I was lucky enough to be interviewed by guitarist Matt Stevens, from the band The Fierce and the Dead for their YouTube channel. It premiered yesterday.
We discuss comics, screenwriting, and music and you also get an exclusive reveal of what my next comics project is. It’s a childhood dream come true! Give it a watch and make sure you listen to The Fierce and the Dead and Matt’s solo work, they are great and have been the backdrop to many a writing session.
comics
2020 - the most unusual of years /
Back at the start of the year when Covid-19 was first mentioned we had no idea how surreal the rest of 2020 would be. Outside of the trials and tribulations of a global pandemic, it was a good chance to take stock, prioritise, and reflect. I grew a beard, got to know my neighbours, took some virtual singing lessons, and got fitter with the help of a personal trainer! It’s also been an important year on the writing front, as I used the time to write more and to focus on my overall goals. Here’s a little round-up of a very productive twelve months.
The Screen
I’ve taken some huge leaps forward in 2020, largely thanks to the two mentors I was assigned this year. Through BAFTA Cymru’s Share Scheme I’ve been working with BAFTA-nominated TV writer Robert Evans and via ScreenSkills Mentoring Program I’ve been coached by script development consultant Mar Vila Barcelo. They’ve both given excellent notes on the various projects I’m working on and helped me to rebuild my confidence as a writer along the way.
Mentors Robert Evans and Mar Vila Barcelo
Short film - Shortest Day
As always I like to keep myself busy and I do my best work when I’m spinning multiple plates. Short film Shortest Day, an idea from just before lockdown started, has come on leaps and bounds since working with both mentors. I’ve also made the decision to direct it myself and I’m currently working with a producer to help make that a reality. More on this project early in 2021 as things start to take more shape.
In tandem with this, I’ve worked up a TV pilot and after completing a number of versions it almost feels ready to take out into the world.
I’ve also been working on a Feature Film script with my longtime collaborator Steve Aryan and we’ve reached around the halfway point of our first draft. I’ll be working on the next few scenes in the coming weeks before handing it back to Steve.
Comics
The companion comic to Robert Reed’s Cursus 123 430 album that I worked on with Matt Rooke was completed this year and came out recently to a very positive reaction.
Dave Clifford and I have continued working on our supernatural Western series Seven Shades through this difficult year. Issue 1 of our second season is complete and Dave is currently painting Issue 2, our seventh issue overall. If you’d like to catch up before the second season is launched you can get our first four issues here and our over-sized season bridging story Hell’s Belles here.
Flux, which I co-write with Steve Aryan hit a bump in the road this year. We completed Issue 2 and were set to launch our Kickstarter in March, just as the pandemic struck. With so much uncertainty around things, including how to post out issues, we’ve had to put things on hold. We should regroup in 2021 to come up with a new plan, hopefully.
In better news, I am currently working on a project for a Licensed Property that sits squarely on my bucket list. I can’t say much yet, but my plot has been approved by the editor and one of my favourite artists is collaborating with me on the strip. I’ll be scripting it fully over the festive period and there will be more to follow on this early in 2021.
In amongst all the negativity, uncertainty, and sadness that this year has brought into our lives, I’m pleased to have been able to get so much done. With a bit of luck and a prevailing wind, there should be lots of exciting things happening in the coming year.
New music project - Cursus 123 430 /
I have once again had the opportunity to work with artist Matt Rooke, following our previous collaborations for Deep Purple and Europe for Bait Studio. This time we’ve created a comic together to accompany the new solo album by multi-instrumentalist Robert Reed (Magenta, Sanctuary).
The story behind the electronic instrumental concept album comes from Les Penning (Mike Oldfield), who also provides the narration on the LP. My role was to condense and adapt his overarching narrative into a comic script, before bringing Matt on board as the artist. It was a really fun project to work on and getting to listen to the album as I wrote the script really helped me visualize what was needed on the page.
If you like Vangelis, Jean-Michel Jarre, Tangerine Dream, or John Carpenter then I think you will really enjoy the record which the comic enhances. You can hear some of the album in this promo, complete with animation by Rob’s long time collaborator Peter Pashen.
You can pre-order the album here and you can find out more in this Prog Magazine article.
Flux on hold while the world is on lockdown. /
The Kickstarter campaign for Issue 2 of Flux was due to launch today, so I was expecting to be writing a post here extolling the virtues of the sci-fi series written by me and Steve Aryan, with art by Maysam Barza, colours by Pressy, a cover by Azim Akberali and letters by Sean Rinehart. However, the world and everything in it has changed beyond recognition since we completed work on the issue.
Since the CV-19 virus outbreak has taken hold of society and shows no immediate sign of loosening its grip, we have taken the decision to put the campaign on hold until things settle down. We did toy with doing a digital only campaign, but our backers preferred the idea of including physical copies still, so ultimately ,despite people being willing to wait for those copies, we felt it best to hang fire. With so many people, ourselves included, concerned about the health of loved ones, their livelihood etc it felt like the best course of action. We’ll be back bigger and better later in the year.
To give people something to read during social distancing and while staying at home we have put Issue 1 up on Gumroad as a reduced price of £1.99 . So you can pick it up there if you haven’t already and please do share the link around.
Favourite Things in 2019 /
This year, more than any other in my adult life, it’s been really important for me to have lots of media to consume to escape the harshness of the real world. Thankfully there has been plenty to watch, read and listen to and it was very hard to narrow down each section to a Top 3 for 2019, but I just about managed it in the end. So here is my list of the things I liked most during the year, not necessarily the ‘best’ but what I personally enjoyed the most. You can check out my 2018 list here (it was reshared in the Summer as the original version accidentally got deleted!).
TV Drama –
1. Cobra Kai (S2)
I think this is the first time that the same TV show has been my favourite two years in a row, so well done YouTube and the makers of the Karate Kid continuation. I wasn’t sure the magic had lasted during parts of the first couple of episodes of Season 2, but once it got back into its stride I wasn’t disappointed. Can you revisit a film series this much later as a TV show, without it just being a rehash of what went before or so different that it undoes the original material? The answer is a resounding yes, as this show builds on the legacy of the original movies and makes it work for a modern audience by ensuring you care about the next generation as much as the original cast. Other productions could learn a lot from this show and I can’t wait for Season Three, especially given to how this season ended.
