Jack's March Update

 It has been a while since my last update, and honestly the main reason is that last year took a lot our of me so I've had to have long hard think on what projects I want to work on this year and how much time to devote towards doing conventions and such.

With that in mind, a lot of the stuff I'm working on at the moment I'm undecided on whether to pursue, but I'll be getting back into doing conventions, so here's more details on that.

- On 22nd March I'll have a table at Carlisle Comic Con.

- On 5th April I'll be at the Sheffield Comic and Film Fair.

- On 17th May we'll be having our fourth Whitehaven MiniCon, which has only gotten bigger as each year has gone by.

At each of these conventions I'll be selling art prints and stickers, along with print editions of Sea of Spheres and Scoundrels, Scumbags and Schemers.

I'll also be looking into doing more conventions as the year goes on.

In the meantime you can keep up to date on all of my goings on here, and over on Bsky. Tumblr and Deviantart will have artwork posted there as usual.

Thanks for reading.

Jack's July Update

Updates are few and far between this year, for obvious reasons, but that doesn't mean I've got nothing to talk about. Work continues on multiple projects and I'm eager to get back to the convention circuit. However, even with the vaccine roll-out continuing (I've had my first) signs of a third wave suggest we might be under for even longer. Still, here's a rundown of what's been going on.

- My second short story in the Sea of Spheres series, A Question of Conscience, has been fully released and you can read it in full on AO3 now. Not only that, but it's also been updated by some fantastic new artwork courtesy of Windlass. Take a look at that below.

- I'm currently working on a brand new Warhammer 40'000 story, or, to be more specific, a Necromunda short story. It follows the Water Guild and their dealings with House Escher as an unknown threat manifests in the waterways of Hive Primus. No idea yet when it'll drop, but work is ongoing.

- I'll be attending the Harrogate Thought Bubble Convention in November. I won't be exhibiting or anything like that, but I will be there to mix and mingle with folks in the comic industry, and I believe some of my twitter mutuals will be there, so it'll be good to meet up, if things stay on the course that they are.

- Things remain unchanged regarding the release of The Illustrated Guide to Drinking Beer. While pubs and bars are opening up, it's still unclear if this road the UK is on is going to stay smooth, so for now, I'm holding it back until things are clearer and going to the pub becomes a more casual experience.

And that's about it for now. There's a bunch of other stuff I'm working on that's still in it's early stages, but the first you'll hear about it is here. In the meantime, feel free to follow me on Twitter, Tumblr or Deviantart.

Thanks for reading.

Jack's May Update

 

May has come round again, and with still no clear sign of when conventions and events can really start again, I've just been continuing to work on my projects and get out what I can. Here's a few details.

- As you can see by the artwork from the ever great Windlass, my second Sea of Spheres story, A Question of Conscience, is on it's way. The text just needs one more read through and it should be good to go. Expect it this month.

- Like I mentioned previously, my comic book beer guide is ready to go, I'm just holding it back for a more opportune time, but with the pubs beginning to re-open that time could be soon, but as ever, it's uncertain, so we'll have to wait and see.

- Last November I decided I would spend the month doing quick, black and white artwork of characters from small independent comics. I've decided to revisit that idea this may, so all month I'll be putting up illustrations that celebrate smaller and lesser known comics. You can follow along in this twitter thread here.

- The Beacon Museum in Whitehaven is going to be re-opening this month with a brand new exhibit on John Paul Jones, which is a fine opportunity for me to plug my John Paul Jones comic, The Whitehaven Siege, which you'll be able to buy print copies of there if you decide to visit.

Other than that I'm cracking on with several other projects that I'll reveal in due time, and as every doing my best to try and become a published writer. To keep up with what I'm putting out, be sure to follow me on Deviantart, Tumblr or Twitter.

Thanks for reading.

Jack's February Update

Thought it would be a good time to check in with you all in regards to what's going on right now and what's on it's way.

