Wednesday, 13 August 2025

Some praise from Hull


While my friends are having fun sharing their Edinburgh reviews, allow me the indulgence of these reviews that just came in from parents & kids who did my Comic Art Masterclasses in Hull recently. They don't appear in the paper, might get an airing on my blog, but they're sweet and I love them...

  • “The session was absolutely fantastic. Even better than I imagined! The host was hilarious and so engaging! Thanks so much for offering this class.”

  • “We absolutely loved Kev and his masterclass. He was very enthusiastic about what he taught the children the fact that this was a free event for the children was unbelievable and very well delivered. We would like to say a big thank you to him. We have framed the ace cartature picture he drew along with the comic. Thanks again to all involved putting this event on.”

  • “The session was great. Kev was funny and a great presenter. He was very encouraging.”

  • “The masterclass was amazing and Kev really involved all the children and had a presence that entertained the entire room including the grown ups. My daughter said he had an amazing talent and was really happy to be able to create a comic and take it home. The portrait Kev drew of her she said she is going to put up in her bedroom . Thank you :)”

  • “Excellent delivery.”

  • “Absolutely fell apart, laughing the whole way through! Kev F was so engaging, and extremely funny, the kids, and us adults, laughed our socks off! Really well put together, well structured, and the right amount of time. Would’ve liked some advanced warning, that he was selling books, JUST so I could’ve made sure, we had some more money, to get more, yet very grateful to be able to get some, and get them signed too. Thank you so much!”

  • “Brilliant events, thank you”

  • “We loved Kev F and how he delivered the workshop. He is exemplary, engaging, and encouraging. Even me and my husband who were just on the sidelines were thrilled”

  • “It's always a good experience.”

  • “Fantastic fully packed masterclasses.”


(NB: The word 'absolutely' is putting in overtime here, thanks the people of Hull. You were fabulous. What sort of fabulous? Ooh, I can't find the word.)

My thanks to Bobbie Wathen at Hull Libraries for organising the classes and sharing the comments with me.



My Books And Where To Find Them...

Richard The
Third (Colour)
Doctors Who?
Colouring
Socks Do
Shakespeare
Kids Comics
Annual 2026
Richard 
The Third (bw)
Findlay 
Macbeth
Prince of 
Denmark Street
Midsummer Night's 
Dream Team
Shakespeare
Omnibus

Comic Tales
From The Bible

Joseph, Ruth
& Other Stories

Space
Elain




Monday, 4 August 2025

Romeo & Juliet - August's work in progress


 Hello, and thanks for looking at my little old blog. My brand new graphic novel, Romeo and Juliet, is launching soon on Kickstarter and we'd love your support to make it happen. You can bagsy a signed first edition for just pocket money, or get bespoke original artwork from me, or, if you really fancy, you could appear in the book itself! Please check out the Kickstarter (free, no obligation) and help my new book become a reality. Thankyou for your attention to this matter. Now on with the blog...


Monday August 4th, work resumed on Romeo and Juliet. After writing and drawing the first 27 pages a year ago, I finished the script back in May, then did the first bit of drawing in a year last month. Now is the time to knuckle down.

I started the day by posting off the last signed copies and artwork to the Kickstarter supporters of the new edition of Findlay Macbeth. Having got that out of the way, along with the new full colour Space Elain, and the new Socks Do Shakespeare book, I've finally cleared my desk ready to get Romeo and Juliet produced. I had thought, vainly, I might get it finished in time for The Lakes Comic Festival in September. But realistically I'm working towards launching it at Thought Bubble in November.

If I start the Kickstarter in the next month, then I'm working to a very similar timescale to that of Richard The Third, this time two years ago. Let us see how I progress. Here is my timesheet.



Mon Aug 4 - Pages 28 - 33 (6 pages). I'd laid these out last month, and already pencilled and inked page 28. But I knew that my original design for Count Paris was rubbish (he was just Romeo with a moustache and a beret, see above) so I redesigned him and redrew half that page, then pencilled and inked the rest. The comedy is very satisfying in these scenes, and is all there in the original Shakespeare, needing no help from me.

Tues Aug 5, only one page (P34), but it's a good one, the first glimpse of Juliet's balcony, and Nurse.



Friday August 8th - Pages 34 - 38 (5 pages, laid out Thursday, pencilled and inked Friday), but with a very big not-deliberate error. 

I've designed (or, as I think of it "cast") Juliet's mother. And drawn her in 11 panels across these six pages. The only trouble is, I'd already drawn Juliet's mother, when I drew the first 20-odd pages a year ago, and I'd cast a totally different actress! Which means I either have to redraw Mom No1, who only appears in 4 panels from a year ago, or redraw Mom No2, who appears 11 times already. And I prefer Mom No1. I'll ask Facebook, see what they think.

8.36pm Friday - amended all the Mum No 2 faces, no-one will ever know she existed.

Mon Aug 11 - P39 - 43 (5 pages, laid out last Thursday, pencilled and inked today)

Weds Aug 13 - P44 - 49 (7 pages, mostly pencilled & inked + P50 - 58 laid out).

The 'mostly' bit is cos I've partly drawn the party scene which will be, hopefully, people by Kickstarter sponsors.

Thurs Aug 14 - P50 - 55 (6 pages pencilled & inked)

Fri Aug 15 - P56 - 58 (3 pages pencilled & inked)

Sun Aug 17 - P59 - 64 (laid out)

Tues Aug 19 - P59 - 64 (6 pages pencilled + inked) + P10 & 11 redrawn

Weds Aug 20 - P65 - 75 (1 page pencilled & inked, 10 pages pencilled) - Also appearcne on BBC Radio Bristol, interviewed by Joe Sims, after which the Kickstarter followers leaped up from 19 to 24, including Joe himself who tweeted: "I’ve signed up for more info! I want to get my lad in Romeo and Juliet"


Thurs Aug 21 - P66 - 75 (10 pages inked)

Fri Aug 22nd - P76 - 90 (15 pages laid out, 13 pages pencilled

Mon Aug 25th - P76 - 90 (15 pages inked)

Thurs Aug 28th - P91 - 117 (17 pages laid out)

Friday Aug 29th - P 91 - 92 (2 pages pencilled and inked)

Mon Sept 1st - P93 (1 page pencilled and inked)




More to come, I hope, this month.

My Books And Where To Find Them...

Richard The
Third (Colour)
Doctors Who?
Colouring
Socks Do
Shakespeare
Kids Comics
Annual 2026
Richard 
The Third (bw)
Findlay 
Macbeth
Prince of 
Denmark Street
Midsummer Night's 
Dream Team
Shakespeare
Omnibus

Comic Tales
From The Bible

Joseph, Ruth
& Other Stories

Space
Elain



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