Cool day at Collectormania

I had a good day at Collectormania 23 at Milton Keynes yesterday. I didn't really know what to expect, having never attended a comics show in Milton Keynes before but I had a steady number of visitors to my table and enjoyed talking to, and sketching for, those who dropped by.

The event was held at Stadium MK and was situated around the concourse. As some of you know, I've never been into football and at 56 years of age this was my first ever visit to a football stadium! I must admit that, even with empty seats and no game on, I can understand the excitement and atmosphere such places could generate now that I've stood and gazed across the massive stadium.

With the show being on the concourse it did get a bit chilly at times due to the wet weather yesterday but at least we had fresh air all day. It was very busy, with thousands of visitors there to see guests from the world of film, TV, comics and sport including Nick Blood from Agents of SHIELD and the legendary Jack Charlton!

There were only a handful of comics guests at this event so it was an honour to be one of the few. Comics colleagues Lee Townsend, Martin Griffiths, and Mike Collins were also busy sketching for numerous visitors. 

Lee Townsend and Martin Griffiths at their tables.

Mike Collins, yesterday.

Cosplayers were very much in evidence too of course, including The Brigadier and a captured Dalek! 

All in all, a very pleasant day. My thanks to organizer Mike Conroy for the invite. The event continues today (Sunday 14th) but although I'm not there my three comics colleagues will be. I'm sure they're busy even as I type these words. 

I know some people have criticized these bigger shows for expanding to attract fans from TV and sport but I think it's a good thing. Most of the visitors I met yesterday had stopped reading comics when they left their childhood, (just like most people do) but some recognized my characters from the 1980s and others were just happy to meet a Beano artist. It's not going to turn them into comic fans and they're not going to be interested in adult comics, but the nostalgia factor intrigues them. 

The conventions that only focus on comics are brilliant too of course, and long may they continue, but the massive media/comics events have their own appeal too. There are a lot of people out there who attend these shows and they can be a good day out for fans and creators alike. 
http://www.collectormania.com/miltonkeynes/

The DAREDEVILS (1983)

By the early 1980s Marvel UK had progressed considerably since the company's early days of reprint weeklies edited from New York and packaged by a London office. Now based in Kentish Town Road, Marvel UK had expanded its staff and its commitment to producing home-grown material. In January 1983 they launched The Daredevils, a 52 page monthly with a mixture of reprint and brand new material.

It's often thought that The Daredevils was intended to rival Dez Skinn's Warrior, which was likely to be the case. (Dez, an ex-Marvel UK editor, had set up Warrior the previous year.) I remember Alan Moore remarking that he and Alan Davis were in the strange position of competing with themselves, as they were doing Marvelman for Warrior at the very same time they were producing new Captain Britain stories for The Daredevils.

The Daredevils No.1 kicked off with a new cover by Paul Neary, and, inside, a new 8 page Captain Britain episode (which would increase to 12 pages in later issues). 

The comic's editor was Bernie Jaye, although Alan had a large influence in suggesting feature ideas which Bernie was happy to accommodate. For example, for the first issue Alan also wrote a six page article on Frank Miller's Daredevil (being a perfect accompaniment to the reprints of Miller's Daredevil strip in the comic), and a regular Fanzine Reviews column. 

I get a little annoyed when I hear some fans today claiming that Alan Moore hates fandom. In fact it's complete bol... well, to put it politely, nothing could be further from the truth, as proven in the pages of The Daredevils. Alan had his roots in comics fandom and was always encouraging new creators. With his Fanzine Reviews pages he went out of his way to promote fanzines he'd often paid for himself. This was a big deal for those of us starting out back then. No other British comic was promoting 'zines in this way, but here was Alan Moore giving us free publicity in a comic sold on the High Street. 

Another regular feature in The Daredevils was Frank Plowright's News Feature, looking at upcoming American comics. It even promoted those published by Marvel's rivals.

Humour was provided in the form of the Earth 33 1/3rd mini-strip by the ever-brilliant Tim Quinn and Dicky Howett.

There was also an Early Artwork feature, with each issue showing the very early work of top creators such as Dave Gibbons, Garry Leach, and David Lloyd...

The first few issues of The Daredevils also featured serialized Spider-Man reprints by Stan Lee and John Romita, although these were dropped after issue 4 to make room for more British material. The comic was rapidly developing into something unique and unmissable; a publication that not only featured comic strips but embraced them with well written articles and features. 

Every issue (except No.3) featured a full colour centrefold poster with new artwork by UK talent. I'll be showing these in more detail in a few days time. 

Issue 6 saw the start of a series of Night Raven text stories written by Alan Moore, with art by David Lloyd on the first chapter and Alan Davis in following issues.

The Daredevils No.7 (July 1983) has a personal significance for me because it's where my first professional comics work appeared. Again, this was due to encouragement from Alan Moore who introduced me to Bernie Jaye at a Westminster Comic Mart. Alan bigged me up, Bernie asked me to submit some ideas to her, I sent off a bunch of What If cartoons and they started appearing from issue 7. I'll always be grateful to Alan and Bernie for giving me my first break. Here's that very first one...

