Watch This

It’s a one hour documentary about the development of the independent music/punk/DIY in Ireland scene over the last 5-20 years that I whole-heartedly support at every opportunity even while I am increasingly less involved in a playing/participatory capacity. I’m not going to go on too much, but I recommend everyone watch it, especially anyone who may not be that well versed in the DIY/Independent music scene.

Great footage of loads of bands you will have heard of and even more that you may not have heard of. This scene directly influenced my thinking and work as a self-publishing comic and zine artist. It’s not a manifesto, but I wouldn’t be doing what I am today without  it.

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Independent’s Day 2012

Since 2008, Anto Dillon and various enablers have organised a fantastic annual day-long celebration of all things DIY. What I especially love about it is the cross pollination between the DIY punk, zine, alt-comics, lowbrow/underground art and activism communities that happens at this fair. I feel an affinity with all of these scenes to a greater or lesser extent, but it’s only here that they come together in such a special way. I always try to donate some time to put together a poster for it. This year I may be running late, but I’m well pleased with the results.

Anyway, I’ll be manning my stall selling my small press and mini comics (including one newish compilation that I put together in August, but haven’t promoted yet), so do come along. It’s bound to be a great day.

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Creator Owned Day #CreatorOwnedDay

So March 1st is officially ‘Creator Owned Day‘ in the comics world, a day where artists post characters of their own creation on their websites, so in the spirit of solidarity, here’s a rather quick sketch of Daniel ‘Danno’  Kirwan. – a confused and angry young man of 23 who ‘works’ as a self appointed security guard down his local Chinese takeaway. He’ll be the focus of my next self-penned story which will be going into a very special anthology that I’m very excited about. It’s still a bit too early to announce any more details, but I’m excited. I’ll leave it at that.

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Big Jim Preview 5

Dark plots are hatched in  the corridors of power. Larkin is released from prison and delivers another of his rousing speeches, a particular quality for which he was well remembered (actual recital begins at about 1:03). I was rather pleased with this page, although in reflection the second panel will probably be redrawn before publication.

Only 12 pages to go on this project and I can begin to think about some new ones in earnest! Have a very special project lined up to see the light of day before the summer that I’m incedibly excited about, but it’s too early to spill the beans.

By the way, you’re keeping an eye on my Tumblr, right? Diary comics, and extra insights into the Big Jim working process are some of the many delights you might enjoy over there.

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Big Jim Preview 4

Here’s a full page from the Big Jim graphic project. This part if the book deals with a particularly messy incident where the good intentions of individuals actually may have had a detrimental affect on the campaign being run by the perceived ‘good guys’trying to help out the poor and downtrodden. Cryptic? Convoluted? Well it’s another example of the weird relationship between the Catholic church and it’s dominating position in Irish society at the time, and I guess you’ll have to read the book when it comes out or check out those links for your history lesson.

Getting accurate period reference continues to throw up storytelling challenges, but I’m pretty happy with how the setting for this scene came out.

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