Secret Oranges

John Carter

2012-03-08T08:58:00.001Z

I have tickets to a preview of this. I've heard good things about it, I really hope they're true...

Lynn Collins as Dejah Thoris, Princess of Mars. (Click for large)

The Mek-nificent Seven

2012-03-08T08:23:00.000Z

Here's another 2000AD production piece for Prog #130, 15th Sept, 1979 with art by Mike McMahon and most likely coloured by Tom Frame, because that's what he used to do, as well as lettering. Strangely, this has been put together differently from my other pieces. The colours are usually painted on the base art which is printed in blue line for guidance (blue becomes invisible when it's photographed for lithographic platemaking) and the black line film is the overlay.

A little bit of my own Noir...

2012-03-07T16:20:00.001Z

...featuring Caroline Ridley-Faux. There's a variant of it here...

Chiara Skura

2012-03-07T13:17:00.000Z

While I'm on a Film Noir tip - This is fabulous!

Alphaville

2012-03-07T12:47:00.003Z

From my bookshelf, the screenplay for Alphaville, which is also full of really nice stills from Jean-Luc Goddard's classic film. I also found some footage online, including the following film clip of Eddie Constantine as Lemmy Caution with Anna Karina as Natacha von Braun.

From Cinefamily: Anna - A musical tribute to Karina by Gainsbourg.

Chic Physique!

2012-03-07T07:30:00.001Z

Another great production piece (though unfortunately with coffee stains); this one from 26th July, 1986 for 2000AD Prog #480.

Art by John Higgins.

The Lady Who Fell To Earth

2012-03-06T10:47:00.002Z

Here's a fantastical image by one of my favourite contemporary photographers, Tim Walker. This is from a fashion story for Vogue Magazine UK, October 2009. To see more of his amazing work, go take a look at his website here...

Sex & Horror...

2012-03-05T21:47:00.001Z

Here's a totally nuts!!! video to advertise lingerie for Agent Provocateur. It's called 'Fleurs Du Mal' and it seems to owe a lot to Wes Craven's 'Scream'.

Largin' it #25

2012-03-05T09:16:00.000Z

Pulchritudinous, premium panels, presented prodigiously for your perusal.

Rupert and the Spring Adventure

Rupert Annual, 1958

Illustrated by Alfred Bestall

The Journal of Luke Kirby

2012-03-05T08:51:00.000Z

A Chromalin proof of one of my favourite 2000AD stories, The Journal of Luke Kirby "The Old Straight Track", featuring Alan and Steve's wonderful homage to Alfred Bestall's Rupert Bear.

2000AD Prog#958, 22nd Sept, 1995

Script: Alan McKenzie

Art: Steve Parkhouse

Lettering: tbc

String Theory

2012-03-05T00:14:00.001Z

Coming Soon...

2012-03-04T20:11:00.002Z

2000AD Prog 500

2012-03-04T16:05:00.002Z

Blondie - In The Flesh

2012-03-04T12:38:00.000Z

It's 2012 and this is still in my record collection, in pretty good nick. I bought this in February 1978, when 12" singles with picture sleeves were a new thing and a big step-up from 7" 45's.

It's 1977 and this is on the radio...

Debbie Harry & H.R. Giger...

2012-03-04T02:04:00.002Z

A pretty fascinating video from 1981 with a variant soundtrack showing Debbie Harry all Gigered-up! The Record sleeves for Debbie Harry's KooKoo album and related single sleeves were photos by Brian Aris artworked over by H.R. Giger. The subsequent poster campaign featuring Debbie's skewered face was actually banned from being displayed on London's Underground network at the time, as it was deemed too disturbing.

Debbie Harry 'Backfired' - Directed by H.R. Giger

2012-03-04T02:04:00.001Z

H.R. Giger "Revealed"

2012-03-04T02:04:00.000Z

An interesting documentary about H.R. Giger, featuring a clip of a very young Ridley Scott.

Largin' it #24

2012-03-03T23:47:00.001Z

Pulchritudinous, premium panels, presented prodigiously for your perusal.

Amazing Spider-Man #86 - July, 1970

"Beware... The Black Widow!"
(Reprint - re-coloured version)

Script: Stan Lee

Pencils: John Romita Sr.

Inks: Jim Mooney

Letters: Sam Rosen

Alumbramiento

2012-03-03T17:41:00.001Z

Weird, but quite, quite, brilliant...

Rachel Weisz by Craig McDean

2012-03-03T16:54:00.002Z

A short film by Craig McDean featuring cover star Rachel Weisz, for AnOther Magazine.

