CLASSIC 2000AD REVIEW FROM MICK FARREN

I recently read a great original review of 2000AD by the legendary Mick Farren.  Many thanks to Colin Smith for tweeting about it, and to Paul Smith (@compu73E) for retweeting it to me.  Yes, there was a lot of tweeting going on…

Anyway, for those of you unfamiliar with Mick Farren: he’s a counterculture journalist (International Times, NME), author (Victor Renquist novels) and singer with The Deviants.

An image from Mick’s very amusing website, below.  Music to Marshal Law’s ears!

I have vague and drunken memories of seeing Mick play a gig with his band, The Deviants, in my home town of Ipswich, in the late 60s, possibly at Ipswich Art College, and it’s possible that the band’s name inspired Torquemada’s obsession with “deviants”.

In 2000AD’s early days we used to get regularly reviewed by the NME and other music papers, which was great.  I recall when I was starting 2000AD that the NME staff, who were a couple of floors above us in the King’s Reach tower, had just done a Pete Townsend and smashed up their offices, but because the magazine was doing so well, there were no repercussions – or so we were told.

A few years later, the NME reviews were actually approving and disapproving of individual stories in 2000AD, based on how ‘cool’ they thought they were.  More fool the editor at the time for being overly influenced by them, and sometimes neglecting the opinions of our readers.

I think I still have an NME photo of me sticking pins in a Margaret Thatcher doll – must try and dig it out some time.  Bit late in the day now, of course.

FAY DALTON – A SENSATIONAL NEW TALENT

Artist Fay Dalton produced her debut strip for American Reaper in the last Megazine (#335), a two-pager called Tipping Point.  Here’s a page from it, and her cover art.

I thought you’d like to know there’s a six page Fay Dalton Reaper strip, Buddy Holiday, in next month’s Meg (#336).

It’s funny and sexy; Mad Men meets Pulp Fiction, and totally brilliant.  Do check it out.  She’s a helluva find!

The back story is that Charlie Bowden at Pickled Ink held a competition to find a new comic artist and Fay was the winner  It’s totally unheard of for agents to do anything this innovative and supportive – they’re usually the reverse! Thanks, Charlie, for introducing a great new talent to British comics!

TIME-WARPED

This would have been handy to get back to the UK for the Marshal Law signing at Gosh! this Saturday. Instant travel would solve all those time lag problems.

This week I was over at EA Games Mythic studio in Fairfax, Virginia, to do some work and was amazed to find a Tardis in the corridor! Brilliant!  Creates such a cool atmosphere.  Working in a studio environment like this was a lot of fun and made me nostalgic for the early days of 2000AD where we had a similar vibe, although we annoyed the hell out of our funereal neighbours working on traditional boring comics next door. When I started playing Derek and Clive it was the final straw and they complained bitterly about our/my uncouth ways.  But if I could get a Tardis to take me back, would I change anything on 2000AD?  Not much.  Stronger design theme on cover. Different design on Dan Dare. Oh, and no Tharg.

While I was at EA, I saw the final version of Ultima – Quest for the Avatar which is out later this year.  I did a little work on it the last time I was at Mythic and it was exciting to see the final version.  It involves “Virtues” which have a significant effect on game playing as it means making moral choices. Huge potential. Going to be a superb game!

And on the subject of games, a filmmaking couple I know called Anthony & Nicola Caulfield are making a documentary movie called, From Bedrooms to Billions that tells the story of the UK Video Games Industry from 1979 – present and features virtually every major UK contributor in game development, art, music, publishing and journalism over the last 30 years. They are looking for support to raise additional funding to help with their archive and music licensing budget so are currently running a Kickstarter campaign.   Check them out at www.frombedroomstobillions.com.

I must tell Anthony and Nicola about Mythic – they have some great new  commissioned artwork by Oliver Frey – a major figure at the beginning of UK gaming – all over the studio walls to inspire the creative team. Cool idea.

Fabulous fantasy that Mythic comes up with!

Would have loved to have one of these when I was writing Doctor Who and the Iron Legion.

Or Dead London for Doctor Who audio.

They like to multi-task at Mythic: this is a combined desk and treadmill: you work and exercise at the same time. No spoof; this is for real!

 

Faster! Faster! More story! More story!

 

NEMESIS THE CUTE WARLOCK?

He’s landed!  I’m thrilled with these Nemesis figures by Pete Fowler from Unbox Industries.   I’ve just seen Pete’s website (http://monsterism.net/nemesis-the-warlock-x-me) and also really like the chrome version he’s got on display.

Who’d have thought that Nemesis could be cute?

Discussing the possible whereabouts of Torquemada…

FUTURESHOCK! THE STORY OF 2000AD

Back in March, I was interviewed by the team behind Futureshock! The Story of 2000AD.  They were a great bunch to work with and we had a lot of fun.

Some pictures from the day:

Preparing to reveal all on the 2000AD Fleetway film and TV fiasco, back in the 90s – when Strontium Dog was optioned for £1!

They’re already enjoying some anecdotes about past editors. I hope they weren’t secretly recording!

Setting up the hot lights so I dish the dirt – like about the day the 2000AD publisher turned down the poster rights for Star Wars.

Cool questions from Helen prompt me to reveal more. (hint: like the dark years, when they tried to turn it into Loaded, Deadline, Vertigo, or anything other than being true to itself)

Just concluding a rant. It’s amazing how 2000AD creates such passion in all of us. Keep telling yourself “It’s only a comic…It’s only a comic…”

The Futureshock! crew are: Sean Hogan and Helen Mullane (producers), Jim Hinson (executive producer & lighting/camera) and Paul Goodwin (director).   Find out more about the documentary project at www.futureshock2000ad.com.

DING DONG!

Ever since she appeared in the Volgan War as Lady Shirley Brown, who was shot by a Volgan Commissar on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral, writing about her has been an important catharsis.  Hence my You Are Maggie Thatcher – A Dole-Playing Game, brilliantly illustrated by Hunt Emerson.  A few examples below.  I’m looking forward to the liberation, in Savage, when Lady Shirley’s remains will be found under a car park, and will be dug up and given a full state funeral.  Bill Savage may want to be one of the pallbearers and will thoroughly disapprove of anyone celebrating her demise. Ding dong!

 

SCATHA – A FEMALE SLAINE

This is a Slaine-style strip Glen Fabry and I did for the left-wing Sunday newspaper News On Sunday.

The strip above it, Summer of Love, is by Brendan McCarthy and Pete Milligan.

Special thanks to David McDonald at Hibernia Comics for tracking down these pages and sending them to me.