No virus is going to stop us finding the next generation of 2000 AD creators – the 2000 AD talent search panels return as part of Thought Bubble’s Digital Comic Con this November!
It’s Dragons’ Den meets the Nerve Centre as Tharg the Mighty’s droids sit in judgement on hopeful writers and artists looking to join their ranks. Now all online and all Thrill-powered!
The prize at stake is paid work with the legendary comic book, 2000 AD, where legendary creators such as Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, Jock, Brian Bolland, Frazer Irving, Charlie Adlard, and many more got their big break!
As in previous years, eager artists are being asked to draw their own version of a four-page Future Shock script, while would-be script droids must pitch their idea for a fresh Future Shock in under two minutes!
But this year Thought Bubble has been forced to move online due to Covid-19 restrictions, so rather than judging panels in front of a live audience, selected entries will be presented to two online panels of top 2000 AD talent who will give their judgement and pick two – one artist and one writer – to get paid work at the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic!
Get your thinking caps on, follow the instructions, and you could join previous winners such as Rory McConville (Judge Dredd), Laura Bailey (Demarco P.I.), Paul Williams (2000 AD covers), and Robin Henley (Misty & Scream!) in joining the ranks of 2000 AD‘s creator droids!
All entries must be submitted following the guidelines by 9pm GMT on October 18 2020.
A brand-new live action attraction from the creators of The Crystal Maze LIVE, the challenge attraction that exploded the immersive experience scene for London’s urban adventurers.
Experience the weird thrills of future London across this mega-attraction, plus five zones of mental and skill challenges, a laser-tag combat arena and much more.
A fast, frenetic and fun quest for teams of five set in a weird, wild, wired future.
You will need ingenuity to outwit the Iso-Cube & skill to make it out of the Iso-Block.
Navigate future Piccadilly Circus and its inhabitants of mutants, droids and gangsters.
Before entering the fray in the laser-tag battle for the Cursed Earth and the grand finale in the New Old Bailey.
Little Lion Entertainment revolutionised the immersive experiential concept with the Crystal Maze LIVE experiences, when they launched back in 2016. Now they teleport urban adventurers into a surreal, high-action future with Judge Dredd Uprising: The LIVE Experience – a brand new multi-level team attraction based on the satirical and darkly funny world of Britain’s foremost science-fiction comic book character, Judge Dredd.
Judge Dredd Uprising: The LIVE Experience takes Little Lion’s cutting-edge mix of immersive live theatre, fiendish mental and physical challenges, multi-level problem-solving and stunning world-building to a whole new level.
With incredible set design, groundbreaking interactive technology and a real-life cast of crooks, robots & convicts, it’s a new dimension in excitement for friends, colleagues, rivals, gamers and fun-seekers alike.
In the sprawling megalopolis Brit-Cit, the post-nuclear London of the future, all manner of characters roam the streets. But Judge Dredd, has discovered a terrible plot and you and your merry gang of chancers are the city’s only hope!
“This new show is insanely exciting!” says Tom Lionetti-Maguire, Founder and CEO of Little Lion. “The experience is part comic book, part sci-fi film, part immersive theatre, part escape room, part action adventure and part indoor theme park… all wrapped into one.
“This is our second show and I really wanted us to push the boundaries of what audiences can expect, to explore the space between theatre, film and reality. With Uprising we have really achieved that.
“Judge Dredd’s mega-cities are a wild, prophetic and very funny world of future crime, surreal action and crazed citizens… and now you can experience that world for yourself. It’s time to choose your side.”
CEO of Rebellion, Jason Kingsley OBE, owners and publishers of Judge Dredd says “The world of Judge Dredd is the greatest imaginative universe to come out of British comics and we’re proud to bring it to ever wider audiences. Every reader has dreamed of setting foot in a Mega-City, and with Judge Dredd Uprising: The LIVE Experience they can do just that…”
An epic new concept in competitive entertainment, Judge Dredd Uprising: The LIVE Experience is set to be the Capital’s ultimate attraction for fun, parties, get-togethers, corporate team-building, big nights out and even dating (what’s a better way to get to know your latest Swipe Right than breaking out of jail with them?).
