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The colour on this is f'ing fierce. Really nice style.

There is a good reason for that:

http://comicbookdb.com/creator.php?ID=12336

[How the hell did you come up with the ideas behind The Clown? Were drugs involved?]

wasn't it a pisstake of Vertigo pretentiousness though?

How the hell did you come up with the ideas behind The Clown? Were drugs involved?

Yes. Drugs are always involved.

That and sticking your head down the nearest, darkest abyss and screaming 'who you staring back at, Jimmy!'

I had had a couple of one-offs under my belt at the time in both 2000AD and Crisis, so Richard and Alan were waiting for me to pitch something that would make a series; the next kind of quantum step on the ladder at 2000AD.

Neil Gaiman had been writing Sandman for just about a year and was getting a lot of flak in the British fan press for what was viewed as a pretentious and overly floral writing style. Pretentious, lui?

He'd also got a contract straight from Karen Berger at DC without supposedly paying his 'proper' British comics writers dues at 2000.

So he was a focus for resentment, jealousy as well as some genuine criticism. But the thing was, I really liked what Neil Gaiman was doing. He was playing around behind the same door Alan Moore had opened up a couple years before him: the door with the sign that said just because it was a comic didn't mean you couldn't write it like literature. (Neil had also intensely interviewed Alan Moore on writing for at least a hundred publications before Neil submitted his first Future Shock.)

That was an axiom I truly believed and still do; but not everybody did. So I figured the best way I could play behind the same door that Neil was digging behind at 2000AD without alienating a mainly British readership was to take the piss out of Neil. The Clown was always The Sandman on laughing gas.

Of course Neil actually greatly improved on his writing of Sandman after the first year and really came into his own, whereas The Clown languished as an inept, unsung and unfinished figure of ridicule.

http://www.2000adreview.co.uk/features/interviews/2006/goldkind/igor-goldkind.shtml

Regarding Walking Dead, which two people have now mentioned, are there records online of bumps in sales?

Bleeding Cool has regular articles on sales figures, and every one shows The Walking Dead GNs ascending to dominance on the back of the TV series. 

Ready example, but there are plenty with actual figures if you dig:  http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/06/25/walking-dead-represents-half-of-diamond-bookstore-sales/ 

 
Given the simplicity of TWD as both a story and a publication, and the closeness of the series plot to the books, I wouldn't expect a similar overspill into the 35 years of Dredd bacl catalogue.  But here's hoping.

Anyone wanting evidence for how films boost sales need only look back through the NYT's Graphic Book's sales list:

http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/paperback-graphic-books/list.html

TWD now lives in there (a good argument for a Game of Thrones-style Dante adaptation) and I see Miller's TDKR is in there, despite no obvious links to the film. Going back through the records you can tell which comic based film was out at the time - Watchmen (which started selling strongly from the time the film was announced until quite recently, DC printed a million copies and can't have many left over), Kick Ass and Scott Pilgrim charted strongly at the time (as did vaguely related books, like Batman vs Bane and Marvel's John Carter: The World of Mars have done nicely by association).

It is nice to see some titles get there on their own merit, and especially nice to see Tales of Nu-Earth, Volume 1 make the top ten:
http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2012-06-17/paperback-graphic-books/list.html

And Alan Moore's Future Shocks:
http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2012-01-01/paperback-graphic-books/list.html

So while there is no question that a film release (or TV show, although that is rarer) will result in strong boosts to sales, I agree with TB, it might be that, with no single book obviously tied into the film, there is no Case Files charting there but I wouldn't be surprised, especially if there is some publicity in comic book stores and book stores. My money is on Case Files 3, 4 and 5 doing well with good advice, which should translate to better long term sales. Mega-City Masters might also do OK, as might Origins.

It's good this thread stayed on topic then...

I've always argued that forums should have built in functionality for splitting off sub-threads when conversations wander.

Threads can indeed be split here, this is probably a good candidate.

[5) What can we expect to see from you next (what are you working on)?]

The answer is fairly easy, as he has had a guest slot at Scotch Corner:

5) What can we expect to see from you next (what are you working on)?
To be confirmed but strips for sure and a great deal more writing (for comics) hopefully. I'm getting back into drawing after only recently re-uniting with my mojo. We had become separated and it was left wandering aimlessly in the Desert of Distraction for years. Until a few weeks ago, the last strip I had drawn was fifteen years ago, at which time I was still communicating with the writer by letter. By letter! With stamps and everything! It's unbelievable how things have changed in that time but I'm really enjoying what I'm seeing out there and the possibilities of what I can do. I have a new house, a half built studio and plans to be prolific over the next few years!

6) If you hadn't become an artist what do you think you'd have ended up doing?
I sort of did end up doing it. I've spent the last few years working for Fender, the US based guitar manufacturer. Music and guitars were my other great passion and I've been lucky enough to be involved right in the thick of the business.

http://scotchcorner.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/guest-post-simon-jacob.html

Which links to his DA account, which has some lovely art on it (and I notice Jim tracked him down there too):

http://shiantu.deviantart.com

Then I found his blog (yep Campbell was there first too):

http://simon-jacob.blogspot.co.uk

So there we go, hopefully we'll see more developments soon.

