The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log » Future Shocks

Going Rogue

Joe — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:01:12 +0000

Perusing some recent additions to the Eclectic Micks sketch blog collective of Irish comics creators we’ve mentioned before and I see PJ Holden has posted up some of his earlier Rogue Trooper work, some originally done for the great wee 2000 AD tribute ‘zine Zarjaz with Si Spurrier, with PJ also talking about how long he had wanted to draw the genetic infantryman, how he got into creating work for the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic and the Mighty Tharg offering him a full gig at 2000 AD, a dream come true for him.

And also sticking with a PJ theme, scribe Jasper Bark has scanned in an old Future Shock from 2000 AD (the short tale Future Shocks being a tried and tested place for many writers and artists to try out their craft and a much loved feature among 2000 AD fans, myself included), Autocrats Anonymous, complete with art by PJ and lettering by the late, great Tom Frame:

Al Ewing at SFX

Joe — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:44:04 +0000

The excellent Al Ewing is interviewed in SFX magazine and they’ve very nicely put it up online so everyone can read it. As well as discussing his career Al offers advice for would-be comics writers, noting how the short Future Shocks stories in 2000AD have proven to be a great way for new scribes to hone their talents before embarking on more ambitious projects:

“SFX: What do you enjoy about the format of Tharg’s Future Shocks and Terror Tales?

Ewing: “Lots of freedom! So long as you obey the ‘five pages, twist ending’ rule you can do just about anything. Plus, it gives the up-and-coming writer a massive burst of confidence to learn the skill of creating an entire world and destroying it in five pages – it teaches you brevity, density and most importantly, value for money. Comics are not cheap, and you owe your reader as much entertainment per dollar as humanly possible – Future Shocks are an excellent way of learning to provide massive amounts of information in a small space.”

“If anyone comes up at me and says they want to be a comic writer, I always recommend starting small, with five pages or less. That way you get it finished, there’s not much to rewrite so you can really polish it, you’ve more chances of getting it drawn and printed somewhere, editors are more likely to spare the time to read it… and it teaches you all kinds of valuable skills that will stop you boring the readers to tears with loads of unnecessary waffle later in your professional life. (Like I’m doing now, for example.)“”

(a recent page from Zombo in 2000 AD, written by Al Ewing, art by Henry Flint)

And if you are hungry for more Matt ‘Daddy Cool’ Badham interviewed Al right here on the blog just a few weeks ago – catch up with it here is you missed it.

BICs got talent

Joe — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:01:43 +0000

British International Comics Show‘s Shane Chebsey tells us that they are all excited over the publication of the first winner of their BICS Got Talent writing contest: ” The lucky winner John Howson has had his Future Shock story “9 to 5” illustrated by the talented artist Ben Willsher in the latest issue of the infamous science fiction anthology magazine 2000ad which is available now in all good newsagents.”

“Last year two artists where also picked up by DC Comics when Editor Mark Chairello visited the show, and this year the organisers plan to keep helping to establish that career path from creator to publisher by working with artists, universities and publishers very closely. This year –once again – artists will have the chance to show their work to DC Comics editor Michael Wright and other editors who will be attending the show.”

Shane also tells us that this year’s BICS will also see Howard Chaykin as a special guest, while Pasqual Ferry, Alan Davis, Paul Cornell, Doug Braithwaite and others will be helping celebrate seventy years of Marvel Comics. This year’s show will be at the Think Tank in Birmingham over the weekend of the 3rd and 4th of October 2009.