2000 AD Online Forum

Does anyone know where you send (address or email) the submissions? Its not on the 2000AD homepage anymore.

Must admit Kingsyn I've had a good look on the 2000 A.D website and the net and I can't seem to find them either. Perhaps THARG is taking submissions from pro's only to cut down on the sub pile he has to wade through every month. Here's the address as found on some Oxford business website:

REBELLION
2000A.D SUBMISSIONS
THE STUDIO
BREWER STREET
OXFORD.

Can't see any post code or anything. Good luck. I added the 2000A.D submissions bit but I assume that's who your writing too rather than the games company.

Whether or not Thargs looking at unsolicited submissions right now, I don't know - but I think the Brewer Street address is the old one from before the move. I would imagine that you can send stuff to the usual editorial address though:

Riverside House
Osney Mead
Oxford OX2 0ES

Cheers Chris_ askham the moustache suits you. Ignore my one Kingsyn I didn't even know they'd moved. Must try to come to the forums a little more often.

Thanks for the replies.
So just to recap, i just send in my 6 page future shock script, synopsis and a cover letter, right?
Is there anything i'm forgetting?

The Damage Report in Prog 1597 welcomed new editorial droid Jenni-A who's was described as 'the merciless mistress of the submissions pile'. Looks like Tharg's recruitin'!

This is my last question, i swear!

I really like the old style of comic writing when captions were only used for narration and not thorght. Like the way Judge Dredd is written.
Do you think 2000AD would mind if i wrote a future shock story in that way. I know judge dredd and some others are still written in that way, so i kinda assume they would'nt mind, but i thorght i might as well ask!

Be careful of making it exposition heavy would be my advice.  Apart from that if it suits the story and works; it works.

Aren't future shocks nornmally five pages long?

Yeah, 5-6 pages long.

Are they ever 6? I'd like to know because I've written a few myself. I have difficulty keeping to the 5 pages and the sixth page would certainly ease things a lot.

The old submissions info always stated 5 pages though.

It is a 5 page limit, my mistake.

i was looking for those great guideline articles they had about submissions on the old website, does anyone happen to have those handy?

i realize alot of the main website is down, hopefully the admin will put all that information back up.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES FOR WRITERS

Submissions should be sent to:

2000 AD Submissions Editor
Rebellion
Riverside House
Osney Mead
OXFORD OX2 0ES
UK

Send ONE short Future Shock plot outlines (no more than a page), along with a full script or published story to show you understand comic book format. Remember, there's no guarantee you'll receive an answer from the editor whose main concern is getting out 2000 AD every week.

Do not send in proposals for new series unless you are an established professional. New writers begin by submitting Future Shocks - five-page science-fiction stories with a twist ending.

Please send copies of your work - never send originals. 2000 AD is not responsible for the safety or the return of any original material sent to us. It can take several weeks to evaluate your work. DO NOT PHONE to discuss your submission. We often receive hundreds of submissions a week, and it's impossible for us to deal with them over the phone.

Don't bring writing samples to a comics convention. It's difficult for the editor to give writing the attention it deserves in such a hectic, crowded environment. It's best to post photocopies of your work to the editor for later review.

Breaking into comics as a writer is extraordinarily difficult. The big difference between submitting art and writing to 2000 AD is this: We give new artists work based on the skills demonstrated in their samples, but we don't hire writers -- we buy stories. It doesn't matter how skilled you are as a writer unless you can sell us a story idea.

Competition is extremely fierce. 2000 AD publishes a limited number of stories and there are many people who want to write them. Some established writers are not working up to capacity, and there are many would-be scripters waiting for their chance. Don't be discouraged. It's tough, but the best can find work at 2000 AD .

Contents of Your Submission

You should submit a story SYNOPSIS - a one-page, typed story outline - accompanied by a full script. Only if we like the synopsis will we read the script. Despite what some novice writers think, literally any story we would be interested in can be described in synopsis format. We will not review written submissions in any other form.

If you can't convince us that we must publish your Future Shock from the synopsis, there's no point in going any further. No one has time to read the full script to see if there's something of merit there if the synopsis isn't up to scratch.

