Lawgiver MK4

[Tjm86]

Apparently Rebellion were at MCM.  Looking at the website, if that was the case then I would politely suggest that this was a waste and a half.  Attending an event that is geared toward extracting as much cash from punters as possible versus attending an event that is geared toward a fan base that is highly supportive and willing to part with their cash in support of creative talent that they admire and respect.

Granted the audience were a very specific demographic (hell of a lot of folks who were able to provide early progs and had a detailed knowledge of tooth history) but it was the sort of event I would have more than happily taken my kids to.  It would have been nice to see a few more tables in the dealers room.  Again, a case of Rebellion missing a trick.

[Steve Green]

Yes, 2000 AD at MCM this weekend with Barbara, the colourist on the Halo Jones reprint.

Unless you can plough in the money for these kind of events, small stalls can get a bit lost.

That was certainly the case the last one of those I went to, the 2000 AD stall was squirrelled away and pretty quiet compared to the heaving bustle filling the rest of the ExCel.

I get trying to reach beyond the same old demographic that would typify Lawgiver, same with the appearance at the tattoo convention.

I don't think they necessarily need to attend Lawgiver, and it might actually put off creators to have someone official hovering around. But maybe the odd tweet or facebook post with the disclaimer that it's unofficial.


Possibly having a local comic shop shifting graphic novels would have been an idea.


As far as I can work out, the main bone of contention seems to be bootleg merchandise - and there wasn't a lot of it that I could see.

What little there was would be hard to argue to the case for it being copyright infringing I'd imagine.

The funniest story was someone who'd received a C&D for selling t-shirts for a 2000AD fb group, and the t-shirt printer had suggested 'money laundering' as a possible reason for selling them.

My response was "I can think of a more popular IP to bootleg if I was going to launder money."

I understand Rebellion want to protect their IP, I really do - but there's a tendency to go for the low hanging fruit, and it kills off any remaining enthusiasm people have for the prog or putting money Rebellion's way.

If 2000 AD was a bigger brand, it wouldn't matter - but it's not.


I get that fandom can be hard work, but that goes with the territory.

Rebellion's current policy seems to be to concrete over as much as they can and just have this single pot plant that they can have some control of. (See also Rebellion's attempt to copyright Rebellion everywhere recently, and the response on Twitter)


Surely there has to be a better approach?

[robert_ellis]

Lawgiver 4 was perfect. Lovely to hear Ian Gibson & Mick McMahon talking about 2000ad. Mick always seemed to have a long queue but my sketch of Rico in his new style was well worth the wait. Art droids Goddard, Langley, Bisley, Cornwell, Flint & all the others were generous with their time & drawing skills. I wish Rebellion had been there to hear some future news but I’d rather they reached out to the general fans who may have forgotten the prog at bigger cons. My idea of 2000ad fandom can include everyone - the biker who loves cosplay, the father reading the prog with his kids, the woman who just buys the odd tpb, even the grouch who claims ‘it’s worse now than in the 90s’. Thanks for all turning up in Bristol. We are all Tharg now.

[Eamonn Clarke]

We are all Tharg now.

Except me, I’m Spartacus.

[Proudhuff]

and I'm Negan. 

[hippynumber1]

I’m Brian and so’s my wife.

[Andy Lambert]

Absolutely brilliant weekend - such a great laugh! It definitely could do with an extra day though, which I believe could be on the cards if the next event does well.
It was also wonderful to hear from the artists on the guest panels - invaluable insight for a wanna-be art droid like myself. Listening to the talks from Bisley, Fabry, McMahon, Gibson, Williams, Foster, Austin and Cornwall, hearing their experiences and advice to artists, it got me thinking how brilliant it would be if there was some sort of book made featuring 2000ad artists sharing their experiences, their tips on drawing and their advice - something sort of along the lines of "How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way", but with more about and from the artists themselves - from Ezquerra, McMahon, Gibbons, and their peers through to the artists of today like Flint, McNeil, Goddard, etc.

