The 2000 AD Weekly Droid Watch: Keeping an Eye on What Tharg’s Minions Are up to Whilst They Should Be Hard at Work! - October 31st 2009

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

• This Saturday (October 31st)  the Eclectic Micks will be doing a signing of their new sketchbook at Forbidden Planet Dublin from 3p.m. till 5.p.m. Make sure you head down and pick up a copy or three. Man, I wish I could get a copy of this

• On Sunday Michael Molcher will be launching the latest issue of his fantastic magazine, The End is Nigh, at Bradford’s Impressions gallery. The event takes place from 12:30 p.m. till 16:30 p.m. and admission is free.

From the Large Hadron Collider to the end of Mayan calendar in 2012, our fascination with potential apocalypse is ever present. Inspired by our exhibition The Last Things, Journalist Michael Molcher and editor of zine The End is Nigh, will take an informed yet satirical look at the speculation surrounding the end of the world in his free illustrated talk at 2pm. Join us and help predict the date the world will end!

Throughout the afternoon the award winning independent Comic Book Shop OK Comics, will be transporting their Drink and Draw event over to Impressions. Like-minded comic fans, budding artists and designers will be able to meet, exchange ideas, sup free hot tea and scribble away. Paper will be rolled over all the tables in the Studio and pens left everywhere, so come along and draw whatever you feel like. Everyone is welcome no matter what your artistic ability and pro comic book artist Leigh Gallagher will be on hand to trouble shoot your illustration irritations at his drop in surgery.

OK Comics will also be bringing a selection of apocalypse themed comic books, which you can browse over a wedge of cake, or yours to buy and take away.

Amble into the gallery and you’ll have a last chance to see our exhibition The Last Things by David Moore before it closes on 8 November 2009.  Described by writer Iain Sinclair as a “photographer of secret spaces”, Moore provides an exclusive glimpse of the Ministry of Defence’s secret crisis management centre beneath the streets of central London. This hidden space, only to be used in a major national emergency, hides a strictly controlled working environment continuously on stand-by in which a looming sense of threat is ever present.

Droid Personal Blog Updates

• Art droid Leigh Gallagher has posted another of his fantastic “making of a cover” sequences! This time we get treated to Leigh’s cover for The End is Nigh #4 (review coming soon to Hypergeek). This is such an a fucking crazy cover, with Death riding out upon the world with a horde of rabid animals. It’s a complete departure from Leigh’s usual stuff, and I love it! Make sure you check out his post to see the whole process. Scroll to the top of the page to see details of the launch of the magazine at Bradford’s impressions gallery!

• Art droid Dylan Teague has posted a gorgeous image that he’s labeled as a colour test, as he is trying to get his computer colours to look like water colours… I’d say he’s nailed it!

• Art droid Sean Phillips posts a ton of stuff on his blog, nearly every day, and it is all amazing! This week he posted the cover to Criminal: The Sinners #5, along with his inks and initial sketch, then he posted the artwork that goes with Criminal #5‘s back-up piece, Australian Noir!

• Art & Script droid Bob Byrne the first page of the making of Amperduke. If you’ve ever wondered how Bob came up with the idea for Mister Amperduke, look no further!

• Art & Script droid David Baille has an article in Judge Dredd Magazine #290. The piece is an interview with art droid Kev Walker, Bob’s also has work appearing in the comic anthology B.A.S.T.A.R.D.S, and he talks a bit about it on his blog .

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!

• Art droid PJ Holden posted a sketch of Nick Fury that he did on his new Cintiq:

• Art droid Bob Byrne posted a new Amperduke image! Don’t forget that Mister Amperduke is available from this month’s Previews Magazine!!!

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 some pages from Lords of Misrule Redux:

Webcomic Updates

• Spazzmoid

Written and drawn by art/script droid Bob Byrne Spazzmoid is a weekly webcomic with very weird, very random, and very funny updates.

This week Bob posted a strip called ‘Brisket Superman’, which features a dickish Superman, and a kid who goes into a place he really shouldn’t

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 #16 Si talks about Macaulay, Menorca and Mad-Making-Meteorology.

• Episode #13 of the Sunnyside podcast was release on Monday. This week Adam Law came in to talk about his web-comic Felicity. He talks about his creative process, what it’s like knocking out 100+ pages while other guys are struggling to do a tenth of that. Along the way the guys also do a bit of pontificating about Longbox and digital distribution.

• Episode #14 of the Everything Comes Back to 2000 AD went up this week. With Flint unavailable Rich does the only sensible thing and gets in two girls to replace him. Between them they look at progs 1657 and 1658 and discuss important topics such as “Does Johnny Alpha look prettier with or without his helmet”.

Other Comics Out This Week That have a special Dose of Thrill-Power

• Script droid Mike Carey, has Ender’s Shadow: Command School #2 out from Marvel Comics:

• Art droid Frazer Irving contributes a cover to Arkham Reborn #1 from DC:

• Script droid Garth Ennis has a special edition of The Boys #1 out from Dynamite Entertainment:

• Script droids Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning, have Nova #30 and Guardians of the Galaxy #19 out from Marvel:

• Script droid Mark Millar has Ultimate Comics Avengers #3 out from Marvel:

• Script droid David Hine has FVZA #1 out from Radical Publishing:

Related posts:

1. The 2000 AD Weekly Droid Watch: Keeping an Eye on What Tharg’s Minions Are up to Whilst They Should Be Hard at Work! - October 24th 2009
2. The 2000 AD Weekly Droid Watch: Keeping an Eye on What Tharg’s Minions Are up to Whilst They Should Be Hard at Work! - October 16th 2009
3. The 2000 AD Weekly Droid Watch: Keeping an Eye on What Tharg’s Minions Are up to Whilst They Should Be Hard at Work! September 26th 2009
4. The 2000 AD Weekly Droid Watch: Keeping an Eye on What Tharg’s Minions Are up to Whilst They Should Be Hard at Work! September 19^th 2009
5. The Weekly Droid Watch - September 12^th 2009