O9aXUOdZx1XHy0Aa0TgJuPeIsfBrVYyncj-E-0YO4c-NIXzixzx3CFzudrjoqKa7Li86-vunQcdJFkoBmkJFZq5vY7yl1PUOdEQFsekKpQFrsnuTCy0ubCl1CJX1572ps/s1600/DMpg5_800x600.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551222454864272242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitm-ajkQMZm6O9aXUOdZx1XHy0Aa0TgJuPeIsfBrVYyncj-E-0YO4c-NIXzixzx3CFzudrjoqKa7Li86-vunQcdJFkoBmkJFZq5vY7yl1PUOdEQFsekKpQFrsnuTCy0ubCl1CJX1572ps/s400/DMpg5_800x600.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzg5IQ2QWb9FTVeNVWw7fPNmuyCONHyGlRa5o0OTiitakZclmTJ8dkIWYU8G_gIm8-UkTyVtCqapv4nzPrRf2bxk5xJ6fM_mAP5fnBoR94vofh2gMFqIQ9z4j-g_78jj1yM3V3dHa2UMU/s1600/DMpg6_800x600.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551222457513839106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzg5IQ2QWb9FTVeNVWw7fPNmuyCONHyGlRa5o0OTiitakZclmTJ8dkIWYU8G_gIm8-UkTyVtCqapv4nzPrRf2bxk5xJ6fM_mAP5fnBoR94vofh2gMFqIQ9z4j-g_78jj1yM3V3dHa2UMU/s400/DMpg6_800x600.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNG8k51fhvdn0RGzxzw-GUkB2TKuIfmTBTKVwYhBPc3L0Xs4F1M07STFRX2K_2yUsUklD0FjifkOkkMcOFvzxea9XkWPh3BAEQIa92WovFmyGOFW-l-uv6hmkMFyP-wOtaxWs_1SdGPpM/s1600/DMpg7_800x600.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551222451340700258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNG8k51fhvdn0RGzxzw-GUkB2TKuIfmTBTKVwYhBPc3L0Xs4F1M07STFRX2K_2yUsUklD0FjifkOkkMcOFvzxea9XkWPh3BAEQIa92WovFmyGOFW-l-uv6hmkMFyP-wOtaxWs_1SdGPpM/s400/DMpg7_800x600.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tl3wAn2rXmh7FJ29LJoYipRn7SyNouLFwTqCAaTuP-DRGI1cTuqhyphenhyphenmaes2inCLheazeOg1g5CGhZj2Hcg_k7N-ZtLyOKVTJGIH16F2PnoBlIxH2L4abaJg9FlGRS24Da15SF6MXSNVo/s1600/DMpg8_800x600.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551222449722444818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tl3wAn2rXmh7FJ29LJoYipRn7SyNouLFwTqCAaTuP-DRGI1cTuqhyphenhyphenmaes2inCLheazeOg1g5CGhZj2Hcg_k7N-ZtLyOKVTJGIH16F2PnoBlIxH2L4abaJg9FlGRS24Da15SF6MXSNVo/s400/DMpg8_800x600.jpg" /> <p align="justify"></a><br />Many thanks to Dave for supplying the pages.<br /><br />Also i'm reposting the following review from the old blog.<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><strong>* * *</strong></div><br /><br /><br />Doc was entered in this month's <a href="http://www.zudacomics.com/node/1502">Zuda</a> contest, and the first eight pages of his first story have been up for a few weeks now, so i think it's to check out the results...<br /><br /></p><blockquote><p align="justify">"In 1954, reports flood in of mysterious lights and strange airships that appear and disappear without a trace, sometimes taking animals or people with them! Suspecting some form of advanced, Russian spy initiative, the CIA’s 'Counter Insurgency Unit' enlists the aid of super-scientist DOC MONSTER to help. A man of mystery, built like a linebacker with a genius IQ, Doc is tasked with uncovering and capturing the suspected communist vehicle behind the sightings. He is assigned an Agency “keeper” by the name of Carson Clay, whose job is to facilitate any needs Doc Monster may have during the investigation… and to keep an eye on him at all times. With his career as well as his marriage on the rocks, Clay grumblingly follows Doc Monster across the country until one terrifying night when all of Carson’s doubts and concerns are torn away, and the unbelievable truth of the UFO sightings come to surface. They are real. They are here. And their alien power comes to bear down on the free world. As their sinister goals are revealed, the nation cries out for Doc Monster to save them. The question is… will he?"</p></blockquote><div align="justify"><br />Okay to start off let's just ignore the pulp aspects of Doc Monster. A lot of people are wary of pulp... it has a bit of a reputation for being hackneyed and cheesy and aimed at nostalgia geeks and out-of-touch geezers, which in some respects is true unfortunately.<br /><br />So let's put the pulp aside for the moment, and look at what Doc Monster has to offer the average reader.