2. Chernobyl
I had no interest in this show whatsoever when I first heard about it. I thought it would be extremely depressing to watch and also felt that it was disrespectful to make a real-life tragedy into the kind of TV series I presumed this was. Months after it aired lots of critics were fawning over the show, it had the highest ever IMDB rating and people I trusted were saying very good things about it indeed. So, in the end, I bit the bullet and watched it on NowTV. I needn’t have worried, this was a meticulously constructed, beautiful piece of television. Yes, it was harrowing and devastatingly sad, a really uncomfortable watch throughout, but it also said a lot about the human spirit and the importance of speaking up against all odds too. As someone with an interest in both history and politics, seeing how such a large scale catastrophe could happen and getting an insight into the role of propaganda in the spread of information was as fascinating as it was shocking. Jared Harris, who I knew from The Expanse, was phenomenal, as were Emily Watson and one of my favourite actors Stellan Skarsgard. If this was a “best of” list, this would probably be at the top. The fact that such a somber, thought-provoking show was one of those I enjoyed most is a testament to all those involved in its production.
3. The Expanse (S4)
I really like the first two seasons of this series on Netflix and I watched both the third and fourth season on Amazon in 2019. As it as the fourth season that was actually released this year, that’s the one that takes the third place honours. This is the best sci-fi show in a very long time, blending the crew dynamic of Firefly with the intrigue of Battlestar Galactica. This is the show Game of Thrones wishes it was in many ways and it deserves the same level of attention and viewers. I can totally see where every character and faction is coming from, even if I don’t agree with them. That’s masterful storytelling and the casting is excellent too. A must-see for any genre fan.
Honourable mentions –
Returning shows came back strongly in 2019 on the whole. The Punisher followed up on its phenomenal first season with a very good second season, although it did lack some of the original magic. It also got a little stuck in a rut by having a returning villain rather than a totally new story. The Orville went from strength to strength in Season Two and built on the comedy and familiarity on show in the first season and added a lot more character-based stories and pathos. Some of the standout episodes were among the best in any show this year. Star Trek Discovery was solid second time out, but it felt like they were trying so hard to course correct and realign what had been less popular in the first season that you could see their workings out, which robbed you of some of your suspension of disbelief. Game of Thrones’ final season went out with a bit of a whimper and some moments I didn’t quite buy as someone who’d watched the show from the start. It was still great telly though, despite the few misgivings I had and it leaves a huge legacy from eight consistent seasons. Happy! Season Two was just as good as the first one, which considering there was no comic to draw from was impressive. Legion was back for a third and final season which didn’t quite hit the stellar heights of the pitch-perfect first season, but it gave the story a satisfying ending. Animated series Final Space returned for a second season and seemed to have Red Dwarf syndrome where at first they forgot what made the series so compelling. The second half of the season was back to its character lead best and all the better for it. The third and penultimate season of Stranger Things was really good and kept us the high standards of what went before and I’m interested to see how the finish the series.
There were some excellent new shows this year too. The Boys was in the third place slot until the latest series of The Expanse came out. I drifted away from the comic series, but this first season of the TV adaptation was recommended highly to me and it really lived up to the praise. Worzel Gummidge came very close to making my top three, but I couldn’t quite justify it for a two-part show. I’m a big fan of Detectorists and someone who grew up watching the original show and this version was just as good as I hoped it would be. It was funny and heartfelt in equal measure.. Wu Assassins started well and had an old school action-adventure feel that is missing from most modern TV, but I felt that it faded away in the second half of the series when some odd plotting decisions dominated proceedings. Animated series Seis Manos also blended martial arts and the supernatural, but did it in 70s Mexico and did it in style, putting most live-action shows to shame.
Matt Berry starring comedy-drama Year of the Rabbit was hilarious, while also keeping you invested in the overarching story. Living with yourself filled the gap left by Maniac in some ways, it started very strongly and the always excellent Paul Rudd was ably matched by Aisling Bea. Criminal UK, Criminal Spain, Criminal Germany, Criminal France was a very clever show which I knew nothing about it until it was recommended to me. It blew me away, thanks to some superb scripting, direction, and performances in the versions from all four countries. The premise, which is to let us into a police interrogation room, while also getting to know the teams of detectives was deft in its simplicity and this show has been hovering in my top three at various points across the year. Dark Crystal - Age of Resistance was beautiful to look at and had the perfect voice cast, but it was slow going and could have done with a real injection of pace and fewer episodes.
I didn’t manage to get to Watchmen, which I have mixed feelings about in general, so don’t have an opinion on that and we haven’t made it to Jessica Jones and Iron Fist’s final seasons yet either. It’s a shame that The Mandalorian doesn’t show in the UK until next year as from what I hear from friends in the US it may well have taken the top slot this year.
Away from the scripted drama I ended up enjoying some heartfelt friendship focussed shows this year and loved new shows Strongest man in history, Drag SOS, and the second series of Mortimer and Whitehouse go fishing. I also rewatched all of Robin of Sherwood and absolutely loved it, which was no surprise.
Film –
1. Avengers: Endgame
Bags of Action discussion on Avengers: Endgame
I went into this film thinking I knew exactly what to expect and I was wrong. Within fifteen minutes the rug had been pulled out from under my feet and I was left scratching my head and wondering what would happen next. At first, I found that frustrating, but ultimately that was a masterstroke by the film-makers. If Infinity War felt like a big crossover event, this felt like an ongoing Avengers series more than a conventional movie. It wasn’t perfect, but they balanced humour and pathos well and more than anything did a brilliant job of giving every character their own story and some kind of closure. They had already embraced so much Marvel lore in the previous film, they weren’t afraid to throw in things you wouldn’t have dreamt of including in a movie for mainstream audiences even a few years ago. The most Marvel of all the Marvel movies in many ways and one I will watch lots more in the future. We discussed it on the Bags of Action podcast at length, that episode is above.
2. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
I absolutely love this series of films and I was very excited to get to see it on the big screen and I’ve watched it again at home since. While lacking the purity of concept of the first film I think I enjoyed this more than the second outing. The mythos has become less and less plausible as these films have gone on and the back story elements they introduced kind of spoiled a lot of what went before. Having said that, for a film to look this good and have so many ridiculous action sequences with no compromise makes it very special indeed. My mini-review on Facebook on the day I saw it was:
““Hard Boiled/Raid Redemption vibe in a mainstream Hollywood film with exquisite cinematography and meticulous shot composition. Never thought I’d see the day.” ”
And that pretty much sums it up, a film that is beautiful to look at with some amazing fight scenes starring one of my favourite leading men, I couldn’t really ask for much more.
3. Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Spider-Man: Far from Home was just as good as I hoped it would be. They did a deft job of moving things forward, while still bringing the events of Endgame into play and Jake Gyllenhaal’s casting was a masterstroke. Fun and funny, this is just what a Spidey movie should be like. I’m pleased to hear that the character I’ve followed most of my life will still be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after all too.
