One year on and going strong!

Last Thursday, the 5th of May, marked the first anniversary of my marriage to the wonderful Mimi. I honestly don't know where the past 365 days have gone (or the 10 and a half years before that!) but I'm still grinning like an idiot so I guess it must have been a fun time.

We decided to celebrate in semi-traditional style gifting each other pressies with a PAPER theme (which obviously has a nice relevance to a comic creator) and Mimi knocked it out the park. We were married, as some might know, in Las Vegas and honeymooned in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The 5th of May marks the Mexican holiday "Cinqo de Mayo" when, in 1862, the Mexican army were victorious over French forces at the Battle of Puebla. Irrelevant facts? Possibly, but Mexican and New Mexican traditions now have a special place in our heart.

Which partly explains THIS.

Yes, that's a giant sweety-filled piñata, complete with idiot husband swinging and missing spectacularly.
Mucho respect to Mimi for combining paper, a Mexican tradition and the number ONE!
Cor, I knew there was a reason I married that girl...

NOTE: The keen-eyed among you may even spot in the lower left corner of that last pic, a miniature skeletal bride and groom. Far from being morbid, these are icons that celebrate, "Dia de los Meurtos", the Day of the Dead, another Mexican holiday. FACT!

Bristol Comics Expo - Lorenzo's picks of NEW stuff to look out for...

Right, with the Bristol Comics Expo coming up in just seven days, I wanted to drop in here and give a little pre-show ramble through some of the stuff that you really should look out for if you're coming to the show. There's always a lot of comicy goodness at Bristol, but I want to focus here on new artists bringing their first work to the show, or unsung heroes that are just doing comics in a way that I DIG. Not only that, but (with the exception of some of the Tales of the Spiffing artists) they're all girls too, which is very cool.

Let's start with the awesome Jen Smith, who will be showing paintings, postcards and various furry delights featuring a menagerie of monsters, robots and CATS, many in slightly perplexing situations wearing befuddled expressions. This is Jen's first show, so go and say hey to her and buy some of her goodies...

Next up, you really HAVE to pick yourself up a copy of Tales Of The Spiffing, a fantastic looking anthology featuring art and stories by a whole load of painfully talented creators from Aardman Animation Studios. Featuring work by Dani Abram, Emilie Timmermans, JP Vine, Jess Jackson, Jonny Duddle, Kris Pearn, Matt Jones, Ashley Boddy, Sarah Matthews, Theresa Whatley and loads and loads more. I'm hoping a lot of these guys will be in attendance, as many are based here in Bristol, so you should hopefully be able to get pleeeeeenty of signatures on your copy of the book!  Here's a couple of pages, I'd show more but you need to buy the book!...

Time to talk about Nikki Stu, who is appearing I think for her third year in a row to Bris, so she's not exactly a newcomer, but, still, you may not have seen her work, and you should! Great sense of design, colour and STYLE, all wrapped up in an ability to create truly original worlds and characters, LOVE it...!

Okay, another creator here who's been doing this comic thing for a while, but she's a long-time Etherington Bros friend, in fact we first met her way back when her comic store stocked Malcolm Magic in single issues! I am of course talking about Jess Bradley, whose sense of humour in everything she produces Just. Hits. The. Spot. I mean, look at these stuffs...

Right, time for one more, and I must admit, I'm not 100% sure that she'll be appearing at the con, but she may well be on the Draw the World Together stand, it's Jenny Clements! Yeah, I know, she's been featured on the blog before, but she's started making comics recently, and if that isn't a thing to celebrate, then what is?!! If anyone's been to one of our comic making workshops, they'll know how much I harp on about the importance of PERSONALITY in characters, and Jenny manages to fill every drawing she does with spades and spades of just that. Go see her draw at the show and see how it's done!

What are you waiting for? See you at the show!

Lorenzo!

One week until Bristol Con and the Lauch of El Sketchbook Lorenzo F.I.V.E.!

Just wanted to pop in and show you a little snap of the 30 copies of my new sketchbook that'll be going on sale when the doors open at the Bristol Comics Expo next Saturday (14th May).