 

There are four elements you absolutely must include in any Future Shock synopsis. They are:

STRUCTURE (BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END)

A HOOK

READER IDENTIFICATION

A TWIST ENDING

Do not underestimate the importance of structure. This is the foundation upon which your story is built, and if the beginning, middle or end is missing or lacking, your tale will not hold up.

The beginning, middle and end is where you introduce the characters and situations, develop conflicts, and indicate their resolution. Remember, an idea is not a story. The idea must be dramatised, through structure and conflict, with an identifiable protagonist.

Without conflict, there is no drama. Conflict need not be hero versus villain. Man against himself, or nature, or a problem that must be solved are all valid conflicts. Your opening should be compelling enough to grab our interest in the first paragraph.

A hook, also called the high concept or theme, is the essence of what makes your story unique and nifty. When you boil your story down to one compelling sentence, that's the hook.

Additionally, the events you describe must affect a character that we care about in some way. (This doesn't have to be the hero.) If no-one in the story cares about what happens, why should the reader? We all share common emotions and experiences. Tap into these feelings and use them in your stories. Ask yourself, who is the protagonist? What does he want? What forces of antagonism must he overcome to achieve it?

The twist ending is an essential punch-line for any successful Future Shock. Ideally it will comment ironically on the theme of your story. Double-twist endings can be even more powerful, and are harder to see coming.

Story Formats

Future Shocks are always exactly five page long.

If your idea interests an editor, he will work with you on developing the idea further, either to plot or full script.

Professional work looks professional. Bad spelling, punctuation, and grammar are signs of the amateur. The editor will not be interested in proposals filled with errors.

All writing submissions must be TYPED on one side of the paper. Hand-written submissions will not be considered.

Stylistic Requirements

Comic-book writing is about telling a story in pictures, with words supplementing the visual storytelling. No matter what genre you want to work in, comic books convey, through pictures and words, action, movement, and urgency; a sense of drama and grandeur and "larger than life" excitement.

You should learn comic-book techniques and terminology and use them. Comics and Sequential Art by Will Eisner and Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud are essential "bibles" for the conventions of the medium.

If you have never seen how a comic book script is typically prepared, send an SAE to the editorial address requesting a sample script.
GOLDEN RULES

• Always send photocopies; never send originals!

• Include your name, address, and phone number.

• Always include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your submission, with sufficient U.K. postage.

• Please handle all submissions-related correspondence with 2000 AD through the mail. Don't call. Be patient, be polite.

• Anyone wishing to submit from overseas should include an International Reply Coupon with their SAE. If an IRC is not available, then local stamps equal to the value required to post the submission should be attached to the SAE.

• Emailed unsolicited scripts will not be accepted.

GOOD LUCK!

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES FOR ARTISTS

Please include an self-addressed stamped envelope with U.K. postage or international reply coupon. Address submissions to:

2000 AD Submissions Editor
Rebellion
Riverside House
Osney Mead
OXFORD OX2 0ES
UK

Please send COPIES of your work - never send original art. You must include an SAE with sufficient U.K. postage or an international reply coupon, or there's no guarantee you'll receive a reply. 2000 AD is not responsible for the safety or the return of any original material sent to us.

You'll receive an answer as soon as we can evaluate your work. This may take several weeks. DO NOT PHONE to discuss your submission. We receive dozens, often hundreds, of submissions a week, and it's impossible for us to follow up on them over the phone. Furthermore, we do not review portfolios by personal appointment, except at conventions.

Remember, there's no guarantee you'll receive an answer from the editor whose main concern is getting out 2000 AD every week.

If you're showing your samples to the editor at a convention, be sure your presentation is neat and that you follow these guidelines.

Focus your skills on one medium: pencilling, inking, colouring, or lettering. Bad inking may be misread as bad pencilling, and vice versa.

Pencils

Pencillers should submit 4-6 COMIC BOOK PAGES in order, showing the progression of a 2000 AD-style story through a series of pictures. Don't send pinups and paintings. They don't tell us you can tell a comics story.

You can make up your own story sequence, visually advancing it from panel to panel and from page to page. Or you can work with a writer friend or rework an existing 2000 AD script - without copying the art! Your story should be easy to follow, moving along clearly and dynamically. It's better to draw a story well in traditional block panels than to try to impress us with sexy pin-ups, overly complex layouts, or artistic gimmicks.