Honourable mentions –
The Joker, more than anything else, showcased the breathtaking acting talent of Joaquin Phoenix and he deserves lots of awards for his captivating performance. It felt like Taxi Driver or Mean Streets through a modern lens, but tying it so much into the Batman myth felt extremely forced and robbed the movie of some of its impact. Then again a film just called Clown Man with no DC links at all woudn’’t have taken such a crazy amount at the box office. I applaud the work that went into making this movie, but I’m not sure I’ll be going out of my way to see it again, as it is so relentless.
Star Wars; Rise of the Skywalker was good fun. They threw everything but the kitchen sink into the final film in the latest trilogy and it suffered a little because of how hard they were trying to unpick The Last Jedi. I hated the decision they made about one of the characters from that movie, but overall this felt the most like a Star Wars movie of any of the main films of recent years. The character moments and main story were enough to maintain the interest.
Captain Marvel was a competent, if largely forgettable entry into the Marvel canon, it suffered by being set in the past and retconning the character into such a well-established series. Even the Marvel movies I like less are always good fun and I preferred this one more on second viewing. There were some excellent moments though and story decisions that I really liked and I always enjoy Ben Mendelsohn's performances.
I think Jumanji: The Next Level would have made it on this list, if I’d managed to squeeze it in before the year was over. Aside from Rambo: Last Blood all the films I saw this year ended up on the list. It’s a shame that it didn’t make it as I expected a Logan style movie with that one, not the film they made. There were lots of non-blockbusters I really wanted to see and didn’t get round to like Midsommar, Knives Out, Motherless Brooklyn, and Ford v Ferrari. I can’t believe how few films I saw on the big screen this year, I’ll be making sure I see a lot more in 2020 probably starting with Jo Jo Rabbit.
Album –
1. Ramagehead by O.R.k
I first heard O.R.k on the Prog Report podcast and was surprised to hear Serj Tankian (System of a Down) on guest vocals for lead single Black Blooms. I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not and the same applied to the album initially, but suddenly it clicked and I listened to it a lot in 2019. Considering the pedigree of players involved—bassist Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree, Tim Bowness), vocalist/film composer Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari (LEF for short), guitarist Carmelo Pipitone (Marta Sui Tubi), and drummer Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson) I shouldn’t really be surprised that their third album resonated so much. It scratched my prog itch, along with my alt-rock and alt-metal interests too. Imagine a prog album with occasional bursts of Chris Cornell like vocals from the Badmotorfinger era of Soundgarden and you’ll have an idea of what this sounds like. This album shifts across the full range of emotions and stays with you long after it’s finished. The band is supporting System of a Down on their European tour next year, so that could mean a chance to hear Serj accompanying them live.
2. Third Degree by Flying Colors
My second favourite album of 2019 came courtesy of another supergroup, but this time one whose previous albums I was aware of. Third Degree, their aptly titled third album, was the first Flying Colors record I listened to on release, rather than retrospectively. The stellar pop-prog line-up consists of singer Casey McPherson (Alpha Rev), multi-instrumentalist Neal Morse (Spock’s Beard) on keyboards, guitar legend Steve Morse (Deep Purple), Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs) on bass and incredibly prolific Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) on drums.
On paper I shouldn’t really like this band, their songs are accessible, mainstream, anthemic, heavily pop-influenced and there are some strong religious overtones in the lyrics, which is usually an instant turn off for me. When the songwriting is this strong, the production this precise and the playing this euphoric it’s impossible not to be swept along for the ride and every time I play the album I leave it happier than I arrived. I think this is probably their strongest and most diverse album, from the epic prog sweep of Crawl to the Jellyfish style pop of Love Letter and everything in between. Getting to hear much of this album played live in London was a great way to end the year gigwise too, but more on that later.
3. Pitfalls by Leprous
This one was a real surprise, I heard the single Alleviate on The Prog Report podcast and was immediately smitten so had to check out the sixth album by this Norwegian band. The album itself was a bit of a grower, I liked it but didn’t love it on the first few listens and it was sitting in the highly commended category until I gave it a few more spins and then I realised how much I liked it. Melancholy, but with memorable hooks, this album really hit the spot for me in the end, emotional and packed with resonance as it focuses on the singer’s battle with depression and anxiety. The truth behind the concept makes this a very special album and not just a collection of songs. I plan to check out their five other studio albums in 2020.
Honourable mentions –
Choosing my favourite album this year was very hard and the Top 3 has shifted across the year more than ever before. The three bands I anticipated taking the podium places were some of my all-time favourite bands Big Big Train, Zervas & Pepper and Opeth. They all released excellent albums in 2019, but as I listen to them all so much their new LPs slotted into their back catalogues with ease, leaving some surprise offerings to give me goosebumps for the longest and edge them out as a result. Let’s call it a three-way joint 4th place.
Some of my favourite sonic moments came from the long waited offering from Tool (the song Pneuma is mind-blowing) and the latest long-player from Slipknot. Both those albums, the supremely eclectic Empathy by Devin Townsend and You know what they mean by Bent Knee have been in and out of the top three across the year as they all push the envelope in their own way. Other albums that I really liked this year came from the likes of The Mute Gods, Steve Hackett, Focus, Baroness, Cosmograf, Haken guitarist Richard Henshall, Nad Sylvan, Ava, The Who and No-Man.
Song -
This category has become harder each year. Last year, with Paul McCartney in the top slot was very much about songs that I’d heard that weren’t on albums I loved. This year the stand out singles all came from albums I was a big fan of and it became more and more difficult to work out what constituted a single in these fragmented streaming led times. I opted for songs that were available to hear before an album dropped and/or are listed on Wikipedia as singles.
1. You are not alone by Flying Colors
My number one song from 2019 came from my number two album, from American supergroup Flying Colors. This song was written based on singer Casey McPherson’s experience helping rescue people during the floods caused by Hurricane Harvey. I didn’t know that until I saw Flying Colors perform it live, so had been listening to it with my own interpretation. It’s a heartfelt, beautifully optimistic song which I fell in love with as soon as I heard it. It leans more into Casey’s singer/songwriter territory but still features the magic you get from the band playing together. An instrumental version of the song played as the audience was leaving the Shepherds Bush gig earlier this month, prompting a great big singalong. A younger, more pretentious version of me would have written this song off as almost a power ballad, but it hits the right spot with me right now for many reasons.
2. Alleviate by Leprous
I heard this song on an episode of The Prog Report podcast and was very impressed, it reminds me a bit of Guilt Machine in some ways. Others have described it as a move into pop territory for the Norwegian prog metal outfit and it really is an immaculately produced earworm. The whole album is superb and works best when listened to in one sitting, but there is still something about this song that makes me keep coming back to it.