- In case you missed it, The Whitehaven Siege is now available in a digital edition. I'm still looking for hard copy retailers to expand the issue's reach itself, but if you're further afield, consider checking it out here. 
- Likewise, my Warhammer 40'000 story, The Trials of Sister Roslyn, has now concluded. You can read the whole thing in it's entirety now, so if you want to take a look, you can start here.
- I'll be attending Carlisle Megacon on the 21st March, where as per usual I'll be selling copies of my books, prints and comics, and giving away free print versions of For The Max. Hope to see you there.
- Starting Monday 2nd March, I'll be a returning guest for the Bat Minute Podcast. I'm really looking forward to seeing what you folks think.

And that's about all for now. Recurring updates will be slower on the ground going forward. I'm still looking for a publisher to pick up Memoirs of the Fated, and I have a few ideas of what I want to start working on from here. One small project may be a Doctor Who Zine, which you can see test art for below. So watch this space if something like that might interest you.

In the meantime, you can keep up to date on my ramblings by following my Twitter, Tumblr or Deviantart.

Thanks for reading!

Jack's December Update

Lots of things to get through this month so I'll be as snappy as possible.

- My interview with The Whitehaven Guide appears in this month's December/January issue. It was a fun little thing to do and I hope it brings The Whitehaven Siege to the attention of a wider audience.

- Speaking of The Whitehaven Siege, my comic about John Paul Jones' attack on Whitehaven Harbor. More retail avenues are opening up (you can currently find a couple of copies as far as Dead Head Comics in Edinburgh) so I'll soon be looking into getting a second print run sorted. If you have trouble getting a copy over the Christmas period worry not, there should be fresh batches in early January

- On top of that, I've been toying with the idea of getting a digital version available to buy online for those who are further afield. I'd be interested to hear what folks think of that and if it's worth doing.

And it's not just The Whitehaven Siege that there's news on:

- I'll be attending the York Unlimited Winter Convention at York Race Course on Sunday 9th February, and Carlisle Megacon at Richard Rose Central Academy on Saturday 21st March. As ever I'll be selling copies of The Whitehaven Siege, Foul Cheeses and Space Diseases, Tales of the Modern Realms a selection of prints and what copies of Memoirs of the Fated I still have left. Plus I hope to have some new comic projects to show while I'm there.

- One of these comic projects is a short comic called FOR THE MAX, and I hope to have it done and online before Christmas, but It might drop mid January. Either way I plan on getting some printed editions to hand out free at conventions to give people an idea of the kind of comics I do.

- Memoirs of the Fated is still without a publisher, as I've been busy focusing on other projects. Still, I hope as time frees up in the new year I'll have some luck getting the series a new home.

- My Warhammer 40'000 fanfic, The Trials of Sister Roslyn is still sticking to it's update schedule, and people appear to like it, which is good. As per usual you can catch a new chapter every Sunday, and keep an eye out for the Emperor's Day special on Sunday 22nd December.

That's about all I have to say for now. I have so many other projects that I'm working on that I'd love to talk about but it's too soon to say how many will see fruition. For now let me just say you can find more of my artwork on my Deviantart or Art Tumblr, or if it's just ramblings you're after you can follow me on my general Tumblr or over on Twitter.

Thanks for reading, and here's hoping we've got a good new year to look forward to.

I've got Bad News and Good News. Jack's July Update

I've got Bad News and Good News. Jack's July Update

I was already planning a quick update to detail a few things that are happening over the coming months, but a big unfortunate change is coming that has threw some of my plans into stasis. Everybody always asks for the bad news first, so let's get to it.

- Less Than Three Recently announced that their work as publishers is coming to an end. This means that all my stories under the Memoirs of the Fated Series are soon to be out of print and the previously announced In Service to the New Regime won't see it's expected release date. I'm saddened to hear the news, and would like to thank Samantha, Megan, and Sasha for taking a chance with me. I've had nothing but good experiences for the five years I've worked with them.

- With this in mind, I have to now consider what the future of Memoirs of the Fated will be. The books will still be on sale up to July 31st, so if you've ever been interested it would be a good time to grab them now. Going forward my options are ultimately self publishing them myself or searching for a new publisher to represent them. Both options have their pros and cons, and I don't have an immediate preference right now, but as soon as I decide you'll get an update here.

With that out of the way, let's at least start talking about some things that are in the pipeline.