Be ready, citizen!
NOTES TO EDITORS:
JUDGE DREDD: A BRITISH COMIC ICON
Launched in the anarchic pages of 2000 AD in 1977 and created by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra, uncompromising lawman Judge Dredd is one of the best-known British comics characters of all time.
Catching the mood of the times from Thatcherism to Blairism and beyond, the heavily satirical Dredd comics became essential reading for punks, ravers and pop culture addicts as well as hardcore comics fans. The strip showed an uncanny ability to predict real-world phenomena like sob story reality TV shows, the obesity crisis and out-of-control street art many decades before they happened in the real world.
And classic storylines such as Democracy and America examined the morality of hardline policing. With the world heading in a more authoritarian direction, Dredd and his police state have never been more relevant – or more of a warning.
Dredd has been the subject of two movies, played by Sylvester Stallone in 1996’s Judge Dredd and Karl Urban of Star Trek and The Boys fame in the critically acclaimed Dredd 3D from 2012 – written and creatively controlled by visionary writer and Dredd superfan Alex Garland, creator of the BBC2 hit Devs andhit artificial intelligence movie Ex Machina. Judge Dredd is one of only a handful of UK comics characters to appear on a Royal Mail stamp.
REBELLION ENTERTAINMENT:
Founded in 1992, Rebellion is one of Europe’s biggest independent cross media studios and the owner and publisher of 2000 AD and Judge Dredd.
Famed for the global bestselling Sniper Elite and Zombie Army games series, Rebellion operates across books, comics, games, TV and film. Since 2000, founders Jason Kingsley OBE and Chris Kingsley OBE have become the custodians of the largest archive of English-language comic books in the world and have overseen the development of classic characters into games, films and more. Rebellion recently opened a $100m, twelve acre film studio in Oxfordshire, which will be home to forthcoming productions including Moon director Duncan Jones’s feature film based on the 2000 AD character Rogue Trooper, and the Mega-City One TV series based on the world of Judge Dredd.
The annual 2000 AD writer and artist talent search at Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival 2019 took place in November, where potential new script and art droids threw themselves on the mercy of the Mighty Tharg in a desperate attempt to get a chance to work at the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic!
Well, actually, the competition entrants had the onerous task of either pitching their Future Shock script or getting a grilling on their art in front of a distinguished panel of judges. This year it was Leah Moore, Mike Dowling, and Frazer Irving judging the artists, and Matt Smith, Andy Diggle, and Leah Moore (pulling a double shift!) judging the writers.
This year, this unique opportunity for new writers and artists to break into the house of Tharg was won by writer Liam Johnson and artist Robin Henley. You can expect to see their first 2000 AD work hitting the pages of the Prog sometime in 2020, but before then Richard Bruton sat down to talk to them about the competition and just what winning means to them…
Liam, Robin… congratulations to you both on winning the 2000 AD talent search contests at this year’s Thought Bubble.
Now that your wins have had chance to sink in, what does it all mean for you?
Liam Johnson: Firstly, thanks for the congratulations. It still hasn’t sunk in yet!
It’s probably poor form for a writer to say I can’t think of the words to truly describe how it felt! I’ve wanted to be a writer forever. To get something published, in a comic that is so near and dear to my heart, voted for by three judges that I greatly admire… it’s literally a dream come true.
My wife and I recently had our first child and a lot of people joked that it signalled the end of my aspirations of being a writer. Instead, I’ve used it as the reason to be more focused on my writing and set myself clear and achievable goals. Winning this year’s competition is proof that it’s working.
Robin Henley: It’s been a real confidence boost. I have an annoying tendency to be quite self-conscious about showing my work, so to get such a positive response from the judges was really good for me. Also, the feedback I’ve received online since the win was announced has been incredible.
(The Art search judges and winner left to right; Leah Moore, Mike Dowling, Frazer Irving, Robin Henley)
How did you first hear about the 2000 AD talent search, what convinced you to enter, and was this your first time entering the contest?