Your samples should also show basic drawing abilities. In addition to knowing how to draw heroic action figures and expressive faces, you must be able to draw the average guy on the street, buildings, cars, animals, aliens -- ANYTHING you may find in a comic book. Your art should display an understanding of perspective and anatomy. You should be able to draw people in different types of clothing and in a variety of poses, from an old woman hunched in a chair to a giant war-droid punching through a wall. It's essential not to limit yourself only to comics as your reference and inspiration. Life-drawing and other general art classes and books are important parts of your education. The dedicated artist draws everything he sees, all the time.

Professional comics pencillers work in a 10" x 15" image area on a sheet of Strathmore bristol board that measures 11" x 17". They usually lay out their pages with a lead pencil or a non-repro blue pencil, and finish their art with a regular pencil. Don't use too hard a pencil (3H or harder) or bear down too hard on the page. This will leave grooves in the paper.

Inks

Inkers should submit photocopies of both your inks and the pencils you have inked, so that we can compare the two. We would prefer to see your inks over more than one penciller. If you have no access to pencil samples from a friend or professional, write to the editor for photocopies - but you must include a self-addressed A3 envelope with about £1 in postage. Inking on vellum over the photocopies or on bristol board with a lightbox is probably the easiest way for you to work.

A comic-book inker's job is to add DEPTH and CLARITY to the pencils without obscuring the penciller's work. This is done by spotting blacks and varying line weight to give the page variety and each panel a three-dimensional feel, not by adding unnecessary detail. Objects in the foreground must look and weigh differently from objects in the background. You must also know which pencil lines should be omitted in the inking. Storytelling is an important part of the inker's job, and knowing how to draw separates the best inkers from the rest.

Professional comics inkers use artist's waterproof india ink, applied with a variety of brushes and pens. Corrections can be made by using one of several types of white paint. Remember, your ink line comes from your brain as much as from the tools you use.

Lettering

Comic-book letterers are responsible for captions, word and thought balloons, balloon shapes, panel borders, title lettering, credits, and sound effects. Caption and balloon lettering have to be uniform and easy to read, with slight "breathing room" between letters, words, and lines. Too tight letter spacing is hard to read. Story titles and sound effects are usually lettered in a bold, open style.

All 2000 AD lettering is now done on computer using Quark Xpress. You do not need to letter your art samples - but always leave 'dead space' in the artwork for the speech balloons. And remember, the first speaker must be on the left!

Colouring

Colouring is an essential part of comics storytelling. The colourist must interpret the art and tell the story through colour, adding depth, dramatic effect, mood, and most important, CLARITY.

The most important characters and objects in each scene and page must be clearly visible to the reader. This often requires colouring people and things differently than they would appear in real life. For example, if a panel features Judge Dredd standing amidst a crowd of dozens of citizens, Dredd could be coloured normally, while the others could be coloured in a monotone (or a senes of related muted tones) to ensure that Dredd is clearly seen in the panel.

Colourists can create MOOD by taking further liberties with realism. For example, if an artist has drawn a sequence of panels in which Dredd gets angry, a variety of reds -- a colour often used to convey anger -- could be used on both Dredd himself and in the background. Blue and green, conversely, establish a placid feel.

All 2000 AD colouring is now done on computer using Adobe Photoshop, except for fully painted art. Colourists should submit 4-6 pages of fully coloured comic-art on CD or Zip disk, saved as 300 dpi mac-readable TIFFs, plus 72 dpi copies.

If you need photocopies to colour, send a self-addressed stamped A3 envelope to 2000 AD's Submissions Editor with your request.

 
GOLDEN RULES

* Always send photocopies; never send originals!

* Include your name, address, and phone number.

* Always include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your submission, with sufficient U.K. postage.

* Please handle all submissions-related correspondence with 2000 AD through the mail. Don't call. Be patient, be polite.

• Anyone wishing to submit from overseas should include an International Reply Coupon with their SAE. If an IRC is not available, then local stamps equal to the value required to post the submission should be attached to the SAE.

• Emailed unsolicited scripts will not be accepted.

