The Asylum event was great fun.

Time Bomb Comics had a great time at this year's Asylum steampunk event in Lincoln.

It was my first time in a few years due to Covid and then a health issue that I had all on my own, so this one was all the more special for me.

A great chance to catch up with old friends, and that's how we feel about the people at the Asylum events. Customers and fellow creators/stall holders, they all feel like friends.

This was the first time that I had the Kingdom figure on the table and he drew plenty of interest.

It made me laugh that Steve, having never painted a figure himself, just thought I'd used a silver paint spray can. Assuming that it had taken me mere minutes to 'paint'. I explained the true process and whilst I'm not convinced that he believed me he did take this photo of me with the collected Stephenson's Robot graphic novel and Kingdom.

It was really nice that people snapped up copies of the Graphic Novel, which they'd been following in comic format up to issue 5. The book collects the remastered issues, with additional pages, and has been completed with what would have been issues 6 and 7. A nice little package with the addition of the original short story from our ROBOTS anthology, coloured by myself, and some design sketches for the characters from El Indio! All wrapped up by a wonderful cover design from Andy Bloor.

Kingdom seemed to enjoy the day, especially when the belly dancers did their display.

We had a really enjoyable Bank Holiday weekend, I should be fully recovered by Saturday.

Looking forward to next year.

The Kingdom Figure

Well, it's finished.

It's been quite a while since I've painted anything like this. I used to paint figures to play D&D with but haven't done so for many years.

I'm quite happy with how it came out.

Well worth the time and effort.

I still need to glue it all together and then varnish it.

I'll try a few varnish samples first though as I seem to remember never being overly happy with the effect varnish has on a figure.

If you're at next weekend's Asylum Steampunk event in Lincoln then you'll be able to have a look at it in person.

Kingdom Figure - The Arms and Wrench

Which just leaves the arms. 

I used the same silver / gun metal variation as I did with his legs.

I wanted to make the wrench appear as if it was made by someone else, at a different time, and so I added some dark blue to it to give it a different feel.

And that's it then.

The next post will be the completed figure.

Kingdom Figure - The Legs

 Ok, so the arms and legs are much easier. Much less detail on them.

I decided to paint the joints and sole of his boot a more silver colour.. but then put some black washes on to darken them a bit.

All the while trying to make sure that the metallic colour was consistent.

Looks ok.

Just the arms left then.

Almost there.

Oh yeah, and his wrench.

Kingdom Figure - The Body

 Ok.

Colour scheme sorted, and it's pretty much all gun metals.

Now to try to get the same colour, or close enough, for the body.

Once again I started with the fire glow through the vents.

And then it was just a matter of laying on the metal colour and plenty of washes.

and of course, those pesky dials.

I quite liked that the figure had little flaws.

Little pitted holes, maybe where bullets had hit him.

I'm pleased with how it progressed.

And once the upper body was nice and dry I could focus on his lower body.

I like the way the red dial displays stand out.

And all that left is to see how it works with his head on his shoulders.

Yes. I'm very happy with that.

Kingdom Figure - The Head

I couldn't put it off any longer.

I tried a few samples with these news washes (they call them 'contrast' and 'technical' paints, which I don't really understand) and I decided to go back to the way I had always painted my figures, back when I painted them for Dungeons and Dragons.

Again the head started that grey colour and the first thing was to paint in his fire glowing eyes.

It's quite daunting when you start. 

You have an image in your head as to what you want it to look like...

and then you start putting on the paint and layer of washes.

trying to get it to come out something close to that.

All in all I'm quite pleased, it's good start.

Now for the torso.

It has plenty of detail and needs to fit with the colours and effects of the head.

Kingdom Figure - the base

 In the background we've been playing with producing a figure of Stephenson's Robot himself.

Jon Ayre, co-writer on some of the Stephenson's Robot back stories and the martian sequence (to be collected in Book 2) has modelled him and Gary Crutchley's son Jason has printed one off for me to paint.

I've started with the base.

It comes in two pieces. One is the rock formation and one a plaque with the Stephenson's Robot logo, designed by Andy Bloor.

I decided to paint this a a basic grey, to keep it boring looking, so as not to distract from the robot himself.

Quite pleased how it came out.

Just need to work on the robot now.

Wish me luck.

Stephenson's Robot Launched

Well I launched Stephenson's Robot yesterday afternoon and had hit my £1000 target within 10 hours, which is great.

The more expensive tiers, 4 now out of print ROBOTS anthologies and 5 Lego figures that I modified as Kingdom figurines all went.

I'm going to pop over to the storage locker now to see how many Robots Shorts I have left, as I'll look to add these as a Tier and Add On.

If you've already backed it then 'Thank You'. If not then please pop over to Kickstarter and check it out.

Stephenson's Robot on Kickstarter

Well the remastered, re-written with extra pages of art, complete story of Stephenson's Robot is now ready for Kickstarting and will hopefully be up early March.

Reworking this over the Covid year(s) has kept me sane I think and a real labour of love.

Brad's art always makes me smile.

New cover design, as ever, is by the talented Andy Bloor, my go-to designer.

Cover colours from Matt Soffe, my go-to colourist.

Can't wait to hold this in my hands.

The Stephenson's Robot - Companion Book

I've been working on pulling together the companion book to Stephenson's Robot.

This will contain the martian robots pages plus the back stories of the lead, and significant, characters from the Stephenson's Robot storyline. 

I now have all the pages I need from uniquely talented El Indio! for the martian pages, and the final back story, this one from the the pen of Russell Olson.

