Creating Comics!

Catching up with things, here's a wee link to the short  'Creating Comics' video I made for Sanctuary Online, the virtual alternative to the annual Asylum Steampunk Festival.

In the video, I run through my process behind the 'Heart's Desire' story featured in last year's Accent UK Return to the Asylum comic - see also an earlier blog post featuring this and also here for a short animation of this, now famous wee story, prepared for 2020's earlier virtual steampunk gathering, Steam over Ether!.

 The whole youtube channel from the Ministry of Steampunk is worth a look for many other fun and informative videos, talks & music. Speaking of music, if you watch my video and like mystery's you can also discover my secret 80's musical crush :)

Comic Chats & Hats!

Well that was fun, big thanks to SteamPaper's presenter Keith for herding us all t'other night in a nice Comics  Double Feature Team-Up Crossover chat with Dave and I representing Accent UK and Time Bomb's founder & scribe, Steve Tanner.

It was really good to see each other and chew the fat on our respective comic creating approaches and forthcoming projects. Keith ably guided us through the 'techy set-up' bits and it seemed to be well received with several live comments and questions.

Thanks to all who viewed or commented and don't worry if you missed it, it's available on demand direct from Keith's SteamPaper facebook page here and scroll around for several other entertaining interviews and news on the forthcoming SteamPunk over Ether event appearing in this brave new virtual world on 25th & 26th April! 

Isolation!

I hope all reading this is well and coping with the current situation as best as you can. The coronavirus is impacting everyone in almost everyway and we are no different, so can't really confirm plans for the foresable :(

Most of our intended or booked events prior to Summer 2020 have already been cancelled or postponed and those that currently remain are, quite rightly, subject to continual review as the situation and Government advice continues to evolve.

It is hoped that the post-summer events, (and maybe those earlier?) will be held as close to normal as possible but of course no-one really knows. I will continue to monitor those and update our events listing as and when it appears prudent to do so.

As most creatives are already 'self-isolated' working from home, we can hopefully crack on with our creative endeavours more or less as normal, but without an audience or an income, this will test our resolve more than normal.

Hamba Kahle / Go Well

Asylum Pencils to Page!

Advance copies of our 'Return To The Asylum' comic had a great reception at this year's wonderful Asylum Festival in Lincoln a couple of weeks ago and there's still time to guarantee yourself a copy in the last couple of days of our kickstarter campaign.

This year, I had promised myself that I would write and draw one of the previous year's kickstarter reward stories and was delighted that it had been backed by the curious chap, Count Rostov, giving me a chance to feature both him and the lovely Lady M :)

A fun madcap adventure soon ensued across six pages, taking in stolen airships, space rockets, a Titanic homage, Morocco and more! For those who like a look 'behind the creative curtain', you're seeing here, one panel from my Heart's Desire tale in it's pencilled, inked, coloured (by the ever wonderful Matt Soffe) and finally the finished lettered stage to let you see the different phases involved in bringing the story to life.

 

 

If you'd like to see more, not just of my fun wee strip but many others all inspired by characters and events encountered at the Asylum Steampunk Festival, you can order a copy at our soon to close Kickstarter campaign by clicking on this link. Thank you for your interest and support.  

The Finished cover by Gary Crutchley & Matt Soffe