Month: March 2021

Because I’ve been published by 2000ad for quite some time now (about 20 years and counting) I’ve built up rather a massive back log of back issues. Right now I’m in the process of taking one copy of each and shoving it in a thrill power containment unit (or a magazine holder, to your average Terran).

Right now I’ve archived up to 2004 – not a lot between 2001 – 2004, couple of fun dredds, couple of future shocks and then – what I considered my big break – Rogue Trooper real politik. I got offered that job while I was on honeymoon in Barbados.

I used the hotel’s rather crappy dial up to check my email – iirc we were either about to head home or we were heading out for the day, and man, such an exciting email for me! YES! OF COURSE I wanted to draw a six part rogue trooper – I’d be delighted.

I don’t think I nailed Rogue in that strip, bar on panel, which, ironically, was the first one with him I drew – usually I’ll draw a strip in sequential order, but Rogue was such a big part of why I loved 2000AD that I decided I needed to do the last page first, as it was the first time Rogue appeared in the strip.

And it was … ok. I think it alleviated my worry about it all. But for plot reasons, that final page didn’t feature Rogue’s helmet. And that stupid thing turned out to be my undoing.

Anyway, if you’re interested in reading that Rogue, it’s available in the Rogue Trooper volume 4 from 2000ad.

One last note, my mum died while I was in the middle of drawing the Rogue Trooper. There was a bit of a gap in the schedule of it anyway, and so it’s always had a weird mix of associations, joy mixed with grief.

I mean I don’t want readers to ever judge the work on anything other than the work, but I think, you’ve got to remember behind the lines there are people.

Last Christmas my wife gave me a sketch a day book, and, of course, I didn’t use it. Part of that was my general rubbishness at doing any sort of do-this-per-day part it was because … well, covid happened and all bets were off.

I did do four entires, over the span of a few months, 26th December (a drawing of Baby Yoda) and… 14th March. In which I wrote:

Corona Virus. Calm before storm. There doesn’t feel like a good way to prepare. Think we’re all taking it seriously (esp Nathan) Tom should be ok, my dad is fine now, but he won’t survive it. And neither will Annette’s dad. [I’ve] lived through the fall of the Berlin Wall, Thatcher going, Blair landslide, 2008 collapse, Brexit and now this. Feels like it’s the biggest thing since WWII and yet, right now, NI feels nothing. 28 deaths so far. Dad off to wait it out in Newcastle. Feeling overwhelmed but know it’ll get worse. Trying to get stuff done before it starts. Will amazon stop?

Sadly we lost Annette’s dad – he hadn’t been well for a long time and passed away. Covid simply made the whole dreadful experience much much worse.

So one year and two days later and a little glimpse of optimism, as I had the first of two vaccine shots today. It was the oxford AstraZeneca one, which – as of right now – is suffering a cloud over questions about whether it’s causing blood clots (two/four reported deaths in italy and they’ve halted its use). Could be. Could be a bad badge. Could be the deaths (awful as they are) are not significent given how many people die of blood clots anyway. In the UK – at least – 11 million shots of the Oxford one have been given with nothing bad reported.

I’m an athiest, but these vaccines are the closest thing to a miracle I’ve ever seen. They’re the moon landings, Martian Rovers and … god, I dunno… the internet … all wrapped up in a little tiny bottle.

Anyway, I’ve had my first shot. Take yours.

(also: Amazon never stopped)