Tony Wicks

Last of the Chickenheads Book 2 Part 1 Finished!

2008-08-07T09:28:00.004+01:00

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!

2008-07-22T16:44:00.002+01:00

(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!

2008-06-17T12:15:00.003+01:00

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!

2008-05-13T10:48:00.003+01:00

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

HERE!

Tommorow

2008-05-09T00:07:00.002+01:00

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

2008-05-03T16:26:00.003+01:00

For our banner!

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

Chickenheads Revisited

2008-04-30T21:34:00.005+01:00

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 :)

Music Matters

2008-04-24T14:10:00.003+01:00

Drumming took over drawing for a few years...and when it was my main thing I was in a blues-rock band called 'Red White and Bluesy'.

An old friend of mine, Nick Sherreard, has recently got back in touch with me...he's the ex-bassist of RWB. He's been pestering me for piccies, and here's why:

a Youtube homage to RWB

complete with the artwork for the CD drawn by your's truly. It gave me a nice trip down memory lane, and a big laugh when he animated my drawing, Southpark style :) Sterling work, Nick!

Virtual Bristol

2008-04-22T08:00:00.004+01:00

Everything you (or I) would ever want to know about the upcoming Bristol Comics Expo 2008:

HERE.

You May Not Like Us at Bristol...

2008-04-19T13:22:00.002+01:00

But you won't be able to miss us!

Between these banner-stands and our big backdrop, at least we can confidently say we're going to stand out!

And Another Two Reviews...

2008-04-16T00:23:00.002+01:00

This time from Broken Frontier!

Chickenheads

and

Jack in the Box.

Overall extremely favourable, and very heartening! Many thanks to Dave Baxter for taking the time.

The Banner!

2008-04-09T15:18:00.002+01:00

This is why we go back to Redlin for our printing...here's a little low-rez taster of our new banner, as it dwarfs my poor sons. It looks even more amazing in the flesh. :)

Life Class # 14

2008-04-06T18:48:00.003+01:00

A long overdue return to my life-class! I wasn't too rusty...though I really needed a refresher in figure drawing, just to keep the comics stuff fresh. I don't want to end up repeating/ referencing myself.

I'll try and keep it up this time, and will probably be switching to pencil and wash.

Crowman For Sale at C2D4!!

2008-04-04T17:25:00.001+01:00

HERE!!

Redlin have yet again done a brilliant job with the printing. The C2D4 banner is ready too, all 5x3.5 ft of it :) I'll pick that up next week.

We're nearly set for Bristol....

Bristol Comics Expo 2008

2008-04-03T17:45:00.001+01:00

Martin and I will be going from the 9th to 11th May, and will have a table/ stall with all our goodies on display.

Find out more about the expo' HERE.

Jack in the Box Book 2 Started

2008-04-02T09:05:00.003+01:00

Back to the grind. :)

Two More Reviews

2008-03-30T17:21:00.003+01:00

At IndieReviews...

Chickenheads

and

Jack in the Box

Chickenheads was well received, apart from a few niggles which we both agree with. Jack in the Box wasn't as warmly welcomed, with its storyline not appealing to the reviewer. While the art gets good praise, the story is considered weak because of the following flaw: "Jack in the Box puts the phrase "Men are products of their environment" to the test. While people may be divided as to the phrase being fact or not, Jack in the Box doesn't even question it."

While not one to quibble negative criticism (in fact Martin and I welcome it 100%) the phrase 'men are products' etc etc, is from the C2D4 website and isn't part of the comic's prose or included in any press release associated with the comic, so doesn't really represent JITB as anything other than a punchy teaser. Even if the phrase was the crux of the entire series' story, we also clearly say it's a theory and experiment, and so by definition it cannot be a fact.

Possibly my fault for the (in retrospect) glib/ snappy precis, but the story is definitely alot deeper and bigger in scope than that phrase suggests. I feel particularly bad for Martin, that his work may have been judged on the basis of an advert -- if indeed this is what happened. I hope this wasn't the case, as JITB has alot of surprises up its sleeve.