Issue 8 saw the publication of a great Daredevil spoof by Alan Moore, Mike Collins, and Mark Farmer. Grit brazenly parodied the Frank Miller Daredevil strips that were appearing in the same comic. This was Mike Collins' first professional work, again thanks to Alan Moore's input. Here it is...

Sadly, despite The Daredevils being one of the most unique and entertaining comics in the UK, it wasn't to last. With sales lower than hoped, Marvel UK pulled the plug with issue 11, merging it with The Mighty World of Marvel the following month. Disappointed, Bernie Jaye and Alan Moore quit, although some new material did continue for a while in MWOM. Other writers took over Captain Britain, Night Raven, and the comics/fanzine reviews. 

The Daredevils lasted just under a year, but what a year! If you've never seen it, the issues are worth collecting. Marvel UK went on to produce more new material of course (and I went on to do Captain Wally, Robo-Capers, Combat Colin, and more for the company) but they never did another publication with such a great mixture of strips and comics features. 

DWM 484 preview

Issue 484 of Doctor Who Magazine will be in shops across the UK from tomorrow (March 5th). This packed issue features a brand new complete 12 page comic strip, Space Invaders, by Mark Wright, Mike Collins, David Roach and James Offredi starring the 12th Doctor and Clara. 

There's also another Daft Dimension strip by me...

The rest of the issue is a fantastic mixture of features, interviews, and reviews, including a look back on the 1972 TV story The Time Monsters...

An in-depth analysis of the 1964 serial Marco Polo...

Plus loads more including interviews with Paul McGann and Bonnie Langford plus an exclusive interview with Doctor Who's head writer Stephen Moffat on the next series...

All in all, 84 pages of all-new material for just £4.99. Now in its 36th year of publication, Doctor Who Magazine is the essential mag for all fans of the show. 

It's time for the latest Doctor Who Magazine!

Doctor Who Magazine No.483 went on sale today and it's another 84 packed pages of Who-related goodness. If you didn't already know, each issue features an all-new full colour 12 page Doctor Who strip by some of Britain's top comics talents. This issue has part three of The Instruments of War, written and drawn by Mike Collins with inks by David Roach. Fantastic stuff!

The other regular comic strip is The Daft Dimension by me, and this month I've brought back the Zarbi! Who? They were going to be huge in the sixties you know. Had their own badges on sale in Woolworths and they appeared on the Doctor Who Give-A-Show Projector Set. Since then.... not so much. But I've always liked 'em so I couldn't resist devoting one strip to them.

The rest of the magazine is crammed full of features including part two of the exclusive interview with Peter Purves on his time on Doctor Who 50 years ago...

...and an article on the set designs of the First Doctor's Marco Polo adventure, plus loads of other features. 

Doctor Who Magazine No.483. On sale now from WH Smith and other retailers for £4.99. 

Christmas DWM out now! (Updated)

This is an update to a blog post I did several days ago (which I've now deleted as this supersedes it). Above is the cover to the polybag that contains the Christmas Doctor Who Magazine, in shops today Thursday (11th December). A special bumper issue with tons of features plus a huge double-sided poster.

Open the bag and this is the cover that greets you. A homage to the 1991 Christmas Radio Times...

Inside there are treats for Whovians and comic fans, with the start of a new 12th Doctor adventure, The Instruments of War running across 12 pages written and drawn by Mike Collins, with inks by David Roach and colours by James Offredi.

It also contains a seasonal episode of The Daft Dimension by me. Here's a small section of one panel. I can't show any more or it'll ruin the joke. Spoilers!

There's also a feature by Mike Collins on his work storyboarding episodes of the recent series of Doctor Who, showing some of his art from those boards.

Plus tons more features of course, including a short item on the comic strips that featured as slides for the Give-A-Show Doctor Who Projector in the early 1960s. 

Doctor Who Magazine No.481, 100 pages for £5.99. Published by Panini UK.

Retro Who!

Remember when The Daleks had their own American comic book? No, me neither, because it never happened. However, a new calendar for 2015 features excellent 'comic inspired art' with a mock up retro Doctor Who comic cover for every month of the year!

The artwork is by Mike Collins who is a regular contributor to the Doctor Who Magazine comic strip as well as being known for numerous other comics work over the past three decades. You can see his website at http://www.freakhousegraphics.com 

The retro style Doctor Who art has also been used on other merchandise. Some of which you can see here:
http://www.freakhousegraphics.com/news


Really nice work from one of the best in the business. The Doctor Who calendar is published by Danilo Promotions and is available at many shops and calendar stalls at shopping centres etc. at £9.99. If you can't find one and need to order it, give your bookshop the ISBN 978-1-78054-583-7 for the UK, or ISBN 1-78054-583-5 for the USA.