3. Catch Light by Bent Knee
I could easily have picked any of the three singles from American art-rockers Bent Knee’s excellent fifth album. They were amazing when I saw them live and this song showcases their overall vibe well. Catchy, spiky and beautiful in equal measure, like vintage PJ Harvey or Sonic Youth in many ways. They should be huge, with the Guardian and BBC6Music all over them, hopefully, that will come to pass.
To get their full energy across, here’s the live video too.
Honourable Mentions - all the singles from all the albums I mentioned in the album list are worth a listen in their own right ( check out the Devin Townsend ones in particular, as they encompass all that music can offer). Above and beyond that Island of Doom by Agnes Obel deserves a mention, as that’s a captivating track too.
Gig–
1. Flying Colors, 02 Shepherds Bush Empire, London.
The lead up to this London gig at the O2 Shepherds gig Empire in Shepherds Bush wasn’t ideal, the general election result was the day before and I was rather hungover after the studio’s Christmas do. Add a four hour Megabus journey to that equation, complete with a twenty minute delay that meant I paid £12 in waiting charges for my pre-booked cab and this gig had disaster written all over it. The reality was as far removed from that as possible. I went to the meet and greet before the show, though my shyness meant I didn’t do as much greeting as I should have and I forget to tell Steve Morse I’d worked on the video for The Surprising for his other band, Deep Purple. Support band Dilemma were very good, especially considering their stand in singer Wudstick had only rehearsed with them a few times. The main show itself was amazing, quite possibly the best gig I’ve ever experienced. Every single song felt like the encore, as they are all so anthemic and memorable and that made the whole show truly euphoric. I had a huge smile on my face from the first note to the end of the encore and felt like I was walking on air for ages. Getting to see such talented musicians playing at relatively close quarters was something I’ll never forget. The show was filmed for a future DVD/Blu-Ray release and I can’t wait to relive it again.
2. Magenta, Arlington Arts, Newbury
This was in first place right up until December with very good reason and not just as it was the day after my birthday in May. I had a VIP ticket, so got to see the soundcheck, some extra performances and a Q&A but it was the main show that will live long in the memory. Before this show I’d seen Magenta twice at The Globe in Cardiff rocking out and twice at Acapela in Pentyrch being much more laid back, this 20th anniversary Angels and Demons gig was the best of both worlds as they turned the prog dial up to eleven. With extra musicians, including a percussionist, Tiger Moth Tales’ Peter Jones and on Spectral Mornings Big Big Train’s David Longdon to augment the line-up and a deep dive into the album Home and a variety of tracks from the band’s history this was something very special. Added to all that was some full on theatrics with actors joining the band for additional storytelling moments alongside some well crafted AV work. This was like a full on West End show and was all the better for it. My VIP experience continued after the show, as I hung out with the band before getting a lift back to Cardiff with drummer Jiffy Griffiths. Magenta shows usually get filmed and if this was I’ll be lining up to buy a copy.
3. Marillion, St David’s Hall, Cardiff
Marillion are one of those bands I never expected to become a fan of, they were the epitome of uncool when I was growing up and with Fish as their singer I had consigned them to the dreaded ‘soft rock’ category. Thanks to the amazing 2016 album F E A R and a retrospective listen to all their eighteen studio albums became a fan, particularly of the Steve Hogarth era of the band. Once I’d watched the Blu-Ray of their Royal Albert Hall show for the FEAR tour I’d been very keen to see them live.
This time out they had friends from the orchestra with them to add to their sound, which suited me down to the ground. Support act singer songwriter Harry Pane was ok, a bit too much in the Ed Sheeran camp for my tastes and an odd fit, but he obviously has talent. The eleven song set, which contained three fifteen minute plus epics was something else. A band at the height of their powers, playing exactly what they wanted to a rabid fan base. In Steve Hogarth they are blessed with one of the best frontmen around, oozing charisma to match his distinctive vocal style. I wa very pleased to hear their rant song New Kings played live too.
Honourable mentions –I was meant to be cutting down on my gig going in 2019, but I’ve said that before. All the gigs I went to were good enough to be on this list.
Focus at the Earl Haig in Cardiff has been in and out of my top three across the year. When I saw the seminal Dutch prog band at the same venue last year the experience was different, as I only knew some of their songs. In 2019 I’ve bought most of their back catalogue on vinyl and have been playing it during a lot of my writing time, so I was even more invested in the show. They put on an amazing performance and I had a brilliant seat right down the front.
Big Big Train brought their Grand Tour tour to Newport as they made their way around the UK. I had some involvement with the tour programme, writing an article called ‘Be More Train’ and commissioning artist Azim Akberali’s work on the back cover. I expected this to be my gig of the year, but the combination of my daughter deciding not to come with me (BBT shows have been a thing for us over the years), my favourite songs from the new album not making the setlist and the lack of Underfall Yard tracks played took the edge of it a bit. It was still a brilliant show, with superb playing and Sweet Billy Pilgrim, who dedicated a song to me after I requested it on Twitter, were a great support too. I think I also had envy for various friends who managed to go to every show on the tour too and having seen them three times before I kind of knew what to expect too.
I made a last minute decision to head to Stourport-on-Severn for one day of the Fusion: music without boundaries weekender mainly to see I am the Manic Whale. The whole line up was impressive on the Saturday, Hats Of Gentlemen, It’s Adequate and Encircled set things up well before I am the Manic Whale, Final Coil’s heavier sound wasn’t for everyone but I really liked it, Dec Burke was great too. The Book of Genesis were just as good as The Musical Box at showcasing the 70s Genesis sound but the real highlight was saved for the headliners. England, lead by keyboard player Robert Webb performed a one-off show, playing live for the first time In 40 years with help from some members of The Gift. who had played the night before. Their set gave me goosebumps, as they showcased songs from their 1977 album Garden Shed. I’ve thought about that set a lot since and listened to that album an awful lot too and it’s my first prog gig where someone wore an actual cape.
Having seen The Zombies last year, I got to see their lead singer Colin Blunstone at the Earl Haig in 2019, he has a great band playing with him and played some excellent songs from his solo work, The Zombies and my personal favourite Old and Wise from the Alan Parsons Project. One particularly drunk woman seemed to think the whole show was for her benefit and he handled that like a true professional.
Haken at The Fleece in Bristol was another very good show, the venue was jam-packed and the atmosphere was electric, with a much younger crowd than most shows I get to. Bent Knee were brilliant as the opening support act, their music works really well in a live setting and their energy is relentless. I wasn’t that keen on the next act Vola really, but once Haken were on stage the place lit up again as they are a ridiculously talented live band.