STRIPPED private view. 01.03.12

2012-03-03T10:30:00.000Z

Manko, looking like she just stepped out of Sucker Punch, in front of her portrayal of The Black Widow. Orbital Comics Gallery. 01.03.12

Manko Signs for Mr Hine

2012-03-02T21:55:00.000Z

A short while after the STRIPPED show last night, Mr David Hine asked Manko to embellish a book that he'd just acquired from Jason Atomic. In the second of our Oranges/Trade crossover events Dave has posted the said item on his blog...here, but beware! This will be more appreciated by viewers of an older disposition, i.e. 18 plus!

STRIPPED EXHIBITION

Left: Art!!! - I couldn't get close-ups of the art due to reflections on the glass. Right: A little bit of romance at the back.

Left: Pages by Garry Leach for Penthouse in 2001 when he covered for Dan DeCarlo. Right David Hine & Garry Leach.

Left: Johnny Deluxe & Beatrice Schleyer. Right: Ninja's Strictly Kev, Werewolf's Laurence Sordello & ADF's Steve Chandrasonic.

Left: Alan Cowsill with Rian Hughes and Steve Chandra Savale. Right: Barbara Android MUST BE STOPPED!

Left: Glow in the dark. Right: Jessica, Barbara Android and Michelle.

Left: Manko with Jason Atomic and his laser-eyes. Right: One of Jason's cereal box art pieces.

Left: Me and Manko by Beatrice. Right: Mark Wigan, me, Tiff McGinnis, Beatrice Schleyer, Jason Atomic & Henry Hate by Manko.

Beatrice From Brooklyn

2012-03-02T21:00:00.000Z

Beatrice Schleyer with Orbital's Chris Thompson and Jason Atomic

It's good to find another artist who uses photography as a basis for their art. These great pieces are by Beatrice Schleyer who travelled over from Brooklyn, NYC for the STRIPPED show. She has some fab work online too. Her website is here and Beatrice also has a blog, right here...

East End Life

2012-03-02T09:00:00.000Z

A little bit of press for the show in East End Life. It's odd how many of us live in Poplar.

Garry Leach at STRIPPED

2012-03-02T08:20:00.001Z

The opening for the Stripped exhibition went really well last night and I'll post some shots from the event later when I've done a day's work... meanwhile here's a Captain America poster by Garry Leach from the mid 1970's, when he was at art college. He had a few of these printed up at the time and found this in his plan chest recently. Please excuse the reflections on the glass.

With Garry's work in mind I've just scanned one of the fantastic covers he did for the Judge Anderson collected editions from Titan Books, 1987.

More Barbarella

2012-03-02T01:55:00.002Z

Just because...

STRIPPED Exhibition

2012-03-01T13:19:00.001Z

Shown above for the first time on here, the panoramic version of my new Black Widow picture featuring Manko. This goes on show in the Orbital Comics Gallery from tonight, March 1st to April 1st 2012 at #8 Newport St, London, WC2H 7JA, alongside prints of these other images, including Face it, Tiger! featuring Megan McGuire. The exhibition is called Stripped, it's curated by Jason Atomic and it celebrates the iconography of comics as well as the physical objects themselves. As the exhibition flyer states: Artists from a variety of disciplines explore their love of pulpy paper, '4 colour' off-register printing, ben-day dots, trade-dress graphics, corner boxes and mastheads, sounds effects, speech and thought bubbles, whizz lines, dynamics, generic backgrounds, fight scenes, the intriguing advertisements and more, by Jason Atomic, Len Bellinger, Steve Cook, Molly Crabapple, Dennis Franklin, Henry Hate, Garry Leach, Paul Lyons, Tiff McGinnis, Vlad Quigley, Beatrice Schleyer and Mark Wigan.

I was there last night to see the amazing variety of work going up on the walls and it's shaping-up to be a truly great exhibition, so if you live in these parts, please try and drop by.

Deadline #1

2012-02-29T23:48:00.001Z

The legendary first issue with cover by Jamie Hewlett.

Kev O'Neill's Galactic Olympics

2012-02-29T07:57:00.000Z

A great production piece from 23rd August, 1980 for 2000AD Prog #174.

Art by Kev O'Neill. This was the cover that inspired Strictly Kev aka DJ Food's homage that I posted a few weeks back. Kev also owns the original art for this, which you will find on his own website here...

Brett Ewins on the FP Blog

2012-02-28T22:13:00.001Z

I discovered this photo of Brett Ewins and Jamie Hewlett from 1988 last night that I'd forgotten I'd taken, so I sent it to accompany all the great tributes on the Forbidden Planet blog. They are celebrating Brett's massive contribution to comics over the years and it's really worth checking out here...

After Punk, there will be... Disco!

