Latest sale of original artwork

Here's an unusual item from my art archive. Back in 1991 one of the several strips I drew for The Viz Pathetic Sharks Bumper Special was the Albert O'Balsam and his Magic Hat strip above. The script was by Chris Donald, and I drew it based on layouts from an earlier unpublished version by Roger Langridge. 

I've put the complete two page strip on eBay this week, along with another item, a Vampire Brats page from Buster from around the same year. If you're interested you'll find them by clicking here: Buy my stuff please!   

Bidding ends on Sunday 12th April. All bids very much appreciated! 

Him off the Viz

Him off the Viz is the autobiography of comic artist/writer and comedian Simon Donald, the co-creator of the hugely successful Viz comic. It was originally published a few years ago but Simon has now updated it and Go Faster Stripe are publishing it in paperback.

The book will be launched at Stoke Con Trent on Sunday 19th April, and Simon will be there himself to sign copies and talk aboot the Viz. "You'll be able to have yours signed by the author with a picture of Sid the Sexist abusing you personally (or a scribbled crude phallus, whichever you prefer)" said Simon on his Facebook page yesterday.

You can read more about the event at the official convention website here:
http://stokecontrent.co.uk/ 

Viz and Buster pages on eBay

Now that Christmas is well and truly over, postal deliveries are back to normal and people have hopefully had time to put aside some disposable income I'm starting to list some original artwork on eBay again. This week I've listed a Tom Thug page from Buster and a Suicidal Syd page from Viz. 

Bidding ends on Sunday 8th Feb, so if you're interested in these pages all bids are very welcome. You'll find my eBay page by clicking here. Good luck!

The Big Viz Book of Adventure

This book is brilliant. It collects scores of the excellent adventure comic parodies that have appeared in Viz comic over the years illustrated by Simon Ecob. Presented in a chunky softback format of 224 pages, it includes delights such as Jason and the Lagernauts, Jimbo Jumbo's Robo Jobos, Topless Skateboard Nun, Sherlock Homeless, Ted Rogers in the 25th Century, Roy of Crescent Mews, and of course many of the regular Jack Black strips. (No relation to that actor.) 

There are also several features spoofing the sort of thing that appeared in Look and Learn and World of Wonder. Here you'll find the history of The Breville Sandwich Toaster, How A Lesbian Works, and many other fascinating made-up facts. 

Simon Ecob really doesn't get enough recognition in the comics industry. His work is absolutely fantastic and wonderfully drawn. Anyone who dismisses Viz as 'badly drawn' really needs to take a look at Ecob's work to disprove that myth. He's been producing detailed, top notch artwork for years for the comic and it's great to see his strips collected at last. 

The stories are written by Graham Dury and Simon Thorp but Simon Ecob is the perfect choice to illustrate them. His style is evocative of that traditional DC Thomson/early Fleetway adventure comic look but it also has an irreverent edge to it that's ideal for these deadpan comedy spoofs. 

There are also a few strips by other Viz artists in the book, including The Q-Shoes and Barry the Cat by Simon Thorp (who also did the cover). Another superb artist. 

The Big Viz Book of Adventure has a RRP of £10.99, which is a bargain in itself but you may find it cheaper online. (Not for sale to children, or adults who can't cope with sweary bits and drawings of bare bosoms.)

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Also available now is the latest issue of Viz which is the Christmas edition. 52 pages plus a pull out Sexist Calendar of Records. Again, the myth of Viz containing substandard artwork is shattered with contributions by Simon Thorp, Davey Jones, Paul Palmer, Lee Healey, Tom Paterson and more. (This is the first time I haven't contributed to a Christmas Viz in years but I hope to return to the comic in 2015.) Out now on the top shelves of many fine establishments for only £3.20. 

Adventure comics, Viz style!

If you were a fan of comics such as Victor and Hotspur, or even if you hated them, you'll be sure to get a kick out of The Big Viz Book of Adventure! The 224 page softback collects a stack of the strips from Viz that spoofed that style of boys adventure stories. 

I haven't seen the book myself yet but it'll be sure to feature a good selection of strips drawn by the brilliant Simon Ecob. (Check out his website here.) 