GOOD LUCK!

Quote from: "kingsyn"i thorght i might as well ask

another tip - get someone to proof-read the spelling before submitting  :D

Quote from: "dandontdare"

Quote from: "kingsyn"i thorght i might as well ask

another tip - get someone to proof-read the spelling before submitting  :D

:lol:

thanks Wake! I really appreciate that, although now I have no more excuses...

Does anyone have any script samples. I'm kinda curious to see what the layout is like.

Quote from: "kingsyn"Does anyone have any script samples. I'm kinda curious to see what the layout is like.

BARNEY (//http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=droid&page=scriptindex) has a few.

Hi,

I have a couple of questions...

1) Is it acceptable to email submissions, and

2) I can't remember seeing any Future Shocks in more recent progs (correct me if I'm wrong), so is there some other heading or type of story that would be considered acceptable as submissions?

Thanks,

Marc

Marc, you REALLY need to read those submission details or you have no chance whatsoever.  From my limited editorial experience, half the people haven't read the comic, and the other half haven't read the submission guidelines.

"Emailed unsolicited scripts will not be accepted."

There are also Time Twisters (rare) or Terror Tales (Infrequant).  May be best to stick to a standard Future Shock to begin with.

Good luck!

Quote from: "marcc"1) Is it acceptable to email submissions, and

2) I can't remember seeing any Future Shocks in more recent progs (correct me if I'm wrong), so is there some other heading or type of story that would be considered acceptable as submissions?

I'm afraid email submissions are not acceptable.

Terror Tales should be fine as well as Future Shocks.

The most recent Future Shock (//http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=future) was Rogue Elements in prog 1597.
The most recent Terror Tale (//http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=terror) was Futurity in prog 1599.

OK, thanks, both. Looks like I was a bit hasty.

Here's Matt Smith on writing Future Shocks:

//http://tysdiorbad.blogspot.com/2008/01/because-i-wanted-to-talk-tomatt-smith.html

And Rob Williams on writing for 2000 AD:

//http://tysdiorbad.blogspot.com/2008/01/because-i-wanted-to-talk-torob-williams.html

How long does it take to recieve a reply, if they like what you sent?

Is it necessary or advisable to send a copy of the script you have worked from with art submissions?

Quote from: "kingsyn"How long does it take to recieve a reply, if they like what you sent?

It's all a bit random at the moment, at least for me. The quickest I've ever received a reply is four days (yes, you read that right, four days) but I'm still awaiting a response from a script I submitted two months ago. Reading the Damage Report in 2000 AD, though, leads me to believe that Tharg's droids have all been away on holiday and are currently snowed under with stuff that needs doing, with my envelope no doubt either at the bottom of the pile or being used to keep somebody's desk level...

Although there's no way I'm going to complain about this (I've waited over thirty years as it is, so another few months is neither over here nor over there), it is quite frustrating. I have other scripts ready to send off as soon as my latest is rejected. The temptation is to send my new scripts off anyway, but... must... resist... urge...

Is anybody else playing this waiting game too?

Mark - or Mr Shark whichever you prefer...

Out of interest on the one you have had returned did you get any sort of feedback? Was it simply returned saying NO or did you get even a brief critique? I'd fully understand if they weren't able to given comment given the volume they must get through.

The reason I ask is I've got some ideas to work on. At the present I'm working on other things simply because there are other places I plan to 'publish' material that I believe will got more feedback, while I practice and learn the craft before my 'assault on 2000ad. If however the 2000ad team are able to provide some constructive critique it might be worth firing off a few idea's earlier than I had planned?

Yes, in my experience there is always a sentence or two of constructive criticism. Sometimes even more.

How should the submissions be sent? Folded up in a normal little envelope or in one of those big ones instead?

I always send mine unfolded in an A4 envelope along with a short covering letter, a brief synopsis and a self-addressed, stamped A4 envelope. I don't clip or staple any of the pages together but send them loose. Matt has got a lot of stuff to get through, I assume, so the less unfolding, unclipping etc he has to do, the better.

There is a Yahoo Group set up by would-be script droids which is full of interesting snippets. If you're interested, you can find it here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scriptdroids/ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scriptdroids/)

Hope this helps.