Adam Ant at St David’s Hall in Cardiff was the biggest surprise of the year. I got a last-minute invite from my friend and fellow writer Jamie Lambert and this gig almost made my Top Three in the end. Support band Glam Skanks were pretty good, but Adam and his band blew the roof off the place playing the whole of debut solo album Friend or Foe, followed by a collection of hits and then an encore filled with B-Sides. Much like at Marillion, I was surrounded on all sides by superfans (and casuals who filmed the whole thing or just played Solitaire on their phone) including one rather intimidating guy who was completely off his face. It was meant to be a seated gig, but when the band put on such a good show it soon became a standing one. This is one show I won’t forget in a hurry and I’ve been playing a lot of Adam Ant music since I went.
I saw Zervas & Pepper twice this year, which makes it six times in under three years. The gig prior to their new album launch at St John’s Church in Cardiff was great and Acapela in Pentyrch suited the band very well too.
Magenta at Acapela was as mesmerising as it was in 2017 and 2018 (I now have the 2016 and 2017 shows on DVD) and if it weren’t for the Newbury show would probably have earned a top-three spot too. I think it’s the best vocal performance I’ve heard from lead singer Christina Booth and the cover of Man with the child in his eyes by Kate Bush was something special. I could happily attend this show every year for the rest of my life if they keep putting it on.
Circus 5, I am the Manic Whale and Let’s Swim, Get Swimming at Level III in Swindon was superb and all three bands put on brilliant sets. I didn’t know the third on the bill band who veered towards the math-rock end of instrumental prog, but I left the show with a t-shirt and a copy of their album on vinyl. I am the Manic Whale put on a great show, as expected and it was good to finally get to see Circus5 play especially as they threw in a Tin Spirits song now that Mark Kilminster is in the band.
The Who at the Wembley Stadium in London was an unexpected treat, as I was gifted tickets by my friend Lee Wood a few days before the show. I ended up taking my brother in law and making a day of it. Imelda May was good and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Kaiser Chiefs too, as their anthemic mod pop stylings suit being played live with room for some audience sing-along. My first time seeing Eddie Vedder live solo, was as captivating as I had expected, and the addition of a string quartet and Glen Hansard made it all the more magical. Sadly the vast majority of the crowd couldn’t handle the change of pace and made it hard to hear above their constant talking. The Who themselves, complete with an orchestra, were spellbinding and if the crowd hadn’t been constantly baying for hits I would have enjoyed the Tommy and Quadrophenia sections even more (especially The Rock). Eddie Vedder joined them for The Punk and the Godfather which worked brilliantly and hearing Baba O’Reilly and Love Reign o’er me live was something special. I just wish Won’t get fooled again hadn’t been a stripped-back acoustic version. A better crowd would easiy have made this a top three show.
Instrumental duo Ava, with support from All Strung Out, was another very good night at Acapela too and their delicate, filmic music translates well to a live setting.
I go into 2020 with tickets to see Magenta in Newbury and Pentyrch again and I’m provisionally booked for the Summer’s End prog festival in Chepstow. Other than that I may have to curb my gig-going a bit to free up some money and time, then again I’ve been saying that for ages.
Comic –
1. Assassin Nation (Skybound/Image Comics)
Following on from Slots another Skybound book has taken top honours in 2019, this time written by Kyle Starks with art by Erica Henderson. I picked up the issue in a grab bag in Forbidden Planet in London and then had the trade collection for Christmas.
“Hot off her breakout success at Marvel, two-time Eisner award winner ERICA HENDERSON (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Jughead) teams up with KYLE STARKS (writer of sales beast Rick and Morty) for a hilarious twist on the hitman trope that will have readers laughing in the aisles over ASSASSIN NATION.The World’s Former Greatest Hitman hires the 20 best assassins in the world to be his bodyguards. These mean-as-hell hired guns and murderers must work together to keep the new crime boss safe while attempting to solve the mystery of who’s trying to off him.With the same laugh-until-you-cry spirit of action-comedies like Hot Fuzz, Tropic Thunder, and Deadpool, ASSASSIN NATION is the bombastic, side-splitting murder-fest you’ve been waiting for.”
This action-comedy series is pretty perfect, it’s funny, it’s OTT, it throws so much at you that it shouldn’t work but it really does. Uses the medium perfectly and I’d recommend anyone who enjoys comics to read it.
2. American Carnage (Vertigo)
This book took second place last year too, despite only two issues having come out at the time. The series, which felt like a real return to the Vertigo books of old just in time for the imprint to come to an end, ran for a nine issues and ended this year. The only thing I didn’t like about Brian Hill and Leandro Fernandez’s story was that it ended so quickly, it meant the final few issues felt a bit rushed and I’ve have loved it to run longer. If you like gritty crime stories, this is well worth a read
3. Daredevil (Marvel)
This is the first big two comic I’ve read monthly in some time and fifteen issues of the book came out in 2019. There’s something very interesting about Chip Zdarsky’s almost back to basics take on the character and the art, especially when main artist Marco Checchetto is on an issue. I’m excited to see where they take Matt Murdoch in 2020 as their run continues.
Honourable Mentions - The same three books as last year from Image Comics are the ones I’m still reading monthly. Bitter Root maintained its strong start with three more regular issues in 2019 and a Summer Special one shot and has been optioned by Legendary Pictures. Despite the quarterly schedule when we do get an issue of Lazarus it is always worth the wait. I’m a little hot and cold on Die as it’s not that cohesive as an overall story, but
Podcast –
1. The Prog Report
For the second year in a row, The Prog Report has come out on top in the podcast stakes. It’s becoming easier and easier to pick this show, as whenever a new episode pops up on my feed I’ll always stop whatever I’m listening to so I can check it out instead. Roie Avin is an excellent host, laid back and knowledgable across a variety of different show formats. going solo, interviewing musicians or in a roundtable picking favourite songs by a particular band. Two of my top three albums this year were by bands I hadn’t heard until they appeared on this show, so it’s become an important place to discover new music as well as find out more about the process behind the music, I’d be rather lost without it.
2. The Chernobyl Podcast
The last time I followed along with a TV by listening to a podcast after each episode, was when Fuzzy Typewriter covered the first series of True Detective. The difference with this podcast was that it was actually featured the show’s creator Craig Mazin, being interviewed by Peter Sagal. It wasn’t just the process of making such a successful TV series that made this companion piece compelling, it was also the fact that the series was based on a harrowing true story. By listening to this show you understood where the show deviated from reality and got to understand even more about the real events. If you’ve seen the show but haven’t listened to this, I’d highly recommend checking it out to round off the experience.
