Interactives artist on DC’s Young Justice

If you’re read The Interactives then artist Luciano Vecchio will need no introduction. When I received the first test pages from him back in 2009 I was totally blown away. His character design is flawless and his storytelling and layout choices are exceptional. But the thing that made me so excited about collaborating with him on my first graphic novel was his ability to make characters act. You get a real sense of what they’re thinking and more importantly feeling in every panel on every page. For me that’s what elevates his work above his peers and also some far more established names in the comics industry.

That’s why I’m so pleased to see him getting the opportunity to showcase his talents on a larger stage now too, so that more people can appreciate quite how good he is. He’s been working on Ben 10 stories in DC Comics’ Cartoon Network Action Pack for a while now, and this month has seen him take another step on the road to sequential stardom. He’s the guest artist on Young Justice Issue 12, which came out today (following hot on the heels of Cartoon Network Action Pack 66 last Wednesday). Check out an exclusive preview here, and if you like it and want to see more of his work…well it goes without saying. So I won’t say it, as I’m off to download Young Justice instead.

Young Justice 12

Help Teenage Cancer Trust with 3hundredand65

Good to see someone using the power of social media for good and not evil, especially when there’s sequential storytelling involved.  I found out about Dave Kirkwood’s 3hundredand65 project on twitter (you can follow him @Dave_Kirkwood) and was immediately impressed.

He’s going to be joined by 365 storytellers to create 366 drawings in 366 days.  Drawings that will all join together to make one long story across 2012 raising money for Teenage Cancer Trust.   Look out for my contribution on February 4^th,  and check out the site here.  Please donate to this important cause and choose a date if you’d like to make your own contribution.  You can, of course, follow the story each day on twitter –   #3hand65.

The Interactives goes digital

A few blogs ago I mentioned that my first original graphic novel The Interactives would soon be winging its way onto digital platforms.   Well I’m nothing if I’m not a man of my word.  You can now pick the book up as three single issues on both Comixology and as of today also on Graphicly.   If you haven’t read it yet, then please do pick up a digital copy (or if you already have that’s ok too) and see it in all its backlit glory.

 

 

 

Hyper start to 2012

It’s the first day of a New Year and Mayans notwithstanding 2012 is already looking good for my friends and collaborators.

Markosia/Orang Utan Comics‘ own Hypergirl, created by Ian Sharman and David Wynne has walked away with the Comixology award for Favourite Debut Comic Series released digitally. Beating Justice League Dark, Takio and Kirby Genesis to tie in first place with The Strange Talents of Luther Strode. Hear it being announced on the Comixology podcast here and make sure you read it to see what all the fuss is about.

And long time OUC alumni Yel Zamor hits 2012 running too with concept art in the new storyworld that is Zombies v Dinosaurs launching officially today. Looking forward to 365 more days of awesome, it is a leap year isn’t it?

Let’s get digital…

I’m ashamed to notice that it’s only two days from Christmas and this is my first December post, what can I say?  It’s been a busy month in all directions.  So as I await the imminent digital release of The Interactives, I thought I’d share some of the other digital titles out there that include my work.    At Comixology you can read my anthology stories for both FTL and Eleventh Hour for Orang Utan Comics/Markosia. And over at Graphicly you can read these too along with two one shots.  FAME Beckham for Bluewater and Fragments of Fate for Unseen Shadows.   And If all the things I have planned for 2012 come to fruition this will be very much the tip of iceberg in print and on your digital devices.  Watch this space.

Looking back..over my shoulder.

I had to put together a list of my published comic work tonight, excuse the formatting (and those to come, a bit like IMDB).  Really pleased to have assembled a reasonable body of work over the past few years, and definitely ready to ramp it up with more projects.  (There are lots of exciting things in the works, and this does’t include the projects yet to find a publisher either)

Napoleon Stone                 Mini Series, Unseen Shadows Ltd                                                   2012

TBC                                 Tales of the Forgotten anthology, Unseen Shadows Ltd               2012

The Eve                             FTL Anthology, Orang Utan Comics                                               2012

Show & Tell                        FTL Anthology, Orang Utan Comics                                            2012

Fragments of Fate           Tales of the Fallen anthology, Unseen Shadows Ltd                         2011

The Interactives               Original Graphic Novel,  Markosia                                                  2011

Red Cave                       10thology, Fat Boy Comics                                                            2011

5^thOutlaw                       FTL Anthology, Orang Utan Comics                                                2010

Fame: Beckham               One shot, Bluewater Productions                                                  2010