2012-02-28T00:55:00.003Z

Wow! This is a real discovery. Time Out Magazine cover (no art credit) from March 1978. Look at the distinct lack of overcrowded, screaming cover-lines. Takes me right back...

Mint. Fine. Good. Fair. Poor. Appalling #7

2012-02-28T00:26:00.001Z

What is it with some people? A classic cover being used to rest someone's tea on. What utter contempt! It certainly wasn't me, I never drink the stuff.

Superman's Birthday, 1988

2012-02-28T00:13:00.001Z

I just discovered another cuttings file, full of wonderful memorabilia including this Birthday Celebration cover by Dave Gibbons for Radio Times, 4-10 June 1988.

A Little Batnap

2012-02-27T09:50:00.001Z

Yvonne Craig's Batgirl takes a break from filming on the Batman tv series, circa 1967.

Raquel Welch: Space-Girl Dance

2012-02-27T01:25:00.001Z

The Future of Fashion 1970

2012-02-27T00:33:00.001Z

From DC Comics Secret Hearts #143 - April, 1970. Art: Jay Scott Pike

The Future of Fashion 2012-2013

2012-02-26T15:32:00.001Z

If I were to hire someone to design Superhero costumes, it would be the inimitable Pam Hogg. No doubt about it! Check this amazing video from the Pam Hogg Autumn-Winter 12-13 catwalk show, at Vauxhall Fashion Scout in the Royal Freemasons' Hall, London Fashion Week, February 2012.

Shot and cut live in Full HD by Brightonart.

People Really Danced Like THIS...

2012-02-26T01:58:00.001Z

The London Super Comic Convention

2012-02-25T22:29:00.001Z

Well, I got back from a little trip to the London Super Comic Convention a short while ago, which is luckily in my 'hood', so it only took 10 minutes to get there. I didn't stick around for more than a couple of hours because I hate the temptation of all the things on offer. I have enough already; I'm sure you know how it is, and I have to resist, resist... though I did buy a page of original art for a bargain price, which I'm very happy with and it's flat and doesn't take up any room, so that's okay. There were a lot of fabulous cosplay fashions going down, and I ran into a lot of good people, including these fine fellows...

Some very fine costumes from dedicated attendees

Simon Bisley and The Dark Knight

Raiders of the Atomic Desert!

2012-02-25T10:10:00.003Z

Production art from 17th October, 1981 for 2000AD Prog #234.

Art by Dave Gibbons.

Accounts of Anomalous Phenomena

2012-02-25T02:25:00.000Z

Location: Kitzbühel, Austria - Date: Unknown
More to be found here...

Manko is The Black Widow!

2012-02-24T00:36:00.000Z

Just in time for the Jason Atomic curated STRIPPED Exhibition at Orbital Comics next week, here's Manko against an East London sunset as The Black Widow, and in case you're wondering... although this image has been manipulated, we really were that high up.

For the Panoramic, Wide-Screen version, Rich Johnston has the exclusive for that over on Bleeding Cool, for it was he, who prompted me to do a follow-up to the MJ - Face-it, Tiger! image.

Ewins and Dillon of Deadline Gulch

2012-02-23T22:34:00.000Z

From Secret Origins: The Birth of Deadline. Brett Ewins, Jamie Hewlett & Steve Dillon, 1988

Many moons ago, I decided to leave my job at Marvel UK and go freelance. Robert Sutherland, Marvel’s MD, very kindly offered me a studio space in the basement as an incentive to carry on working for them in some capacity. This was a very helpful gesture and made the leap of faith into the precarious world of the freelancer a far more secure option.

With my design work for Marvel, my newly acquired work for 2000AD and my photographic commissions from other clients, things were working out in my favour. I’d also taken up Martial arts in the form of Hapkido and my teacher was a terrific guy called Philip Hartstein. The reason I mention Phil, is because he was instrumental in helping me find another studio when Marvel eventually re-located to another part of London. He also helped me move all of my equipment which was no mean feat. Way back before the modern-day scanner, there was a humongous piece of equipment called a Grant Enlarger, which was a vital tool for a designer, but it was made of metal, it was six foot high and it weighed a ton!

The studio that Phil discovered was a place called South Thames Studios and it belonged to a business acquaintance of his. I don’t know quite how he did it, but he managed to get me a work unit there for no rent whatsoever. It was also a 3-minute walk from the 2000AD editorial office. It was a good, nicely located place and before long the word got around, and it became a thriving community of comics professionals. One of these was another ex-Marvel colleague John Tomlinson who will continue the story from here...

