(Warning: this post contains links to what may be perceived by some as 'adult' content): Thomas Cochrane and Alan Tanner's's The Fat Man graphic novel project has a brand new web site which features a massive 50 page preview of the forthcoming book, due for release in November. Check it out at www.the-fat-man.co.uk
The Fat Man, which is also being previewed on ROK Comics, centres on a British MI5 undercover agent approached by himself with proof of the existence of a notorious World War 2 Nazi secret weapon: a time machine, discounted many years previously as German propaganda.
The Fat Man is Scottish writer Thomas Cochrane's first graphic novel. He says he is inspired by such diverse sources as Tin Tin, The Avengers (the TV show) and a fascination with the concept of time travel.
ROK Comics has announced the addition of a new adventure strip, Charlotte Corday of the Surete, drawn by top British comics artist Keith Page.
Keith's current work includes Ramsey's Raiders for DC Thomson's Commando and other stories, and a "prequel" of the original Dan Dare for Rod Barzilay's magazine Spaceship Away.
He decided ROK Comics is a good way to present Charlotte Corday in a newspaper strip-style way, at a time when many print newspapers worldwide seem to have abandoned daily, ongoing adventure strips, much to the dismay of millions of fans of the genre.
Written by screenwriter Stephen Walsh, Charlotte Corday of the Surete: London Calling is set in London in the early 1950's will also be a full length graphic novel, with a few surprises.
"I had the original idea for the character some time ago," Keith explains. "The outline concept was the adventures of a French detective of some sort getting involved in all sorts of arcane exploits in 1950's London which could best be described as "Brighton Rock meetsQuatermass and the Pit".
"This evolved further in defining the motivations of the main character Charlotte Corday and the inclusion of a human-sized "Muffin the Mule" entity, (which had its origins in a strip I did for IPC'sRevolver many years ago.)
"All this might sound strange but I can't reveal anymore without spoiling the plot!
"I drew a number of pages of my initial storyline, together with a lot of characters sketches and then set the whole thing aside for a while," he continues. "At this point I got in touch with script and screenwriter Stephen Walsh who was writing for Commando. Stephen took the original theme and came up with a brilliant graphic-novel length script incorporating a host of new characters.
"We decided to approach some French publishers, so the whole thing was translated into French by my wife. In this version, Charlotte is one of a team of French agents on a mission to London. The thinking was to leave scope for a series of linked books with a different agent's story featured in each.
"To cut a long story short, it proved too difficult to interest French publishers and Charlotte remained on the shelf for a while. Eventually, however, I decided Stephen's script was just too good to abandon , and I had a large amount of period reference material, location photos, so I drew the whole 50 page story.
"It features a variety of themes including the North London Vampire Squad (a little-known division of the Met) and what could have been the inspiration for John Steed of The Avengers. [Comedian] Tony Hancock and his landlady also put in guest appearances!"
We're looking forward to seeing how this strip develops, and perhaps finding out why a mule-headed character cannot be seen by anyone else except Charlotte. Check it out now on ROK Comics!
Just a quick reminder that downthetubes and ROK Comics Managing Editor John Freeman is one of the guests at a Breaking Into Comics event in Leicester this Saturday, along with 2000AD editor Matt Smith and indie publisher Jay Eales.
"Breaking in to Comics and Graphic Novels" runs from 2 – 4.00pm at the Central Lending Library, Leicester. Whether you are a fan who has always dreamed of making your own comics but don’t know where to start, or a talented writer / artist on the brink of turning professional, this event will help you understand what it takes to break in to the comics industry.
Organisers say this is proving one of their most popular events ever, with plenty of pre-sales and lending numbers for graphic novels at the library way up on their usual numbers. The event is part of Blam! a season of graphic novel and manga events organised by Leicester Libraries (www.leicester.gov.uk/libraries)
Created using 3D software and digital paint tools, MuseToons are a unique daily strip taking a thoughtfully humorous look at current events; politics, race, religion, ecology and many other topics being discussed around the world.
Other cartoons of interest document Keni’s association with the film and television industry; including cartoons about the contentious Hollywood screen writers strike.
Keni began his career in the motion picture and television industry, working as a set builder. He went on to work as a scenic artist, set painter and videographer and has participated in many art shows and sells internationally. His artwork has been published in Pastel Artist International, Watercolor Magic Magazine, Topia (a former international entertainment magazine), and local publications.
“I’ve always liked to build things," says Keni of his choice to use 3D software in cartooning. "3D is a way to combine architecture, sculpture, painting and humour into one image or series of panels.”
While other artists are creating comics in 3D (for example, the new SF series Ex Astris, which also features on ROK Comics) and UK newspaper The Sun publishes the regular football strip Striker, Keni seems to be one of the first daily humour cartoonists to be working in 3D.
This blog features news about mobile comics, published by companies such as iVerse, uClick, Cickwheel, ROK Comics and others, including digital publishers such as myEBook.com.
News stories and independently-created mobile comics is always welcome.
This blog is where you will find all our latest news items.
The site downthetubes.net, which began publishing in 1999, is edited by John Freeman whose credits include editor of Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, Star Wars Magazine, and Marvel UK titles such as Overkill, Death's Head II, Warheads and others.
