Alan Moore by Phil Elliott

Art by Phil Elliott

Above, a stunning portrait and memory of Alan Moore by British illustrator, comic book artist and colorist PHIL ELLIOTT.

 

For more info about the artist, visit his official site, HERE.

Mike Perkins and... looking back at D.R. and Quinch

Art by Alan Davis

Excerpt from an article published on How To Love Comics site. The complete article HERE.

[...] D.R. and Quinch are the ultimate teenage delinquents. A pair of friends who first burst through the pages of 2000 AD in a one-off Time Twister as penned by Alan Moore and Alan Davis way, way back in 1983’s Prog #317. Clearly popular, it wasn’t too long until the pair were upgraded into their own strip, starting with Prog #350. Two characters based loosely on National Lampoon’s hyperbolic and destructive O.C. and Stiggs (a reference lost on most UK readers in the ‘80s, including myself) with a hint of ‘50s rock and roll sensibilities too. The pair only appeared in a few short stories. However, their star burnt brightly and are still fondly remembered to this day as one of the all-time classic strips to appear in 2000 AD.

[...] UK based artist on DC Comics’ Swamp Thing, Mike Perkins, shared his memories of the strip [...]

    “I think from the outset in their Time Twister the massive attraction of D.R. and Quinch for me, apart from the magnificently wonderful artwork of Alan Davis, was the, seemingly, 1000 different ideas Alan Moore would stuff into each page. There’s enough within those initial 6 pages to spark, at least, another 25 stories….and that was it.  No more.  Just that one-shot. Or so I thought. And then…and then…along came the series! Slightly more cartoony from an illustration point of view but the depth of whimsy – pushing itself into slight political leanings and, eventually, satire of the entire movie business was just mind blowing. Brilliant, brilliant work that encourages re-read after re-read.” [...]

A Chronology of Everything (almost)

Below, a timeline created by Alan Moore & Steve Moore for the Quality Universe, the shared universe for the Warrior's characters such as Marvelman, V, Alex Pressbutton, the Warpsmiths, and so on.

It was written some time between the SSI newsletter in 1981 and Miracleman n.16 in 1989 or later but it's possible that it was completed before October 1983 when it was mentioned (or something very similar) in Dreams of Empire Nightmares of Pressbutton, an illustrated article written by Pedro Henry and published in Warrior n.14.

[...] some time back I got together with the large and impressive Alan Moore to talk all this out (“Alan Moore", incidentally, is not a pseudonym for Pedro Henry).
Eventually we managed to write the entire history of the universe in under two pages, which we've been using ever since. This way, everything should tie in neatly together without you having to buy a separate book to find out which dimension each story's set in. We hope ...

[Pedro Henry (pseudonym of Steve Moore), Warrior n.14, October 1983]

The original text resurfaced for the first time in Kimota! The Miracleman Companion (2001) by the extraordinary George Khoury.

A CHRONOLOGY OF EVERYTHING (ALMOST)

by Alan Moore & Steve Moore

A "Quality Universe" Timeline by Alan Moore & Steve Moore

1400 - Renaissance of Firedrake activity on Earth (growing stronger over following centuries)

1700 - The Chronarchy (a race like Earth-2 Time Lords) attack the Warpsmiths of Hod. Warpsmiths wipe out all but a few of the Chronarchy with Death-Cats, the ultimate weapon provided by the Rhordru Makers.

1911 - Emil Gargunza born in Rio de Janiero.

1933 - The Qys (the race of body-changers - the Marvelman prototype race) become aware of Firedrake activity on Earth and launch expedition. Takes 15 years to reach Earth from Rigel (540 light years away).

1938- Gargunza starts working for the Nazis.

1940 - Mickey Moran born.

1941 - Dicky Dauntless born.

1944 - Gargunza defects to Allies.

1947 - Johnny Bates born.

1948 - Qys expedition crashes on Earth.

1952 - Project Zarathrustra (the Marvelman project) begins under Gargunza.

1954- Mickey Moran and Dicky Dauntless chosen for Proj. Z.

1956 - Johnny Bates chosen. Gargunza starts building Fate Computer.

1962 - Marvelman Family "released" by Gargunza. Fate completed.

1963 - Gargunza sussed, flees to Paraguay. Marvelman Family destroyed. Second Qys expedition arrives on Earth.

1966 - Mike and Liz Moran marry.

1982 - Marvelman reborn.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 ALTERNATIVE REALITY ONE

1982 - Marvelman not reborn.

1988 - World War III.

1992 - Fascist take-over of Britain, controlled by Fate.

1997 - V debuts.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1983 - Qys and Warpsmiths establish ambassadors on Earth. Marvelman's daughter born.

1984 - "Challenger Force" established, Silence built.