<br /><br />It turns out there is a little bit of something for everyone. We have UFOs and aliens and a hint of government conspiracies for the sci-fi fans... high concept epic set-pieces for the action fans... a larger-than-life not-quite-human charismatic protagonist for the superhero fans... and likeable interesting characters with witty dialogue for the drama fans. Flora weaves all these elements together with seemingly little effort to create something that is both original and thoroughly entertaining. It's no small feat to make an audience connect with <strong>two</strong> unique protagonists <strong>and</strong> introduce a major world-class threat <strong>and</strong> find room for a fun action scene, all in the course of just eight pages.<br /><br />Of course the art is absolutely gorgeous... you can see that for yourself, so i won't waste too much time spelling it out here. All i'll say is check out the page where the alien craft first appears, and then ask yourself how you can <strong>not</strong> vote for this?<br /><br />If i can make one <strong>slight</strong> criticism at this point it's that some of the panels feel a little cramped or cropped, making the action a bit hard to follow in places. I noticed this too in Flora's <a href="http://www.ghostzero.com/">Ghost Zero</a> comics, and i'm going to put it down to the space restrictions of having to cram so much story into so few panels. I think he does an excellent job with the room he has, and i'm sure these little issues would be ironed out if he switched to "full-size" comics. As it is it's just a small issue that doesn't lesson the enjoyment of the art or the story.<br /><br />Doc Monster is one of those characters you get a buzz out of reading. You want to see this guy in every panel of every page. He is a mystery of a man, who may not even be a man at all. A lot of comicbook characters today are lumbered with ridiculous names and costumes and powers and origins in an attempt to make them memorable or unique, and more often than not it just makes them look a bit of a desperate mess. Not so Doc Monster. Flora has created a character that feels simple and elegant and classic. Everything about him works, without being flash or showy. And let's be honest: most pulp characters are unimaginative clones of each other. But altho his name might recall the iconic Doc Savage and his look reminds one of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_Kirby">Rip Kirby</a>, Doc Monster is a pulp character that doesn't <strong>feel</strong> like any other pulp character, and that is <strong>really</strong> refreshing.<br /><br />And then there is Doc's CIA handler, Carson Clay. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Clay is almost as interesting and fun as Doc himself. As the narrator of the story he turns out to be a world-weary cynic with a dry sense of humour a bunch of personal issues that are much more earthly than UFOs and giant bugs and babysitting some spooky crackpot scientist. Clay is the human heart of the story, grounding all the bizareness in some sense of reality with his incredulous attitude and sardonic observations. He makes the perfect foil for Doc Monster, and the seeds of a fantastic buddy-buddy pairing are evident in this initial story.<br /><br />So Doc Monster is all-round good entertainment for those who might be a bit wary of the pulp genre, but it <strong>is</strong> still a pulp story, so let's take a look at that side of it.<br /><br />I read a lot of pulp comics where the writer and/or artist hasn't done enough research and their story looks or feels all wrong. It's lazy and offputting. Dave Flora knows his pulp. His research is meticulous and authentic and it really adds something to the story.<br /><br />Part of the fun of the pulp genre, for me at least, is that the setting and fashions and language and stuff give the stories a unique and exotic flavour that set them apart from modern stories. After a while all these modern gangster movies for instance start to run into one forgettable mess of sameness... but i'll always remember the Untouchables and Miller's Crossing. I think this is a big part of the appeal of Doc Monster... from the drive-in to the horn-rimmed spectacles to the old cars and suits and corny expressions... this feels different than the slew of other interchangeable alien invasion stories i've seen in recent years.