Monster Motors 3D Motion Cover

Here's the cover to IDW's Monster Motors by Brian Lynch, Nick Roche and my great friend Len O'Grady.

Jump over to Monster Motors' FaceBook page for more news about this fun project.

Slammed

Len O'Grady really knocked it outta the park with his fantastic colors on Walt Simonson's Star Slammers #3 cover. It's been wonderful working on Walt's linework - I can't wait to see what Len does with the rest of the book!

More Covers!

Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #4. Pictures: Declan Shalvey.

Final colours: Jordie Bellaire. © 2013 DC Comics.

Forever Evil: Arkham War #4. Pictures: Jason Fabok.

Final colours: Pete Pantazis. © 2013 DC Comics.

Young Avengers #16/17. Pictures: Jamie McKelvie.

 Final colours: Matt Wilson. © 2013 Marvel.

Illegitimates #1 NYCC Variant. Pictures: Bill Willingham.

Final colours: Len O'Grady. © 2013 IDW.

Q2: The Return of Quantum and Woody #1 NYCC . Pictures: Mark Bright.

Final colours: David Baron. © 2013 Valiant.

Sons of Anarchy #1 NYCC Variant. Pictures: Gabriel Hardman.

Final colours: Matt Wilson. © 2013 Boom! Studios.

 Imagine Agents #3. Pictures: Bachan.

Final colours: Matt Wilson. © 2013 Boom! Studios.

Covers

I just realised that I've worked on lots of awesome covers over the last year, so I finally put a samples page together. I sometimes get the base colors pretty good - sometimes I'm way off – lucky I work with such talented artists! Here's a few highlights:

 The Ghost Train to New Orleans (The Shambling Guides #2).
Pictures: Jamie McKelvie.
Final colours: Jamie McKelvie. © 2013 Orbit.

 

Swamp Thing #19. Pictures: Tim Brase.
Final colours: Matt Wilson. © 2013 DC Comics.

Young Avengers #3 Variant. Pictures: Todd Moore.
Final colours: Matt Wilson. © 2013 DC Comics.

DareDevil Dark Nights #1. Pictures: Lee Weeks.
Final colours: Lee Loughridge. © 2013 Marvel.

Diablo #5 . Pictures: Joseph LaCroix.

Final colours: Lee Loughridge. © 2012 DC Comics.

IDW Take On The Zilk

Continuing their new partnership with 2000AD, IDW Publishing announced a collection of Al Ewing and Brendan McCarthy’s THE ZAUCER OF ZILK. Len worked with McCarthy on the colours for this – and they did a fantastic job! You can check my flats over here.

Dimension-hopping onto comic stands this October, THE ZAUCER OF ZILK is a story that simply must be seen to be believed. The two oversized issues of ZAUCER are bursting at the staples with McCarthy’s brilliantly vivid art and he and Ewing’s fantastically ambitious story, taking readers on a wild, phantasmagorical journey across unique worlds with characters that are colorful to say the least.

ZAUCER OF ZILK #1 of 2 will be in stores October 2012.

IDW Publishing

D&D: The Legend of Drizzt

Dungeons & Dragons: The Legend of Drizzt - Neverwinter Tales is out now in Hardback from IDW, pick up a copy why don't you. Len did an amazing job on the colours in this. You can check out my flats here.

The MOST POPULAR CHARACTER from the MOST POPULAR FANTASY WORLD of all time comes to life in his FIRST ORIGINAL comic book tale! Drizzt leads this massive thriller into R.A. Salvatore's next blockbuster novel! Drizzt and his companion Dahlia hunt for something that seems part vampire and part elite dwarven warrior and must find out how the evil lich Valindra Shadowmantle and her minion Korbin Dor'crae factor into the mystery.

Forgotten Realms

I've just received a digital copy of Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms #1, which marks my first credit in a US comic. A big thanks to Len, who turns my flats into works of art!

Let the Phantasmagoria Commence

Here's the cover to 2000AD Prog 1775 featuring The Zaucer of Zilk (Part: 1) with colours by Len – I did the flats for this so I think it counts as my first 2000AD cover! I've also been flatting the interior strip, and boy is it weird!

