Bits 'n' bobs: Artwork, Nightmares, surveys and more

I've a lot to mention and I'm short on time so here's a quick runaround of half a dozen items packaged into one convenient post.

Art for Sale

I'm selling off a few pages of my old artwork from Viz and Buster. (No pages from Toxic, Beano or Dandy I'm afraid. I don't sell those.) Fancy an original Tom Thug page, or a Viz calendar page with a Titanic theme? Zip over to my eBay page and check out what's on offer and help pay my mortgage. Bidding ends on Sunday. Thanks in advance!

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Nightmare ends

For 45 years comic fans have wondered who the artist of Nobby's Nightmares was in Pow! comic. Some said it was Cyril Price (not even close) whilst I suggested it might be Walter Bell (miles off). This week, cartoonist supreme Nigel Parkinson (like the Dalek supreme but taller and with a sense of humour) checked out his ex-file copies of Pow! and discovered the artist's name was Lewis Williams, revealing it on the Comics UK forum. No, I'd never heard of him before either, but we have now! 

Mr.Williams also drew Georgie's Germs on occasion for Wham!, along with Mini-Maxie for Smash! (although apparently the latter was a reprint). Thanks to Nigel for clearing up the decades-old mystery! 

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Vote Toxic!

This week's issue of Toxic features a survey form for readers to vote for what they like, and dislike, about the UK's top selling boy's mag. A section spotlights my Team Toxic strip and asks readers "Do you like Team Toxic" (Yes, No, or Haven't heard of them.) With options like that I suspect some kids will tick "Haven't heard of them" just for a laugh, so if you do read Toxic and you do like my work I'd appreciate your votes. The strip is already down to being a reprint every other issue so every vote counts. 




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School's out for summer

Sadly I've heard this week that my Super School strip is being rested from The Beano. I don't know if it'll return, but it's been great fun drawing it and fulfilling a dream to work for that comic. I think I drew about 70 over the past few years and Tom Paterson filled in on a couple. They still have a couple unpublished so they may turn up as fillers in the future. Thanks to all of you who wrote to say you enjoyed the strip and to those of you who voted for it, giving it an impressive vote count on its debut according to the 2008 Beano poll.

My personal favourite Super School image

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Tripwire seeks funding

Art by Jon Haward and Nigel Dobbyn

Editor Joel Meadows is seeking crowdfunding for the publication of a special anniversary issue to mark 20 years of his comics and media magazine Tripwire. The book will feature specially commissioned artwork from people such as Howard Chaykin, Glenn Dakin, Mike Kaluta, Mike Perkins, and Jon Haward and Nigel Dobbyn amongst others. You can find out more info in John Freeman's report on Down the Tubes.   

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