<br /><br />But it's more than just cosmetics. I don't see the point in doing a pulp comic if the pulp elements are just going to be window dressing. If you are going to write a pulp story then IMO the pulp setting should be essential to the story, and this is what really sets Doc Monster apart as, unlike a lot of modern pulp stories, you <strong>can't</strong> seperate Doc Monster from his setting. Communism, atomic-paranoia, the emerging UFO hysteria, the cult of science... Flora has woven these staples of the 1950s throughout the fabric of his creation to the point where Doc Monster <strong>is</strong> the 1950s. It's a tactic which opens up a whole bunch of future story possibilities that would not be possible in a modern setting, and it is yet another reason this character stands out from the crowd of wannabes.<br /><br />Doc Monster is unashamed pulp... big fun crazy wierdness from another time.<br /><br />So to finish up lemme just say that Flora takes old familiar elements and filters them through sophisticated modern storytelling and art techniques to create something which feels different and fresh. It's pulp... but it's pulp with more originality than the genre has seen since the heyday.<br /><br /><strong>Rating - 4/5</strong><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><strong>* * *</strong></div><br /><br /><br />Check out Dave's blog <a href="http://daveflora.blogspot.com/">here</a> for the new ongoing Doc Monster.<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604171497282710554.post-85977542233870917632010-12-10T00:57:00.006+00:002011-01-31T13:46:24.552+00:00Doc Monster Returns<div align="justify"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6GpXE7GTVX0r11tvJYdnc-Wc6B5aaUrg9SXkRSUYoIGlTelx-4ZtVJ3VN4hDyOVfoizXA65jVqaIfN3VpHX1vYBjboSYstu_SwSt7fqNo7btt8p8gAc9Wtd6p72v_cqGONNbZf8Y4Ec/s1600/docmonstericon.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 100px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6GpXE7GTVX0r11tvJYdnc-Wc6B5aaUrg9SXkRSUYoIGlTelx-4ZtVJ3VN4hDyOVfoizXA65jVqaIfN3VpHX1vYBjboSYstu_SwSt7fqNo7btt8p8gAc9Wtd6p72v_cqGONNbZf8Y4Ec/s400/docmonstericon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548868689087012082" /></a>If you are familiar with the old <a href="http://pimpernelsblog.blogspot.com/">blog</a> you will know that i'm a huge fan of indie pulp creator Dave Flora.<br /><br />I'm very happy to be able to say that Doc Monster, his 1950s pulp sci-fi adventurer, is back in a new webseries.<br /><br />Doc Monster started out as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zuda_Comics">Zuda</a> webcomic contest entry. I was a big supporter and i was disappointed that the comic failed to win that month. In hindsight tho that might have been a good thing... a few months later and Zuda is now defunct, whilst Doc Monster is back with a new look and a new direction. Dave is starting over with the character and, while all the things i loved about Doc Monster the first time out are still there, this reboot looks and feels like a much more mature and refined affair. It's also a lot more creepy.<br /><br />I'm fortunate enough to know a little about where this new Doc Monster is heading, and believe me it is going to be fantastic... an epic love letter to 1950s B-movies that throws together everything from the Mothman and UFOs to commies and popular conspiracy theories... all of which is just the tip of a magnificent iceberg of fun and weirdness.<br /><br />And of course there is Dave's art... which is never less than gorgeous.<br /><br />Check out the Doc Monster webcomic and much more on Dave's fascinating <a href="http://daveflora.blogspot.com/">blog</a>.<br /><br /><br /></div>SIMONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048859120621868689noreply@blogger.com1