Breaking into Comics

Well September has been a really exciting month for me.

Since I was 5 years old I have always wanted to draw comics for a living and I've been drawing my own comics as a hobby all my life. It's somewhat of an addiction for me, something I need to do!

Over the past 7 years I've seriously focused on trying to "Break into Comics" a term that has adorned the title of many a "How to" book I've read in my time. Despite being told time and again that it can't be done, I can now say to those people IT CAN!

Along with the soon to be released Tough Guy graphic novel from Mohawk Media, I'll soon be starting on a new strip for next years Beano book. And this month I have had a short series of comic strips commissioned by one of the UK's comic institutions. What makes it even more exciting is that the strips star is a character I have created myself and will appear in a soon to be relaunched version of the title with a whole host of new stars who will appear alongside some well established old friends.

What is this comic I hear you ask...

Well I'll tell you a bit nearer the time, chortle!

Will post some new art very soon.

Good Times!

Beanotown

Hi, long time no post!!

Well i've been busy exploring some new avenues of work.

The most exciting being given the opportunity to try out on some sample art

for the residents of Beanotown!

I've just finished a test script for a well known Beano character.

Waiting rather (im)patiently for the outcome.

More soon...

Below is one of my try out sheets.

Exclusive first look at Tough Guy

Here’s an exclusive first look at four pages from the official Tough Guy, coming from Mohawk Media in 2011.

Words by Chris Bunting; pictures by Steve Beckett; explosions by Tough Guy.

Tough Guy is expected to appeal to the young male market … and the ‘not-as-young’ male market too.

THE TOUGH GETS GOING WITH MOHAWK MEDIA

Publisher Mohawk Media has today released a teaser image following its acquisition of the license to produce original adventures of Tough Guy.

Tough Guy, the British publisher’s first title since the top-selling official Mr. T graphic novels, is written by Chris Bunting (Mr. T; Action Man) and illustrated by Steve Beckett (Beano Annual; General Jumbo).

Bunting describes Tough Guy as a “real throwback action hero, a punch in the eye of two major opponents: terrorism and rampant political correctness. He’s A-Team meets Bond and Indiana Jones, with the hard edge of Dirty Harry.”

Bunting continues: “Boys, both young and middle-aged, are bound to identity with Tough Guy, as he’s anything but yet another bland, demasculinised hero.”

Further details are due to be announced by Mohawk Media soon.

Geronimo - At long last... The 11th Doctor

I've been waiting for the new series of Doctor Who introducing the 11th Doctor and Amy Pond with a mixture of excited anticipation and a little sadness for a while now.

Why?

Well, excited to see a new regenerated Doctor, something I've always enjoyed no matter who takes on the role. But with a little sadness because leading up to this series I was invited to pitch for the art chores for the comic strip in the BBC's Doctor Who adventures magazine. Needless to say I didn't get the job but I did well and got in the final selection of artists to be chosen. My work was, so I'm told by the BBC, shown to Matt Smith and Karen Gillen.

So for a time I grew quite attached to the idea and spent a long time sketching the characters.

I have to say that Matt Smith is tricky to draw and in hindsight perhaps I didn't quite capture the likeness I was after.

Anyway below I've posted a few of the pieces of art I put together for the pitch.

Later..

Max Missions

OK so I'm now going to try and follow up my first General Jumbo strip with a new pitch to try and see if the Beano are willing to revive the character in either the weekly comic or the monthly Beano Max. I think with the recent track record these adventure style characters have had in the weekly comic's past I may have my work cut out for me with this pitch.

I'm also writing the strips myself which is a departure for me, but somehow it's seems to be working out?

I'm trying to keep these short and get a bit of humour in them so they sit nicely alongside the regular stuff.

Here are some pencils for this tryout.

Enjoy, more soon....

Of Wolf and Man

I'm exploring a few work options at the moment.

One of the things I'm working on is a children's book pitch loosely based on the

Grimsby folk legend of Grim and Havelok.

Below is an illustration of some of the characters who appear in the story.

The Wolf Clan.