If you've read THIS you'll know that there will only be 60 copies sold in total, ever, with 30 at the show and 30 going on sale online on Monday 16th May. Oh, and if you are coming to the show, then you will of course want to take advantage of THIS awesome offer! Free T-shirts? Holy Potatoes!

More soon!

Lorenzo!

MONSTERS!

This week's episode of YORE! comes out today, only in the Dandy, let's celebrate with some monsters, shall we...?

Lorenzo!

Monkey Nuts Back in stock!!

Hey folks! It's a beautiful sunny day here in dear old Blighty, just right for letting you know that Monkey Nuts: The Diamond Egg of Wonders is back in stock EVERYWHERE! It's currently being offered with 20% off through the following links at Amazon and The Book Depository  (with the latter offering FREE worldwide delivery!), so go get some!

The Ultimate Special Offer!

The Illustrious Omnibus of Superpowers!

Occasionally something falls off the internet and into your eyeballs that simply DEMANDS to be shared, and the infographic masterpiece below is just such a treat.

Created by Brooklyn based design house, Pop Chart Lab, this visual compendium is a comic book delight.

In Pop Chart's own words it's "a taxonomic tree of over 100 wondrous powers and abilities, with over 200 superheroes and supervillains as examples thereof."

It's a marvelous piece of work and well worth the time it'll take you to click on the pic, zoom in and explore.
(I would also recommend a look at their Evolution of Video Game Controllers poster)

I take immense pleasure from the inclusion of such lesser known wonders as 'Chat', 'Zzzax', 'Ferro Lad' and 'Bouncing Betty'.

The Etherington Brothers ... telling you about stuff you never knew you really wanted to know, but you do now, since 2004.

Professor Popalop Season 2 coming...

Whoop! Dandy Day! This week's issue sees the YORE! Gang embark on the Quest for the Key to the Kingdom! Not to be missed! BUT before you rush down to the shops, I wanted to show you this...!

I'm currently working on the second season of my Perniciously Perplexing Professor Popalop Puzzle Pages for the Dandy, one episode of which will feature this "bugs begone" insect repellent cannon. More on this soon!

Lorenzo!

BAGGAGE is coming...

So, it's a few months yet until BAGGAGE launches, but we're already working hard behind the scenes on various bits and bobs ahead of it.

 On that note, I thought I'd show you the brand spanking new banner stand that we've just received ready for all the shows and appearances we're making over the next five months in the lead up to the book's publication. Nice!

Oh, and the book is currently on pre-order on Amazon with 20% off! Buy it HERE!

Lorenzo!

AWESOME Jamie Smart stickers only in the Dandy!

Right, just a quick one, because it's a beeeutiful day here in Bristol and I need to get out in the sun, but I wanted to show you these truly special stickers that are yours with a copy of the current issue of the Dandy!

Drawn by supremo comic GOD Jamie smart, they're simply flippin' awesome and you owe it to yourself to buy a copy and get busy sticking them on every blank surface you can find.

You've only got two more days of this issue being available, so get going!

Lorenzo!

Thank YOU!

So The Dandy's 'Strictly Come Laughing' competition has run its course and sadly we did not win. Some of us took it harder than others ... here's a photo of Dandy editor, Craig Graham, breaking the bad news to Tag Team Tastic artist, Warwick. I don't think Craig was expecting quite such a strong reaction. 

But it WAS a close run thing! In the end we were pipped by Harry and his Hippo, drawn by the exceptionally nice, Andy Fanton (many congratulations, pal!)

To everyone who voted for Huggles and Big Thumper - and everyone who forced others to vote on pain of wedgies - we salute you! Your support is worth more to us than winning***.

After all, second place is the FIRST loser, right? Right?

*** - this is a lie.

ZOMBIE SKELETON ARMY!

 An opening like that can only mean one thing - it's Dandy day, pals! This week's episode as published is the final installment in the first quest for Piggy, Doombar and Elfin, but fear not, their next adventure starts right up next week!

 So, before you pop down to your local comics an' sweets store to see how the Quest for the Silver Socks of Solitude turned out, here are some characters from an episode I've been working on recently, which features a small Zombie Skeleton army...in a rubbish tip. Heheh ... it's sometimes hard to believe this is our JOB! Wheeee!

Lorenzo!