Valhalla                            FTL Anthology, Orang Utan Comics                                               2009

Seniors                          Eleventh Hour Anthology, Markosia                                                  2008

Fight Back VT                 Movie Prequel, Goliath Productions                                                 2008

Abbatoir                        Eleventh Hour Anthology, Orang Utan Comics                                   2007

Bloodstain                      Eleventh Hour Anthology, Orang Utan Comics                                  2007

Brothers in Arms             Eleventh Hour Anthology, Orang Utan Comics                                  2007

Purgatory Blues             Eleventh Hour Anthology, Orang Utan Comics                                    2007

Eye of the Storm            Mysterious Visions Anthology, Dimestore Productions                       2006

While doing the research I found some interesting things, like this recent re-run of an old Pulse article.   And an old review that which wasn’t all that favourable about my writing, wonder if they’ve ready my more recent work especially The Interactives?  Anyway, time to start making this a much, much longer list.

Thoughts on Thought Bubble

Last weekend I ventured North and attended the Thought Bubble festival in Leeds for the very first time.  It’s a convention that I’ve only every heard good things about and it was only factors like the distance and the fact it was a one day event that had stopped me going in the past.  When I found out it was a two day festival for 2011 it was time to bite the bullet.   The guest list at Thought Bubble puts other UK conventions to shame, especially those outside of London.  Adam Hughes, Jeff Lemire, Tim Sale, Gail Simone, Peter Milligan, Nick Spencer, Doug Braithwaite, Cameron Stewart, Mick McMahon….the list goes on and on. So the fanboy in me was happy too.

Now I was initially contemplating doing the typical blow by blow account of every moment from the minute I left the house on Friday afternoon until I waltzed back in bleary eyed on Sunday night.  But I’m pretty sure that a blog post that long and detailed, taking in every dip in self confidence, every meatball marinara sub, every overpriced hotel drink, every creator, cosplayer, customer or comely roller girl might get a bit tedious.  So instead I thought I’d pick out some of my own personal highlights and lowlights from the weekend in a futile attempt to keep things bright and breezy.

HIGHLIGHTS

Old friends.  Like at most conventions I got to meet up with a plethora of like minded people that I don’t get to see often enough.  My cohorts at Orang Utan Comics, the Markosia crew, scores of UK comic podcasters (I think David Wynne won podcaster pokemon) , their followers and forum members (including my new dance posse), the Unseen Shadows creative collective, pro and indie artist and writer friends etc, etc.    And it was especially good to speak to them all with more than the usual 140 characters at my disposal.

New friends.  I got to meet Martin Conaghan (Fallen Heroes, Burke & Hare) for the first time, which means I’m edging closer towards having met the whole Unseen Shadows team now.  And I seemed to find more time to spend with people I’d only had fleeting opportunities to talk to before.  People like Stephen Downey ( Cancertown),  Dan Thompson (Moon), Daniel Clifford (Sugar Glider)  and  PJ Montgomery (Stiffs).

Working on my new co-writing project.  Being in Leeds also meant I had time to spend with Stephen Aryan, who along with being one half of  podcasting duo Comic Book Outsiders is also a very talented writer  (Mythos, The Empyre).  We’ve been working on a project together for a few months, plotting out a sci-fi series over Skype and email.  So having the chance to block off an hour early on Saturday evening to plot further and iron out some of the creases in person was great (He was the sit at the table making notes one, I was the think out loud pacer in case you wondered).

Rogers and Aryan

 

Tales of the Fallen -I got to see Barry Nugent and the other assembled masses that make up much of the Unseen Shadows creative team again which was great.  I managed to just about hold it together on the panel to launch the anthology book despite a distinct lack of sleep (although my compliment aimed at Cy Dethan came out totally wrong).  As well as getting to talk about my contribution to the book we also announced was that I’ll be working on a Napoleon Stone mini series in the not too distant future too.   The main highlight of course was picking up my own copy of Tales of the Fallen, which I read on the way home.  It’s a real tour de force, a great read if you haven’t read the original novel and a must read if you have.

Tales of the Fallen panel

 

The Interactives – I managed to sell a few copies and people seemed to have either heard of the book or really wanted to pick it up once they’d read the back and flicked through the art.  Hoping those who picked up a copy enjoy it.

The vibe – I haven’t been to a comic convention that had this kind of “we’re all in it together and isn’t it great” feeling since back when Bristol was still in the railway shed.   Being in a new city for the first time probably helped, but I think there’s something a bit different about this show.  Something credible, something family friendly, something a bit more grown up and professional.  Something that makes you drink free Jeremiah Weed and dance until the wee small hours.

