Avengers, Dennis, Hitler - new comics by schoolkids

These comics have been produced by pupils in classes in Doncaster, Birmingham and Aylesbury, with a little bit of colour added by me after the fact. I'm always delighted when I get the time to put a wee bit more detail on these comics, and when they give me something inspiring to work with. Killer Coleman was one of their teachers, and they found me a photo to work from, and who doesn't enjoy the chance to draw Taylor Swift?

The pupils at Aston Park, in the first of my two classes, were mostly in wheelchairs, so I took a moment to try and draw a couple accurately. It's mostly scribble. Have you ever looked at how many bits and bobs and layers and cables and wheels and whatevers there are on a wheelchair? As for Hitler Poos His Pants, it wasn't a school class, they were mostly teenagers, so rather than strenuously try to eliminate the unsuitable title (all the class write title on bits of paper, then I read them out and we play an elimination game until we're left with the most popular), I went with it, and took the opportunity to give them a Captain America No 1 pastiche into the bargain.

And lastly, and very much leastly, Fat Grandad is the sort of front cover you get when the kids have chosen an uninspiring title, and I haven't quite left myself enough time to do justice to it. It was a class without a break, so nothing like morning break or lunchtime during which to give the cover drawing that extra bit of thought. I'm also slightly frustrated that I didn't spot that tooth on Dennis's face that I've coloured in skin colour. Sure I could go back & correct it, but it's too late now. These things happen to the best of us.

The celebrities they chose for the demonstration strip were Donald Trump (twice), Taylor Swift, The Queen, Harley Quinn and Beyonce.

One month into this year's classes I've already stopped doing the Simon Cowell trick, whereby when I ask them to name the most famous celebrity they can think of, I write "Simon Cowell" down on the piece of paper in my hand. Then, when one of the 4 suggestions that gets called out is Simon Cowell, I flip the paper round and say "every time". This impresses kids and surprises teachers. But this year, for the first time in 5 years, Simon Cowell has suddenly stopped being suggested. Donald Trump has replaced him completely. Who knows whether he'll return to the kids minds when one of his TV series starts running again? It's significant that none of the judges from either Let It Shine or The Voice has been suggested by pupils so far this year.

Comic Art Masterclasses coming up in 2017:

Mar 18 - Prema Arts, Gloucestershire

April 5 - Rickmansworth Library
April 10 - Zion, Bristol
May 1 - Chiddingstone Castle Kent 
May 7 - Dorchester Festival
May 11 - Guernsey Literary Festival
Jun 4 - Martlets Hall Burgess Hill 

Kev F Sutherland, as well as writing and drawing for The Beano, Marvel, Doctor Who et al, runs Comic Art Masterclasses in schools, libraries and art centres - email for details, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. View the promo video here.