So did I mention that I was unemployed in 1993?
I think I might have done...anyway, I went to stay in London with friends for a few months, where I finished off 'LUX & ALBY", my first book. The pickings were thin, but Stewart Green was running a newly revived and hipped up version of ROY OF THE ROVERS ( a very well known Soccer comic in the UK ). My problem was that I didn't really give a rats ass about Soccer and I was incapable of faking it. So I didn't, I actually learned to like watching men run around chasing an inflated pigs bladder. I read a lot on the subject, I watched it on TV and I even went to matches. After a few months I felt I actually had a handle on the subject, I could hold a conversation on Arsenal's prospects for the season, how Hibs were looking against Hearts in the Scottish Cup Final. Then when I eventually did start drawing ROY samples....they looked fairly convincing.
...convincing enough to get me the job anyway. So that was a few months of paid work, culminating in me drawing an episode of the lead ROY strip , while the backup strip was drawn by the legendary Mick McMahon ( one of my very favourit comic artists EVER )...so in short, a career defining moment for me and because ROY was published by Egmont-Fleetway, the same publisher of 2000AD/The JD Megazine, that gave me an inroad to finally getting published there.
Oh and just because I know that you're utterly fascinated by all aspects of my illustrious career ( har!) here's the earliest drawing that I know for certain that I did. Aged 5.
I actually remember seeing your work on Roy of the Rovers at the time but it didn't click it was you until this post. Weird. Top stuff, have enjoyed these posts into your past.
ReplyDeleteYour earliest work reminds me of the Phoenix from Battle of the Planets :)