- The John Paul Jones comic is finished! It's gone to print and I can finally hold it in my hands. Expect a proper update some time next week giving full details, but I will have copies for future convention appearances and hope to have them stocked in local stores at the very least.
- I'm going to be at Carlisle Megacon on Saturday 17th August. As per usual I'll be selling copies of my books and prints. As mentioned, the John Paul Jones comic will be available and it will also be your last chance for the foreseeable future to grab a print version of the Memoirs of the Fated collection.
- I'm also hoping to fit another convention in before the year is up too, likely October/November time.
- Foul Cheeses and Space Diseases, my short story collection, is still planned for this year too. It may see a slight delay for it to include more stories, and I want to get my other projects out of the gate first, but I'll let you know when a release is expected.

For now, that's all that's currently on the slate, but I'm hoping to have more irons in the fire as the year progresses. As ever, you can stay up to date on my projects via my Twitter, Tumblr, or Deviantart.

Thanks for reading!

September Update – Delays, Set-Backs and Changes

The big announcement this month is not a new project or release but instead a little bit of bad news. My computer recently got hit with a hard drive problem that ultimately resulted in a complete system reset, losing all files saved on the PC.

Fortunately all of my creative work has been backed up, so no damage has been done to my progress on the John Paul Jones Comic, the novel that I'm working on, or any of my other smaller projects you'll be seeing in the coming months.

Most of what was lost was merely, 'stuff'. Some fan art, drawing references, reaction images and save files from older games that don't have cloud storage. Still, this has led to a lot of disruption, with a lot of time being spent on getting things reinstalled, getting my music library back up to date, and so forth. You can probably imagine.

So while no serious damage has been done to my creative output, it is both a physical and emotional setback, and as a result has led me to change some of my plans for this year.

• Naturally, the John Paul Jones comic has been delayed again. While I don't anticipate it to be impacted too much, I'm not ready to put a hard deadline on myself at this point. More than ever it's status is 'when it's done'.
• Further Convention appearances this year are now unlikely. Originally I was planning on going to York Geekfest in October, but it appears as though the convention itself has folded. I had a number of other alternatives planned as a fall back, but given current events I'm not sure I'll have time to wrangle anything before the year is through. I will still be heading to York in October with a friend anyway, if anyone is interested in saying hello.
• The chance of getting an Obscure Comic of the Month column out in time is now unlikely, and this has led me to think about making some changes to the series as a whole. A few of the more recent columns I've worked on were written by the seat of my pants, and recently I've grown a little disinterested in the project. Since I don't want to subject readers to work that I feel is becoming sub-par, I'm putting the column on indefinite hold.
• Instead I've thought about writing more articles on a variety of subjects in place of Obscure Comic of the Month. These would probably be longer and more infrequent, but certainly with more depth and a higher quality of writing, which I hope will draw a broader audience. I'll still come back to the obscure comics now and again, but more when I have something interesting to say, and less when I'm just trying to fill up a column for the month.

Other than those changes, however, there is still content on it's way. As previously mentioned I'll be appearing on three of next week's Batminute 89' Podcasts and I'll be posting the links right here. There should be a new illustrated short story out for your viewing pleasure before Christmas, and my Ebook series from Less Than Three is planed to continue into 2018.

In the meantime you can find all my usual updates, off-the-cuff thoughts and artwork over on my Twitter, Tumblr and Deviantart, and If you'd really like to give me a boost, consider checking out my book of Illustrated short stories and my Ebook fantasy series.

Thanks for reading.

Jack

For Your Taste Buds Accordingly Part Two

I mentioned about a year ago that my planned webcomic, Sea of Spheres, was being put on hold while my life sort of figures itself out over then next few years. That doesn't mean I've left the characters behind though.

I comissioned the wonderful Willoh to do a piece on Leo and Eva. I'm really happy with what she came up with. I like to see other artists give their own take on my characters, because I'll often pick up on things they've added or changed and work them into my own designs. Plus, it's always good to throw a decent artist some money once in a while. You can find more of her artwork at willohdraws.tumblr.com

Other than that, here's what's been going on recently.

