Tuesday, 17 September 2013

Comic strip Christmas cards - I do those

As you probably know, I've been writing and drawing comic strips for the last (gulp) 25 years, for everyone from Marvel comics and Doctor Who to The Beano. At the humbler, but more approachable, end of the scale, I also produce Christmas cards for corporate clients. If you'd like me to do the same for you, get your orders in by the end of October and you could be in luck. Here are some I made earlier...






Contact Kev F Sutherland, comic genius, for a quote at by email or on 01275 872111 / 07931810858. And, as always, my services as a comic strip creator, historian, consultant and teacher remain at your disposal.

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Monday, 16 September 2013

Beano art going to a good cause

When doing my Comic Art Masterclasses I like, if there's time, to fill the flipchart with a nice big drawing, if only it prove that I can. Here's the one I produced at one of my recent classes at Beanotown at the Southbank Centre (don't look for it, it's not there any more):



My Desperate Dan's come out a bit angry hasn't he? (I don't draw him as often as the rest, but it was a treat to resurrect the characters I've put into some of my favourite stories, including my version of Roger The Dodger, who I've always seen as the archetypal entrepreneur, and my Bash St Kids who include, as per Leo Baxendale's original line-up, the be-quiffed and leather-jacketed Elvis).

And I'm delighted to report that this flipchart page has gone to a good cause. Courtesy of one of the parents who was in attendance at the event, this page will be auctioned at a forthcoming event for the family support charity Home-Start Richmond. Glad it's gone to a good home.

As ever, my Comic Art Masterclass is available to come to your school, library, art centre or group, wherever you may be (in the coming months I'm going to Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, all from my starting point near Bristol, so distance doesn't appear to be an object). By the end of a morning or afternoon, everyone in the class goes away with a comic containing a strip by each of them and an individual caricature by me, and they're learned how to do everything I do for a living so they can grow up, leave school and steal my job. Get in touch to find out more. Tweet @KevFComicArtist, find me on Facebook, or why not try emailing me? Details at comicfestival.co.uk

The Dog Did It - comics by kids in Edinburgh masterclasses Aug 2013

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Sunday, 15 September 2013

Diary of a jobbing.. whatever it is I do.



(Thanks to Marie Baer at the BBC for these photos, of which there are more on Facebook, of the Socks performing in the BBC's pink tent at Edinburgh)

It's a fair indication of my level of busy-ness that I've hardly written a blog post this month. Sometimes I'll have time to kill (or think, maybe that's a better way of putting it), and sometimes I'll have spleen I want to vent (though even this year in Edinburgh I had fewer reasons to get on my soapbox than in previous years).

This month I've been busy, doing a little bit of pretty much everything on my CV, which is delightful.



Most excitingly, I've been working for The Beano for the first time in ages. Back at the peak of my Beano output, it was making up about a third of my income, but a couple of editors ago they changed what they were using, and my style of long stories disappeared for a while. Then back in July I was brought in to do comic art masterclasses at Beanotown, of which I did a couple more last weekend, and I've been representing The Beano doing caricatures in Dr Martens stores and, yesterday, in The Entertainer toy shop in Kingston. And now I'm back in the comic itself, writing last week my first Bananaman scripts, and this past week my first Biffo The Bears. I've not got a drawing commission yet, but let's see how things go.

I have completed one drawing commission this month, producing all the illustration for the second volume of Laurence Smith's business book Strategies, which is a treat to do, And I've pencilled and half-inked the 12 pictures that will make up the Socks' 2014 calendar, which is going to look great again, you'll be pleased.

The comic art classes have started their new season, with two days in Beanotown followed by two days at Monks Abbey In Lincoln; and the Socks have got back into their stride with two shows in Belfast and Derry followed by comedy show slots at The Mill at Rode and, last night (after a day at The Entertainer in Kingston) at Bryanston School in Blandford Forum in Dorset.

And though that's left a few days in my studio, it's meant the last 10 days has so far been characterised by travel. Allow me to measure the mileage between Clevedon and Belfast, Derry, The South Bank, Kibworth, Lincoln, Rode, Kingston, Blandford Forum and home... nope, can't be arsed.

Coming up, the Socks play Braintree (if, and keep this to yourself, if we sell enough tickets by Monday, stay tuned) then Nottingham then the world's our oyster.



SOCKS IN SPACE - The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre are on tour... NOW!

Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Sept 22 4pm - Nottingham Comedy Festival
Oct 5 - Farnham Maltings
Oct 11 - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
Oct 24 - The Capitol, Horsham
Oct 25 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival
Nov 1 - Ace Centre, Nelson
Nov 2 - Leeds Carriageworks
Nov 14 - Hull Comedy Festival
Nov 15 - Ropewalk, Barton On Humber
Nov 16 - Chorley Little Theatre 
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Wednesday, 11 September 2013

Braintree - new videos from the Scottish Falsetto Socks

The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre play Braintree Arts Theatre on Sept 21st and, in celebration, they've produced not one but two videos. This is a song extolling the virtues of the fine town of Braintree...