Quote from: "Cthulouis"Is it necessary or advisable to send a copy of the script you have worked from with art submissions?

I have to say that I'm not sure on this. Personally, I'd say that yes, it might be a good idea to enclose at least part of a script you've illustrated to show the editor how you've interpreted it. This is just a guess, though.

Maybe you'd have more luck with art-type questions if you joined the Yahoo Art Droids Group, which you can find here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artdroids/ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artdroids/)

Hope that helps a bit.

Quote from: "the_legendary_shark"I always send mine unfolded in an A4 envelope along with a short covering letter, a brief synopsis and a self-addressed, stamped A4 envelope. I don't clip or staple any of the pages together but send them loose. Matt has got a lot of stuff to get through, I assume, so the less unfolding, unclipping etc he has to do, the better.

There is a Yahoo Group set up by would-be script droids which is full of interesting snippets. If you're interested, you can find it here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scriptdroids/ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scriptdroids/)

Hope this helps.

So you sent a self-addressed A4 envelope in the A4 envelope you sent your submission in?
(Just making sure!)

oh, and thanks for the replys, you've been very helpful!!

Quote from: "kingsyn"So you sent a self-addressed A4 envelope in the A4 envelope you sent your submission in?
(Just making sure!)

Well, yes. (Folded, of course, so it fits.)

Quote from: "kingsyn"How long does it take to recieve a reply, if they like what you sent?

That I wouldn't know...so far. But my replies from Cyber-Matt usually came along after about a week, with cover letters explaining what I did right and what I should have done righter.

So... should we begin our cover letters "Dear Matt Smith", or "Dear Jenni-A"?  Or address them to both with a "/"?

Because it's generally considered ignorant to put "Dear Submissions Editor", isn't it?

Hi-

I'm an aspiring artist who is interested in improving his work. A while ago I seem to remember that 2000AD made sample scripts available to download for artists who were interested in trying their hand. Possibly I was just imagining this but I've been looking all over the website and I can't seem to find any reference to such a thing. Is there anywhere I can go to download sample scripts to practise my skills on? Alternatively are there any writers out there who would like to have some of their script illustrated by someone? I'm not so much concerned with trying to get freelance work with 2000AD (highly unlikely, even under more favourable economic conditions) and more interested in improving my skills.

Check out my Deviantart page if you're interested:

http://manicart1.deviantart.com/ (http://manicart1.deviantart.com/)

"Dear Tharg..."

BARNEY (//http://www.2000ad.org) has the scripts (//http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=droid&page=scriptindex) that were available. Thanks to Wake!

Just wanted to say Kevlev, I was looking at your blog t'other day really like your work. I'd be more than happy to see that in my prog.

Well Pete, that comment made me take a look at Kev's blog, and I think the artwork is top notch. Small press ahoy!

Manicart - I don't think you necessarily need to have a script, just send in 4 or 5 pages of artwork, making sure that your art tells a story over those pages.  Send in relevant characters, i.e. don't send Spider Man artwork to Tharg, send Dredd artwork.  Go to Comic Conventions with your portfolio; pester the editors; don't give up.

You said in your post that approaching 2000AD you'd be unlikely to get any response, well, one thing's for sure, if you don't try you'll never know.  Go for it, nothing ventured, nothing gained!!  You don't even have to go the small press route.  If you've got the cheek, perseverance, bottle, and, of course, some skill, you'll be surprised what can happen.

Oh! nearly forgot, the thing that budding artists tend to forget are deadlines.  It's a completely different ballgame knocking out some beautiful art in your spare time when you can take as long as you like than it is meeting deadlines for the editors.  You have to be disciplined and sometimes you have to forgo perfection to meet those same deadlines.  In your submissions it may be a good idea to inform the editors how long it takes you to produce a page of work, i.e a page of pencils, a page of pencils & inks, a page of pencils, inks & colours.  And it's very important not to "fib" over this last point, you'll soon get found out!!!

Hope this may help.

P.S.  Oh! and develop a thick skin!!!!

Well, I'm a wannabe writer, I'd be willing to let you practice on one of my "Future Shocks" 5 page scripts if you like.