• As mentioned previously I'll be at Carlisle Megacon on Saturday 19^th August. Much the same as last time I'll be selling print copies of Tales of the Modern Realms and promoting my Ebooks, but I'm also hoping to have some prints on sale. Keep an eye out for me.
• I'll be a guest on the Bat Minute '89 Podcast some time at the end of August. I'll be posting the link to the show here once it's broadcast, but I do encourage you to follow the whole series. It's a great bat-time.
• Work continues on the John Paul Jones comic, as ever. Turns out comics take a lot longer than anticipated (though especially when you start work on a bunch of other projects,) but I'm determined to get the whole thing done by the end of the year.

Other than that there'll be a Obscure Comic of the Month Special Edition coming in August just before I fly off to the states for a couple of weeks. As ever, you can support me by checking out Tales of the Modern Realms, The Reminiscence of Good King Carnack, and The Scars of Jocasta Lacroix.

That's all for now, and thanks for reading.

June Update

 

June Update

Just time to check in with a summary of what's been going on with my work lately.

• As you may have already heard, my second ebook, The Scars of Jocasta Lacroix, with amazing cover art by Meg Daunting, is out now from Less Than Three Press. More details here if you somehow missed it.
• I'll be attending Carlisle's August Megcacon on Saturday 19^th August. This time I'm hoping I'm going to have some prints on sale as well as copies of Tales of the Modern Realms. I'm playing with the idea of doing a bunch like the Dorian one posted below, let me know if you have any suggestions.
• I'm also hoping I'll have the John Paul Jones comic ready for August, but as noted previously, the current time-scale is for it do be done, when it's done.
• I'm hoping I'll have a third Convention appearance some time in October or November. Nothing certain on this as yet though.

As ever, you can buy Tales of the Modern Realms here, the Carnack Ebook here, and the Jocasta Ebook here.

 And that's about all for now. Thanks for reading.

April Update and Dispatches from Toronto

The year is ticking along, so it's time for another quick update on the projects that I'm working on, but I also want to talk a little about my time in Toronto too, so let's get to it.

• I enjoyed the heck out of my time at Toronto Comic Con. It wasn't as big as New York, but It sure as hell had the talent on display. I spent more money on swag than was reasonably healthy, and I picked up a lot of independant comics that I no doubt will be covering for my Obsucre Comic of the Month column.
• The highlight of the show was meeting Andrew Wheeler and Jim Zub, both writers who I have a great deal of respect for. They were lovely to meet and talk shop with, particularly regarding...
• Chapterhouse Comics, for those that don't know, is a Canadian comic book publisher most likely known for the current run of Captain Canuck comics. I was lucky enough to catch the Chapterhouse panel. The publisher's current line is resurrecting a bunch of vintage Canadian comic heroes and working them together into a shared universe. It sounds like a promising project, seeing them construct the feel of a decades old universe without the baggage of actual decades. I've read issue one of Freelance, by Wheeler and Zub, and I'm excited to see where they go with this.

• Work continues on the John Paul Jones comic, which you can see some work in progress art for above. Visiting Fort York in Toronto was also helpful in getting a feel for era-specific clothing and weapons.
• I've been planning for a while to self-publish a bunch of short Modern Realms novellas, with each one featuring a different artist. I don't really have a time-frame for the project, but I'm thinking about getting one out this year just to test the waters.
• I missed out on doing an Obscure Comic of the Month in march due to Mass Effect: Andromeda multiple factors, such as being in Toronto, and getting out a eulogy for the recently closed Comics Alliance. We'll be back on schedule this month, however.
• I rambled a bit on Tumblr the other day about my thoughts on Activision putting together a 'Call of Duty Cinematic Universe'.
• No release date on The Scars of Jocasta Lacroix as yet, but it's coming, oh boy, it's coming.

And that's about all for now. As ever, you can keep up to date on my projects through my Tumblr amd my Twitter. And if you'd like to support my work, please consider checking out my Modern Realms anthology and Carnack Ebook. Thanks.

March Update

Just thought it was a good time to clock in and update you all on my current projects and plans.

