Occasionally, Tharg permits some of his script & art droids to leave 2000 AD headquarters. In the Weekly Droid Watch, I’m going to be keeping an eye on what present and former droids have been up to each week. 2000 AD droids tend to go on to produce some of the most phenomenal U.S. comics, so I’ll also be listing what comics released each week have that extra special shot of thrill-power.

Droid Appearances

• Don’t forget that from 13:00 - 14:00. this Saturday, 19th September, script droid Pat Mills will the Panini UK translation of his French language project Reqiuem Vampire Knight (see here) at the Forbidden Planet London megastore (179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR)

• Also, art droid PJ Holden may be seen this Saturday, and EVERY Saturday from 09:00 - 15:00 at St. George’s Market in Belfast. PJ Will be selling original comic art, prints, and self published comics. In honour of World Pirate Day he’ll be doing pirate sketches for £5! For more details, see here!

Droid Personal Blog Updates

• On Monday, art droid Chris Weston made an announcement that his involvement doing storyboard work on the movie The Book of Eli has just come to an end. The Book of Eli is a post-apocalyptic action movie being released in January 2010, starring Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman. Chris has composed a huge post about his involvement in the movie, along with lots of storboardto final shot comparisons. It is really interesting, so make sure to check it out! See below for a taster, and for the official trailer!

• Last Saturday, art droid Rufus Dayglo posted the artwork for the letter page for Tank Girl: Skidmarks (coming soon from Titan Books). I’m laughing as I type this, becuase this is just hilarious:

• Last Saturday, script droid and former Tharg, David Bishop announced that next month he haa a new audio drama out on download or CD from Big Finish Productions, called Stranger Than Truth. It’s the first in a run of four Crime Chronicles by various scribes, featuring the future’s toughest law enforcer, Judge Dredd. Here’s the official story blurb for this forthcoming release:

  Captured and imprisoned by Judge Dredd, author Truman Kaput has spent years in the Mega-City One iso-cubes, his work banned. His crime: writing lurid detective novels in which assassin Slick Dickens repeatedly outwits the cowardly bully Judge Dredd. Now a New Truman Kaput novel is being serialised, and each chapter predicts an imminent murder with chilling accuracy. Has Slick Dickens escaped the page to commit real crimes in Mega-City One? Is a serial killer using the chapters as templates for their crime? Where does fiction end and the truth start? Can Dredd stop the plot before his nemesis fulfills the finale of Slick Dickens: I Killed Judge Dredd?

• On Wednesday, art droid Simon Gurr announced that he has a new art book on sale. For the last ten months Simon has been visiting Bristol’s extraordinary necropolis at Arnos Vale, researching maps and illustrations for a new guide book. The guide book went on sale this week in a handy A5 format, packed with an enormous amount of fascinating information, by author Eugene Byrne, about the people and wildlife to be found at Arnos Vale. The book is evailable exclusively from the cemetery, and looks absolutely gorgeous:

Black Cap Sparrow by Simon Gurr

Sketch of an Angel statue by Simon Gurr

• On Monday, Sean posted come more partial inks from the upcoming Criminal: The Sinners.

- Then on Tuesday he posted his cover for 28 Days Later #4:

- Then on Wednesday he posted the artwork fo an upcoming Criminal back-up article:

- Then on Thursday he posted some new Marvel Zombie images:

- Then on Friday he posted this gorgeous tribute to Bernie Fuchs:

Art Blog Updates

Eclectic Micks

Eclectic Micks are a collection of Irish professional comic book artists. They include Stephen Mooney (Angel; After the Fall), Stephen Thompson (Star Trek; New Frontier, Presidential Material: John McCain), PJ Holden (Fearless, 2000AD), Nick Roche (Transformers, Doctor Who), Will Sliney (Farscape), Bob Byrne (Mr. Amperduke, 2000AD) and Declan Shalvey (28 Days Later, Frankenstein). Every day there is a new sketch posted there, with each artist posting on a certain day. Apart from regular updates by art droids Holden and Byrne, this blog is packed full of gorgeous art from insanely talented individuals, including the amazing Declan Shavley, who is currently working on Boom! Studio’s 28 days Later title – so check it daily!

• This Saturday, art droid PJ Holden posted a sketch of evil Elvis zombie impersonators (he’s off his meds!):

• This Friday, art & script droid Bob Byrne posted the following images:

Scotch Corner

Scotch Corner is a collection of Scottish professional artists. They include Thomas Crielly, Gary Erskine, Andy Hepworth, Jon Hodgson and Graeme Neil Reid. Every day there is a new sketch posted there, with each artist posting on a certain day. Much like Eclectic Mick’s, you should check this blog every day, to check out amazing new artwork!

• This Thursday, art Droid Gary Erskine posted a game trailer for Turning Point - Fall of Liberty that he has been working on with the people at Axis Animation:

Misc

• This Thursday, script droid Simon Spurrier posted a couple of new issues of his Short n’ Curlies Column over at Bleeding Cool. In Short n’ Curlies #11 Si talks about “Twitter, Trending, Twoshits and Twuntage!

• Episode #6 of the Sunnyside podcast was release on Monday. In this episode the guys have a merry dander through the horrors of war comics, starting with the mid ’70s British anthologies and then hopping the Atlantic to see how their North American cousins tackle the issue. Along the way Scott learns a lot of comics history, PJ gets offensive on myriad topics and Ron says something so stupid it was relegated to after the end-music.

• Episiode 10 of the Everything Comes Back to 2000 AD podcast went live on Monday, with an interview with art droid Leigh Gallagher!

Non-2000 AD Comics Out This Week (Weds 2nd August):

• Wednesday Comics #11 features Metamorpho by (very briefly) script droid Neil Gaiman and Komandi by former art/script droid Dave Gibbons:

• Script droid Grant Morrison has Elephantmen #21 out this week (with a cover by art droid Frank Quitely):

• Script droid Mike Carey has X-Men Annual #1 out this week:

• Art droid Sean Phillipss provided a cover for 28 Days Later #2 out this week:

• Lettering droid Simon Bowland provided lettering for Marvel Zombies Return #3: Wolverine out this week:

Related posts:

1. The Weekly Droid Watch - September 12^th 2009
2. The Weekly Droid Watch - September 4^th 2009 - Special Two Week Edition!!
3. The Weekly Droid Watch - August 20^th 2009
4. Thrill-Power Thursday - The Weekly Droid Watch - July 16th 2009
5. Thrill-Power Thursday - The Weekly Droid Watch - August 6th 2009