Quote from: "Pete Wells"Just wanted to say Kevlev, I was looking at your blog t'other day really like your work. I'd be more than happy to see that in my prog.

Quote from: "Bolt-01"Well Pete, that comment made me take a look at Kev's blog, and I think the artwork is top notch. Small press ahoy!

Thank you kindly. Nice to receive such fine comments from learned gentlemen such as yourselves.

Its been my experience that Matt has been very helpful with his art crits. Its generally a 1 page letter highlighting some points that will help the work get stronger next time. It can take from 3 months to 2 weeks to get a reply, but they are well worth the wait.

As an artist, I NEVER enclose the script. He's a professional editor, so if he cant tell the 'gist' of the story from looking at your pages...then as a penciller you are probably doing something wrong.

I've not idea who Jenni-A is , but sending full size samples into Matt has worked for me.

Hope that helps!

Cheers,
Gibson
http://www.comicspace.com/gibsonquarter/ (http://www.comicspace.com/gibsonquarter/)

Oh and Thx shark for the art droids link...I'm gonna check it out.

Hey guys
 So I've read through this thread in detail and i made a submission a few years back with some pencil work, so i have a decent idea as to how it works. I have a few questions though and I hope they don't seem too outrageous!

 Does it have to be either pencil, ink and colouring? Primarily i use Photoshop and i love using it for paintings etc. Would this be an acceptable form for application. In this day and age with the advancement of computers is it possible for 2000ad to be less rigid about what art form is used for applications? As long as we make a comic strip that tells a story well that's the main thing isn't it?

OR is there a reason why it has to be pencil, ink or colouring. Such as the editor wants to see that you can tell a story well in comic form using the traditional methods and once you've proven yourself you can look into other styles etc.

also would doing the ink in photoshop count? or should it be done on paper.

check my website: http://www.kbelshaw.com (http://www.kbelshaw.com)   to see the sort of work i do at the moment.

Also when applying i presume you guys leave speech bubbles and caption boxes empty as its the art that's being looked at, I think that's what i did before, just checking!

Thanks for your time guys!

I would imagine Photoshop or other digitally created stuff would be fine as long as it follows the guidleines of "must tell a story", knowledge of anatomy etc that Rufus posted earlier




very nice work on your site there

Quote from: "Judge Wagstaff"Hey guys...
check my website: http://www.kbelshaw.com (http://www.kbelshaw.com)   to see the sort of work i do at the moment.

Excellent work, me old China. (Loved "Dark Depths")

Thankyou Johnnystress and legendary shark! you inspire me with confidence to make an awesome submission

Legendary shark, I was thinking of using the script off Barney for 'Holed Up' seemed like a great little story that i would enjoy painting in comic form. However I see your a bit a of a writer yourself, I'd be interested in knowing more about your scripts.

Quote from: "the_legendary_shark"

Quote from: "Judge Wagstaff"Hey guys...
check my website: http://www.kbelshaw.com (http://www.kbelshaw.com)   to see the sort of work i do at the moment.

Excellent work, me old China. (Loved "Dark Depths")

It really is.

I like the definition of 'sketches' too. (I think of sketches as rough drawing, pencil work, but there is some seriously detailed gorgeous artwork there.)

Thanks Mardroid, your're too kind!

QuoteNew writers begin by submitting Future Shocks - five-page science-fiction stories with a twist ending.

Is that up to five pages. I'm sure I remember reading some shorter Future Shocks.

Has anyone else noticed the 'new' little section on the front page for submission (//http://www.2000adonline.com/subs.php) guidelines?

I only mention it as there are four sample/example scripts, that I'm pretty sure haven't been previously available.

Quote from: "eoghainam"

QuoteNew writers begin by submitting Future Shocks - five-page science-fiction stories with a twist ending.

Is that up to five pages. I'm sure I remember reading some shorter Future Shocks.

It's five pages now. I've written some potential scripts (yet to send in mind you, there's always a bit of tinkering to do) and it's actually rather hard to keep within 5 pages.

Ooh that Terror Tale's interesting. Don't think I'm quite ready to submit to the prog, but will shelve that for possible a future crack. You making any headway with Tharg, Kevlev?

