Longest day, shortest night, longest fight.

Greetings everyone.

What a crazy few weeks it’s been. In the wake of George Floyd’s harrowing murder in the US, it’s been difficult not to be confused and sickened by what’s going on, and has been going on for years. A catalyst for change has come, and I truly hope things change for the better.

In the UK alone, there are petitions still needing signatures for justice and to improve education. Here are just a handful:

I get frustrated enough at being shouted at by random men in the street for my choice of footwear, I cannot even begin to imagine what life is like for BAME people in this country and the world over. Let’s work together to educate ourselves and push for real change.


Despite the grim reality of racism, I did push through and finish my weekly comics. Here are the final set:

Having not really created anything of great length since Moon, I’m really pleased with how this exercise worked out – both in improving my technical ability and in the self-set deadlines which kept me thinking and working on this week after week. Missed the first 7? You can look back on my blog and see them here.

I’m also excited to announce that I’m planning to print these comics in a collection! There are a few areas of the story that don’t completely flow, so I am now spending the next couple of weeks looking at the pages as a whole narrative, and editing/filling in gaps where needed.

It’s quite nice to be able to come back to these, as in the early weeks I had no idea where the story would be going, and now I can add in panels here and there to add extra depth to the story. Thankfully my handy editors (below) are able to offer quite specific feedback.

A bundle of gerbils

Watch this space for more news on the collection, coming shortly!


In other news, this year’s Spring-Summer sketchbooks are up for sale online! I had a lot of fun making these, and I’m already enjoying using my prototype for plans and ideas. Check out what they look like:

Each sketchbook is hand collated, trimmed and bound by me, with very specific paper choices to make these a nice thing to have in your bag or pocket whilst you’re rambling around. The monstera stamp has also been designed and carved by yours truly, and each stamp print is unique.

The sketchbooks are available in a very limited run, for £4 each. Free shipping in the UK and a flat fee of £2 P&P elsewhere.


And finally, as I’ve nearly wrapped up a couple of projects I will now be delving back into an ongoing project that took the back-burner for a short while. This one will be a big one, so it’ll take me some time. Any guesses what it is about?

Until next time, stay safe and look after each other.

x

Life, camera, action

Greetings all,

It’s an unsettling time to be alive. Aside from the worldwide pandemic, which is horrendous in itself, we’re also seeing Black lives tourmented the world over – filmed in the most awful and sickening scenes of targeted racism and police brutality.

As a complete and utter white person who has managed to fall down and pick myself up a multitude of times, I know I’m privileged. I have more learning to do, but I do know that things aren’t equal at the moment, and everyone has the power to change it.

I could come on here, write my fortnightly blog and offer some links, then carry on with my day and talk about comics and sketchbooks and whatever else I’ve been up to. But, it’s so unimportant right now compared to the structural racism that’s been brought to everyone’s attention time and time again.

At Good Comics we looked and listened to what people were saying, and compiled a list of links that we’ve been looking at. That’s certainly not all of it, and we’ll keep sharing as we find more. We’re also reading, watching and trying to learn more, learn BETTER about the world around us, and try to be a part of making it safer and more honest going forward. After all, having to explain to a ten-year-old, who is utterly distraught at videos of violence towards Black people, why people are still being treated differently based on the colour of their skin is something I’ll never forget.

Listen, read, read and read some more, and do what you can to help.