• As I've mentioned in the past, I'll be heading to Toronto in a couple of days. I'll be knocking around Toronto ComicCon while I'm there, and while I won't have a table there myself, I am interested on speaking to artists and other writers while I'm there.
• Carlisle Megacon was a great experience (Not least when I found I had a table opposite the insanely talented TtotheAffy) and I hope I can snag a table at a couple more conventions this year. No confirmation on that as yet, but you'll hear it here first.
• So I was being pretty optimistic about getting the John Paul Jones comic done by March, but I suspected that anyway. Current target is for July, but I don't want to rush myself. I want this project to be the best it can be, so I want it done when it's done. On top of that I'm currently working on a novel that I've just been compelled to write, and that's been taxing my attention too.
• The follow up to my Ebook The Reminiscence of Good King Carnack, is on it's way. The Scars of Jocasta Lacroix will likewise be published by Less Than Three with cover at by Meg Daunting (I can't wait for you to see it). No ETA yet, but you'll be hearing about it very soon.
• Obscure Comic of the Month might run a little late, since I won't be back from Toronto til' the 21^st March. However, I'll try my best to get something out by the end of the month.

And that's all for now. As ever, if you like my work please consider checking out my Modern Realms anthology and Carnack Ebook. Thanks

January Update

It's a brand new year, and as such, it's time to talk about the plans ahead. There's not a great deal of stuff to add from the November update. The new ebook from Less Than Three is still in the works, as is the John Paul Jones comic (which you can see another bit of work in progress from above,) and I'm still planing on heading to Toronto in March. However, a few new things to add.

• I'll be at my own table for Carlisle MegaCon on Saturday the 25^th February. I'll be selling copies of Tales of the Modern Realms and promoting my other projects. If you're in the area, please consider dropping by, I'd appreciate the support.

• I'm planning on doing a bunch of new Modern Realms stories for the blog. I'm not sure how many or how regular they'll be, but the first one I'm hoping to get up within the first half of 2017.
• Obscure Comic of the Month will be returning in February. I haven't decided on what I'll be looking at yet, but I promise you it'll be interesting.
• I'm hoping to make, minimum, at least two more conventions this year, so I'll keep you updated as and when.

So that's about it for now, as ever, I'd appreciate it if you'd check out my print version of Tales of the Modern Realms here, and the Reminiscence of Good King Carnack ebook here.

Thanks, and Happy New Year.

November Update and Plans for the Year Ahead

It's been a busy year for me, and if all goes to plan I'll probably be looking at an even busier one in 2017. To keep things simple, I'm rounding up a few important projects and events that I think my readers might find informative.

- The John Paul Jones project continues to get my main focus. You can see the work in progress on the cover above, which should give you a general idea of what I'm going for with the comic. My target for completion remains March, but the total workload is unclear at this point, so I can't work to a specific deadline just yet.

- I'll be posting a new two part short story some time before Christmas. This is my first real attempt at writing something emotional without genre trappings, and it's also features a first person narrator, which I haven't used in the longest time. Keep your eyes open.

- An Obscure Comic of the Month Special Edition will be arriving in November, and like last year I'll be taking a break from the column for December and January to make time for Dishonored 2 family commitments and festivities.

- I'll have a short story appearing in the Buff Babes Zine Volume three. No specifics on when it'll be out but you can find more information here. I'll be posting more details here as they arrive.

- A follow up to The Reminiscence of Good King Carnack will be coming from Less Than Three some time next year, however there's no ETA on that just yet so, again, when I've got more details I'll be posting them here.

- I'm planning on attending Toronto Comic Con in March. My original plan involved getting a table there and promoting my stuff, but I realised that doing a table at a con for the first time would probably be better reserved for a smaller, more familiar convention. That being said, I do plan to use the con to connect and speak to other writers and artists.

- Speaking of Cons, I plan on attending several in 2017 to plug my stuff. Minimum I want to make is three, maximum five. This is my main focus for 2017, so expect to see a lot of updates.

- My thoughts on the EU Referendum have been no secret, and likewise I have been deeply affected by the current Election results. Expect my writing to get more explicitly political going forward. If you're here for pure escapism, well, my writing has never been that, but it'll be even less so from now on.

