Aces Weekly - LFCC 2013

As I'm off to London comic con today I thought I'd highlight this Aces Weekly ashcan comic from 2013 - which, as you'll see from the cover, was an LFCC 2013 exclusive. 16 pages in total, A5 sized. Good luck tracking one of these down.

Cover is by David Hitchcock, interior art is contributed by David Lloyd, David Hitchcock, Ben Dickson, Gavin Mitchell, Bambos Georgiou, Mychailo Kazybird, Yishan Li, Shaky Kane, David Hine, Steve Marchant, John McCrea, Phil Hester, Stephen Baskerville, Martin Griffiths, John Kaine, Kev Hopgood, Ferg Handley, Chris Geary.

My copy is signed by David Lloyd, Stephen Baskerville and Bambos Georgiou

Redeye - Accent UK

To call Redeye a 'fanzine' might make you think of something a lot more amateur looking than it was. To call it a 'magazine' might make you think of glossy paper and full colour printing - and it didn't have that either. Instead, it sat someone in between those 2. A4 sized, colour covers, 60-100 pages long, absolutely jam-packed with news, reviews, interviews, retrospectives - with a real focus on British comics. Everything I could love in a magazine really. 

The fact that it was supposed to be quarterly but only came out about twice a year wasn't a problem because it was always full of stuff I wanted to read. It was printed with a really tiny font - thus meaning that it took even longer to get through your 60, 70, 80 pages of content.

Redeye, issue 1, ??, cover art by ??

cover image not to hand - can you help?

Redeye, issue 2, May 2004, cover art by Neill Cameron, 68 pages

Key features...interviews with Jason Cobley, Frazer Irving. Also material on David Lloyd, Dan Dare and Dave Gibbons.

Redeye, issue 3, November 2004, cover art by Grant Springford, 64 pages

Key features...interviews with Alan Grant, Paul Cornell. Also material on Brian Bolland, Dan Dare and Bristol 2004 convention report. 

Redeye, issue 4, May 2005, cover art by David Hitchcock, 80 pages

Key features...interviews with Jock, David Hitchcock, Ian Edgington, D'Israeli, Leah Moore, John Reppion & Shane Oakley. Also material on Action and the 2000AD art of Carlos Ezquerra.

 

Redeye, issue 5, Jan 2006, cover art by David Bircham, 96 pages

Key features...interviews with Tharg, Ian Edgington and D'Israeli. Also material on Starlord, Alan Moore in 2000AD and convention reports.

Redeye, issue 6, January 2007, cover art by Tom Gauld, 98 pages

Key features...interviews with Tom Gauld, Steve Yeowell and Lee Kennedy. Also material on the 2000AD art of Mike McMahon, the story of V for Vendetta and the Judge Dredd story 'Origins'. 

Kev Sutherland's comic festivals - extras!

I've previously looked at the great spin-off 'decks of cards' that Kev Sutherland put together for the comics festivals he ran in the early '00s. So far I've looked at... 

The (2001) hearts suit of cards is here
The (2001) diamonds suit of cards is here
The (2001) clubs suit of cards is here
The (2001) spades suit of cards is here

He then repeated the exercise in 2003... 
Part 1 of the 2003 deck of cards is here
Part 2 of the 2003 deck of cards is here
Part 3 of the 2003 deck of cards is here

And the 2003 London (winter) comics festival here

Thanks to that post some more images have come to light - let's see what we've now got...
1). The original art for the DR & Quinch images from the 2003 deck of Christmas cards (so from the London 2003 festival)

...and the cards that they became...

2). A number of the original illustrations have now been supplied to me, let's see what's here...

David Hitchcock (from the Bristol 2003 set)

Simon Coleby (from the Bristol 2003 set - although this card didn't feature in my posts about that set)

Frazer Irving (from the Bristol 2003 set)

Mike Collins (from the Bristol 2003 set)

Chris Weston (from the Bristol 2001 set)

Mark Buckingham (from the Bristol 2003 set)

Gary Spender Millidge (from the Bristol 2001 set)

Kev Sutherland (from the Bristol 2001 set)

3). Steve Marchant has found his artwork for his contribution to the London 2003 festival - he says "...I dug out the charity card design that Kev Sutherland invited me to do for the London Comic Festival in 2003. We could do any type of card so I decided to do an addition to the Land of the Giants cards I'd enjoyed collecting as a boy. They featured either a still from the show or a cast member on one side, and a comic strip installment on the reverse. I took the opportunity of basing Spindrift on the ship in the show, rather than the incorrect 'airplane' design on the original cards"

4). a t-shirt!