3. Wolverine - The Lost Trail.
The second Marvel Wolverine audio drama series was even better than the first one, mainly due to them making Wolverine himself the focal point rather than those investigating him. Richard Armitage is pitch-perfect in the main role and he’s supported by a very adept cast, excellent audio production and a well-crafted script by Ben Percy.
Honourable mentions – I’m still enjoying many of my long term favourites like iFanboy, The Writers Panel, Geek Syndicate, Grouchy Old Geeks, World Balloon, Tabletop Genesis along with dipping into specific shows that have guests or subject interest occasionally too.
Here’s to another year of excellent entertainment in 2020!!
Flux success and the launch of a new imprint /
The Kickstarter campaign for Flux # 1, which ended about a week ago, was a success and we ended the campaign on 168%. Getting to over 150% of our target unlocked our stretch goal, so all our backers receive a special pilot season PDF of other projects Stephen Aryan and I have in the pipeline. Sean Rinehart has been doing a great job on the pre-press design work, pulling together the print version of the book (which has now been sent to the printer) , the digital edition, digital special edition, director’s cut alternative scene and the pilot season too.
The imprint that Steve and I have set up for our first Kickstarter comic series and beyond is called Atlas Stone. My friendship with Steve got me back into watching strongman events over the past six or seven years, as he’s a big fan of the sport. World’s Strongest Man 2017 Eddie Hall’s ‘never say never’ attitude (back up your BS as he’d put it) has been a real inspiration for both of us to keep going with our creative endeavors. Here he is becoming the first person ever to deadlift 500kg.
48 Hours - with no Eddie Murphy /
As I write this it’s 48 hours until the end of the Kickstarter campaign for Flux. We’ve managed to make our target and are currently sitting on 136%, thanks to our amazing 117 backers.
I don’t think we’ll make our 150% stretch goal, but I didn’t realise that our final days were on Thanksgiving and Black Friday when we launched!
If you haven’t backed the book yet and would like to there is still time. The issues is all done, PDFs are made for the digital rewards and we just need to give the printer final numbers, then we’re all go. So having copies in Dec/Jan is a certainty.
This is what our cover looks like in all its glory, with art by series artist Maysam Barza, Flux logo by Paul Nicholas, Atlas Stone logo by Zach F Evans and overall design by Sean Rinehart.
We have had a little bit more coverage too and you can hear what Come get Some thought of the issue on their YouTube indie comics special.
Seven Shades and Napoleon Stone launches at Thought Bubble /
Sadly I won’t be at Thought Bubble this year, which has now relocated to Harrogate from Leeds, but you can still pick up some of my work there. The Comic-Con takes place next weekend, the 9th and 10th of November.
Seven Shades - Hell’s Belles will be debuting at the show from Deadstar Publishing, this 48-page one-shot story (with an intro by Alex Ronald) follows on from Issue 1-4 that came out last year. You’ll be able to pick up a copy there and the earlier issues if you don’t have them yet. My co-creator Dave Clifford will be at the Deadstar table selling original artwork from the book too. This video gives you an insight into the book and what to expect in the Issue, filmed in Cardiff’s very own Comic Guru store.
Unseen Shadows, the genre-bending pulp universe created by Barry Nugent, has three new titles coming out at the show too. One of these is Napoleon Stone and the Army of Set which is a Find your Fate Game Book, where the reader chooses multiple paths through the story. The story, created by Barry and Richmond Clements with art by Alex Moore and game mechanics by Ant McGarry-Thickitt, leads directly into Fragments of Fate, the Napoleon Stone one-shot comic I wrote, with art by Roy Huteson Stewart. And that comic appears reprinted in the book and you’ll have a lot of fun finding your way to it.
Flux is on Kickstarter /
Sci-fi crime thriller mini-series Flux is now on Kickstarter. You can pre-order Issue 1 through the site and if we get to our target, you’ll have the book very soon indeed. We’re offering some special rewards including the script to the issue, a director’s cut style alternate scene, an early look at part of Issue 2 and an audio commentary on the issue from me and co-writer Stephen Aryan.
Here is the link to the campaign, we’ve been live for about a day and a half and we’re currently on 30% of our goal. If you are able to back the book, we’d all really appreciate it and sharing the campaign on social media will really help us too. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/peterogers/flux-1
If you aren’t sure what Flux is all about, watch the video below.
Flux coming to Kickstarter /
Steve Aryan and I have been friends for years, we originally met when we both had tables at comic conventions for our self-published books. In the subsequent ten plus years we’ve become close friends, not only do we podcast together (Bags of Action), we also co-write together too.
Sci-fi thriller comic book mini-series Flux was the first thing we worked on together and we realised very quickly that our differing writing approaches complimented each other very well. Skype calls helped us shape the story beyond Steve’s original idea and then we met up in person to really break the story fully. That was in Leeds for Thought Bubble one year, though I can’t remember which one of us was sitting at the laptop and which one was pacing the hotel room. Once we found artist Maysam Barza on the Small Press Commandos Facebook page things really started to take shape.
““An ongoing, complex mystery, FLUX shows readers a twisted version of today where time travel terrorism and casual homicide have become a terrifying norm. Fans of Looper and Blade Runner will feel right at home in the world Rogers, Aryan, & Barza have created.” ”
We’ve come very close to the book being picked up by a large publisher on more than one occasion, but now we’ve decided that the best way to get Flux out into the world is via Kickstarter. We’re planning to launch our first campaign in November for Issue 1, with the subsequent three issues and trade collection following in 2020 if we’re successful.
Sean Rinehart is doing lettering and pre-press on the book, Paul Nicholas designed the Flux logo and Zach F Evans is helping us with our video and imprint logo design work for the campaign. If you’re on twitter you can keep up with our progress by following FluxFi and if you like the sound of the book, you’ll be able to pre-order via Kickstarter very soon.
“Smartly using the familiar framing of a Police Procedural, Flux introduces us to a world like our own but with a serious twist: Time Travel is REAL. Time Terrorism is real. Echoing the best of Fringe and the X-Files the team take us in a world we only think we understand. Fantastic.”
Work very much in progress /
As September has crept around I thought it was a good time to take stock on some of the things that I’ve been working on in 2019. As ever the times when you have the least to share tend to be your busiest periods of writing, so there is quite a bit to update you on. The folder in this photo contains artwork from comic pitches my co-writer Steve Aryan and I have worked on over the past few years, so we’ve definitely been keeping ourselves and our artist collaborators busy.
