Last of the Chickenheads Book 2 Part 1 Finished!

Finally, and with the summer holidays well and truly in the way, LOTCH 2 Book 2 (Part 1) is finished!

I started drawing to Martin's script back in June...the 24th to be precise. 45 days later we're done. At one stage I was averaging 4 pages a week. That's a good rate for me. But after the kids broke up from school obviously my output took a bit of a hit, seeing as I work from home. Still, I've managed to squeeze out the last few by getting up at the crack of dawn, and by abandoning our evening movies and my nocturnal Playstation time. What a hero.

Wow...it feels good to have it ready for the printers at long last!

UPDATE: Both 'Last of the Chickenheads' 2 and 'Jack in the Box' 2 are now available to buy from C2D4 HERE.

Just a few bits of promo art to finish, and then Martin and I will be ready for BICS 2008. In the meantime I think I'll do a bit of sketching, perhaps some scripting of my own...and oh yeah, finally play some Metal Gear Solid 4. :)

FIVE!

(Cue Thunderbirds intro)!

Five....

Yep, we're at that wonderous stage where the last few pages fall away in no time at all. The final 5 pages of 'Last of the Chickenheads' Book 2 (part 1) are all that await Martin and I's next visit to the printers, in readiness for BICS 2008. We'll be getting 'Jack in the Box' # 2 printed as well.

I should be able to trickle these last few pages out in the next 3 weeks or so, my progress inevitably having to slow down, as the kids begin their summer holiday. But it's a luxurious position to be in, with the pressure now well and truly off. It was also nice for me to see whether or not I could meet a tough deadline, albeit a self-imposed one. As it was I managed 15 pages in just over 3 weeks, which is, I imagine, going to stand me in pretty good stead, if drawing comics ever becomes a (professional) way of life!

Here's a few panels (the panoramics) from the first 15 pages:

Jack in the Box Book 2 Finished!

Yay, the remaining 12 pages were churned out on our return from Bristol Expo 2008, and in record time I might add...plus covers and promo' inner pages.

It's all been separated for spot colour and made ready for print. Also I've readied all the covers/ promo' pages for Chickenheads bk 2, and so am just left with 20 pages of story to complete before Birmingham Expo in October. It'll be tight, but I hope to get a good start on it before my kids break up for summer in a month's time. Then I can pick away at the remaining pages in whatever spare time comes my way.

But in the meantime I'm going to reward my efforts with some quality PS3 time, playing Metal Gear Solid 4 for a couple of days! :)

Bristol Comics Expo 2008 - Full Report!

Martin has written an excellent review of C2D4's very first comics convention:

HERE!

Tommorow

Ten past midnight, 9th may 2008. In about 9 hours' time Martin and I will be on our way to Bristol, hoping to start setting up our wares around 2-ish, ready for the comics con'!

I'm all packed, and have even managed to squeeze off one more Jack in the Box page to show the punters as a sneak preview.

Seriously, I cannot wait for Saturday morning, and I know Martin feels the same. We hope to see some of you at our table over the weekend. Please drop by and have a chat :)

Laters!

Making a Stand

For our banner!

If this contraption stands up straight/ doesn't fall over, then I'm Neal Adams' more talented brother :)

Chickenheads Revisited

With just over a week to go until Bristol, Martin and I are continuing to beaver away with various C2D4 projects.

This is a quick illo' I drew last night for our convention table-top. It was nice to draw a character (possibly my favourite from the story) from Chickenheads once again, seeing as the project was completed in August last year. The second part is being written by Martin as we speak. Based on my storyline (to make things a bit trickier for Martin, it's pretty much set in stone by the 2 page teaser at the end of LOTCH # 1) Martin will be bringing his highly creative writing talents to the LOTCH universe, including no doubt some of his excellent characterisation too. We'll be doing it in our standard 24 page chunks of comic storytelling, so LOTCH # 2 will probably be split into 2, maybe 3 books...not one big book like # 1.

While Martin deals with Chickens, I'm now 6 pages into Jack in the Box bk #2, currently drawing our hero spazzing out in reaction to being in a tight spot. I get to draw Gusano and the aliens soon, the next couple of pages after that...can't wait!

Martin and I are also planning a story based on dinosaurs, which may lend itself to a childrens' book, so I'll have to start the concepts for that one soon.

Yep, we're pretty busy...best way to be. But it's frustrating seeing the projects mounting up, knowing you have to patiently work through one at a time...no rushing allowed :)