It's been fun working with all these different artists over the years and I think the book is looking fabulous.

As with the Stephenson's Robot book, I'm spending a lot of time remastering this one, moving stories around a little, adding extra martian robot pages and a few other surprises here and there.

Depending on how busy our production schedule is I'm hoping to print this sometime around Summer 2023.

Stephenson's Robot - inside cover design

 ..and how's this for the inside covers...

Stephenson's Robot remastered

Over the last couple of Covid years I've been remastering Stephenson's Robot. 

Turning what would have been a collection of comics into a Graphic Novel. A story that hopefully flows through the chapters nicely, rather than have a break every 24 pages or so.

This has involved a little re-writing, some page re-ordering, some new pages and of course completing the last two issues that were never actually printed as individual comics.

The fun bit is starting now with Andy Bloor assisting with the design elements of the book.

First up is the cover image.

colours by Matt Soffe

Kingdom - The Model

Well Jon Ayre has completed his modelling of Kingdom and this is the pose that we'll be looking to print. It's all very new to me so I've no idea how much this will cost and whether it'll make sense financially but I need to see these on the table at Cons across the country. 

Jon has offered to see if he can find somewhere that will print it off.

I can't wait to get one myself and paint it up.

Kingdom looks fabulous

 Just came across this on Twitter.

Jon has finished adding all the little details and 'Wow'.. doesn't he look fabulous.

Now we just need to work out how best we can produce some for sale.

Kingdom Comes

I can't believe how good this is looking.

It's a prototype of the Kingdom 3D figure I've been wanting to produce for years. 

Sadly I don't have the time (read technical ability) to do such a thing myself but very fortunately I know a man who does.

Jon Ayre, the co-writer on my Stephenson's Robot Companion titles is still busy at work modelling and printing this off of his own 3D printer. 

The plan is the then pick a pose for him and see if we can get a mould made somewhere so we can then produce a batch of them for people to purchase and paint.

I'm still smiling at how good this looks.

Kingdom model

 I caught up with Jon Ayre, and old work friend and also co-writer of the Stephenson's Robot back stories, at the recent Northwich Comic Con an he offered to have a go at making a 3D model of Kingdom himself.

This is an early version of the model, yet to have any details added. Looking great so far.

And it looks like things have progressed really well as the next photo I got from Jon is...

Looking very cool isn't it.

First Comic Con of the Year

Yesterday I was at the True Believers event in Cheltenham. I missed last year and the year before that had been at a different venue (the Racecourse) so I wasn't sure what to expect at the new Jury's Inn location, or where it was exactly.
It all went to plan however and the only mistake I made getting there was actually taking the wrong road off of the roundabout that the Jury's Inn hotel nestled against.
Easy to set up with great help from the Agents (helpers), I even had time for a coffee before doors opened.
It was a very slow start for me.
The people who stopped at the stall were happy to chat and find out more about our books, but very few actually bought any. They all said they'd just arrived and wanted to check out the other stalls first. This, as frustrating as it is, makes complete sense.
I had some time to catch up with Gustavo Vargas, Russel Mark Olson and the guys at Mad Robot. I also met up with Gareth Sleightholme and had a good chat about...well.. comics.
The good news was that the people who had spent time chatting with me earlier pretty much all came back and bought stuff.
The great news was that I sold a few copies of my new book, I before E except after W, that's Weird.
All in all it was pretty good Con at the end of the day.
It was fun and great opportunity to catch up with friends but also worked financially.
I of course bought some stuff myself...

and just couldn't resist the opportunity for a Dylan Teague Convention Commission of Jigsaw Girl.

Wow.

Colouring started on Stephenson's Robot Issue 6

Yes, we're well on track to release Issue 6 of Stephenson's Robot early next year, and may well be able to print Issue 7, the final issue, in 2020 too. We'll see how it goes.
It's great to start colouring the first page with an image of Wolfie..

Looks like he's in a hurry.

Return To The Asylum.

Our second anthology comic, telling tales about those characters created by people attending the Steampunk events in the UK is now available on Kickstarter. IT features a rather striking looking gentleman on the cover :o )

Return To The Asylum on Kickstarter

This issue features the post apocalyptic rock bank,V2A, in a 10 page story illustrated by Gustaffo  Tataje.

It also offers the opportunity to pick up the steampunk series, Stephenson's Robot. All 5 issues currently in print of the 7 issue mini series.

Oh, and after a great first day it was tagged as a Project We Love on Kickstarter which is great.

Asylum XI is fast approaching.

Well, the biggest Steampunk event in the UK, if not the world, takes place every year over the Bank Holiday Weekend at the end of August.

Last year, due to my focus on the new steampunk anthology Enter the Asylum, I failed to get my Stephenson's Robot Issue 5 out. Not so this year.
Yesterday I received the boxes from great printers @CPUK (you can contact Rich via Twitter).
They look fabulous...

Andy Bloor has done his usual great job designing the comic and giving it a colour that allows it to fit in with but stand out from the other issues.
INDIO! has worked his usual crazy magic, each page I receive makes me smile.
The Back story this issue is by the equally talented David Hitchcock. working his own kind of pencil and ink magic on a tale set in the time period that's he loves, Victorian. I've done something with the colouring on this that I'm really happy with. Subtle but effective, I hope.
That doesn't mean that the next Asylum anthology has been put on the back burner though, oh no. Return To The Asylum (see what we did there) is with the printer as I type this.