Savant#1

Amazing & Fantastic Tales#2

Amazing & Fantastic Tales#2 from Planet Jimbot is out now.   

 

 

New world!  New way!  New Pulp! 

 

Pulp gets a modern twist with comic strips and text stories combined.  Featuring, ‘Last Champagne': Space, the final frontier, but it's all flat champagne.  ‘The Last Posse’: Wyatt Earp gathers up a posse of famous characters from the Wild West, including the Cisco Kid, Geronimo and Belle Starr. ‘Kroom’: where a mysterious alien falls from a portal in the sky; what does he hope to find; what is he escaping from?  ‘The Roustabout’: more horror, suspense and mistaken identity on a wind-swept oil platform.  Finally, ‘Point Blank’, which asks how does an ordinary man stop a speeding bullet?

  

 

For more details contact planetjimbot@gmail.com.  Cheers!

Who are those guys?

Hi I contributed a post to the Electric Man blog.  Electric Man is an independent super-hero film based in Edinburgh and is well worth checking out.  The guys have plans to fund and publish an Electric Man comic, which is also worth checking out.

My blog is based on the unsung heroes (the scheduler, letterer, editor, producer & printer) who help put a comic together.  It can be seen in all its glory by clicking on the following link, but I thought I'd just repeat it here, this being my blog and all.

http://electricmancomic.com/blog/
 

Okay let’s discuss the bits n bobs that contribute towards producing a self-published comic.  The creative process is a given.  I’m assuming that writer and artist are already in place and raring to go.  But there are several more aspects to consider when putting together a comic.  I’m talking roles here.  They may be taken up by wholly different people, or multi-tasking may be involved.  For my sins I’m a writer and co-publisher and reliant on a team of tremendously gifted and dedicated individuals who I won’t name here (although there are all listed in the credits page of any Planet Jimbot comic), but they know who they are.

So, in no great particular order:

Scheduler:

Okay so you want to do a comic?  How many pages?  How many issues?  Is your creative team up for it?  Are they even aware of it?  What are the deadlines?  The thing is that you have to be flexible and realistic.  Communication is very important as well, but what I’m trying to get at here is that you need to have a plan; you need to have a schedule.

Editor:

An editor can concentrate on the writing and/or artwork.  The Planet Jimbot editor chiefly looks at the writing, but also supplies feedback in conjunction with the writer on the artwork.  A lot of self-published writers tend to edit themselves.  I would say that no matter how objective a writer tries to be about his or her writing, there will always be an element of subjectivity.  That’s unavoidable.  An editor needs to be someone whose opinion you the writer can trust and is prepared to both argue their case and listen to you arguing your case.  A good editor can only make you a better writer, which means a better story and comic.

Letterer:

Lettering is a specialist subject and should be treated and viewed as such.  I have worked with artists who prefer to letter their own artwork, but primarily I work with an industry standard professional letterer.  If you are looking to do your own lettering, there is plenty of help out there.  It is something that you can improve on, but please hone your craft first.  While we all can’t be Garth Ennis or Frank Quitely, we can at least aspire to be a good letterer.

Production:

You need someone who can produce a print-ready PDF that can be sent off to the printers.  The person in charge of production needs to take on board everything he or she is hit with.  Formatting, bringing the cover to life, typefaces, logos, title pages, putting the pages in the right order and equally important make them look like they belong together.  Like a letterer, these are technical skills that can be acquired and improved upon, but ask/look for help first.

Printer:

You now have a print-ready PDF, so get it to the printers.  As you’ll see by the huge amount of self-published comics out there, there are printing companies now specialising in the dear old comic format.  Equally important you can now order a manageable number of copies in two or three figures, instead of four as was previously the case back in the day.  With the quality of printers and photocopiers out there these days, you could put something half decent together yourself.  Be realistic.  How many copies do you think you can sell?  How many do you intend to give out to editors/publishers?

The above assumes of course that you’re making printed copies.  You may decide to go digital, but I think that’s for another blog for another time from another person.

So there you go, all pretty harem scarem, but hopefully plenty of scope for discussion and general musing.  If you’re starting out I’d recommend you concentrate on putting out the one issue first and learn from the experience.  It’s all about going up that learning curve.  I’m still on it.  It’s hard work but immensely awarding.  Now it’s time to get the thing out there and spread the word.  And that again is another blog in the waiting.