I dunno, it sounds like a good idea in my head because it's exactly what I need right now...
Just a thought, anyway.

[sheridan]

it got me thinking how brilliant it would be if there was some sort of book made featuring 2000ad artists sharing their experiences, their tips on drawing and their advice - something sort of along the lines of "How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way", but with more about and from the artists themselves - from Ezquerra, McMahon, Gibbons, and their peers through to the artists of today like Flint, McNeil, Goddard, etc.

Only thing is that the Marvel Way was the house style, and one of the main strengths of 2000AD for me is that there isn't a house style (apart from when McMahon got told to imitate Ezquerra and Ewins didn't have much choice about imitating Bolland) - something that struck me in Judge Caligula Book One, with the mopad as drawn by bolland then immediately followed by McMahon's version.  It'd have to be How to Draw Comics Any Which Way

[Andy Lambert]

Oh I totally get that there's no "uniform" way of doing it, but that's why it appeals to me - different perspectives, different experiences, different tips in drawing along with advice. McMahon suggested (and he wasn't the only one to say this) that if you want to go into comics, don't go to art school. Gibson gave advice on how to depict passages of time, or how to show a fight scene as something fast paced and not using multiple angles, and he also mentioned you need a good eye for design to do well in comics.
I'm just imagining all these tips, experiences and words of advice collected together - it may not all be relevant to everyone, but at least some things could resonate with some people. It's the diversity of these artists and what they've experienced, thus yielding different views and tips, that make this an appealing idea to me.
Perhaps "How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way" was a poor example to use.

[Steve Green]

I think it's a great idea - most marketable would be Dredd obviously.

How different artists approach Dredd and his world, maybe even an examination of those whose style has changed over the years, Dredd covers, the tech, the city, technique in analog vs digital.

There's probably a lot of stuff already via Pete's covers blog, commissions etc.

[Dandontdare]

it got me thinking how brilliant it would be if there was some sort of book made featuring 2000ad artists sharing their experiences, their tips on drawing and their advice - something sort of along the lines of "How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way",

McMahon gave us "how to draw Judge Dredd in 3 easy steps" in one of the old annuals, but as step one seemed to be 'draw a perfect sketch of Dredd', my 12 year old self didn't find it very useful!

[Andy Lambert]

Lol, yeah I remember that McMahon thing too - it was in my mind when I was mentioning this, but yeah, from the basic shapes to the finished result would be good.

Pete's blogs on the covers is a great example of what I mean - collected together, along with insights in how an artist draws a character, a panel or a page, would be like the ultimate art bible to me.

[sheridan]

it got me thinking how brilliant it would be if there was some sort of book made featuring 2000ad artists sharing their experiences, their tips on drawing and their advice - something sort of along the lines of "How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way",

McMahon gave us "how to draw Judge Dredd in 3 easy steps" in one of the old annuals, but as step one seemed to be 'draw a perfect sketch of Dredd', my 12 year old self didn't find it very useful!

Gibson did something similar in one of the annuals - I think it was the colour coffee story from 1985?

[Jim_Campbell]

McMahon gave us "how to draw Judge Dredd in 3 easy steps" in one of the old annuals, but as step one seemed to be 'draw a perfect sketch of Dredd', my 12 year old self didn't find it very useful!

I have never got to grips with inking using a brush because of Mick and that specific feature. “Use a dip pen,” he said, so I did, eschewing the felt tips that had been my previous weapon of choice. Never been able to get on with a brush since.

[Tjm86]

- something that struck me in Judge Caligula Book One, with the mopad as drawn by bolland then immediately followed by McMahon's version. 

That's one thing that has always made me laugh with Bolland.  Whilst his artwork is gorgeous, he can't draw future city scapes or vehicles to save his life.  His version of the moped is a cone on wheels.  Mcmahon's version clearly follows but gives his spin.  Then you get Leach's pat wagon which looks incredibly menacing.  Lots to love in the same story.