I'll post a review on this blog when I have a copy, but don't wait for that. If you're familiar with those strips you know it's good stuff, so buy a copy today! Available for £10.99 R.R.P. or cheaper from online sellers:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Big-Viz-Book-Adventure/dp/1781063710  

Original art for sale

A quick note that one of my original Viz pages is on eBay at the moment and the bids ends on Sunday evening (UK time). It's a complete Suicidal Syd page, black ink on Bristol Board. (Adult humor.) All bids appreciated, and if you are going for it, good luck! 

Click here to visit my eBay site. 

VIZ UNMASKED at the Lakes Festival

Via John Freeman....


The ever-irreverent VIZ team are promoting their Lakes Festival exhibition plans with this satirical take on the British Library's recent Comics UnMasked poster by Jamie Hewlett. Image: Graham Dury/Simon Thorp

Kendal, UK, 18th August 2014:  Hot on the heels of the British Library's "Comics UnMasked" exhibition comes the Lakes International Comic Art Festival's very own homage to art and anarchy in the UK - "VIZ Unmasked".



VIZ Unmasked will, amongst other things, reveal the dark art of how a VIZ comic is made through a fully interactive, animatronic, state-of-the-art museum experience.

"It's been a long-held ambition by the VIZ team to create and present this unique installation," notes Festival Director Julie Tait, "and they are delighted that LICAF has enabled this dream to be realised.

"I suggested they could do a spoof poster of Comics Unmasked," Julie says of the tongue-in-cheek promotional image from Graham Dury and Simon Thorp. "They went for it – I just hope Comics UnMasked's co-curator Paul Gravett and artist Jamie Hewlett appreciate it!"



The exhibition will form a major part of a new, and still emerging,"Pop Up" Fringe over the Festival weekend (17th - 19th October 2014), aiming to reinforce its distinctiveness and respond the creative ideas of its supporters and collaborators.

VIZ have also lent their name to this year's special Comic Festival beer inspired by their long-running Biffa Bacon, the label art drawn by Graham Dury and Simon Thorp. The beer will be on sale during the Festival weekend at select outlets, including the Brewery Arts Centre, Castle Green, Wetherspoons, Ruskins and still-to-be-revealed venue for the "Pop Up Fringe".

Tickets for all the events at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (17th - 19th October) are on sale now. For the full guest list, details of events and exhibitions and bookings visit: www.comicartfestival.com

SHAAARRRRRRKS!

As you read this I'm probably still in Birmingham after the International Comic Expo so here's a scheduled post to say that bidding on my original Pathetic Sharks artwork ends this evening. If you're interested in buying an original page of Viz artwork here's my eBay site:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-PATHETIC-SHARKS-ARTWORK-DRAWN-FOR-VIZ-No-212-Signed-/201136855406?pt=UK_Books_comics_Magazines_UK_Comics_ET&hash=item2ed4b0d96e

Thanks for looking (and bidding). Good luck!

Art, auction, Action Man!

I have a couple of items on eBay this week that I hope may interest some of you. Firstly, there's a page of original Viz artwork in the form of a complete Suicidal Syd story I did a few years ago. Back ink on Bristol Board. Visit my eBay site (at this link) to see more photos of the page.

The other thing I'm selling isn't comic related, but is a piece of my childhood. An Action Man figure I had for Christmas 1970. The first bearded Action Man! Complete and in its box, plus Equipment Manual. You can see that with more photos if you click this link.

Both auctions end on Sunday evening. All bids very welcome! Thanks for looking.

Below: That's me, Christmas 1970, with two of my presents for that year. The very Action Man I'm now selling, plus the first Whizzer and Chips Annual (which isn't for sale). My dog Judy (1963 to 1978) is in the foreground. 

Sharks! Robots!

Just a quick plug for my eBay sales this week. I currently have a couple of pieces on there, - original art for a complete Pathetic Sharks strip from Viz and a Robo-Capers from The Transformers. Black ink on Bristol Board.

Bidding ends on Sunday and all bids are much appreciated. Click here to go to my eBay page. Thanks for looking!