And there are plenty of things going on outside of what’s in that folder too. Much of this year has been spent on developing completely new projects. Steve and I are in the early stages of development on a fantasy comic mini series idea and are also starting work on a TV series proposal for another concept. (Check out Steve’s award winning fantasy novels here)
Steve and I are a bit further along with a horror adventure comics mini-series, that’s all plotted out and we have an artist working on the initial pitch pages. I can’t say much more about that at the moment, but if you follow me on instagram you may be able to see a sneak peek as I occasionally post some work in progress there.
I’ve also been pitching quite a bit of non comics work that I’ve written solo. I’ve worked up a series treatment for a sci-fi audio drama series/narrative podcast and written the first two episodes, written a standalone straight up/non genre audio drama and also worked up a proposal for a horror screenplay too. I’m not sure where any of those ideas will go at the moment, but I’ll post here if they do go into development anywhere. Alongside this I’ve also been pitching comic series to some new contacts at a couple of publishers, including reworking some ideas that were already a little way along.
As well as all of these newer things, some of my longer established writing projects Seven Shades, Flux and Chalk are starting to gain traction and you’ll be hearing more about them in the coming months.
There is an over-sized one shot coming for supernatural western series Seven Shades, following on from the first four issues that series creator/artist Dave Clifford and I put out last year. Hell’s Belles is currently being lettered and a release date will be available soon from Deadstar Publishing (hopefully at Thought Bubble in November). And we are working on our next four issues for release in 2020 too.
Flux is a sci-fi book that I’ve co-written with Steve, with art by Maysam Barza, lettering by Sean Rinehart and logo design by Paul Nicholas. We have all four issues written and the art is currently taking shape on Issue 3. We’ll have more information on what we have planned for this series in the next few weeks and keep an eye out for the #FluxFriday hashtag on social media where we’ll be sharing things each week too.
Chalk is an urban fantasy series, which I’ve been working on with artist Diego Simone set in the city of Winchester in England, ten pages are fully completed with letters by Sean Rinehart. If you liked my work on The Interactives and how that book blended real world locations in Monmouth, Bristol and London with fantasy elements then I think you will really enjoy it. Comparisons to Rivers of London have already been made by one editor and I’m currently reworking the overall proposal and doing script rewrites. I’m hoping that in some shape of form you’ll be able to read it next year.
Not bad for the first eight months of the year as a part-time writer with a busy day job and there is more to come on the horizon too. I’ll try to update things here more frequently alongside social media as things progress.
Seven Shades of inspiration....in the pub /
Last night I met up with my Seven Shades co-creator Dave Clifford (Dexter’s Half Dozen) for a few drinks and some food in a city centre pub. This isn’t a particularly rare or surprising event, as a great deal of this comic series has been created in places that serve beer. Come to think of it Dave originally pitched the idea to me in a different city centre pub over some post Cardiff International Comic Expo drinks a few years ago. Spending a few hours discussing some of our plans for the series last night did serve to remind me how different working on Seven Shades is from the other comics projects I’ve been involved in.
Dave came to me with an idea for a book, a supernatural Western series and after some back and fore over a year or two I agreed to come on board as the writer. I soon came to realise that the amount of ideas Dave had for the book was astonishing, and that was one of the reasons it took me so long to say yes to being involved. I was flattered that he wanted me to be part of the series, but I wasn’t sure what I could really offer. We started to meet semi regularly over a few pints to work out the best way to tackle the series nonetheless. Prior to this title many of the books I’ve worked on have been with artists from the other side of the world, so collaborating with a fellow South Wales creator meant getting together in person was something we were able to do. When we chatted last night and worked out some back matter for the next issue, we both came to realise these in person meet ups have played a huge part in how we’ve shaped the comic.
Not only did Dave have hundreds of ideas when we first discussed the book, he also had hundreds more that he’d dreamt up in the time that passed before I committed to working on it. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who comes up with so many ideas as Dave, he has thoughts on what we can put into the book on a daily basis and comes up with far more character, plot and visual concepts in a few weeks than most people do in a lifetime. He just needed a way to contain them into a story and at first that was my main role, listening to Dave and trying to find the narrative throughline, taking some of the more disparate conceits and working out cohesive ways to pull them together. Really, for the first few pub chats I was a story editor more than anything else.
Over time the dynamic has changed and we’ve found ways to focus on the overarching story while also honing in on what is needed for each arc, each issue and each page. Now when either of us thinks of an image or scene that is seemingly unrelated to where the series is heading we spend time to explore how to use it and if we find a way to make it work, we then create springboards to future plot or character moments. The key to our process has become breaking story together and we’ve had a great deal of our best Eureka moments while sitting in a bar, which is in keeping with the fact the local saloon is a key location in the story.
The other thing I’m glad we’ve done is working Marvel style. We leave our meet up with the next issue plotted out, then I turn that into a loose script, no panel breakdowns just a paragraph or two about each page. As Dave came up with the concept and his art is fully painted, this gives him greater freedom and it’s also helped us find ways to put more humour into the book too. It’s been great fun to build visual gags from issue to issue this way. Dave sends over some thumbnails, then the fully realised painted pages and I set about writing the dialogue, captions and sound effects. I’ve only ever done one story this way before (Seniors) and Dave has never worked from anything other than a full script, so it was a challenge for us both at first. Now that we’ve found a rhythm it works well and I enjoy the challenge of scripting this way too. I actually think Issue 3 of the first arc is one of the best things I’ve ever written.
Last year we managed to put out four issues of our supernatural Western series, with local publisher Deadstar Publishing and we took the book ICE in Birmingham and Thought Bubble in Leeds and via the publisher all around the UK. This year we’re focussing on a bumper sized one shot that bridges the gap from our first ‘season’ to our second, that’s painted and scripted and we’re hard at work on the back matter to take it to sixty pages. There will be more news on when and where that launches soon. Our ambitious Seven Shades in seven trades intention means if all goes according to plan we’ll have seven such arcs and six one shots before the series is complete. If you haven’t checked the book out yet, you can pick up the issues via Deadstar and if you happen to find yourself in Cardiff and notice two guys laughing and making notes in the corner of a pub, it may well be us.
Counting down to Comics Salopia /
Comics Salopia
The festival with a difference!
This Saturday I’ll be heading to Shrewsbury for Comics Salopia , a new town wide International Comics Art Festival inspired by European events like Angouleme. Amongst those involved with the event are small press stalwart and long running UK convention organiser Shane Chebsey and former Comics Laureate and current Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard. This podcast with Geek Syndicate reveals more about what their intentions are and what they have planned.