Ewins and Dillon of Deadline Gulch
By John Tomlinson

Judge Anderson by Brett Ewins

When I first went freelance I rented an office unit (read: open top cubicle) in South Thames Studios, Blackfriars, across the road from the 2000AD Command Module at Irwin House. The 2000AD droids called it Vermin House due to the hot and cold running rodents, but South Thames Studios was quite plush by comparison – we had pigeonholes, photocopiers, even our own receptionist! Steve Cook, who already had a unit there, had told me about it. And my next-door neighbours were Brett Ewins and Steve Dillon, then in the process of setting up what became Deadline magazine. Brett and Steve were the undisputed stars of South Thames Studios and to me they always sounded like a couple of legendary gunslingers – Ewins and Dillon of Deadline Gulch, Arizona. Saloon doors wouldn’t have looked out of place on their cubicle. Regular visitors included Phillip Bond, Nick Abadzis and a gangling teenaged Jamie Hewlett with his early Tank Girl strips.

I soon discovered that freelancers keep weird hours. I’d rented the unit for some semblance of office life, but I certainly didn’t work a 9 to 5 day. I think I realised I was overdoing it when, as the last to leave one night I found myself thinking it might be a laugh to slip away unseen by the baleful red eye of the security motion sensors. I turned out all the lights and began to crawl, verrry slowly, across the carpet. PLNK! Damn. I started again, got a few more millimetres: PLNK! Bugger. Go HOME, Tomlinson.

Despite the silly working hours, the worst that ever happened to me was nodding off at my desk and having to answer the door with bog brush hair and my keyboard clearly indented on one side of my face. But then, I was a lone freelance writer/editor. Next door, Brett and Steve were launching a completely new, fully originated magazine whilst also writing and drawing much of the content, editing all of it and organising production, printing, marketing... No matter how early I arrived each day there'd be the inevitable plume of smoke and tinny murmur of headphones from over the wall and I'd know that Brett, Steve or both were already at work. There's a legend (perhaps apocryphal, just as likely not) that Steve could draw an entire US format comic book overnight, a can of Guinness on one corner of his drawing board, a bottle of Pro Plus tablets on the other and his favourite album on auto-repeat.

The Art of Brett Ewins: Air Pirate Press

What's not in doubt is Brett's Herculean schedule, as detailed by Brett himself in the epic, no holds barred interview that forms the backbone of The Art Of Brett Ewins. He wrote the Deadline editorials and drew one of the lead strips, Johnny Nemo (written by his long time friend and collaborator, Peter Milligan). Brett also wrote regular text features, music reviews and my personal Deadline favourite, the brilliant and frankly uncategorisable Ron Merlin’s Paradigm Shift. To make ends meet he also took on extra illustration work (advertising, album covers) whilst also drawing a miniseries, Skreemer, for DC. After eight hours in the office he’d arrive home – and sit down at his drawing board. Few could survive such a workload for long. In Brett's case it was the catalyst for a serious breakdown from which, in many ways, he's still recovering. It certainly affected his output, forcing early retirement from comics. His recent problems and disastrous run in with the law have been well documented elsewhere. The short version is that an incident, which might best have been contained by qualified mental health professionals, was instead dealt with by police with truncheons – leading to Brett being hospitalised with serious injuries and to a subsequent GBH charge.

Brett Does Dredd! (click for large)

The Art Of Brett Ewins, produced in collaboration with former 2000AD editor Alan McKenzie and published under his POD (print on demand) line, Air Pirate Press, is an autobiographical retrospective of Brett’s life and career. The in depth interview covers his days at art college with Peter Milligan and another lifelong friend, artist Brendan McCarthy, from their earliest collaborations (Sometime Stories) to Brett’s groundbreaking association with 2000AD, from Rogue Trooper and Judge Anderson to the Milligan/Ewins/McCarthy masterpiece, Bad Company. Brett pulls no punches in the fascinating and frequently inspiring interview, which also covers the Deadline days, his battle with illness and more recent projects such as The Dark Gate, a labour of love anthology that took a decade to complete. The book includes detailed pencils, inks and lovely full colour artwork from all stages of his career, some previously unpublished.

In terms of recovery, Brett is at least out of hospital. Anyone interested to help might like to know that he benefits directly from each copy of The Art Of Brett Ewins sold. For anyone merely curious about the work of this uniquely gifted creator, here’s ample proof of his reputation as one of comics’ all time greats.

Deadline lasted seven years, outlastingother, similar counterculture comics/magazines, and was never more brilliantthan in those early issues with Brett and Steve at the helm. For me, The Art OfBrett Ewins was a fun reminder of the short, exciting time I spent in thecompany of two unusual artists and creators, slipstreamed briefly along intheir wake on the road to Deadline Gulch, and their place in publishing history.