So I made the thread.

The question has been previously asked here and not answered.

He also got mentioned in artists we'd like to see return to the prog:
http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,19239.msg324468.html#msg324468

Woah, rewind.

also i had a couple of drinks With Simon Jacob the other night and from what i gather he's not finished with comic book art ??

I think the world needs to know more about this. Do we not have a "Whatever Happened to Simon Jacob?" thread?

The scary thing is, I diagnosed this correctly in chat and told him to get the doctor asap.

Sheesh, this thing with putting hostile nanobots in his muesli is never going to work if you keep boasting about it.

Shhh, I am either Doctor Internet or have dangerous killer mind powers. Either way I reckon I can fix your chalfonts for you TB.

It's worth pointing out that the concepts are largely Emp's ( and Pete Travis et al, of course), I just drawed 'em.

Oh he makes it sound so simple, but the concept was a quick rough sentence each, Jon brought them to life.

It's the sort of thing it would be criminal (ie: ten in the cubes, buddy) not to finish.

Hindsight now suggests it is best to lock the artist up beforehand

Thanks for all the kind words. I'll probably finish it purely cos I hate to leave work undone and, you know, Emps went to the bother of writing it and dreaming up Dark Judge alternatives. It'll just probably not be before September or October now which I reckon'll be the first chance I get to do any comics work again. And too late for the comp.

But topically in time for the Dredd film release!!! I'm sure if we look pitiful the nice Zarjaz chappies might put it on their blog, for example...

Good to hear his side of the story too, The Truth is (as always) somewhere in between I'm sure

It does fit with David Bishop's comments:

http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,35474.msg659351.html#msg659351

As not many people blog about their letters I thought I'd flag this up:

Just found this, i'm starting to see a Nemesis Theme here, 2000 a.d Letters page...I was about 13 when I sent this in, I received a phonecall from my best mate James, telling me I had won an LRD (a mug)...Couldn't have been more excited... I started my small Press Comic company after this boost...leading on the to the "glory road" of appearing at Caption and UKCAC as a 'creator' and selling 10 whole comics....note that Tharg had an e-mail "number". I went to the same school as Glen Fabry (he was two years above) and assumed that by sharing an art teacher, I'd have the same success...twas'nt to be...although I did get to work on Angels of Deception with Ian Churchill (on covers) which takes pride and place in a box in storage...which I now have to get back to cleaning before I set off...

http://frazer-brown.tumblr.com/post/27550889101/just-found-this-im-starting-to-see-a-nemesis

It flags up how important the letters page is.

Yeah Jon did blinding work there, I'm not sure quite how to get it into a single entry for the contest but we'll manage something.

Just give Molch-R a nudge, we won that fair and square

Writing this from my hospital bed @ Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Broad Green where I'm recovring from having 5 stents inserted following my 3rd heart attack.  Been here since the early hours of Thursday morning. (Yes, Wednesday night chat is that exciting!)

The scary thing is, I diagnosed this correctly in chat and told him to get the doctor asap. An hour later he is in hospital. It might be my mental murdering powers at work, I suppose.

Glad to hear your improved, looks like we won't need the "Get Well Sharky" project

I'm about to order a few films from YESASIA but before I do, any thoughts on the following, or suggestions for alternatives?

Love on Delivery
Pom Pom
Dirty Ho
Broken Oath

Seems a good call, I have just added Broken Oath to my to-buy list. If you want more Angel Moa, then Lady Whirlwind is public domain:
http://archive.org/details/LADYWHIRLWIND1973_1

[Nazi's at the Centre of the Earth.]

Nazi's at the Centre of the Earth.

Yes it's Sci Fy Channel brain chowder again. Undead Nazi's in the Antartic! Yes everyone, beneath the Planet of the Apes lies a Hollow sphere world ruled by the master Race who preserve themselves by flaying unfortunate visitors of their flesh queue gory face scalping. 

But these interlopers are American dammit. So though they are Scientist, abused and sexually molested by mouldy Uber mensch they rebel against the nasty Deathless ones who are led unbelievably by an Actor who appeared in the Katy Perry video 'Hot and Cold' as the Priest/Vicar. Jake Bushey [named ReichStag here: yes subtlety is not this films strong point] was another American who turned Nazi then back again to good old Uncle Sam [spoiler]blowing up the Nazi super saucer in heroic self sacrifice.[/spoiler]

'Why did he do this you cry?! ' unable to control your feverish excitement for this bilge water Tv trash? 

To destroy [spoiler]ADOLPH HILTER[/spoiler] no less reborn and badly computer animated as a giant cyborg intent on leading the world back into his beneficent clutches!!

It doesn't get bigger than that and this Film helped me regain my faith in nothingness.

The Jake Busey character made me laugh every time he appeared on the screen - those teeth!! that hair!! he's a scientist??? His name is Reichstag??

The film was awful, obviously, but a notch or two better than the usual Asylum/Syfy films but what amazes me is that they don't have someone with half a brain go over the script and tighten it up. They went to the bother of hiring actors, throwing a lot of CGI at it and it was both an interesting concept and a rather outrageous implementation but it often felt slack where a bit of extra tinkering would have done he world of good.