FIZZ BOMB!

Our dog Fizz is lovely and funny. Here's a quick comic about her and her antics!

JOB HUNTING...

Inspired by a funny comment today and the wonderful Dan Berry, I made a comic! Trying to get ideas over and not worry about being too polished. Enjoy!

 

YOUNG PATCHES McGINLEY...

Previously seen in the last issue of the incredible heavy music magazine, ARCHIV HATE, here's the origin of everyone's favourite feline occult investigator...Patches McGinley!

Click on the jpegs for a bigger view and enjoy!  There's more spooky fun in the works too!

 

 

 

 

STAN AND SHARON SAKAI...

Stan Sakai has always been one of my favourite artists.  I’ve been reading Usagi Yojimbo on and off for over twenty years and always keep going back and rereading them, as I love the comics so much. Part of it is the way Sakai blends humour with Samurai folklore, part of it is the art itself, part of it is his beautiful storytelling.

If you are involved in comics in any way, the news of Stan’s wife, Sharon’s health and potentially crippling medical costs is likely to have reached you.  Sharon has to have 24 hour care, and it doesn’t come cheap.  Artists of all kinds, from comic book fans to comic book pros have rallied to Stan and Sharon’s aid, producing incredible art to help them.  As far as I’m aware, no one set this up, folks just donated art, probably because of the love and respect us as a creative family have for Stan and his family.

The wonderful Usagi Yojimbo Dojo site has been helping spread the word of this incredible outpouring across the web.  All of the art donated is going to be auctioned off to help with the costs of Sharon’s care.  I’m proud and humbled by the way in which the comic community has reacted to this.  Personally, I’ve been trying to create something for Stan and Sharon for weeks, and finally cracked it last night. I’m really pleased with it, and hope it can help, even a little.

More details on the auction can be found here: http://garageartstudio.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/help-stan-sakai.html

HEROES IN A HALF-SHELL!

Given that I’ve read and drawn comics most of my life, it’s remarkable that I’ve never actually read or drawn the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The only comic story I’ve read with any of them in it was a crossover with Usagi Yojimbo. I did buy and read the wonderful parody of TMNT, Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters, and loved it, but never TMNT. Which is funny, given that Hamsters was a parody of a parody…

Sure, I’m VERY aware of the Turtles. Heck, I should think lots of people are, even those that aren’t comic fans. At one point in cultural history, the Turtles were HUGE. I quite like the latest version of them in cartoon form, and the Lego figures are cool, but draw them..?

So it was a pleasant surprise when my good buddy Dave messaged me this morning about another drawing. We started a challenge: call out characters to each other, and get the other to draw them, then share them on Instagram. I got the Turtles. I did a quick skim over the web for some colour reference (damn masks…) and weapons, a quick warm up sketch, then cracked on with full pics of them all. Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Donatello. I had a blast putting them together, and can’t wait for the next challenge, especially if its characters I don’t know so well… Enjoy the drawings!

PS: I gave Dave Hellboy to draw. Let’s see what he comes up with!

 

#DRAW COEN BROS CHARACTERS

Blimey, this one had me stumped.  Plenty of ideas, loads of sketching, but nothing was working... Mooks has his latest #draw thread up embracing the strange world that are the films of the Coen Brothers. 

I love the fact that folks that create something so inspiring, unique, and ever so slightly off-kilter are embraced by the film world. I think most people have seen at least one Coen Brothers film. I need to play a bit of catch up with my viewing, but the earlier stuff is wonderful, and they show no signs of stopping.

So, this wasn't my original idea, but after thinking about the Coen Brothers films I really love, it had to be Fargo. You can see the thread here, there's some wonderful contributions so far!

BREED LIKE RABBITS...

Hooray! The pencilling of Patches McGinley issue two, 'Breed Like Rabbits' is done. Now starts the slightly longer process of colouring, inking, scanning and lettering. 

I'm really enjoying Patches. It flows nicely when I'm plotting stories and drawing them, and now I've decided how the artwork will be done, it's great fun working on them. I think there's about a months work ahead of me before issue two is done, then it's onto Amazon. It's a much bigger story too... 31 pages!

I really hope there'll be printed comics, as as nice as it is to read them online, the thought of real, physical comics makes me warm and fluffy inside. Plus, it's something I've wanted to produce for years.

I'm not sure if I'll have to do a funding drive for a print run, but there will be physical copies available. Even if I have to copy and bind them myself!

I'll leave you lovely lot with a sample of the finished art from issue two... Chief Mulligan at his desk, waiting for news of Patches...