- One more reminder, you can buy my Tales of The Modern Realms Anthology here, and The Reminiscence of Good King Carnack ebook here. I greatly appreciate it.

And that's about everything for now. For smaller updates and off the cuff thoughts, you can always find me on Tumblr, Twitter and Deviantart.

Thanks for reading.

And a Lemonade for the Boy

Just a quick update on what's going to be happening over the coming months.

• I'm getting a story published by LessThan Three Press. It's been in the works for a while and I'll be going into more detail soon. It's my first paying gig, so I appreciate all the support from those interested.
• Obscure Comic of the Month is going to be taking a break for December and January to make room for Fallout 4 the coming year's affairs. This blog won't be devoid of content however, as...
• You'll be seeing a new Lisa Cummings shot story. I've been meaning to follow up The Case of the Exploding Meat, and It's been great to work with the character again. Lisa Cummings and the Five Minute Murder should be landing shortly before Christmas.
• I've been thinking about starting a webcomic. It's still in the prototype stages at the moment, but I think a weekly, three panel strip should be an achievable target. I'm trying to get back into the swing of things art wise, and should have some conclusive goals by January.
• It's likely I'll be doing a Stand Up Comedy for charity some time in April. I'll post details closer to the time.
• I'm back on Twitter, I won't be posting there much, but feel like It would be useful to engage with other creatives. Follow if you're interested.

And that's all for now, hopefully all this stuff will pan out and we'll see a productive year ahead. Thanks for bearing with me.

Too Much Too Young

So my performance at Worlds Biggest Liar this year did not land me in the top three, which was a little disappointing given that I felt my work this year was better than the last, where I came third.

While it would be remiss of me to disrespect the fine turns put on by the winners, I do have to say that this year's turnout was certainly a step down from what we had over the last two year, with only 7 entries as opposed to the usual 12 to 15. I feel that the way the selling of the tickets was handled might have had something to do with this, and I may explore my thoughts in depth in a more detailed article next month.

In the mean time I do plan more non-Biggest Liar based stand up in the future. Also, keep your eyes peeled, a short story should be coming before Christmas too.

Of New York Comic Con 2014

 

 

This year marked the third time I have visited the great New York comic convention. As always it was well organised, easy to get around, and had a great roster of events (coincidently I spoke to several people who have done San Diego in the past, and stated they much prefer the New York con).

I had a great time, met some people I admire and grabbed a lot of swag (my wallet hurts). However, this time I have decided to write a summary of some of the news and announcements that broke at the con. It bulks out my blog and is good practice if I want to write more about this kind of stuff in the future.

So, in the name of amateur journalism, here is the scoop.