LJ: I can’t actually remember the first time I heard of the search. It may have been from the podcast or possibly the website?
I’ve been a fan of 2000 AD and have attended Thought Bubble for so long that it feels like something I’ve always been aware of. I decided to enter having been unsuccessful in the annual written submissions to 2000 AD several times. I felt that pitching a script in person would achieve two things, firstly helping my anxiety of public speaking and secondly, it would get me some much-needed feedback on my work.
I can’t stress enough how amazing it is that 2000 AD is so open to new talent. I hope it never goes away and Matt Smith and his team should be applauded for their amazing generosity in regards their open submission policy.
As I say, I’d previously entered the written submissions. But, with a bit of distance, I know I was probably leaning too heavily on inspiration from previous published works and my submissions just weren’t up to scratch. Last year was my first time entering the Thought Bubble talent search competition and I learned a lot doing it and it really informed my writing this time around. I don’t think I’d have won this year if I hadn’t gone through that experience of submitting and losing! So, if anyone feels dejected after this year’s contest, I encourage you to brush yourself off, take everything that was said on-board and have another go.
(Liam Johnson – winner of the script contest)
RH: This was my first time entering the Thought Bubble competition, but I’d been vaguely aware of it as a thing since I heard people excitedly talking about the then winners at Thought Bubble in 2017. I heard about this year’s competition via twitter, and apart from the exciting prize of a chance to work for 2000 AD, I think what really convinced me to have a go was the fact that I didn’t want to draw anything in the script! Drawing a bus interior, a nighttime setting, a skeleton bus driver and a load of fog sounded like a nightmare, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and really push my drawing.
For those who don’t know, the writers are asked to live pitch a Future Shock script in front of the judges and artists are asked to submit samples but also to complete a sample script for judging. This year, the sample was the 2018 Tharg’s Terror Tale from Prog 2090, The Ticket, by Paul Tobin and Dan Cornwell.
Once you’d decided to enter the contest, what was the actual pitching or portfolio review like at Thought Bubble?
RH: I decided quite late that I was going to take the plunge and enter, so I didn’t have long to work up my strip and was still drawing on the Thursday before the con! Thankfully this meant I didn’t have too much time to get nervous and overthink it, and also as it was my first time entering I had no idea what to expect. However, waiting in line to get an on the spot critique from editor Matt Smith at the 2000 AD table and find out whether or not I was going to be a finalist was a nerve-wracking experience.
As for the actual judging panel, I was one of the last to be called up, so I’d built up a lot of nerves while watching all of the other amazing entrants being critiqued on stage while their work was shown on the projector. But, when I got up there I was blown away by the positivity from the judges. It was an amazing event, and even if I hadn’t won, I think I would have been really happy to have taken part.
LJ: I went over a lot of my favourite Future Shocks to learn the techniques of how to pull off the twists, set up the payoffs, show character in a short space of time etc. In past years I borrowed too heavily on them. Who would have thought pitching ideas that were fresh and creative 30 years are now cliched? Ha! This year I then took a step back, looked at the world around me and pitched a story that was unique to my voice.
I rehearsed my pitch a few times, timing myself so I came in comfortably under the two minutes, and had my notes prepared for the day. Nerves did take hold on the day, you can certainly hear the tremble in my voice, but clearly the judges saw past that.
Having gone through the process and come out the other side victorious, what advice would you give to those who may be reading this thinking about entering next year?
RH: Focus on your storytelling. Read the script you’re given very carefully, and spend the time getting your thumbnails and pencils right. Ask yourself what you’re trying to say with each drawing, and what the focus is. If your composition and visual storytelling doesn’t work then no amount of beautiful inking, hatching or painting is going to save it, so don’t skimp on the fundamentals.
LJ: I feel slightly patronising giving advice to people that are really only 4 pages behind where I find myself now. Instead, I’m going to echo advice that infinitely more talented creators shared with me:
Read a lot. Not just comics, everything.
Try to reverse engineer your favourite comics into script form. And then do it with comics you don’t think are written that well. You can learn just as much, if not more from them.
