New Work-Dandy Annual 2017

Looks like this year I came back into the comics world with a crash, a bang and one of those stunt-man type rolls.

Not only did I get a very nice order from DC Thomson, creators of many titles including the Dandy comic, but I have been approached by a new prospective publisher (more about that on a separate post). But first let's get onto the Dandy Annual project.

Although I can't show you the whole page---sorry about that---I wanted to share sections and tasty tempters of what will be coming in the Dandy Annual 2017 (out around September 2016)

Some of you may know that I used to have a really great career in British children's comics until just
before the sad demise of the Dandy. (I'm pretty sure it wasn't ALL my fault).

Anyway, the Dandy, although no longer a comic, still comes out as an annual, with all the stars old and new. And this year I have been asked to produce a fair few of the pages for the weighty and welcome tome of merriment and mirth.

Amongst these commissions were three two page Ollie Fliptrik Pages, five Dirty Dick comic strips and an eight page Secret Agent Sally story; all scripts written by my own fair hand and produced by my own odd mind.

Now I could say a lot about the process, and how happy I am to be working for the great DC Thomson again, but you probably just want me to shut the *&%"% up and show you some brightly coloured pictures. Oh well, if that's what you want then who am I to argue with you, especially seeing as I have other 'how to' posts lined up and you can get your fixes then.

But for now, here's some sample cutaways (I'm not really allowed to show the whole page as that would be naughty and unfair and I would probably get shouted at by custard pie wielding lawyers---I honestly believe the comics industry employ such legal people). So here we go...

"It is also worth noting that all work is copyright DC Thomson, and that includes world rights and such stuff. You have been warned; watch out for the custard pie wielding lawyers..."

On another point you will notice that there are no word balloons. Although I did write the scripts, the lettering is still done and Thomson Towers...I have a sneaking suspicion that they have trust issues.

The last panel from a typical Ollie Fliptrik catastrophe.

I love drawing the snow, so when I get to write and draw, snow tends to feature largely.

Dirty Dick was a revived character from the golden age. Dick would go out clean and come back filthy; no matter how hard he tried; it was His thing.

Agent Sally was originally a collaboration between myself and Craig Graham, the Beano editor. But for the annual I got to write it myself. So guess what? More snow.

Now on a final point, I've added a before and after as seldom does an entire commission get away without a few amendments. In this case having seen the finished art, the editors asked me to change the last panel so the snow was removed and a hard rocky surface put in its place. So with the aid of a light box and some Photoshopery-jiggery-pokery I produced a page without having to redraw it all, as would've been the case 20 years BP (Before Photoshop)

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this post. If you did then please share it like a demented sharing person and keep on coming back for more of the same, and a whole lot more.

101 Uses for a Dead Mother-in-Law---new book project

I mentioned last week, or quite possibly the week before, that I was starting a new book project, but unlike Ryan's Dinosaur Dreams this will be very much a book for adults.

It also heralds a new departure for me as this is the first time I've ever collaborated with anyone on a project. Mainly because it's been difficult to find anyone who has the same warped mindset as myself, but in Clive Ward I have found that odd-ball connection.

Clive is also a very fine cartoonist but prefers it when I do the drawings and he comes up with the ideas; that actually suits me fine, especially if it goes all wrong I can blame him and his sick and twisted mind, but if its a best seller I bow, accept the plaudits and put the bouquets of flowers in vases.

So what about the book? Well put simply its along the same lines as Simon Bonds 101 Uses of a Dead cat, only we use the mother-in-law instead. We are by no means re-hashing Simon's excellent work; all material is brand new, and seeing as he's married and I have been a few times before, we thought it was about time mother-in-laws caught the lash of our acerbic whip.

We are hoping to have it published by the middle to end of October so I've got a lot to be getting on with!

Well that's all there is to say on that subject so far, so I will leave you with a few samples and a promise that I will keep you updated with more news and extra samples, so keep on coming back and, of course, always let me know what you think.

Cheers

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Thank you