2003 deck of cards - Bristol comics festival (part 3 of 3)

A while ago I looked at the charity deck of playing cards that Kev Sutherland produced to tie in with the 2001 comics festival he organised in Bristol.

The hearts suit of cards is here
The diamonds suit of cards is here
The clubs suit of cards is here
The spades suit of cards is here

He then repeated the exercise just once more - in 2003 
Part 1 of the 2003 set is here
Part 2 of the 2003 set is here
Part 3 of the 2003 set looks like this...

if you really love this then it's for sale here

David Hitchcock - Victorain Gothic kickstarter launches

David Hitchcock has launched a Kickstarter campaign here to raise funds for, as he puts it himself...

I've always loved drawing and reading comics. Even from an early age I used to copy from all the big US comic artists, the likes of Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and many other industry greats. This art book will showcase many Illustrations I have done over the years, along with a small selection devoted to my early efforts that have somehow managed to survive my childhood, up to the work Im producing right now as we speak. The work within the book will showcase my own creations and images, except for a handful of commission pieces which I am particularly fond of.


More than 12 years ago I somehow won a prestigious Eagle Award, here in the UK, for one of my self published comics SPRINGHEELED JACK. Indeed, most of the work I create is of a Victorian gothic taste. This style became my calling card, and this art book will be predominantly of the same flavour. I want you to love this art book so every effort will strive to make it, and the rewards something to look back on in years to come. 

This book is half done, many of the illustrations may have been seen in various stages of completion, many still need to be plucked from my fevered brain, but rest assured that the delivery date will be honoured to the best of my ability. The book will consist of a few short comic stories interspersed with the single showcase illustrations. I've given myself a few months to complete.

The campaign is already 95% funded - with a copy of the book available from £15 (plus postage) and original art (plus book, and signed prints) pledges at only £60.

I really like David's work and am slowly catching up on stuff that I've missed in the past, I'll be backing this and hope you will too.

Frankenstein, Texas

Frankenstein, Texas is the brand new comic from creators Dan Whitehead and David Hitchcock. Whilst it's technically a small press comic there's nothing amateurish about this 64-page black and white comic.

At it's best David Hitchcock's tremendously detailed and moody art confirms him as the closest thing we're ever likely to get to Berni Wrightson in this country. Dan Whitehead's story moves along at a great pace which doesn't shy away from reflecting the hard, violent times (mid-1830s) the book is set in.  

The story is based around the concept that Frankenstein's monster didn't actually disappear to the Artic but instead fled to the New World in search of a new life. We follow him there as he and his creator join a band of settlers heading West for a new life. This could be a new life for everyone but some people just don't change and some people want what they can't have.

This is a perfectly self-contained story that could happily live as a one-off, but the ending leaves, as it should, me wanting more and knowing that maybe, just maybe, I'll get it. Come on guys let's roll out that Kickstarter for volume 2...


From the pin-up gallery, art by PJ Holden...

Frankenstein, Texas - last chance to back

Just a reminder about this project - it ends at 3:36PM today - last chance to back this amazing looking project....



Ok, so this looks great, so thought I'd share if here, it's called "Frankenstein, Texas" and it's billed as a 48 page horror western and it's available to back here on Kickstarter right now.

I'll let creators David Hitchcock (art) and Dan Whitehead (script) tell you more about it...

What if Mary Shelley's famous gothic novel was a lie? What if Victor Frankenstein paid Captain Walton to announce both he and his creation had perished and vanished in the Arctic? What if instead the pair headed west, across Europe, to Ireland and from there to the new world? To America?
That's the concept behind Frankenstein, Texas, a 48-page horror western graphic novel from writer Dan Whitehead (Hex Loader, Midwinter) and Eagle Award winning artist David Hitchcock (Springheeled Jack, The Signal Man).

This is a tale of action and adventure, but also a story that explores ideas of damnation and salvation, of fresh starts and bitter ends, and what it takes to atone for the deadliest of sins.
At the heart of the story is the complex relationship between Frankenstein and his creation. The man, constantly wrestling with the knowledge that he created life from death, and the monster, heartbroken by the violence that rages inside him, and determined to prevent his "father" from repeating the mistakes of the past.

