25 Nov
2010

Posted in: Blog, Pictures
By Fanton    9 Comments

Bear Faced Cheek

(c) D C Thomson & Co.

WHO REMEMBERS Biffo the Bear, from The Beano comic? The dungaree-wearing, humanoid bear first appeared in the comic in 1948, and ran right up until 1999, (with a few appearances here and there since), making him one of the comic’s longest-serving regulars.

The thing I never quite understood about this vintage strip was how come none of the people in the town were phased by the fact that they had a BEAR living among their number? Surely someone must have thought it peculiar. But no, they all seemed quite happy to let this weird, talking animal go unchallenged.

Bearing that in mind (pun intended), I knocked up this little sketch, for fun:

Oh, Biffo!

Naturally, Biffo the Bear is © D C Thomson and Co, and no infringement is intended. So please do not unleash the bears on me.

- Fanton.

24 Nov
2010

Posted in: Blog, Pictures
By Fanton    7 Comments

Feeling Green

URGH. What a horrible few days I’ve just had, feeling as sick as a really sickly parrot while nursing a horrible abscess in my mouth, which made me look like I was sucking a a golf ball or something.

In unrelated news, the golf ball sandwich I had the day before was DELICIOUS.

Anyhoo, it’s all being sorted now and I’m feeling much better now, and am thus no longer feeling green with sickness. HURRAH!

Talking of green (smooth segue coming up) it’s Wednesday, and so another Dandy is upon us, featuring another ker-azy episode of George vs Dragon (the latter being green in colour, see how smooth that link was?)

In this week’s GvD (as all the hip kids are calling it, or maybe it’s just me) George attempts a CUNNING DISGUISE:

Oooh, the scamp. This strip is one of my favourites I’ve done thus far, as I start to get a bit more confident with my (meagre) abilities, start fretting less and begin to just relax and have fun. Hopefully it shows not only in the art and story, but with a plethora of background puns and whatnot, in tribute to my all-time comics hero, Tom ‘Calamity James‘ Paterson.

As well as that there’s more Harry Hill hi-jinx, this week co-written with David Quantick who writes for TV Burp and many other comedy shows besides. Then there’s some excellent Desperate Dan action, Little Jeremy Clarkson, Robot on the Run and ooooh LOTS more besides. All for just £1.50, so pick it up you scallywags.

In other news, as I’ve been ill I’ve fallen behind with Lord Likely’s ‘Moustache-A-Day Marathon’ at www.lordlikely.com I’ll update it soon, but may have to cut the marathon shorter than planned to make way for his lordship’s all-new festive adventure, starting SOON. EGAD!

Finally, the lovely Amanda at Truly Ace Design has entered a ‘Bad Logo Design’ contest this week, with a design so awful it may make your eyes bleed. Go HERE to see it, and show your support for her terrible work by clicking the little grey heart icon below it. DO IT. (Please).

Right, I’m off to enjoy a delicious bowl of golf ball stew. There is no way this can end badly.

Tara!

- Fanton.

17 Nov
2010

Posted in: Blog, Pictures, Words
By Fanton    10 Comments

News Knight

A picture of me pretending I'm working, taken for The News.

THIS YEAR really does seem to be the ‘Year of Weird Things Happening To Me That I’d Have Never Expected’.

Not only do I wind up drawing comics for one of my favourite comics, The Dandy, and not only did I find myself showing a hundred-plus kids how to draw monsters, but today I can add ‘appearing in a double-page spread for the local newspaper’ to that growing list of oddities.

The local newspaper in question, The Portsmouth News, interviewed and photographed me for a really lovely two-page feature about myself and my work for The Dandy, which saw print today. It’s a really good piece, with the lovely reporter, Rachel Jones, covering everything from The Carrotty Kid to George vs Dragon, and even including a mention for my decidedly NON child-friendly character, Lord Likely. Quite an exhaustive interview, then, and one I enjoyed doing very much. Although sitting posing at my drawing board for photos was a little more than weird. No-one needs to see my face in print, surely?

How the interview looked in the paper. Note the odd, strained expression on my face.

For those of you not in the Portsmouth area, never fear – you can read the interview HERE, thanks to the wonders of the world-wide web! HUZZAH!

MEANWHILE, it being a Wednesday and all, it’s Dandy day again, meaning a new episode of George vs Dragon sees print as well! This week, George has a VERY CUNNING PLAN:

It can’t POSSIBLY go wrong, can it? Find out in The Dandy, out now, for only one pound and fifty pee!

TRIVIA: this week’s George vs Dragon is actually one of the first ever ones I submitted to The Dandy, but which I later had to amend by adding an extra panel for it to fit the comic’s size requirements. FASCINATING, huh?

While I’m busily drawing dragons for The Dandy and becoming an international superstar and heart-throb, I’ve not forgotten my other web-based ventures, no sireee!

The Carrotty Kid returns, in a series of strips by guest-artists hand-picked from the very best of the cartooning crop! The first is done by the excellent Rick Eades, and can be seen by clicking HERE.

A panel from Rick Eades' fantastic guest Carrotty Kid strip.

Elsewhere, Lord Likely is sporting a variety of moustaches for Movember, and has also made his journals available for download via the Kindle, for a very reasonable 99p a month. SO SUBSCRIBE NOW! Or a little later, if you like.

That’s the headlines, now you stay classy, PLANET EARTH.

- Fanton.