And do your thing every day. I’ve written religiously at the crack of dawn before work for about ten years now.
Liam, as for the FS pitch that you and Robin will be bringing to life in a future Prog, without giving too much away, what can we expect from the story?
LJ: It’s set in a world that’s just over the horizon, about the risks of our over-reliance on technology and the increasing intelligence these handheld devices contain.
If I may add, having seen Robin’s winning submission and her artwork, she is going to make me look way better than I actually am. It really feels like winning the competition twice.
Robin, can you go into a little detail about what sort of art you brought to the session, what style(s) of artwork you work in and pitched, and what your process for your art is?
RH: I completed the six-page terror tale script, ‘The Ticket’, which was supplied for the competition. My work is fairly stylised, and I worried it would be a little too cartoony for the judges’ tastes, but thankfully I was wrong.
I do my pencils in Photoshop, which I find helps me try out lots of options, and be a bit more daring than if I was working straight on to the page. I then print out a blue line and ink by hand at A3 size with a couple of different brush pens. Then I scan the pages, clean up the inks and, for this comic, I added some grey tones and textures in Photoshop.
This might be your first time in 2000 AD, but has there been other work out there from you before this?
RH: I’ve completed a few short comics for competitions and anthologies, and have some other uncompleted projects. My dream has always been to work in comics, but I’ve taken a few detours, meaning my professional background is actually in illustration and graphic design. I’ve been a freelance illustrator for nearly two years, and before that I worked as an in house illustrator/designer in a London studio, specialising in packaging design.
LJ: This will be my first published work. I’ve worked on a number of other projects which didn’t reach the finish line for one reason or another. I really hope this is the start of something and encourage any artist who may want to work with me to reach out. At worst, it’s a new comic book friend and at best, perhaps we can create something awesome! I’ve also made a number of short films, to various degrees of success and accolades.
Now, as it’s your first time here on the 2000 AD news site, we’re going to hit you with a couple of old favourites!
When did you first come across the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic?
LJ: Ashamedly, I came to comics quite late. A long story short (perhaps one to share at a later date) but at the age of fifteen I suddenly found myself with nothing but spare time. Having devoured pretty much every book, TV show and film I could find (this was pre-streaming, now this would be an impossible task) I was in desperate need of something new. And that’s when I discovered comics.
I suddenly realised so much of what I loved growing up either originated from or was heavily inspired by comics. Then I read every single comic book I could find. Weirdly, even though I’ve been reading for sixteen years now, I still feel like a newbie.
RH: Despite always having been aware of it, I came quite late to 2000 AD, and initially got into it by reading the collections rather than the magazine. I started off with older stuff like The Ballad of Halo Jones by Alan Moore and Ian Gibson and the Complete Alan Moore Future Shocks, and then got into newer titles like Brass Sun by Ian Edginton and Ian Culbard.
And now that your 2000 AD journey has begun, what would you see as a dream character or strip to work on?
LJ: Is Dredd too obvious an answer? I would love to write not so much him but about the characters who live in the gutters of his world. I’m drawn to the stories where he’s a presence that can serve as either antagonist or protagonist (or both). I think the minutiae of his universe has infinite possibilities.
RH: Well, I’d love to draw an original series for 2000 AD, but if I was going to work on an existing character, I’d like it to be for a female-led strip, perhaps a Judge Anderson story. And then outside of 2000 AD, my dream would be to work on revivals of other Rebellion titles, like Misty, or Tammy and Jinty.
(A recent Robin Henley Halo Jones)
When it comes to your own work, where do your influences come from?
RH: My introduction to and journey through comics has been quite varied. When I was a kid my Dad had stacks of Mad Magazine paperbacks from the 60s which he used to let me read, and artists like Dave Berg definitely influenced my work and sparked a love of clean inks and solid blacks that I still have now.
Then when I was a little bit older I discovered manga through finding a single issue of a Urusei Yatsura comic. As a teenager, manga eventually led me to UK indie comics, although I’d say that now most of my comics reading comes from graphic novels.