The realm of Zilk, on the fringes of the imagination. Ruled over by the Zultan, figurehead of the Zilk dynasty, it’s a world where science and magic meet – and none is more powerful, or more famous, than the Zaucer himself. Vain, arrogant and accustomed to his celebrity status, he’s the wizard of the royal court – and many would like to see him removed permanently...

What is "Flatting"?

If you've been following this blog you've probably read in a post or two that I've been flatting this comic or that comic, and thought to yourself "What the hell is flatting?"

Flatting is a step in the process of coloring line art which is widely used for comic books.  The line art is separated into flat, solid blocks of color which a colourist then uses to render the page. It is a time-consuming process that most professional colourists farm out to peons like me.

The above example from Strange & Darke 1 show (from left to right), the line art, the flats, the layered flats and line art, and finally the rendered page.

Words: John Smith. Pictures: Colin MacNeil. Final colours: Len O'Grady. © 2012 Rebellion A/S.

Dungeons & Dragons: The Legend of Drizzt #5

I popped down to Forbidden Planet today to pick up the last issue of D&D: The Legend of Drizzt mini-series, which I flatted for Len O'Grady. It never ceases to amaze me what Len can do with pixels. I'm a little sad to be leaving Drizzt and Co. behind – but hopefully I'll be journeying in the Forgotten Realms again sometime soon!

Have a look here to view my flats for this series.

Very exciting news...

The first few pages of Brendan McCarthy's return to comics – 2000AD's The Zaucer of Zilk – are arriving in my dropbox for flatting. The new strip, which follows the adventures of an interdimensional magician, will mark the artist's first original story in decades.

"The Zaucer of Zilk strip is a phantasmagorical psychedelic extravaganza that features fanciful fantasy rather than hardcore techno sci-fi," McCarthy told Comic Book Resources.

The Zaucer of Zilk will debut in 2000AD Prog #1775 on March 21. I'm very excited to work with Len on this strip. Brendan is one of my comic heroes.

Strange & Darke New Blood: Part 2

Judge Dredd Megazine #320 is out now - featuring Strange & Darke New Blood: Part 2.

Brit-Cit, 2134 AD. Detective Inspector Jericho Strange is the head of the Endangered Species Squad, a unit within Brit-Cit Justice Department that is responsible for investigating and cataloguing the strange life forms that exist in the world. His appearance the result of being exposed to the Black Mirror, Strange has got a face you won’t forget... 

It's a great story.

This is the Droid you're looking for...

Life long dream finally realised... I'm finally a 2000AD Droid! And its there in CMYK!

Thanks a million, again, Len O'Grady!

The Secret History 21 Flats

Another ongoing series I flat for Len O'Grady is Archaia's The Secret History. A Wonderful jaunt through history following four sibling immortals, or Archons, and their influence on events that shape civilization as we know it. What really makes this book special is the use of real historical events and figures throughout the story. It lends the series a layered, complex quality that makes you want to read slowly and take it all in.

Flatting samples from The Secret History 21.  

Words: Jean-Pierre Pécau. Pictures:  Igor Kordey. Final colours: Len O'Grady

Strange & Darke: New Blood Part 1 Flats

Flatting samples from Strange & Darke 1.  

Words: John Smith. Pictures: Colin MacNeil. Final colours: Len O'Grady

Strange & Darke: New Blood Part 1

I've just started flatting Strange & Darke: New Blood Part 4 – written by John Smith and superbly drawn by Colin MacNeil – and at the same time Part 1 has made its debut in Judge Dredd Megazine #319. Len O'Grady has graciously co-credited me as colourist on this story – the 10-year-old me who entered a competition on Blue Peter to draw a Judge Dredd strip is dancing for joy at being credited in 2000AD! Thanks Len!

D&D: The Legend of Drizzt

I've been flatting for my good friend Len O'Grady (www.lenogrady.com) on this monthly title for IDW. Its amazing what Len can do with a Cintiq!