An Owl With A Nerf Gun - more comics by kids

Three days in a row in schools, from Colmore in Kings Heath to Barton Stacey in Hampshire, produces a fine batch of comics by Comic Art Masterclass kids.

The way the kids select the titles for these comics, which they then take home containing a comic strip by each of them and a caricature by me, is that they each write a title of a piece of paper and we have a knockout competition, with hands in the air, until they've found their favourite. This is frequently a meme, occasionally a bit of cyber bullying mentioning a class mate, and often a cheekily rude title. Oranges On The Beach won the process because it was, originally, Sexy Oranges On The Beach. I obscured the word Sexy with an orange, ending up with the most inexplicably dull title of the term.

Day two at Colmore Juniors, who have had me in every year, in May teaching Year 5, for longer than I can remember*, produced these two gems. I particularly like my owl with a nerf gun.

(* Here is a record of my visit in May 2011, and if you want to see what the comics looked like then..?)

I hadn't gotten to foolish as to spend precious time colouring the damn things when I get home, back then. Apart from that, I don't think much has changed in my style. For what that is worth.

Barton Stacey in Hampshire was a first time visit for me. The good news? They loved the classes and would happily have me back. The less good news? The school's so small I just taught all of years 3, 4, 5 and 6, so they'll have to grow a whole new school-full before I need return.

The celebrities these six groups chose to appear in my demonstration strip were Caseoh (A Youtuber I'd never heard of, who they chose twice in a day - I tried to watch one of his videos later and it was incomprehensible to me), Sabrina Carpenter, Donald Trump, LeBron James, and Lionel Messi.

My Books And Where To Find Them...

Richard  The Third Paperback • signed	Findlay  Macbeth Paperback • signed	Prince of  Denmark Street Paperback • signed	Midsummer Night's  Dream Team Paperback • signed
Shakespeare Omnibus Paperback • signed	Comic Tales From The Bible Paperback • signed	Joseph, Ruth & Other Stories Paperback • signed	Space Elain Paperback • signed
Book Of Esther	Who Notes	Sweet Smell Of Sockcess	Attack Of The Sausages
My 1975 Diary Calendar	Colouring Books Paperback • signed	Scottish Falsetto Socks Annual	Tales Of Nambygate

Colouring Books: Doctors Who, Hollywood Legends, Punk, Cult TV, Eurovision Vol 1, Eurovision Vol 2, Eurovision Best Of British & Irish, 1960s Pop, 1970s Pop, 1980s Pop,  1990s Pop, 2020s Pop, Bowie, Scottish Pop, Royalty, Rom Coms   

Ratapooie - comics by kids

A cluster of comics created by kids in my Comic Art Masterclasses, from the end of April and the start of May. From Glenvale and Cumnor to Kingsthorpe. It is in keeping with my memory and the business of my schedule that I cannot, as I type this, remember where any of those three places are.

Ah yes, now it comes back to me. Cumnor House School is in Haywards Heath, and I had to stay over the night before to be sure of getting there on time in the morning. A couple of typical titles from year 5 and 6 kids this term: Ballerina Cappuccina is a Tiktok meme, and nothing seems to be funnier than a mention of a low taper fade haircut. Don't ask me.

Glenvale School in in Wellingborough, and at the time of drawing that first cover I had no idea that "Zesty" is a term kids use meaning gay. Did you know that, fellow old person? Well you do now. The Ratapooie title is one of my favourites.

Kingsthorpe is right on the edge of Northampton. And, as I discovered when I went out at lunchtime, it's on the Harborough Road, en route to the school I went to as a kid. Nice to see signs to Market Harborough as I ate my lunch.

The celebrities these six groups chose to appear in my demonstration strip were Donald Trump, Sabrina Carpenter (twice), Jesus, David Beckham, and Mr Beast.

My Books And Where To Find Them...

Richard  The Third Paperback • signed	Findlay  Macbeth Paperback • signed	Prince of  Denmark Street Paperback • signed	Midsummer Night's  Dream Team Paperback • signed
Shakespeare Omnibus Paperback • signed	Comic Tales From The Bible Paperback • signed	Joseph, Ruth & Other Stories Paperback • signed	Space Elain Paperback • signed
Book Of Esther	Who Notes	Sweet Smell Of Sockcess	Attack Of The Sausages
My 1975 Diary Calendar	Colouring Books Paperback • signed	Scottish Falsetto Socks Annual	Tales Of Nambygate

Colouring Books: Doctors Who, Hollywood Legends, Punk, Cult TV, Eurovision Vol 1, Eurovision Vol 2, Eurovision Best Of British & Irish, 1960s Pop, 1970s Pop, 1980s Pop,  1990s Pop, 2020s Pop, Bowie, Scottish Pop, Royalty, Rom Coms  

New work in progress: Ava

Happiness is finishing a bit of artwork on a Friday afternoon just before teatime, and that’s what I’ve just done. I can’t tell you too much about her, but her name is Ava. 

Today, Friday, I inked all 12 pages of this demonstration story for a new character, on Thursday I pencilled her, and Monday to Wednesday was spent trying to write her. Now of course I have to colour her, and then hopefully I’ll have something as proof of concept to show to my editor and we’ll see how we progress from there. 

Then of course I can get back on with Romeo and Juliet which is the book I’m going to self publish next. But this idea, Ava of whom I shall tell you more someday I’m sure, is envisaged as something that might interest mainstream publishers. I’ve looked at the graphic novels being produced for younger readers, and thus particular genre and high concept isn’t being done. So now I’m proposing to do it. 

I’ve used a Pentel Sharp Touch felt pen, rather than the Paper Mate Flair I’m using for the Shakespeare’s, cos I need the detail. More news when I have it. That was a satisfying end to the weeks work. 

Monday May 12: Got Ava coloured

Tuesday May 13: Sent Ava off to Molly. Immediately started looking at another “quick” project, before getting on with the Romeo and Juliet I’m supposed to be getting on with: Scottish Falsetto Socks Shakespeare comic 

You see I’m doing the Socks Shakespeare show at the Lakes Comic Festival in September, as well as doing a bit of it next Friday in Reading. So it occurred to me I had a market for a book of the comic strips. So far I have Richard III and Romeo drawn as strips, each a dozen pages long. Now I’m seeing how quickly I could draw the rest of the show. Inevitably it’s going to take longer than I thought.

My Books And Where To Find Them...

Richard  The Third Paperback • signed	Findlay  Macbeth Paperback • signed	Prince of  Denmark Street Paperback • signed	Midsummer Night's  Dream Team Paperback • signed
Shakespeare Omnibus Paperback • signed	Comic Tales From The Bible Paperback • signed	Joseph, Ruth & Other Stories Paperback • signed	Space Elain Paperback • signed
Book Of Esther	Who Notes	Sweet Smell Of Sockcess	Attack Of The Sausages
My 1975 Diary Calendar	Colouring Books Paperback • signed	Scottish Falsetto Socks Annual	Tales Of Nambygate

Colouring Books: Doctors Who, Hollywood Legends, Punk, Cult TV, Eurovision Vol 1, Eurovision Vol 2, Eurovision Best Of British & Irish, 1960s Pop, 1970s Pop, 1980s Pop,  1990s Pop, 2020s Pop, Bowie, Scottish Pop, Royalty, Rom Coms