Some of my favourite graphic novels include David Mazzucchelli’s Asterios Polyp, Glyn Dillon’s Nao of Brown, Emil Ferris’s My Favourite Thing is Monsters and The Black Project by Gareth Brooks, and I’m continually inspired by artists like Christophe Blain, Jaime Hernandez, Alberto Breccia and Darwyn Cooke.
LJ: I find this a tough question as I don’t necessarily think my influences display in my work and I’m inspired by new material each and every new comic book day.
If you pushed me, Brian Michael Bendis will always be a favourite. I just love his dialogue, even though it breaks every rule on word count. I know Steven Spielberg isn’t in comics but I certainly aim to emulate the way he tells stories from the common man looking up at epic situations beyond their comprehension. It goes without saying that Alan Moore is a genius. I find Grant Morrison fascinating, not just his outstanding concepts, but how experimental he is with the format. And Terry Pratchett was the first author who made me realise you could read for pleasure. I read his work way too young, not understanding any of the subtext and themes until much later in life, but I fell in love with reading because of him.
And I haven’t even touched on artists! I think Liam Sharp, Christian Ward and Marcos Martin are on top form right now. I could really list a thousand artists. I admire them so much, probably because my drawing ability peaked at eight years old. The amount of creativity in the form displayed over the last ten years or so has been outstanding. No two books look the same these days and nothing excites me more.
With the contest over, what’s coming up for you in the near, or not so near future?
LJ: I’m working on a four-issue mini-series with entitled Missing Persons with co-creator Bernardo Vieira. It’s a time-travel heist story I wrote a couple years ago that should be ready for publication next year.
I’ve been working on a novel for a while now, starting as a passion project for my own amusement, but I hope to start shopping that around next year. And finally, while I can’t announce it yet, I do have something on the horizon that may keep me chained to the computer for most of next year. I hope next time we speak I can give more definite answers but there’s lots of exciting things coming up!
RH: Well, the most exciting thing coming up for me is undoubtedly getting to work on a 2000 AD strip! But aside from that, I’m going to be focusing on trying to get some other paid comics work and perhaps work up a pitch for an original graphic novel.
Congratulations once more to Robin and Liam for their wins and we’ll be looking forward to seeing their Future Shock when it appears, sometime in 2020. In the meantime, you can follow them on Twitter at @LiamJohnsonType and @RobinHenley.
And of course, 2000 AD will be at Thought Bubble 2020 with yet another fabulous talent search, looking for the very best new writers and artists of the future!
Finally, just because it’s a fascinating thing to do, here’s the original Dan Cornwell published art for ‘The Ticket’ page one and page two and Robin’s winning artwork based on the same script that so impressed the judges…
At this year’s Thought Bubble, 2000 AD returned with the only talent search of its kind in the UK – with the prizes being paid work with the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic!
It’s Dragons’ Den meets the Nerve Centre as Tharg the Mighty’s droids sit in judgement on hopeful writers and artists looking to join their ranks.
The script competition, at which would-be writers have two minutes to pitch their idea for a Future Shock, took place on the Saturday afternoon in front of a panel made up of current 2000 AD editor and writer Matt Smith, writer Leah Moore, and writer and former 2000 AD editor Andy Diggle. Almost 30 entrants nervously awaited the chance to stand before a live audience and deliver their pitch, with a dozen making it through in time.
Congratulations to Liam Johnson, whose pitch impressed the judges and will now be published in a future issue of 2000 AD!
Script competition winner Liam with Leah Moore (left) and panel host Molch-R (right)
This year, entrants for the art competition had to draw pages from The Ticket, a Terror Tale by Paul Tobin and originally drawn by Dan Cornwell. After getting through a HUGE line of would-be contestants, 2000 AD editor Matt Smith chose nine entries to go forward to the judging panel on the Sunday morning.
In front of a live audience the panel – made up of writer Leah Moore (Storm Warning), and artists Mike Dowling (Anderson, Psi Division) and Frazer Irving (Judge Death) – went through each entry and gave advice to the artists on how to improve their work.