New creative teams – Spending two days with fellow Orang Utan Comics founder Ian Sharman and new FTL editor David Wynne meant the chance to talk about the future.  A future that will include me writing more short stories to be found in the pages of our Faster than Light anthology title.  Show & Tell (with Jonathan Aguillon) and The Eve (reverse engineered with Jason Copland) will be in forthcoming issues, and following this weekend I now have two new artist collaborators for my next batch of stories.  Watch this space for more news.

LOWLIGHTS

Ghost Rider and Daken getting the chop - I got to catch up with Rob Williams ( a huge help when I was working on The Interactives) on the way there as we were both on the same train.   I’m not quite sure how but I’d managed to miss the news that Ghost Rider has been cancelled, only finding out as we sipped cans of Carling between carriages (as glamourous as it sounds).    A day later it was announced that Rob’s other Marvel title Daken: Son of Wolverine had met the same fate.   I was totally gutted for him.  And I really hope that Marvel give Rob one of their flagship titles, not just because he’s a friend of mine but mainly because I’m a big fan of his work.  (I added Low Life:Paranoia to my Amazon Christmas wish list tonight if you don’t believe me).

People I missed – Spending so much time behind the Orang Utan Comics table, being on a panel, being half asleep on Sunday and leaving by 1.30 restricted the time I had to mingle.  I missed the opportunity to finally meet Roy Huteson Stewart (the artist on Fragments of Fate, my contribution to Tales of the Fallen), I didn’t get to talk to another old friend Si Spurrier, to tell David Aja how much I love his work, to give Steve Wacker a copy of my book, to ask Chris Staros about Top Shelf‘s future plans, not even to join the queue of people falling at Gail Simone‘s feet.   So regardless of the amazing guest list, aside from fleeting glimpses I wouldn’t really have know such stellar industry names were there.

Babygate – Seeing the terrible treatment of David Montieth, his wife Siobhan and their stunningly cute bat baby Alannah by an over zealous, insensitive, jobsworth member of staff at the Casino was shocking.  I hate parents being treated like second class citizens, hate good people being treated in a bad way and don’t like friends missing out on the chance to support each other.

Generation Bat

You’ll notice none of the lowlights had anything to do with the show itself, so all in all, a great weekend with some great people.  A chance to talk comics, talk life and let my hair (and Movember moustache) down. Thank you Leeds.  I just wish Thought Bubble was nearer, and on again sooner.

 

Thought Bubble pimpage #3 – FTL #6

Its seems like a lifetime ago that I came up with the idea of Orang Utan Comics, and thanks to linking up with Ian Sharman I got to make it a reality.  Five years later it’s become an established name in the UK indie comics scene, a stalwart of convention halls across the length and breadth of the country.    Eleventh Hour, our Eagle award nominated anthology evolved into FTL and after 5 issues that book has undergone a further transformation with a new editor at the helm.

Freshly squeezed

The big man himself, Particle Fiction creator David Wynne unleashes a new set of stories and a new crop of talent on an unsuspecting public.    Make sure you pick up a copy at Thought Bubble, you’ll find Orang Utan Comics in Saviles Hall.

Written and Illustrated by Daniel Bell, Finn Cramb, Sissy Pantelis, Dario Balletta, Brady Sullivan, Caio Oliveira, Jon Del Arroz, Vanessa BeckmannStandard Comic Full Color Page Count: 24 PODFTL returns from hiatus with a new look and new crop of the finest short stories from the UK indie scene, all under the watchful eye of new editor, David Wynne. Stop off at a motel with a creepy secret in The Man in Room Four; join a nightmare game of cards in Hell Oscillations; and, finally, a small boy rides along with a one man army in Vigilante and Me. FTL is Orang Utan Comics’ flagship anthology series! Expect the very best quick fire stories in these pages, from some of the most exciting creators working in comics today. This is the comics anthology where anything goes! Vampires! Dragons! Robots! Ninjas! Knights! Vikings! Cheerleaders! You name it, you’ll find it in the pages of FTL!