The Art Of Brett Ewins is available for £9.99 from: www.airpiratepress.com

UPDATE Nick Abadzis talks about his time at South Thames Studios, here...

and then I found... Eden

2012-02-23T22:30:00.000Z

Project: Imaginary people

Number 1 in a series of 9 digitally constructed portraits from found analogue prints and transparencies to be seen, right here...

Metropolis 2010

2012-02-22T23:55:00.001Z

Fashion feature inspired by Metropolis by Karl Lagerfeld for Vogue Germany, February 2010.

Black Kiss

2012-02-22T12:03:00.003Z

I only seem to have one issue of this series, probably because I particularly liked the cover. According to Wikipedia, Black Kiss became one of the most controversial North American comics of the late 1980s, due to its explicit nature. The twelve-issue series was written and drawn by Howard Chaykin, best known for his American Flagg series.

...And Finally: Black Bolt!

2012-02-22T00:53:00.000Z

A production stat from: Thor #148 - January, 1968

'And Finally...Black Bolt!'
Script: Stan Lee

Art: Jack Kirby
Inks: Vince Colletta
Letters: Sam Rosen

They're Dropping Like Flies!

2012-02-22T00:05:00.005Z

I know I shouldn't laugh at my own jokes, but every time I look at this it cracks me up! I took the original shot in Rome in 1983 and had been trying to figure out how to utilise it ever since...

If you like the absurd, there's plenty more where this came from, right here on my website.

Guess the Prog!

2012-02-21T23:43:00.001Z

Stripped!

2012-02-21T22:46:00.001Z

Anyone in the vicinity of London's West End next week might want to make a note of an exhibition that's currently being orchestrated by Jason Atomic. It's at Orbital Comics, 8 Great Newport Street, London WC2H 7JA - March 1st - April 1st 2012, as you can see by his very jazzy flyer above and his blogspot here...

Jason describes it thus: Stripped is an exhibition featuring art that demonstrates a love of comics. Not necessarily comic art but art which celebrates the medium itself. Artistic reinterpretations of comic book iconography, the graphic devices used and the actual artifacts themselves, splash pages & spreads, select panels, logos & trade dress, corner boxes, speech & thought bubbles, backgrounds, Ben-Day dots, explosions, small ads, etc...

I'm currently working away on a new image starring the wonderful Superdupermodel, Manko with this exhibition in mind, so if I haven't been quite so prolific with my posts lately, you'll know why!

Giger Does KooKoo

2012-02-21T07:53:00.000Z

From my ancient vinyl media collection: A classic pre-photoshop masterpiece by H. R. Giger.

KooKoo was the debut solo album by Debbie Harry, released in 1981.

The Original & Best...

2012-02-20T13:10:00.002Z

Jane Fonda as Barbarella. 'Nuff said!

2000AD and TORNADO

2012-02-20T08:02:00.001Z

Another production piece from my collection with art by Carlos Ezquerra.
2000AD prog #141 - 1st Dec 1979

An Angel Has No Memory

2012-02-20T00:19:00.000Z

Brigitte Bardot Was Here...

2012-02-19T09:59:00.002Z

I'm not usually bothered about autographs but I have one prized exception that I was lucky enough to find in an old flea market a good few years ago; this postcard print of Brigitte Bardot that she'd actually signed with her own hand - Yikes!

Most probably NOT Brigitte Bardot, 1978

As a teenager in the 70's I used to spend every summer with my pals, backpacking our way down to the South of France on a long-haul, overnight train that was usually rammed with young French military guys doing their national service. The train was so full, we'd be lucky to get a seat, in fact most of the journey was usually spent sitting on top of our rucksacks or sleeping in the corridors. It was a hellish journey, but the destination was the reward.

Every year we'd convince ourselves that we'd spot Brigitte Bardot, skipping barefoot through the streets of St Tropez or lounging around on a private beach somewhere along the Riviera. But we never did... though there came a day, when for a brief moment I thought I saw her, looking very cool, standing in a shop doorway; so I took a photo just in case.

I found a couple of videos on YouTube that seem to sum up the whole fascination with Bardot as a French National Treasure, so I'll post them here. The track by Serge Gainsbourg - The Initials BB - written for Brigitte Bardot after their relationship ended, still sounds incredibly powerful.

An outtake from the Comic Strip music video featuring Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot.

It's... DR. OCTOPUS!

