Tag: pauldavidson

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Out now – Aquila Volume II: The Burning Fields!

The latest digital-only 2000 AD collection, Aquila Volume II: The Burning Fields is now available to buy on the 2000 AD webshop and app.

In this stunning historical fantasy story, travel back to Ancient Rome to meet slave-turned-gladiator-turned-collector-of-souls Aquila!

A gladiator and slave who joined Spartacus’s failed revolt and was crucified, Aquila called out for vengeance during his slow and painful death. He was answered by Ammit the Devourer, a deity that gifted him with immortality in return for keeping her fed with evil men’s souls. But Aquila has discovered he is by no means alone in serving Ammit’s thirst for souls, and wants to be released from her grasp – but will his quest devour his very soul?

Written by Gordon Rennie, with art by Paul Davidson and Patrick Goddard, this is swords and sorcery with a historical twist, a violent and bloody descent through the ages with the undying assassin and his compatriot Felix embarking on a mission that may shake the foundations of hell itself!

Aquila Volume II: The Burning Fields is available now from the 2000 AD app, as DRM-free download from the 2000 AD webshop, and on Amazon Kindle devices.

BUY AS DRM-FREE DIGITAL >>

DOWNLOAD THE 2000 AD APP >>

BUY FOR AMAZON KINDLE >>

GET VOL.1 IN PRINT AND DIGITAL >>

The new digital releases will be available from the 2000 AD app for Apple, Android, and Windows 10 devices, as DRM-free PDF/CBZ downloads from the 2000 AD webshop, and on Amazon Kindle devices.

We have more brilliant digital releases coming in this series of collections, the full list includes:

4 August Bad City Blue – Alan Grant (w) Robin Smith (a)

1 September Firekind – John Smith (w) Paul Marshall (a)

6 October – Dark Justice: Torture Garden – David Hine (w) Nick Percival (a)

3 November – Tales from the Black Museum: Volume One – including John Wagner, Al Ewing, Dan Abnett, Simon Spurrier, John Smith, Alan Grant (w) Shaun Thomas, John Ridgway, Dylan Teague, Rufus Dayglo, Dean Ormston (a)

1 December Durham Red: Born Bad – Alec Worley (w) Ben Willsher, Lee Carter (a)

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Preview: Aquila Volume II: The Burning Fields!

We’re very excited to share a preview of the next title in our series of digital-only 2000 AD collections, Aquila Volume II: The Burning Fields by Gordon Rennie, Paul Davidson and Patrick Goddard!

In this stunning historical fantasy story, we travel back to Ancient Rome to find slave-turned-gladiator Aquila. Having cried out to the gods for vengeance during his slow and painful death, and was answered by Ammit the Devourer, a deity that gifted him with immortality in return for keeping her fed with evil men’s souls. But Aquila has discovered he is by no means alone in serving Ammit’s thirst for souls, and wants to be released from her hold…

You can check out the first four pages of Aquila Volume II: The Burning Fields below, and it’s out on July 7th – available from the 2000 AD app, as DRM-free download from the 2000 AD webshop, and on Amazon Kindle devices.

The new digital releases will be available from the 2000 AD app for Apple, Android, and Windows 10 devices, as DRM-free PDF/CBZ downloads from the 2000 AD webshop, and on Amazon Kindle devices.

We have more brilliant digital releases coming in this series of collections, the full list includes:

4 August Bad City Blue – Alan Grant (w) Robin Smith (a)

1 September Firekind – John Smith (w) Paul Marshall (a)

6 October – Dark Justice: Torture Garden – David Hine (w) Nick Percival (a)

3 November – Tales from the Black Museum: Volume One – including John Wagner, Al Ewing, Dan Abnett, Simon Spurrier, John Smith, Alan Grant (w) Shaun Thomas, John Ridgway, Dylan Teague, Rufus Dayglo, Dean Ormston (a)

1 December Durham Red: Born Bad – Alec Worley (w) Ben Willsher, Lee Carter (a)

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2000AD Covers Uncovered – Freak out! Le Reek, c’est Chic!

