John Hicklenton at the Science Museum this Wednesday

[Dark Jimbo]

Bloody hell.

Seven years? How did we not know about this? Nothing about it in the recent Meg article or any of the editorials.

That's as it should be I suppose; I'm sure he'd rather be defined by his art than the disease, but it would have put paid to some of the more vitriolic responses to Satanus III (and I still say the worst problem was simply its length - threads about the early parts are more or less glowing with bemused praise for it, the later ones seeped in bile).

What a trooper, though. As an artist I can't begin to imagine the terror you'd feel at the imminent possibility of not being able to draw one day. At least we've seen (sort of) a recent reappraisal of his work, and he got to do a nice afterword in the Nemesis 3 book.

[The Amstor Computer]

and it must be said, I the face of rudeness and vitriol

Quite. I can't quite remember what I said about BoS, but I hope it was more restrained than some of what was said here, especially knowing now what the artist has to cope with.

It probably also needs reiterated that the friends, colleagues and family of John who have posted here - as well as John himself - have all taken the verbal battering on the chin without ever saying a word about his illness. If I were in their position, I'm not sure I could have done the same.

[Matt Timson]

To be equally fair, though- who would've slated the guy had they known he was ill?

MS is just... well, it's just fucking terrible.  I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

[vzzbux]

Johns work was not my cup of tea, but this is terrible news. I wish him all the best and hope he can get a decent dealer to ease his pain as it is (I think, correct me if I am wrong) still illegal for sufferers to use cannibis.





V

[+rufus+]

Claire H. emailed me and asked me to pass along this message. I've cut and paste so as not to paraphrase badly

"I just want to point out that the MS hasn't so far affected Johny's drawing, it's all in his legs, and I want to say in a nice way that if people didn't like BOS III that's fair enough but don't blame the "Marks & Sparks".  Johny is still going strong producing art for Red Light Records in Switzerland, working on a drum and bass music video, as well as various projects at embryonic stage collaborating with other artists."

So there ya go Thrill seekers!

:-) Ruf
 

[LARF]

I've found a clip from the documentary on animal.monday.co.uk, here you go...

Link: http://www.animalmonday.co.uk/heres_johnny.html?loadProgress=%5Btype+Function%5D&onResized=%5Btype+Function%5D&msk%5Finit=230%2E8&loadedbytes=311290&totalbytes=311290&preloaderInterval=1&initH=435%2E15&stage%5Flst=%5Bobject+Object%5D&loadedkbytes=312" target="_blank">Here's Johnny

[dweezil2]

Keep drawing John, hope to see more of your work in The Meg or 2000ad in the near future!

Dweezil.

[Ignatzmonster]

Fight on Hicklenton! Had no issues with BOS III. Came for the madness stayed for the madness. Hope you have a new story in tooth soon.

[Peter Wolf]

 I dont know Johns work at all [my lapsed readership of 2000ad ended recently after staggering out of a time tunnel  CE 1984 being the last time i read] and i never read BOS but having watched the short clip of the film that featured a work in progress i have to see  more of it as it looks bloody amazing !!


 I say that without any slant whatsoever by the way.


 Keep on exploring the natural cures or treatments and Tharg commision some more work from John !!

[Trout]

I want to say in a nice way that if people didn't like BOS III that's fair enough but don't blame the "Marks & Sparks"

I was one of those people and I do appreciate this message very much.

I want to say all the best to John. I was very sorry to hear about his illness.

- Trout

[petemaskreplica]

Well, I just got back from the screening, and it's an absolutely fantastic documentary. To go through what he's going through, not just the horrible physical effects of the disease but the depresssion that attends it (and the film pulls no punches telling you about either) and to show the humour and tenacity he displays, both in the documentary and in person during the discussion afterwards, is nothing short of inspirational, and makes something that could have been really difficult viewing incredibly uplifting. The man's a fucking hero. Don't miss it when it comes on tv.

[Peter Wolf]

 If there is anyone else here who doesnt know John Hicklentons art like myself then here is some:



 Here is a link to a gallery in Comicartfans :

Link: http://www.comicartfans.com/SearchResult.asp" target="_blank">http://www.comicartfans.com/SearchResult.asp

[Peter Wolf]

 Try again. If this link doesnt open at the right page then just search the site for John Hicklenton unless your name is Callahan in which case you may find it a bit confusing.

Link: http://www.comicartfans.com/SearchResult.asp" target="_blank">http://www.comicartfans.com/SearchResult.asp

[TordelBack]

Ouch, that's crap news.  Poor John, that's the shitty end of the stick to be sure.

I don't think anyone should feel bad about disliking BoSIII though (although rudeness and intemperate language are another thing) - it was a marmity thing to start with.  I found the early art hard to deal with and said so, but it improved massively as it went on.  It was the script most of us had problems with - the art was a saving grace.  Imagine BoSIII in anyone else's hands!  (Although now I'm imagining Rob Liefield's version, I'm feeling ill).

I was just flicking through Nemesis Vols II and III the other day, and I was amazed at how well his segments have aged, how well they look in big chunks, and how well they survive the poky size of the volumes.  In retrospect, I prefer his post-O'Neill stuff to Talbot's or Langley's or that Photo Strip Guy, although it'd be hard to beat Flint's loving O'Neill homage in Book X, as even O'Neill himself found out.  Hicklenton was at least trying to do something new, and his contorted Nemesis and nose-less Torgue were beautifully designed.

[Matt Timson]

I've never seen the Blood of Satanus stuff- but I loved the work he did on Nemesis at the time and think it stands up really well.http://www.comicartfans.com/Images/Category_578/subcat_8173/jhpg4ep12.JPG">