2012-02-19T08:18:00.000Z

This production stat is from:
Amazing Spider-Man #54 - November, 1967
'The Tentacles and the Trap'
Script: Stan Lee
Art: John Romita Sr.
Inks: Mike Esposito
Letters: Sam Rosen

Superhero Style #4

2012-02-18T16:32:00.003Z

From American Vogue, May, 2008 by Photographer Craig McDean. This fashion editorial coincided with the Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. May 7 - September 1, 2008.

Goldfrapp - Ooh La La

2012-02-18T15:56:00.003Z

Saddam's Favourite...

2012-02-18T15:42:00.000Z

Item: National Lampoon from June, 1979 with cover art by renowned fantasy illustrator, Rowena Morrill. According to BBC News, two pieces of her original art were discovered in Saddam Hussein's own private collection. I'd imagine it's not something you'd want on your curriculum vitae!

The Great Tyrant

2012-02-18T09:55:00.001Z

With all the posts I've been putting up about Barbarella, I thought I should add one for her nemesis, The Great Tyrant (Anita Pallenberg), just to balance things out a bit.

The Judge Dredd Database #2

2012-02-18T08:21:00.001Z

As promised, more pages from the Judge Dredd Database. The printed booklet was something that Tharg used to hand out to artists who were about to work on the Dredd strip, or to any licensees. Cliff Robinson did the artwork for this in 1990.

Twiggy

2012-02-18T00:19:00.001Z

Here's one from my magazine collection: British Vogue magazine from October, 1967 featuring Twiggy and freckles. The video link is an interview with Barry Lategan on his first shoot with Twiggy.

Going Underground

2012-02-17T21:46:00.004Z

I spotted this on the London Underground at Tottenham Court Road an hour ago... Looks like a Jamie Hewlett to me...

Another Earth

2012-02-17T21:17:00.001Z

Superhero Style #3

2012-02-17T12:00:00.000Z

Poison Ivy! From American Vogue, May, 2008 by Photographer Craig McDean. This fashion editorial coincided with the Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. May 7 - September 1, 2008.

DANGER! DANGER!

2012-02-17T08:19:00.001Z

Another production piece from my collection with art by the great Carlos Ezquerra.
2000AD prog #139 - 17th Nov 1979

Largin' it #23

2012-02-17T08:19:00.000Z

The Forever People #10, Aug - Sept, 1972.

Edited, Written & Drawn by Jack Kirby

Lettered & Inked by Mike Royer

Portaloo Sunset

2012-02-16T17:03:00.001Z

Item: A Jamie Hewlett cover for a Time Out magazine freebie supplement from 1997.

Superhero Style #2

2012-02-16T07:07:00.000Z

Batgirl! From American Vogue, May, 2008 by Photographer Craig McDean. This fashion editorial coincided with the Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. May 7 - September 1, 2008.

The Dredd End

2012-02-16T06:30:00.000Z

Something else from my cuttings folder, but why this was no longer attached to the annual it appeared in, I have no idea. Brain Bolland's "The Dredd End" from the Judge Dredd Annual, 1988. This was originally a part of the "Tharg's Head Revisited" story for 2000AD Prog #500.

Liz Hurley as Barbarella

2012-02-16T06:23:00.001Z

They're all at it! Yet another portrayal of the Queen of the Galaxy.

X Marks the Spot

2012-02-16T00:04:00.002Z

Still one of my all-time favourite comic covers. As a rare occurrence, this does actually live in a mylar bag for safe keeping. Mister X - cover by Dean Motter, 1984.

Superhero Style #1

2012-02-15T19:31:00.002Z

Catwoman! From American Vogue, May, 2008 by Photographer Craig McDean. This fashion editorial coincided with the Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. May 7 - September 1, 2008.

Largin' it #22

2012-02-15T19:30:00.000Z

A1 - Book #1, Atomica Press,1989.

'The Big Button' by Barry Windsor-Smith

Gwyneth as Barbarella

2012-02-15T08:14:00.001Z

I was just having a look through my cuttings file and I discovered a page from the Daily Mail, Tuesday, August 3rd, 1999. Gwyneth Paltrow as Barbarella. The print quality wasn't too good, but I managed to find another one online; thankfully without the Mail's naff "Goody - goody Gwyneth" headline. I think she looks pretty convincing.

Mission: Stop The Hulk!

2012-02-14T23:17:00.002Z

Production stat from Fantastic Four #12 - March, 1963, "The Incredible Hulk!"

Script: Stan Lee, Pencils: Jack Kirby, Inks: Dick Ayers

The Asteroid

2012-02-14T21:15:00.001Z

For Great work like this - check out Philip Bond's site here.

From Gotham to Orion

2012-02-14T15:41:00.002Z

Following on from my earlier post; a year after she starred as Batgirl in the Batman tv show, Yvonne Craig played a green-skinned Orion slave girl called Marta in the Star Trek episode: Whom Gods Destroy. According to her IMDB Biography, she also dated... Elvis!!! If you knew that already, remember you heard it here last! For more about her, check out Yvonne Craig's own website here.