• 2000ad Panel and Booth: Not much big news broke this year but it has been made clear that there is a lot of IDW stuff scheduled for future release. I also had a few words with the 2000ad staffers about the possibility of releasing the complete Friday era Rogue Trooper strips, since the first book, The War Machine, has just come out. They say there's no plans at the moment, but it's a possibility, and then I begged them. I have no shame. Also, I won a Judge Dredd badge from a Dredd off at the panel. I am the law.
• Image Booth: For some reason the next volume of Mind the Gap isn't out until next year. Couldn't find out why though. Also, despite Nowhere Men volume 1 being a volume 1, there are no future releases of that title planned. Odd. At least we have Rat Queens next month though.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Ron Pearlman: Big Ron was there plugging his autobiography, Easy Street, which is a very personal work, and it was clear he put a lot of his heart into it. He talked at length about emotional struggles in his youth, working with Del Toro, The Name of the Rose, and Fallout. Looks like an interesting read, Ron asked that you pick it up retail full price so he gets more moolah out of it.
• Dark Horse Comics: Dark Horse are planning an Aliens – Prometheus – Predator – AVP cross through series and by golly does it look fucking amazing. The creative team is pretty tight and want to emphasise a greater focus on horror than action. It certainly harkens back to Dark Horse's golden age of Alien comics. A particular highlight is the Predator series, following an Ahab like Predator in search of his white whale.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Star Wars Rebels - Episode 1 Screening: I've never really had a liking for the Star Wars animated series. Generally speaking the art style just rubs me up the wrong way and Rebels is no difference. That being said, it's a real thrill to see classic Stormtroopers and Tie Fighters in action again, and the villain, The Inquisitor, is spectacular. I'm not really warming to the main character though. The whole 'brash Jedi apprentice who needs to get over himself' is a story we've seen done to death over the years, and the rest of the main cast are far more interesting. We'll see how if pans out.
• Constantine Pilot Screening: I was prepared to be disappointed but I can tell you now that I can't wait for this series in full. Matt Ryan absolutely nails is as John, and he really feels like the character has been lifted out of the comics. The show manages to incorporate the punky chaotic vibes of Hellblazer and it certainly gets off to a good start. It's far from perfect of course, and I was a tad annoyed that they've decided to make Chaz American in this adaptation, but overall the jobs a good un'. In the after show panel Goyer revealed that they'd be adapting several of the classic story arcs (Dangerous Habits, yessssss) as well as incorporating some of the supernatural stuff from the DCU proper, which should make for an interesting hybrid. I find Goyer can come across as a bit of a prick sometimes, but he certainly seems to understand what he needs to do here, so colour me optimistic.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Killing Floor 2 First Look – I never really played much of the original Killing Floor, it was an enjoyable but frustratingly amateurish romp through a bunch of maps. KF2 polishes the game up in places, and the Unreal engine has never looked so good. The new close combat system is really charming, little things like drawing your sword counting as an attack against enemies really help it stand out from the crowd. Beyond that, the team are adding more maps and more perks, so it looks as though there's not going to be too much change to the formula. Expect a business as usual wave shooter with some new toys to play through it with. Sometimes, that's all you need to do.

And that's about that. I may revisit some more areas in detail further down the line (particularly Constantine), but for now that's all the scoop I gathered in between buying t-shirts and prints. So, see you next year I guess?

What's Happening

I've been a little quiet on my blog front as late but that's because I've just recently got back from a trip to the US. I've also been gearing up to a few things in the near future. Here's a run down.

• New York Comic Con. Of course, I couldn't resist, most of my time has been dedicated to getting my Doctor Strange costume together. Hope to have a great time as usual, but nerves eh?
• Worlds Biggest Liar 2014. I lost my title last year, so nows the time to retake it. The event seems to get bigger and bigger every year, so I don't know if everyone I know who wants to come will be able to fit in the venue this time.
• The Arrest Us comp over at LitReactor hasen't called the winners yet. Feedback for my story was mixed, but valuble. I'm currently writing a full legnth Lisa Cummings novel, so hopefully things will move in the right direction.
• I may be back on air soon at Hospital Radio Haven if we manage to get the recording suite working. Makeing the time to broadcast has been my biggest obstacle, so being able to put shows together on a Sunday, say, and broadcast at a later date may get me back on again.
• I'm planning on putting my existing Modern Realms stories together as a sort of prototype for a self publishing project. Currently working on it as and when I have the time though, but may put more thought into it once NYCC is through.
• More illustrated short stories to come!

Other than that you can find me on Tumlbr or Deviantart for my rants (former) and occasional doodles (latter).

Thanks for reading.

Snooping Around

Sometimes you just want to do the thing.

World's Biggest Liar 2013

So I came in third place this year. It was quite a departure and a risk that I took, so I'm glad it worked out, but I can't say I'm not a little disappointed I didn't take 1^st. My opponents were clearly worthy however, and third is nothing to be sniffed at. Some recent reportage below.

The Independent

Times and Star

Whitehaven News

Leeds Thought Bubble

Thought Bubble was great. In many respects it was much better than NYCC for checking out small and independent projects. I talked to quite a few people and picked up a lot of interesting stuff. I even got to meet Kate Beaton of Hark a Vagrant fame, and she did an awesome Macbeth sketch for me which I may show some time in the future. I'll probably be writing a little more about what I picked up at the con some time in the future.

Looking at a few of the projects on display got me thinking about a few projects of my own. Watch this space.

There are also a few other things that I want to talk about over the coming weeks, so I'll keep you posted on coming developments.