Frankenstein, Texas is written by Dan Whitehead. An author, journalist and scriptwriter, Dan has over 20 years experience in professional publishing. Among the titles he has written are two official Star Wars books, comic adaptations of Poe's Fall of the House of Usher, Jason and the Argonauts and Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, and the children's historical science fiction novel Atlanta meets the Cotton Slaves. He has also written scripts for video games and television, and most recently self-published the retro gaming supernatural comic book Hex Loader and post-apocalyptic thriller Midwinter.

The artist on Frankenstein, Texas is 2006 Eagle Award winner David Hitchcock.  His past work includes The Visible Man with Pat Mills for 2000AD, the award-winning Madam Samurai, Springheeled Jack, Whitechapel Freak and a graphic novel adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic ghost story The Signal Man.

This campaign is to primarily fund the art for a complete 48-page graphic novel. Although we are calling this "Volume 1" that's because there are more stories we want to tell in this setting with (some of) these characters. To say any more would spoil the story, but suffice to say that the book being funded has a beginning, a middle and an emotionally satisfying ending. There will be no cliff-hanger, no expectation for you to buy the next book. Obviously that would be lovely (please do that) but this is written as a story which stands by itself, as well as setting the stage for future adventures.

The script is complete and work has already begun on the interior pages - as you can see in the images here. This campaign is to raise the funds to pay for David's time to complete the rest of the book. Money has already been set aside for lettering and printing.

I've already backed it, why don't you?

Frankenstein, Texas - on Kickstarter now

Ok, so this looks great, so thought I'd share if here, it's called "Frankenstein, Texas" and it's billed as a 48 page horror western and it's available to back here on Kickstarter right now.

I'll let creators David Hitchcock (art) and Dan Whitehead (script) tell you more about it...

What if Mary Shelley's famous gothic novel was a lie? What if Victor Frankenstein paid Captain Walton to announce both he and his creation had perished and vanished in the Arctic? What if instead the pair headed west, across Europe, to Ireland and from there to the new world? To America?
That's the concept behind Frankenstein, Texas, a 48-page horror western graphic novel from writer Dan Whitehead (Hex Loader, Midwinter) and Eagle Award winning artist David Hitchcock (Springheeled Jack, The Signal Man).

This is a tale of action and adventure, but also a story that explores ideas of damnation and salvation, of fresh starts and bitter ends, and what it takes to atone for the deadliest of sins.
At the heart of the story is the complex relationship between Frankenstein and his creation. The man, constantly wrestling with the knowledge that he created life from death, and the monster, heartbroken by the violence that rages inside him, and determined to prevent his "father" from repeating the mistakes of the past.

Frankenstein, Texas is written by Dan Whitehead. An author, journalist and scriptwriter, Dan has over 20 years experience in professional publishing. Among the titles he has written are two official Star Wars books, comic adaptations of Poe's Fall of the House of Usher, Jason and the Argonauts and Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, and the children's historical science fiction novel Atlanta meets the Cotton Slaves. He has also written scripts for video games and television, and most recently self-published the retro gaming supernatural comic book Hex Loader and post-apocalyptic thriller Midwinter.

The artist on Frankenstein, Texas is 2006 Eagle Award winner David Hitchcock.  His past work includes The Visible Man with Pat Mills for 2000AD, the award-winning Madam Samurai, Springheeled Jack, Whitechapel Freak and a graphic novel adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic ghost story The Signal Man.

This campaign is to primarily fund the art for a complete 48-page graphic novel. Although we are calling this "Volume 1" that's because there are more stories we want to tell in this setting with (some of) these characters. To say any more would spoil the story, but suffice to say that the book being funded has a beginning, a middle and an emotionally satisfying ending. There will be no cliff-hanger, no expectation for you to buy the next book. Obviously that would be lovely (please do that) but this is written as a story which stands by itself, as well as setting the stage for future adventures.

The script is complete and work has already begun on the interior pages - as you can see in the images here. This campaign is to raise the funds to pay for David's time to complete the rest of the book. Money has already been set aside for lettering and printing.

I've already backed it, why don't you?