Thought Bubble pimpage #2 – Tales of the Fallen

Jonathan Ross, or Wossy as he is affectionately known to his 1.4 million followers on twitter,  is one of the biggest names on British television.   But long before he wrote Turf (his first comic book series from Image), before his current chat show on ITV, its previous incarnation on the Beeb, before Penn & Teller, Radio 2, Sachsgate, The British Comedy Awards, They think it’s all over and more besides he was one of my first TV heroes.  Thanks to The Last Resort and One Hour with Jonathan Ross (no Vic and Bob or The Fast Show without it) but mainly because of The Incredibly Strange Film show, a documentary series that validated my taste in movies.  Fast forward 20 plus years and both our names will be appearing in the same anthology.  All in all I’m rather pleased, but not just because Mr Ross has written the foreword.

‘If, like me, you like rip-roaring testosterone fuelled pulp fiction. With soldiers, and mysteries, and all round weird stuff in, then this is the book for you.’ – Jonathan Ross.

Barry Nugent and the Turf team

Fallen Heroes by Barry Nugent is the first novel I’ve read in one sitting since I was a schoolboy.   And that doesn’t mean that his cross genre adventure epic is a lightweight read, it means that even someone with my short attention span was hooked and hooked well.  The fact that I’ve now had the opportunity to write a story set in the Unseen Shadows Universe that Fallen Heroes kickstarted  has been extremely rewarding.   The fact that I got to write about Napoleon Stone, the demon stalker featured on the novel’s cover is the icing on the writing cake.   Working with Barry as my editor, with Roy Huteson Stewart on art duties and with Paul McLaren inking was a throughly enjoyable collaboration.  And this weekend you can pick up the fruit of our labours along with those of some of the biggest names in the UK indie comics scene.

• Scripts: Cy Dethan, Richmond Clements, Dan Thompson, Pete Rogers
• Pencils: Steve Penfold, Rob Carey, Conor Boyle, Roy Huteson Stewart
• Colours: Gat Melvin, Vicky Stonebridge
• Letters: Paul Mclaren, Nic Wilkinson
• Covers: Steve Penfold, Gat Melvin,Rob Carey, Conor Boyle, Roy Huteson Stewart, Valia Kapadai

The book launches at Thought Bubble, and if you pre-order your copy you get it for the special price of £8.50 (RRP £12.99) and as well as getting a signed copy of the book you’ll also receive a free digital copy too.   You can find how to place your order here, you’ve just about got time.

Pre order now...

Thought Bubble pimpage #1 – The Interactives

So there are only two days until I’ll be jumping on the train to Leeds for my first ever appearance at Thought Bubble. And one of the things I’ll be packing in my case will be copies of my first graphic novel The Interactives, which came out in August from Markosia.

You know all those online friends you have? The ones who play MMOROGs and have screen names like Scallywag and King of All I Survey and James_Lake (that one you always make fun of, for not having an imagination for his screen name)? What if you actually met those friends and you all had mystic powers — and, even more, that you were called upon to save your home country from an invasion of mythical creatures?  Wouldn’t that be weird and awesome and kind of scary for the world at the same time? Wouldn’t it be the most fun and terrifying thing that ever happened to you?  That’s the premise of Peter Roger’s wonderful new graphic novel The Interactives from AAM/Markosia. I had so much fun reading this comic. It really delivered everything that I hoped to read from a comic like this — humor, excitement, dragons and trolls, some great call-outs to geek culture, and some wonderfully fun artwork. (Comics Bulletin)

If you’re heading to what is fast becoming one of the highlights of the UK comic convention circuit  (check out the guest list if you don’t believe me), it’s your chance to pick up a copy if you haven’t already.    As well as the main story, pencilled and inked by Luciano Vecchio and coloured by Yel Zamor, there’s also a back up story Seniors painted by long time collaborator Azim Akberali.

It will be on sale with Markosia at tables 98-99 in Saviles Hall  and I’ll be selling and signing copies  on the Orang Utan Comics tables 47-48 in Saviles Hall all day Saturday and Sunday am (sporting a Movember moustache).   Editor and letterer Ian Sharman (Hero 9-5) will also be there and Rob Williams (Ghost Rider, Daken) who wrote the foreword, is also going to be in attendance at the show.  So if you’ve already bought a copy please stop by anyway, as I’d love to know what you thought.

The Interactives is an OGN that, dare I say it, is the perfect entry point to comics for teen readers. At a time when so many of the superhero offerings of the Big Two have either forgotten who the primary audience for superhero books used to be, or are knowingly pandering to the comfort reading routines of middle-aged men, we need far more material like this. The Interactives is trying to be neither overly sophisticated nor sniggeringly self-mocking. It’s simply a rollicking good piece of old school escapist fantasy that sweeps the reader up in both its good-natured enthusiasm and Rogers’ engaging character play. (Broken Frontier)