But in the end there could be only one winner – and the panel unanimously chose the entry by Robin Henley!
Art competition winner Robin Henley (right) with (from left) Leah Moore, Mike Dowling, and Frazer Irving
Robin will now join previous winners Paul Williams, Tom Foster, Daniel Dwyer, Will Morris, and Tilen Javornik who have all gone on to appear in the pages of 2000 AD!
This is the first two pages of Robin’s winning entry:
Thanks to all the contestants of both competitions – we’ll be back to Thought Bubble next year on the hunt for new talents for the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic!
And here are the other entries who made it through to the judging panel – which is your favourite?
There’s just a days until the doors open for Thought Bubble 2019 in Harrogate – and, as always, 2000 AD will be bringing the Thrill-power to our final event of the year!
Taking place at Harrogate Convention Centre on 9-10 November, Thought Bubble is a fantastic comics-focused weekend with events, panels, and packed halls full of comics big and small!
At this year’s show, 2000 AD returns with the only talent search of its kind in the UK – with the prize being paid work with the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic! Legendary creators such as Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, Jock, Brian Bolland, Frazer Irving, Charlie Adlard, and many more got their big breaks at 2000 AD – could you be joining them? It’s Dragons’ Den meets the Nerve Centre as Tharg the Mighty’s droids sit in judgement on hopeful writers and artists looking to join their ranks.
If you’re planning to submit an entry to the 2000 AD art competition, you’ll need to come to the 2000 AD table (10-12, Comixology Originals Hall) between 1pm and 2pm on SATURDAY. Chosen entries will be judged on SUNDAY at 11am in Room A – Queen’s Suite.
Put before a panel of top creators, prospective art droids have their work scrutinsed while would-be writers must pitch their own original Future Shock in just two minutes! They’re not for the faint of heart but the competitions have launched the professional careers of some of the newest talent to grace the pages of 2000 AD!
If you’re good enough, you’ll find yourself gracing the pages of a Prog just as artist Will Morris did when he won the 2012 art contest! His Terror Tale, ‘The Death Magnetic’, written by David Baillie, appeared in 2000 AD Prog 1836.
Will Morris’ first book, The Silver Darlings, was published by Blank Slate Books in 2011. Following his 2000 AD/Thought Bubble art win in 2012, he’s responsible for the creation of a giant comic strip for the V&A Dundee, spanning the building’s construction site and telling three stories of Scottish design. Will has also contributed work to a wide range of publications, including an adaptation of the Child Ballad, Clerk Colvill, for Nobrow, comics art for Spirou, 2000 AD and Vertigo, as well as an adaptation of Jack London’s The Call of the Wild for Oxford University Press.
With this year’s competitions rapidly approaching, the 2000 AD blog’s Richard Bruton chatted to Will about being a previous winner and what he’s been up to since…
How did you hear about the 2000 AD talent search and what convinced you to enter?
I found out about the 2000 AD talent search trawling the event programme on the Thought Bubble website. I’d had a bit of luck in a previous year with the Northern Sequential Art Competition and guessed that this was a good way to get my work in front of the great creators and editor of 2000 AD.
The final art judgment is in front of a live audience and a panel of 2000 AD’s finest – how did you find this terrifying experience?
Perhaps I have a masochistic tendency, but I love getting a critique from creators and editors. Tharg, Simon Fraser, Frazer Irving, Rob Williams and more let me know what was and wasn’t working in my pages – that’s really valuable to me. It’s absolutely nerve wracking and a total buzz.
What were your thoughts on winning the art contest and finally seeing your work in 2000 AD?
I’m confident in my art, but winning was a real surprise. It was lovely to hear the warm response to my pages from people in the theatre, which I hadn’t even packed with my friends and family.
Once the Terror Tale was published, the first thing I did was call my friend, Tom, who is a lifelong fan of 2000 AD. It’s something that makes me smile to think about – I’ve had my work in a copy of 2000 AD, home to some of the best, anarchic, allegorical comic stories out there.