It Began with the Landing of a Craft from Another Galaxy...

2012-02-14T07:05:00.002Z

Another book on my shelf, this one featuring an all-time favourite logo. Corgi edition, 1967.

Plus a clip of the classic opener from the series...

Mint. Fine. Good. Fair. Poor. Abysmal #6

2012-02-13T23:55:00.000Z

I felt a bit sorry for this one. Looks like it's been exchanged a few too many times.

Saffron Aldridge as Vampirella

2012-02-13T18:16:00.000Z

Another scan from my copy of Elle Magazine, December, 1991. Saffron Aldridge as Vampirella from a fashion feature called Cartoon Beauty with Photographs by Andrew MacPherson.

Martian War Machine

2012-02-13T06:30:00.000Z

From: Starlog Science Fiction Weapons Vol.1, 1979. (Click to enlarge)

Who Dares

2012-02-12T23:22:00.002Z

From: The Man Who Drew Tomorrow
How Frank Hampson Created Dan Dare, The World's Best Comic Strip
By Alastair Crompton. Who Dares Publishing, 1985

Who is BATGIRL?

2012-02-12T13:03:00.001Z

Here's a Superhero I didn't get to meet. In fact I was totally unaware of her appearing in the Batman tv show at all, when I used to watch it on my old black & white cathode ray tube in the 60's. The 3rd season of Batman that she appeared in wasn't shown when I was a kid and I've only recently seen the episodes, thanks to a heads up from Alan McKenzie, who discovered that they were running them on ITV4. I discovered this nicely edited mash-up on YouTube yesterday, Starring Yvonne Craig as Batgirl....

... and a very nicely directed update of some classic Batgirl scenes for a Mexican tv commercial, also featuring Catwoman and Wonder Woman.

The Day I Met... BATMAN

2012-02-12T12:11:00.003Z

Over the years, I've been very lucky to have met some of my heroes and even Superheroes, as this photo proves. I took this sometime around 1974 (not sure of the exact date) when Adam West came to London's West End. I'm pretty sure it was taken in Selfridge's department store.

2000AD - Supercover 7

2012-02-12T08:38:00.000Z

More ancient Thrill-Power from as far back as August 1977. 2000AD Prog #25. Cover art by Lopez with colours most likely by Tom Frame. I've scanned this in two parts, one with the black film and one without.

Batman by Davis & Neary

2012-02-12T08:18:00.002Z

Another fine illustration from the 1986 Birmingham Comic Convention booklet, that I found on my bookshelf. This one by Alan Davis & Paul Neary.

Batgirl Demands Equal Pay

2012-02-11T18:56:00.004Z

Here's a really interesting public service announcement from 1966, promoting equal pay for Women. Starring Yvonne Craig as Batgirl.

BATMAN: “Quick Batgirl, untie us before it’s too late!”

BATGIRL: “It’s already too late; I’ve worked for you a long time and I’m paid less than Robin. Same job, same employer, means equal pay for men and women.”

ROBIN: “Holy act of Congress!”

Werewolf

2012-02-11T11:40:00.003Z

For any French speaking visitors, I'm going to recommend a blog by my good friend Laurence and her two collaborators, Marie and Julie. It's called Werewolf and it's full of interesting articles like this one about an artist called Sacha Goldberger. The address is http://www.werewolf.fr, and as Laurence says...

Sacha Goldberger est né en 1968 d'un père Normand et d'une mère juive Hongroise. Il a été élevé dans une famille décalée où l'on ne faisait rien comme tout le monde. Après avoir raté une carrière de super héros, il devient successivement Rock star, Bob l’éponge, président de la république pour finir a 21 ans comme créatif chez CLM BBDO dans l'agence de Philippe Michel. Il a travaillé chez CLM BBDO ou bien encore Publicis avec des campagnes pour Dunlop Shtill, Renault, Eurosport, Dauphin, André, et récemment Neuf telecom, Thalys...

Nous adorons sa nouvelle série, Mamika, qui a remporte le 2eme prix du concours parole photographique. Pour plus d'infos, visitez son site internet (très original!!)

Super Mamika by Sacha Goldberger

Kate Moss as Barbarella

2012-02-11T10:44:00.003Z

Scanned from my copy of Elle Magazine, December, 1991. Kate Moss as Barbarella from a fashion feature called Cartoon Beauty with Photographs by Andrew MacPherson.