1985 - Return of Kid Marvelman.

1989 - Marvelman and Marvelwoman marry. Marvelman's son born.

2300 - Warpsmiths begin to take over Earth, providing more and more "advisors." Fate Computer "goes into hiding" and learns.

2350 - Marvelman descendants leave Earth, head off into space. Warpsmiths begin to purge Earth of super-heroes.

2400 - Warpsmiths take over Earth and reduce it to colony.

2450- Earthmen resentful, Chronarch agents stir up trouble.

2470 - Uprising on Earth (set up by Chronarchs). Large numbers of Warpsmiths come to Earth to settle trouble. Earth/Chronarch saboteurs damage Warp battery on Hod, marooning Warpsmiths on Earth. Qys attack and destroy Hod, using time-weapons provided by Chronarchs and urged on by same. Qys return home. Warpsmiths from Earth attack Qys homeworld with death-cats. Qys and Warpsmiths annihilated or reduced to negligible number.

2480 - Rhordru Makers clean up mess left by death-cats.

2700 - Remaining Chronarchs withdraw into the far-reaches of the time/space universe. Fate Computer comes out of hiding and uses all the knowledge and alien technology it's learned to help Earth recover and expand to nearby stars. No major alien races threaten Earth now.

2891 - Fate reveals itself to a lady of the back-streets on Sirius planet. Fate makes her Empress Selene I, sets up a puppet Empire over all the Terran Worlds; a Theocratic Matriarchy. "First Empire" (23 Empresses, 2 Emperors) grows rapidly, later regarded as "Golden Age." Sirius planet renamed "Capitol." Empire expands to take in most of Western Spiral Arm of the Galaxy.

3600 - The Rhordru Makers, feeling threatened by Fate, give it an electronic nervous disease which slowly eats through its circuits, over thousands/millions of years, finally sending it crazy. Fate withdraws from interaction with humans for some time while attempting to cure disease. It manages to stay it considerably, but can't cure it completely. Unguided, First Empire goes into decline, due to unwieldy size and advancing decadence.

3802 - First Empire breaks up; partitioned into two major states (remnant of Selenite Empire and a confederation called the "Helix of Yi") plus minor breakaway states. Helix of Yi remains stable; Selenite Empire fragments further.

3940 - Start of civil wars.

3980 - Selenite Empire falls. "Capitol" burned by Helixiaca (a major cultural crime). Fate goes underground and out of sight.

3990 - "Second Empire," grown out of Helix of Yi, gains control of 80% of human worlds.

4123 - "Depravity" the sin world established.

4470 - Collapse of Second Empire, when chief seats of government decimated by alien plague; barbarism and chaos; billions slaughtered.

4530 - Ektryn the War Woman born Naglfar.

4562 - Ektryn encased in silver.

4580 - Dendrellian assassins formed.

4800 - Barbarism ends; numerous local states, ranging in size from 1 to 100 star systems, all independent but loosely confederated in that they are all human; free travel, free trade; "Merchant Princes" are powerful figures; money talks. After barbarism, live-and-let-live...

5057 - Axel Pressbutton born.

5076 - Mysta Nystralis cloned.

5086 - Mysta destroys Dendrellian assassins.

5087 - Pressbutton eaten alive by Vegan Green Fungus.

5089 - Mysta and Pressbutton meet on Crmuz.

5094 - Mysta and Pressbutton part company.

5096 - Foobl's bar established on the planet Barfo.

5103 - Pressbutton meets Dingbunger & Mupdook on Zutzbas.

5104 - Pressbutton and Mysta meet again on Depravity.

5105 - Pressbutton parts company with McGurk, Dingbunger, etc.

5111 - Pressbutton and McGurk killed on Zilchtron.

MILLIONS OF YEARS LATER...

Crippled Fate Computer sets itself up on Earth in Castle Core, where the disease rapidly eats its brain.

War with the Wur.

Castle Core flips out and cuts off Earth from rest of universe.

Jay Verlane arrives on Earth with Fylar...

DAILY MOORE [5]

Art by Steve Bissette & John Totleben.
From: The Saga of Swamp Thing n. 22.
First edition: 1983, DC Comics.

The Sinister Ducks

The Sinister Ducks.

Track A: March Of The Sinister Ducks.

Track B: Old Gangsters Never Die.

Format: 7". Situation Two, UK. August 1983.

More details HERE.

Warriors from the past

Art by Nick Neocleous.

Above, from Nick Neocleous’ cover to 1983’s Speakeasy N. 35: Marvelman, V For Vendetta, Madman, The Bojeffries, Laser Eraser, Pressutton, Zirk & Father Shandor, all from the pages of Warrior.

(Via Colin Smith)