GoodCopBadCop to be published as a trade by Rough Cut

I am delighted to announce that GoodCopBadCop is to be published as a graphic novel by Eddie Murphy and Rough Cut Comics.  GoodCopBadCop is a modern crime twist on Jekyll and Hyde where the good cop and the bad cop are the same person.

The trade will reprint the two GCBC issues already out there (drawn by Garry McLaughlin & Luke Cooper respectively).  There will also be an all-new strip drawn by Will Pickering where our main protagonist Detective Inspector Brian Fisher is placed under an internal police investigation.  Also, a Case Files prose story narrated both in turn by good cop and bad cop.  It's a superb package, ideal for all the family (over the age of 18 that is).

GoodCopBadCop volume 1 is out December of this year - and here's the press release:

http://downthetubes.net/?p=10648

Judge Dredd Restricted Files 4

Like a comics equivalent of the undead (though not one drawn by Charlie Adlard) a couple of my Dredd strips have risen from the grave. 'Confessions of a Mega City Vegetarian' and 'Die Painfully' both appear in Judge Dredd Restricted Files vol 4 out right about now. What can I say, their respective titles say it all. That and they feature Judge Dredd.

http://forbiddenplanet.com/86664-2000ad-judge-dredd-restricted-files-volume-4/

While it's nice to see a couple of my stories in there, it must be said if it wasn't for a couple of 2000AD completists, I would be none the wiser. There is no mention of me in any of the promotional material. While it has been a longgg time since I've been anything approaching flavour of the month with the guys at 2000 AD, surely the least I can expect, if they reprint something written by me, is a credit somewhere anywhere? Ah well gripe over. ‪#‎firstworldproblem

Wolf Country#1 review up on Forbidden Planet International

A rather stonking - if I do say so myself - review of Wolf Country#1 up on FPI:

http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2013/reviews-wolf-country/

Judge Dredd Case Files vol 20

Out now is Judge Dredd Case Files volume 20 featuring ‘It’s a Dreddfull Life’ written by me and Robbie Morrison and drawn by Colin MacNeil.  Inspired by ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, we explore a Mega-City One where Dredd never existed.  The strip is something of a curate’s egg.  We were seen at the time as something of a dream team (well, for all of ten minutes), but we always thought the idea was a poisoned chalice, which had been bouncing around the editorial offices for years; with Wagner and Grant refusing to touch it. 

When writing the scripts, I spent a couple of days over at Robbie’s who was still staying at his parents.  I had woman troubles at the time, so was in the middle of a mini-crisis.  I still apologise about it any time I see him. J  But we got the thing done.  The strip received a cool reception when it first came out.  As time goes by though it seems to have held up well and I’ve had people mention it to me a few times.  Is it a good thing to be associated with a Dredd strip that people both remember and still enjoy?  Drokk, yeh!

http://shop.2000adonline.com/products/judge_dredd_the_complete_case_files_20

Wolf Country#1

Just a wee note to say that the latest Planet Jimbot comic - written by me with art by Luke Cooper - is out now. Wolf Country#1 is an all-new self-contained story, which will have major ramifications for future stories to come.

‘A vampire settlement is surrounded by hostile werewolf tribes. The settlement is there for religious reasons, following the teachings of a vampire god. The werewolves don’t want them. They consider a vampire presence on their land to be sacrilege. It is a frontier of fang and claw, with death and vengeance the common currency. In Wolf Country, you need to watch your back and keep your loved ones close, because someone – or something – is always out to get you.’

Delivered to your door for £3.50. Contact planetjimbot@gmail.com for details.

Whisky in the Jar written by me to appear on TV

I'm pretty chuffed to announce that an adaptation of the comic strip 'Whisky in the Jar' written by me with art by Gerald Parel and published in Metal Hurlant will appear as part of Metal Hurlant Chronicles season 2. It stars Michael Biehn (John Connor's dad) as the sheriff and James Marsters (Spike!) as Doc Rowan. I helped adapt the script for TV. 