The Judge Dredd Database #1

2012-02-11T01:26:00.001Z

The Judge Dredd Database was something that folks at the Command Module used to hand out to artists who were about to work on the Dredd strip, or to any licensees. Cliff Robinson did most of the artwork for this in 1990. I thought it might be useful to post some of the poses, for any budding artists who want to try their hand at Dredd; starting with these.

Largin' it #21 (for a quiet life)

2012-02-10T20:54:00.002Z

Pulchritudinous, premium panels, presented prodigiously for your perusal.

In response to someone known only as 'Rich' who had the audacity to leave a comment suggesting that my blog has a bias towards Mary Jane Watson. I present Gwen Stacy, dancing. Well, sort of...

Amazing Spider-Man #46 - March, 1967

Story: Stan Lee

Art: John Romita Sr.

Letters: Sam Rosen

GO APE!

2012-02-10T20:07:00.001Z

My girlfriend Michelle, bought me this rather tantalising item for Christmas. I say tantalising, because I'm itching to open it, but the reality of the situation is, that it's been hermetically sealed since 1974, and I fear that the slightest hint of oxygen will turn it to dust. Either that or I'll turn it over and it'll start going "Mama, Mama" and want to be returned to The Forbidden Zone. What's a boy to do? It's one hell of a dilemma!

I looked it up online and found it on the Planet of the Apes Wikia, which I had no idea existed. It says, "Published by Power Records, this comic book is an adaptation of the 1973 film Battle for the Planet of the Apes. As part of Power Records 'Book And Record' format, the set includes a 45 rpm record disk, which narrates the illustrated text inside the comic via a soundtrack and dialogue recording. The sound recording was also included in a 33 rpm compilation combining all four Arthur P. Jacobs films adapted by Power Records."

It's a Mad House... A Mad House!!!

2012-02-10T17:43:00.001Z

I don't usually post stuff from other blogs, but this is most excellent! The original was found on the Fistfull of Soul blog.

John Tomlinson on: THE INTERNET

2012-02-10T12:08:00.002Z

John Tomlinson c.1985 (hence the tie).

I was asking John why he didn't just add his responses directly to the blog instead of emailing them to me. He replied, "Sure! I’d have posted on the site before now, but it seems impossible unless you already have some kind of online identity..." so, I suggested he signed up with Google. His reply may echo the way others feel, so I thought I'd post his response; with his approval, obviously.

"I’m as paranoid about Google as I am about Facebook(I mean, are you happy about this ‘Timeline’ they’ve decided to roll out,without members’ approval or even consultation?). Google have alsorecently begun issuing dark portents about future privacy settings.

It all seems to be justified on a ‘nothingto hide, nothing to fear’ basis, an ethos I’ve always found deeply sinister.Cameras on every street corner? Great! After all, if you’ve nothing to hideyou’ve nothing to fear. Cameras in the home? Why not! Nothing to hide...(etc.). What’s that? Don’t want a FriendFaceGoogleBookBeboSpace nanocookierivet gunned into your skull? ‘WHAT ‘AVE YOU GOT TO ‘IDE THEN, MATE?’ (barkedthrough a clenched grin as they boot your door in). It can be used to justifyany horrible intrusion.

I should add that I’ve nothing to hide. Butthe way the internet’s going, everyone’s perfectly normal right to lead alife in which your every vacuous mindfart isn’t posted online on aminute-by-minute basis is being slowly eroded. Pretty soon just trying to live‘off the grid’ will mark you down as a weirdo!

Whoa, sorry – bit ranty there. I shouldblog about it. Oh wait, no. NOOOOOO!"

GONE ROGUE!

2012-02-10T09:34:00.002Z

A production page from 1.5.82 (so it says on the back) for 2000AD Prog #262.

Art by Dave Gibbons, with colouring most likely by Tom Frame.

Anyway, we've got the advantage in the field of genetic engineering; infantrymen who can breathe this poison. We actually had an elite squad whose introduction was going to turn the war, but a Nort trap wiped them out. There's a legend here of a survivor, a G.I. who's gone rogue and refuses to report in. A guy in six battalion swears he knows someone who's even met him! Says he's got blue skin, weird eyes and - hold on to your hats - equipment that talks! Can you believe that?

Nyota Uhura #2

2012-02-10T08:40:00.000Z

Nyota Uhura

2012-02-09T23:17:00.001Z

Goldfrapp - Utopia

2012-02-09T18:36:00.000Z

Largin' it #20

2012-02-09T07:35:00.000Z

Pulchritudinous, premium panels, presented prodigiously for your perusal.

Amazing Spider-Man #44 - January, 1967

Story: Stan Lee

Art: John Romita Sr.

Letters: Sam Rosen