Quote from: "Judge Wagstaff"Does it have to be either pencil, ink and colouring? Primarily i use Photoshop and i love using it for paintings etc. Would this be an acceptable form for application. In this day and age with the advancement of computers is it possible for 2000ad to be less rigid about what art form is used for applications? As long as we make a comic strip that tells a story well that's the main thing isn't it?

Looking at the guidelines linked to above it does appear Tharg wants B&W work and I'm sure I've read that America publishers in particular like to see uninked pencils. Which would make things tricky for someone like Judge Wagstaff - his work is really good but going fully-painted might make life tricky (but then going out of your comfort zone but mean you aren't putting your best foot forward) unless you were able to drop such a stunning piece of work on an editor that they'd be a crazy fool to turn you away.

Tricky.

Would another angle of attack work better?

• Perhaps work up some sequentially fully-painted samples and see how it goes, perhaps showing off a portfolio at comic conventions is more flexible than just submitting a sample script?
• If you have some sequential samples then perhaps contact some of smaller indie British titles that work in colour - like Insomnia or Orang Utan? If you have something in paper form it might really help give people an idea of what you can do and how it transfers to the page.
• Why not give B&W a whirl? It might work out better than you think - if you blog it up and/or post samples here I'm sure you can get some useful feedback. It'd mean you could speak to some of the small press publishers who largely publish in B&W and they offer a great venue for honing your skills in sequential storytelling

Just a few thoughts. It might not be a deal-breaker but it could require some creative battleplans.

There are probably a number of threads giving people specific advice, like this recent one:

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=24971 (http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=24971)

So don't be shy about starting your own one as everyone is going to be different (even if some there is some general advice - like: be sure to check out kevlev's blog ).

Hey! You back right off Kev- he's my bitch!

Well, just as soon as I get the drokking script written for him that is!

Quote from: "His Lordship rac"Hey! You back right off Kev- he's my bitch!

Sheesh, someone's not very good at sharing. Not that I wanted to steal him or anything. Well, I didn't want to...  

Quote from: "mygrimmbrother"Ooh that Terror Tale's interesting. Don't think I'm quite ready to submit to the prog, but will shelve that for possible a future crack. You making any headway with Tharg, Kevlev?

I've shown Tharg my samples on a few occasions now and he's always been very generous with his time.

I wouldn't say I've made headway - it's extremely competitive and he's looking for bold and powerful art that really leaps off the page. So, I think I still have a ways to go yet...

...I've done a strip for the next issue of Zarjaz that I'm quite excited about though.

Quote from: "His Lordship rac"Hey! You back right off Kev- he's my bitch!

I'm a pencil-bitch a creative whore, and what's worse is, I'm cheap too!

Quote from: "kevlev"

Quote from: "mygrimmbrother"...I've done a strip for the next issue of Zarjaz that I'm quite excited about though.

Excellent! I'm doing a short strip for Dogbreath, which I'm also vey excited about.

Heh..I'm doing a 6 page Dredd with great story for the next Zarjaz too. Sounds like we are all in good company!!

Cheers,
GQ

Quote from: "mygrimmbrother"

Quote from: "kevlev"

Quote from: "mygrimmbrother"...I've done a strip for the next issue of Zarjaz that I'm quite excited about though.

Excellent! I'm doing a short strip for Dogbreath, which I'm also vey excited about.

Quote from: "Gibson Quarter"Heh..I'm doing a 6 page Dredd with great story for the next Zarjaz too. Sounds like we are all in good company!!

Coo. I'm excited by the quality of line-up there (and by your on excitement too, of course).

And I just got a couple of scripts accepted for FutureQuake, so I too am over the moon    (and more than a little smug).

Anybody heard anythign back from a submission lately? I've had one in for about 6 months and while I know you have to be patient you do begin to question whether it made it there? I'm tempted to resend but don't want to push my luck?!?

I don't seem to have had an answer to one of mine put in quite a while ago. Maybe they did and i've forgotten. Anyway I just decided to bite the bullet and submitted again recently.

QuoteHeh..I'm doing a 6 page Dredd with great story for the next Zarjaz too. Sounds like we are all in good company!!

Cheers,
GQ

If that's the one I've seen the art for, it is yummylicious stuff.