Long Story Alert!

Don't freak out... but I'm updating this blog.

If you're freaking out now then STOP IT - I told you not to! Why don't you listen? Jeez!



So, it's been ages since my last post. Sorry about that. In a nutshell, I've been working really, really hard at my non-drawing job. It's been a very interesting experience - I think I've learnt a lot and I've done all sorts of new things. But it also means that I'm exhausted and a little strung out.

But whatever. You didn't come here to read about my actual life. You just want funny/cute comics. Don't pretend it isn't.

So, as you have been reading, I was ill for a bit and now I'm not. I've started on making new comics but I sort of fancy doing something different. I went through my files and I found a 26 page story I had printed off as issue twelve of People I Know.

Here is the original front cover!

People I Know #12 was made two years ago - in early 2011, and featured two wizards trying to navigate the perils of the heart. I've been thinking about uploading it onto the website for a while so now seems like a pretty good time.

However, there are a few things that I wanted to flag up before it goes online...

For starters - it was made two years ago and, believe it or not, my drawings look different. Maybe not HUGELY different, but different enough.

I mean, you can still tell that they are the same characters... they just look a little more polished.

Another difference is the characters themselves. In the two years since I drew this story, the wizards have evolved as characters - which is only right. They've got names now for a start! Jones is bossy and desperate to assert himself. Curly is easily led and upset, both a symptom of his sad backstory. Both wizards in the current webcomic are students, whilst in the longer story they have jobs. Maybe it's just a Summer job. Yeah - let's go with that.

The tone of the story itself is markedly different from my regular pun-filled comics. This whole story was made to me read in one sitting, rather than across a month. I've tried splitting it up into sections that make it work as a daily strip, but it isn't big on the laugh front.

This probably all sounds like I don't want you to read it, but that's certainly not the case. It's a good story and I'm proud of it. I just don't want any regular readers (or new readers!) to be weirded out by the sudden change in tone and look.If you really can't cope with it then come back in a month and it'll be business as usual. Or don't come back. I'm not the boss of you.

Enough about me, what about you? Have I missed anything exciting? Will I see you at MCM Expo in London?

Stay out of trouble
TWx

People I Know #12

So....I'm pretty sure this is the front cover for the new People I Know comic! I hope you like it. And by "it," I mean WIZARDS!!!

Toby: Cross Words

Happy Monday you lot. I know you're probably sad about going back to work/school/ninja training camp - but don't be. This week is full of possibilities! Anything could happen! We will totally win this week! YEAH!!

And to help matters, here is a drawing of Toby and Christina. I hope it helps get your week off to a flying start. I spent a lot of the weekend drawing and...um...catching up with television. I watched some amazing stuff. And I drew some cute stuff too. I've cleaned up all the pages for People I Know #12 and have started to colour it in. Normally, this wouldn't take long but I want to try some fun stuff with the colours so it might take a while. And I drew a week's worth of comics...some of which I'm really happy about.

IN OTHER NEWS: I caved in and ate some chocolate. Shame on me...

A Very Important Date

Oh weekend! You've gone by so quickly! We had such fun and now it's over. Boo hoo hoo.

I spent Saturday drawing pretty much non-stop...which probably isn't healthy but it allowed me to catch up on some television which I needed to do. Plus, I finished all the pen stuff for People I Know #12 so I can start scanning and cleaning it up over the next few weeks. To be honest, the inking of this issue was a TOTAL DISASTER so the cleaning up will be pretty intensive. And the story is actually pretty harrowing. Seriously grim stuff. I'm still having second thoughts about putting it online...

And then it was Sunday and I met up with some pals and we did touristy things. Not that any of us are tourists but you know what it's like - you don't really do it much if you live somewhere. Except for museums - I'm all up on the museums. They are ace. Oh. And I had my first cake of 2011. It was a chocolate brownie. It was really nice but it was also expensive, so it needed to be impressive.

IN OTHER NEWS: The lovely Bing from Cakebomb is offering up some of my mini comics as rewards on his new website. Check it out.

Julie #2

Remember my pal Julie? The one that came to visit and is lovely? Well, here's another drawing about her and our time together. Same rule as before though - she's actually lovely and is only mean for the purpose of this drawing.

IN OTHER NEWS: I'm going to a fancy social club thing on Thursday evening! I'm off to meet old pals from that trip to Edinburgh. It's been ages and I'm excited about seeing them all... although I'm a little nervous about going to the fancy club. It's members only and I had to put myself on a list. That sort of thing spooks me out - I hope I will survive!

What else? I'm working hard on People I Know #12. Still. But I was busy on two other comics so you can't be angry. I'm trying to work out how best to put People I Know #12 (which is made to be a print comic) online. Should it be a page every day like what I did with issue 3? Should I just upload a bunch of pages every Friday. Hmmm...

The Bee's Knees

I have a real soft spot for those slightly odd sayings - "the bee's knees," "the proof is in the pudding," etc etc So here's a cute drawing about the knees of bees. Isn't it cute? I think it's cute. The cuteness rating says "yes."You better think it's cute too!

Anyways - I just worked a lot today - but in a good way. And I did a lot of exercise which must be a good thing, right? It made me super hungry though...

EXCITING NEWS: Remember how I was harping on about all the new stuff I'm hoping to sell at MCM Expo? Well, People I Know: The First Year arrived in the post today. Without blowing my own trumpet or anything, it looks lovely. It's in full colour! FULL COLOUR! It's not just black and white - there are reds and yellows and whatever colour tears are. It's really raised the bar for me in what my comics should look like.

Which is just as well since I started work on People I Know #12 tonight! Just a rough plot outline but here's a clue: there might be crying!

IN OTHER NEWS: There's an amazing comic shop in Nottingham called Page 45. They launched their website today and it is incredible. If you like comics, what are you waiting for? Check. It. Out.