Damn...guess I'm going to have to squeeze JITB # 2 out quick-like, to prove it :)

More 'Alameda'

2008-03-30T11:10:00.002+01:00

I'll start on the script, and more conceptual art next week...kids (they're on holiday for 2 weeks) and work permitting!

New Project, aka 'Alameda'

2008-03-28T22:57:00.003Z

With Crowman finished (the first issue anyway) and 'The Hack' on hold until me and Martin can get our heads together for some serious planning, my next project is now underway.

It's a bit personal, a bit tricky to explain...and I don't know whether it's going to see the light of day very easily. Kind of like I felt with 'Chickenheads', at the beginning, I guess! But anyway, I thought I'd post some concept art up...two of the main characters and the logo.

Enjoy :)

C2D4 Banner Thingy

2008-03-22T09:26:00.002Z

Just designed this for use as a (potential) banner at comic cons...to drape behind or over the display table. I've also used it at
C2D4 on the splash page, so you can see it as a larger version.

I'll look into printing costs and see what I can get done. Talking of printing, Crowman is due to be printed by Redlins any time now...can't wait to see it in litho quality inks on silk paper :)

Crowman is Finished!

2008-03-16T10:34:00.003Z

I'm feeling pretty good about C2D4 Comics, and artwork, and, well...comics matters in general really!

In just under 2 months Martin and I have completed issue # 1 of Crowman, a 24 page (inc covers) black and white book, where Martin has really got into the swing of his storytelling, with his own character forming the centre of a slowly unfolding mysterious tale.

Art-wise I feel this is a progression from Chickenheads, and Jack in the Box, with my output rate increasing, and (I hope) my storytelling steadily improving. It's been really good fun taking Martin's moody script and making it come to life as images, and hopefully this is going to be well-received at Bristol, when we set up our table in just under 2 months time.

What's next? Well, I've finished CM just in time for a couple of big day-job art/ web projects, which will be keeping me pretty busy...plus Easter hols where I'll be minding the kids for a couple of weeks. I hope to start working on a personal comics/ art project 'Alameda', and also getting together with Martin to flesh out our next project 'The Hack'. I also ought to be thinking about starting either JITB or CM #2, but will probably wait until after Bristol, to gauge demand for each character.

Also my PS3 has been much neglected, with any spare monging-on-the-sofa session having been devoted to drawing Crowman. Devil May Cry 4 has been left in limbo...and this simply will not do! Time to ease off of the pressure a little, get CM printed, and also ready some promo' stuff for the convention. With 3 comics ready to sell at Bristol I think I can afford to take a more relaxed approach to the comics for a week or two!

First Reviews!

2008-03-07T12:08:00.003Z

Nichola Wilkinson of Whatever Comics has reviewed 'Jack in the Box' and 'Chickenheads' right HERE.

They both get a very good write-up, it must be said. I'm feeling a bit chuffed at the moment, and am now bouyant enough to really charge through the last few Crowman pages, in readiness for Bristol's comic con'.

Only 4 pages to go btw :)

External Plug

2008-02-18T16:51:00.002Z

David Lloyd (the artist genius behind the comic version of 'V For Vendetta') has seen fit to plug Jack in the Box on his website:

HERE!!

The Cartoon County website is well worth a look anyway, as it is a mine of information, and provides a great community for UK comics creators.

40 %

2008-02-10T09:32:00.001Z

That's how far Martin and I are through issue # 1 of Crowman.

That's bloody good progress, if I say so myself :)

Then There Were Two...

2008-02-01T00:33:00.001Z

Just got Jack In The Box # 1 back from Redlin Print. Yet again they've done a sterling job.

5 pages into Crowman now..so we should have a 3rd comic ready for print, in time for May's convention. Also, I had an idea for something I'm going to work on privately in my (extremely) spare time...'Alameda'.

Watch this space. :)