Were you also a lifelong fan or were you something of a late bloomer when it came to reading 2000 AD?
Late! My mum banned me from Garbage Pail Kids and watching Neil Sharpe’s Fun House for being too gruesome when I was young, so there was no chance I’d get my hands on 2000 AD. Coming to it late, meant I was able to take a lot from the stories, especially Judge Dredd, which I really admire for its social commentary.
You won in 2012, with your Terror Tale published in 2013 – how has your art evolved since then and how did getting that first 2000 AD art gig affect your career?
My work has definitely evolved since then. The more I read and creators I discover online the more my work is infused with a little bit of what I admire in them. I hope it never stops evolving. My Terror Tale strip was one of the first I inked using a brush, which is something I’ve taken into all my comics since, including a Nobrow anthology, an adaptation of Call of the Wild and a massive comic strip on the building site hoardings for the V&A Dundee. The Terror Tale itself was written by the impossibly nice David Baillie. He was kind enough to get me a gig working on a short story of his for a Vertigo anthology.
What advice would you give to up and coming writers and artists about getting into comics in general, and the Thought Bubble competition in particular?
Explore what it is you like about the writers and artists you admire, then research and practice what it takes to achieve it. There is a book or online resource for everything, whether it’s writing a nourishing story, drafting expressive poses, composing a page, the impact of light and shadow or creating an emotional response with colour. There’s a lot to learn. If there’s something that niggles away at you about your work, try to tackle it head on. It can be frustrating, but it’s worth it when you surprise yourself with a panel that’s better than the idea you had in your mind’s eye. Also seek out criticism. The 2000 AD Thought Bubble competition is a great opportunity for this. There’s no shame in feeling a little prickly when you receive it, it’s your work after all and that feels personal, but always be graceful and take away some useful ideas to improve your work. All of the above is as much advice to myself as it is anyone else.
Finally, what’s coming up for you in the near, or not so near future?
I’m currently working on a creator owned comic series, which is aiming for a 2019 release. It’s a historical fantasy, set in Tudor Devon.
You can find updates on Will’s new work on both Instagram and Twitter.
The doors will soon open to admit the masses as another San Diego Comic Con gets underway – and 2000 AD will be there, ready to dispense a heady dose of Thrill-power!
Head along to Booth 2806, near the Dark Horse and Skybound Games booths, for your chance to dive into the world of the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic – check out our latest graphic novel release, pick up a free ashcan comic of Dredd, Sniper Elite or Strange Brigade, check out one of our zarjaz signings, or become the law and get your photo taken for the chance to win ghafflebette graphic novels!
You’ll also be able to try the new Strange Brigade video game from Rebellion at a special demo stand!
The 2000 AD schedule for San Diego 2018 is:
Thursday
2pm -3pm: PANEL – The Treasury of British Comics: Can A Forgotten Archive Teach Us About Comics In The 21st Century? Room: 29AB
Friday
2pm – 3pm: SIGNING – Liana Kangas & Katy Rex
3pm – 4pm: PANEL – Spotlight on Simon Bisley, Room: 4
Saturday
11am – 12pm: SIGNING – Babs Tarr
12pm – 1pm: SIGNING – Tula Lotay
2pm – 3pm: SIGNING – Simon Bisley
4pm – 5pm: PANEL – The 2000 AD Thrill Hour!, Room: 4
We’re delighted to announce the latest 2000 AD signings!
Writer Dan Abnett and artist I.N.J. Culbard will be signing copies of the first collection of this new atmospheric, sci-fi thriller Brink!
The signings will be at 4pm on Friday 8th September at Get Ready Comics in Rochester and 1pm on Saturday 9th September at Forbidden Planet in London!
IN THE LATE 21ST CENTURY THE REMAINS OF THE HUMAN RACE ARE CRAMMED INTO the Habitats: vast artificial space stations; hotbeds for crime and madness policed by private security firms. When a routine drug bust goes wrong, no-nonsense Investigator Bridget Kurtis finds herself in a life or death struggle with a new sect of cultists. But evidence begins to point to something far more sinister going on behind the scenes…