Whisky in the Jar tells of a surgeon with the healing touch - the stuff of miracles – resident in the Wild West town of Totem. Cowboys intent on fighting duels come to Totem with the knowledge they have a far greater chance, with a miracle-working surgeon at hand, of surviving their gunshot wounds. It's a free for all. What should have been a blessing sees Totem descend into the stuff of nightmares, forcing the embattled sheriff to issue the surgeon with a terrible ultimatum.

Gabriel joins Planet Jimbot

I'm especially pleased to announce that Gabriel written by me and drawn by David Hill has been rebranded as a Planet Jimbot book. 

Gabriel is a horror story set in Glasgow.  Stewart Gabriel's life is at a crossroads.  Failed marriage, stuck in a rut, weird vivid dreams.  In the meantime a demon conducts a murderous rampage across the city.  How are the two connected? 

Gabriel is set in a society where demons and angels are established fact.  How would society and religion react and be shaped by such realities?  Gabriel is a true story set in an alternative Scotland.  Also back-up stories drawn by among others Declan Shalvey, Will Pickering and John Royle. 

Gabriel #1-4 (full set) is available to be delivered to your door.  If you're interested drop me a line at:

planetjimbot@gmail.com

Plague Ship

Space Marines!  Zombies!  Explosions!  More zombies! 

For the price of a bag of chips (£1.50 to be precise) you can download the short prose story/e-book 'Plague Ship' written by yours truly and published by Warhammer/Black Library.  It really is good fun.

The story: 'On the Imperial carrier The Deliverance, Space Marines of the Doom Eagles find a deadly cargo: the walking dead, loyal Imperial citizens changed into vile flesh-eating creatures by the virulent and pervasive Plague of Unbelief. Vastly outnumbered by the living corpses and in deadly peril, the Doom Eagles rally around the ship’s sole survivor... But is he as he seems, and can any of them resist the dread power of the Dark Gods?'

Read it with the lights off.  To download the story, go to:

http://www.blacklibrary.com/warhammer-40000/plague-ship.html

Eden Chapter 1 Page 3

Class.

Eden

The first chapter of Eden written by me, drawn by John Higgins, coloured by Sally Hurst and lettered by Jim Campbell can be found in the pages of Dark Horse Presents #23.  The idea here is to present a group of short stories revolving around a future where for unspecified reasons the human race is facing extinction while the technology around them is doing everything to keep the human race going.  It's a nice idea I think; a neat  twist on the usual 'technology is out to get us' fare.  There's a really good article on the strip on down the tubes:

http://downthetubescomics.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/british-team-create-eden-for-dark-horse.html

Anthologies are hard work.  You have to deal with so many people - don't get me wrong good people - but creative types that might not take, you know, something called a deadline as seriously as one would like.  You know who you are (thinking about it I'm one of them)!  Anyhoo you need to check out Amazing & Fantastic Tales#1.  It's an anthology with pulp at its beating heart featuring a bunch of really talented people.  The following link describes the experience better than I ever could:

http://downthetubescomics.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/amazing-fantastic-tales-1-out-this-week.html

For full details contact

 planetjimbot@gmail.com

So the new GoodCopBadCop is out.  You'll notice how I always refer to it as one word where everyone else breaks it up into 4 words.  Ask me to say it, though, and you will be under no doubt.  GoodCopBadCop is only one word.

Join me for the latest instalment of my modern twist on Jekyll and Hyde, where the good cop and bad cop are the same person.  Some lovely interiors from Luke Cooper as well.  For details contact planetjimbot@gmail.com.  And there's a review from Forbidden Planet International:

http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2013/reviews-good-cop-bad-cop-issue-1/

Amongst the Stars #3 is out now, bringing both lead story and Wolf Country to an end.  It's been terrific to show Mike Perkins work again on ATS.  Some really lovely images there.  No surprise that he's gone on to much greater things.  On the other end of the spectrum is relative newcomer Wolf Country artist Luke Cooper, who looks to have a pretty damn good career ahead of him.  It's not the last you'll hear from Wolf Country either; its going to have its own book again written by me and drawn by Luke.

ATS#3 is available.  £3.50 will see it delivered straight to your door.  Other issues also available.  For full details contact planetjimbot@gmail.com

Cheers!