... while this is just nonsense. (Extra marks to anyone who remembers the original). Please tell anyone and everyone in Essex to book now for The Scottish Falsetto Socks in Braintree on Sept 21st, and show them these videos if you think it'd help.





SOCKS IN SPACE - The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre are on tour... NOW!

July 31 - Aug 25 - Gilded Balloon, 10.15pm, Edinburgh Fringe
Sept 4 - Belfast Black Box
Sept 5 - Derry Waterside
Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Sept 22 4pm - Nottingham Comedy Festival
Oct 5 - Farnham Maltings
Oct 11 - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
Oct 24 - The Capitol, Horsham
Oct 25 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival
Nov 1 - Ace Centre, Nelson
Nov 2 - Leeds Carriageworks
Nov 15 - Ropewalk, Barton On Humber
Nov 16 - Chorley Little Theatre
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Tuesday, 3 September 2013

Come On Alien - Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre



New from the Socks, a video to accompany their musical tribute to Ridley Scott's Alien, as heard as part of the audience intro music for Socks In Space. We hope you enjoy it. Now, maybe we should start writing some brand new comedy sketches....



SOCKS IN SPACE - The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre are on tour... NOW!

July 31 - Aug 25 - Gilded Balloon, 10.15pm, Edinburgh Fringe
Sept 4 - Belfast Black Box
Sept 5 - Derry Waterside
Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Sept 22 4pm - Nottingham Comedy Festival
Oct 5 - Farnham Maltings
Oct 11 - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
Oct 24 - The Capitol, Horsham
Oct 25 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival
Nov 1 - Ace Centre, Nelson
Nov 2 - Leeds Carriageworks
Nov 15 - Ropewalk, Barton On Humber
Nov 16 - Chorley Little Theatre
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Sunday, 1 September 2013

Youtoobling - comics & superheroes

After a few bouts of Youtoobling (watching videos, finding links between them) as I've done in recent weeks, you start to repeat yourself, so I'll give it a rest for a bit and get on with proper work instead. (Did I mention I've just done some writing for The Beano, my first Bananaman scripts, and also have a book to illustrate for Laurence at Chase Noble, as well as having pencilled the Socks 2014 calendar images, which this year are all on the subject of... but more on that later). Last night I did comics and superheroes...

Inspired by the Socks' Comicbook Song I'm looking for comic book related



Magneto & Titanium Man, Wings

Dan Dare, Elton John (with Doctor Who in the pictures, curious)

The Mindscape of Alan Moore nice find

Hanging Out With Halo Jones, Transvision Vamp

Mutants In Mega City One, The Fink Bros

Scott Pilgrim, Plumtree

That's Really Super, Supergirl, XTC

Funny Papers, Dean Friedman

Comic Strip, Serge Gainsbourg & Brigitte Bardot

Calling International Rescue, Fuzzbox

Best comic strip pop video ever: Take On Me, Aha

..and the 2nd best: Saint Saens, BA Robertson

(That wasn't the comic strip version of BA Robertson's Saint Saens, which means my VHS copy is particularly rare. But not online sadly.)

Sunshine Superman, Donovan

Little Nemo / Scenes From A Night's Dream, Genesis

I Am Superman, REM

Spider-Man Theme, Michael Buble

Superheroes, Daft Punk (used as National Comics Awards theme 2002-4, btw)

Superman's Big Sister, Ian Dury

Flash, Queen

Billy The Cat vs General Jumbo

Batman Says His Goodbyes

Superhero fashion Emergencies

The Key Of Awesome Batman

Axis of Awesome, 4 Chords (latest)

Scar, Missy Higgins

Does He Love You? Rilo Kiley

Goodbye Stranger, Supertramp

Superstar, The Motels

Superstar, Bette Midler (on a Bacharach TV Special)

Killing Me Softly, Roberta Flack

Nature Boy, Cher

Doctor Who/ Nature Boy


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September in the Socks calendar - A Clockwork Orange

This is how we celebrate September on the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre's 2013 calendar, with the Socks giving their take on A Clockwork Orange. Click to enlarge, and please resist the temptation to insert a sock-related pun into the title, not cool.


If you want to enjoy this in full printed glory you can still buy the calendar with its 12 unique brand new specially drawn cartoons by Kev F formerly of The Beano. It's good for another 4 months and is a collector's item joy to treasure. Click on the image to see more of the calendar and the link to the shop, or if you can't wait, buy it here.

You'll be delighted to hear I have already pencilled the 12 drawings that will make up the Socks 2014 calendar. Can you guess the theme this time? I think you'll be pleased. Watch this space.




SOCKS IN SPACE - The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre are on tour... NOW!

July 31 - Aug 25 - Gilded Balloon, 10.15pm, Edinburgh Fringe
Sept 4 - Belfast Black Box
Sept 5 - Derry Waterside
Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Sept 22 4pm - Nottingham Comedy Festival
Oct 5 - Farnham Maltings
Oct 11 - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
Oct 24 - The Capitol, Horsham
Oct 25 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival
Nov 1 - Ace Centre, Nelson
Nov 2 - Leeds Carriageworks
Nov 15 - Ropewalk, Barton On Humber
Nov 16 - Chorley Little Theatre
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