So that was 2012...

2012 was quite a busy year for me and Accent UK. I think we published more books, and attended more Conventions this year than every and have had a great year. We had to make some tough calls along the way, turning down some interesting books due to financial and space constraints but looking back they were the right call for us. We also decided to make Victoriana our last themed anthology for a while, and maybe forever. They just aren't getting the sales through stores, despite doing well at Cons, and we've decided to spend more money on producing one shots and mini-series. We had a lot of response to this, but people have been very understanding for which we thank you. Never say never, we may retunr to them one day.
Personal highlights for me are many (and I know when I read this later I'll remember some more), and in no particular order :-
WesterNoir - working with Gary Crutchley on this book has been great fun and he is certainly taking it somewhere that was never considered when Andy Bloor and I discussed a Western Detective story a year ago. It certainly is all the better for it and Gary's art is making it something special, as is Andy's cover design.
Missing - Have You Seen The Invisible Man? - I love how this book came to be. The script had passed artist's hands a couple of times and despite them liking the script something happened in their lives to cause them to have to step back from it. And then came along Joe Campbell and it just got done. Keeping the cover design, again from Andy, the same as Whatever Happened To The World's Fastest Man? was always the intention and they do look great on the table at Cons sat side by side.
From SuperZeroes To SuperHeroes - This is happening in the background and Sebastian Velez is doing a great job on the artwork, which is a pleasure to greyscale. The plan is for this book to come out sometime in 2013 as another little hardcover book.
Robot Shorts - speaking of hardcover books, this little gem came out early in the year and got some great reviews. Artwork this time from Steve Holder and myself it allowed me to tell a whole heap of robot tales and I really enjoyed creating it with Steve.
Stephenson's Robot - INDIO! is producing some wonderful artwork on this and as I colour the pages I'm always discovering something that jusst makes me smile. This will be a mini-series of 7 comics and the first issue is intended to come out early next year.
Belmat - the little paper mache robot getting great comments at Cons and also being selected for an Open Craft Exhibition was great.
Has Kane Mesmer Lost His Magic Touch ? - Marleen Lowe continues to stun me with how great an artist she is and this will be the third book in the Blessed/Cursed line.
Strange Times 2 - I'm still working on this in my spare time and it WILL be finished in 2013. There, that's a promise.
Who On Earth Was Thaddeus Mist? - How good is this book. All the hard work of Owen Johnson, driving the story, editing, worrying, nudging creators... Owen learned a lot from this book that I'm sure will put him in a good place for all of his future books and he certainly delivered a book that was worth the effort. I have a little story in there illustrated by the very talented Steve Howard.

And then there's the one that got away. Joe Campbell and I submitted a Future Shock to The Mighty Tharg, and it got returned with the comment that it wasn't what they were looking for in a Future Shock, which is fine. They know their market and whilst it's a shame, who wouldn't want to see their work in 2000AD, I understand and being an Editor myself I also reject books/scripts that just don't fit with what I'm looking for. I've attached them here for you to have a read of (hmmm ... it doesn't seem to show full size image when you select it ... let me know how I fix that and I'll update the page). It was fun to do but there you go... you can't win them all.

All the best to everyone for 2013.