I’ll be there with co-writer Steve Aryan attending panels, meeting up with fellow creators and editors and generally get a feel for Comics Salopiai’s inaugural event.
If you’re going along you’ll also be able to pick up issues of the first arc of Seven Shades, the supernatural Western I created with artist Dave Clifford. I’m sure I’ll stop by the Deadstar Publishing table at some point to sign a few copies too.
The Interactives artist heads to Marvel's Ironheart /
I worked with artist Luciano Vecchio on fantasy mini-series The Interactives, which was published by Markosia. Since then he’s gone on to work on a number of titles for DC and Marvel.
It has just been announced that he will be joining the creative team on the first issue of Marvel’s Ironheart series, spinning out of Invincible Iron Man and continuing the adventures of RiRi Williams. The news was announced on Bleeding Cool earlier this week.
I absolutely loved working with Luciano on The Interactives and I’m pleased to see his career in comics go from strength to strength. If his schedule ever allows, I’d really like to get to work with him again. For now I’ll make sure I pick up Ironheart #1 from Marvel.
Spending the weekend on ICE /
I headed to Birmingham last weekend for ICE, alongside my Seven Shades artist/co-creator David Clifford and our publisher Kev Davies, from Deadstar Publishing. Dave and I were at the Deadstar table, helping with sales and signing copies of the first two issues of our supernatural western series. Like many one day conventions, the event was family friendly, inclusive and well run, as you’d expect from an event run by Shane Chebsey.
I also managed to meet up with Steve Aryan, my co-writer on a number of current projects, as we were both attending the Comics Uncovered keynote speech from Senior DC editor Jim Chadwick. It was an enlightening, realistic and inspirational talk and it was good to chat to Jim about our writing backgrounds during the Q&A session at the end of his session.
Although there wasn’t quite as much footfall as at some other recent similar sized conventions, the people who had attended were really engaged. We sold come copies of the book and had some interesting conversations about comics, art and creating. It was good to be back at a convention again, as ever half the fun is meeting up with other creators who you only get to see in this environment.
There’s no rest for the wicked, as Dave and I are representing Deadstar again this weekend, at Thought Bubble in Leeds. Our third convention of the year sees the launch of Issue 3 and 4 of Seven Shades, following a successful Issue 1 and 2 launch in Cardiff earlier in the year.
The Family Graves is Fantastic /
A few years ago I was lucky enough to read the first draft scripts for Timothy Bach's The Family Graves mini-series. Tim, like myself, is a member of the Comics Experience workshop and he posted the scripts for peer and pro critiques from other members. I had very few notes to give and I was instantly hooked, it reminded me of classic Fantastic Four stories and the other Marvel books I'd grown up with, escapist fun with iconic and immediate characters.
Fast forward to now and I've been lucky again, as Tim has let me read the first two issues (which are coming to comic shops very soon from Source Point Press and CE), with art by Brian Atkins. And now I love the finished honed comic just as much as those original scripts. The likes of Phil Hester and Mark Waid have already expressed how much they like the series too.
You can read the first ten pages of Issue One for yourself here, and when you have I'm certain you'll be looking to pre-order it from your local comic shop, the Previews code is below.
Prog inspired urban fantasy - Chalk /
Back in 2016 I shared some art from a comic series I had in development entitled Chalk. Eighteen months on and the project is back on track, with a new artist Diego Simone. We've almost completed the first ten pages of Issue 1, with Diego providing pencils, inks and colours and Sean Rinehart pencilling.
I've known Diego for some time, he worked on stories that appeared in our Eagle award nominated anthology Eleventh Hour back when I was part of Orang Utan Comics. He went on to take over as series artist on Starship Troopers (Markosia) and has worked on books like Alpha Girl (Image) and as a colourist on Dark Horse Presents. So I'm very excited to finally get to work with him myself, it's already proving to be a fruitful and inspiring collaboration.
The book, which is set in and around Winchester in Hampshire, England centres around folklore Professor and former prog musician Howard Chalk. I can't say much more than that until we know the book has a home. More on this in the coming months.
Seven Shades coming to Cardiff. /
Supernatural Western series 'Seven Shades' by David Clifford and yours truly is coming to the Cardiff Independent Comic Expo. To celebrate we're offering some exclusive giveaways, find out more at the official Seven Shades site
Ready Player One takes me back to The Interactives /
I was lucky enough to attend a preview screening of Ready Player One yesterday, thanks to ShowFilmFirst. I enjoyed it much more than I'd expected to, it had the right balance of nostalgia and Spielberg. People I know who've read the book said it felt like it was written specifically for them and I think some of the pop culture references, nods and touches made me feel the same way about the movie
It was only after I left the cinema that I started to think of the parallels to not only things like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but also my own comic mini series The Interactives (created with Luciano Vecchio, Yel Zamor and Ian Sharman for Markosia).
I'd also wanted to create something that focussed on the power of people's imagination, that showed how living in an online world as an avatar was a form of escape and that revelled in nostalgia and our perpetual wish that we were still in our childhoods. I wanted to strike a chord with people my own age but also feel current for a teen audience too.
“Elements of The Interactives’ premise unashamedly tap into our ever-changing relationship/dependency with the online world and its influence on reshaping the dynamics of our interpersonal relationships. Writer Peter Rogers’ hugely entertaining romp combines the disparate worlds of social networking, and those of myth and legend, as the foundation for a decidedly different take on fantasy storytelling.”
If you've read Ready Player One or seen the film and are looking for something that scratches a similar itch, The Interactives is still available. Find it on Comixology, Amazon or ask at your local comic store or book shop.
Seven Shades shaping up /
It's March already and this is my first blog post of 2018, which shows just how busy I've been. As the first quarter of the year edges closer to its finish, I thought I'd share what I've been up to, starting with comic book series Seven Shades.
Seven Shades is a supernatural western series created by Dave Clifford (Dexter's Half Dozen), with a little help from yours truly. Dave came to me with enough ideas for a few hundred issues, and every time we meet he suggests more crazy characters and warped plot points. So in many ways my role on this project is that of creative ranch-hand, herding his ideas like cattle.
This process usually takes place, rather fittingly, in a local hostelry. Then, once we've broken the story together I get to writing, Marvel style, describing the page but not breaking down the panels. This means Dave can really go to town when he approaches each page, perfect for a fully painted book, before I do a dialogue and captions pass.
Working on Seven Shades has definitely taken me out of my comfort zone and it isn't the type of book I'd have ever come up with on my own. Issue 1 and 2 are both complete and Dave is about halfway through painting Issue 3. We plan to have released the first four issues and initial arc by the end of this year. Watch this space for more about that very soon.