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Just a quick bit of news before we start this next part. My internet hardware is switching over tomorrow and I'm a little skeptical that it'll all run smoothly, so I just thought I'd update you on a few things in case it doesn't.

I'll be participating in the WorldsBiggest Liar 2013 at The Bridge Inn to defend my title on the 21^st November. Tickets are sold out but if you're going to be in attendance I'll see you there. Good luck to all others fellow liars, I hope you're bringing your A-game this year because I know I am.

I'll also be in attendance for LeedsThought Bubble on the 23^rd – 24^th. It's my first year going there so I'm not sure what to expect. Either way hope to have a grand old time there anyway and hope to meet some cool and interesting people.

I'm still trying to get my first book published, sending off another bunch of submissions this weekend. I've also finished the first draft of my second novel, so we'll see if that goes anywhere also.

All other updates will be going through my deviantart, or one of my three tumblr pages (last one is NSFW, don't click on it Mum).

That is all, regular writings may continue.

500 Essential Graphic Novels Review and Free Comic Book Day

500 Essential Graphic Novels – Gene Kannenberg Jnr

Doing a review of a book of reviews is a bit curious to say the least, but 500' was a far too interesting collection to miss. To be fair, the title's a bit of a misnomer, the book covers 100 graphic novels (which includes Collected editions too) with each having about four other 'Further Reading' attached, but thats OK, because what we do get is well worth the cover price.

The best part about the book is the fact that it covers the broad range of the comic book spectrum, giving us the top ten of Adventure, Non-Fiction, Crime, Fantasy, General, Horror, Humour, Sci-Fi, Superheros and War, nice because we get a look outside of the Cape and tights world, but also get to look at the best of that too. The book also is indiscriminate, putting Manga and European comics side by side by Genre, when it could have easily cop'd out and given Manga its own section.

The book is an excellent cataloger of comics to keep an eye out for, and each review is good enough to let you know weather it'll be for you or not. As its primary purpose 500' completes its objective flawlessly. However, as a bit of criticism there are some curious omissions and placements which stands out a bit. Hellsing is missing, and while I've pointed out that me myself am not entirely set on it just yet, it feels a bit wrong that its not there to make up the whole “Hell” triumvirate with Hellboy and Hellblazer. Also, Heart of Empire is included, but Luther Arkwright is relegated to the 'further reading' where in my opinion it is the better of the two books. Also, things like XIII are nowhere to be seen.

Then there's classification. Sandman is in Fantasy, yet the similar Hellblazer is in horror, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is in sci-fi, yet I would more likely put it under Adventure or Fantasy, The Pro, a superhero comedy, goes in Humour, yet Adventures in the Rifle Brigade, a war comedy, goes in War. Other similar examples are abound, but don't worry, It doesn't detract from the collection, and you could put it down to the wonderful broadness of the medium. All in all its worth buying if your a big fan of comic and want to find out what you haven't read yet.

Bonus Free Comic Book Day Review

In a move unusual to me, I decided to buy a few issues of this and that, just to see what the crack is, and pick up a few issues along the way. Here's what I found:

Battle For the Cowl: The Underground

Nice to see Batman's most famous foes pottering about as usual, The Riddler's a particularly likable protagonist in this, and puts him in good graces to be a potential foe in the next film.

Deadpool #9

After the slightly disappointing turn of events that was the Wolverine film, its nice to see that Deadpool's still on top form, him and Taskmaster lusting after Black Widow like nothing else matters is particularly hilarious.

Marvel Spectacular #2

Collection of three shorts, Citizen Cage was a pretty run of the mill “superhero on his day off” story, Galacta was a curious piece and the manga style art was an odd choice that really worked int the story's favour, Bloodstone was your standard monster killing action story but its nice to see that Elza hasn't been forgotten about since Nextwave.

Savage Dragon # 148

Good old fashioned ass kicking super heroics, reminds me of Jack Staff a bit, didn't sell the character to me so much that I'd want to go out and read the collections, but it's definitely got me keeping my eye on it.

Resurrection #0

Pretty much something that looks like a future shock out of 2000ad, to hard to call on what little we're given, also the bonus Tek Jansen strip was funny, but not that funny.

OK Until next time, set Phazers to FUN!