Prog 2033 sports this action packed cover by the brilliant Paul Davidson! The image shows young Daniel Foe taking on the terrible Diehard Reeks with only his unshakable faith as a weapon. Can Titus Defoe save the boy in time or will he end up as worm food like his poor mother and brother before him?

I asked Paul to take us through his process. Very much the traditionalist, Paul approaches his work using good old fashioned pencils, inks and felt tips. Over to Paul… 

“Tharg had something very specific in mind, so I pretty much nailed it on one sketch!” which is lucky for Paul; the mighty one isn’t known for his patience and it would have meant a ‘ten minute work out’ with Mek-Quake if he had not… 

On this early pencilled image, you can see the stench coming from young Daniel’s pants where he has soiled himself…

Paul continues “Then it was out with the inks…”

“Hello Mr Christian. Can I eat you please?” Ooops, wring strip…

“A couple of hours later…”

“A little help please, Mr Defoe!?!”

“On with the colour…”

“Show him your cross!” “Cross!?! I’m bloody livid!”

Paul continues “More colouring in with the felt tips…” Ah yes, what could be more relaxing than spending an afternoon depicting the impending, grisly death of a minor by a horde of evil, undead ghouls… 

“Excuse me? I wonder if you have five minutes to chat about the Lord?”

And finally, the image is done, wow!

What does a vegetarian zombie eat? Graaaains! (Sorry!)

And here is the final image for your enjoyment, I suggest you don’t look at it while eating your tea…

Die Hard 1671: A Good Day to Reek Hard!

So there we have it. I love this cover, which set my usually trustworthy artist detecting circuits haywire. With that composition, the colour choices, the hair of young Daniel, I instantly thought it was the work of the Ezquerra droid, all that was missing were the little dashes around the characters! I can’t think of a higher compliment than that!

For me, Paul is certainly one of the most exciting artists around at the moment and I’d urge everyone to check out his website (and awesome blog) here: http://www.pauldavidsonart.com/ He has a dazzling range of styles which are simply glorious! Check out this brilliant Dredd vs Death image…

“Stay still and take your drokking beating!”

Once again, Dredd wished there was a ‘Breath mint’ setting on his lawgiver…

Huge, huge thanks to Paul for once again stepping up for 2000AD Covers Uncovered. Here’s hoping we see more covers from this exciting art droid soon!

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2000AD Covers Uncovered – Jaegir Bomb!

Prog 1996 features the return of Kapitan-Inspector Atalia Jaegir, of the Nordland State Security Police. Atalia, who is infected with the fearsome Strigoi curse which can mutate it’s victims into fearsome monsters, is part of the Nordland Security Forces who deal with war criminals. The brutal war between the Norts and the Southers has seen its fair share of atrocities, many by members of the Jaegar family. When the time comes, will she be able to bring them to account?

The stiking cover is by Dredd: Uprising and Aquila artist Paul Davidson and is an absolute cracker! I reached out to Paul and he was kind enough to send some fantastic work in progress images and notes about his creative process. He said “Tharg knew what he wanted, so we bypassed the stage of various rough design proposals. From his description, i went straight to a well finished rough…” 

A tagline from the Ronseal School of Taglines…

“Once that was given the green light, I proceeded to inks…”

As usual, the troops were quite literally behind Jaegir!

“I then blocked in the background colour as I visualised this with a strong warm colour background, with a cool foreground for maximum punch…”

Red sky at night, Nordland’s do fight! Red Sky in the morning, Nordland’s warring!

“I then added the cool tones to the main deal using Copic markers bought from my local corner shop!”

Here’s pen in your eye!

“And then more of the same to completion…”

Embarrasingly, Jaegir had a piece of lavvy roll handing out of the back of her trousers…

Paul was thrilled with the work done by Tharg’s design team, he said “Picking up on the white light on her face, picked up very nicely in the typography……all tied in nicely………it’s great when that happens!”

Atalia gets ready for a scrap in the scrap.

It’s great for us too, as this is a fine cover for a great character! Thanks to Paul for sending the images and insights, please go visit his website at http://www.pauldavidsonart.com/