Disney+

So, a few months ago I cancelled my NOW subscription and started one for Disney+.

I've been enjoying the MCU movies and from what I'd seen, read or heard it looked like the TV shows that Disney+ was producing were quite good. 

I really enjoyed most of the Netflix efforts from a few yers ago so I know what is possible.

I must say that I've not been disappointed. 

In order of viewing I went for 

1. Falcon and Winter Soldier 
2. WandaVision
3. What if
4. Hawkeye 
5. Loki

Wow. 

Where to start, some were very clever (WandaVision and Loki), some had a lot of heart (Hawkeye and strangely Loki) and some where just enjoyable as they developed some of the lead characters (Falcon and Winter Soldier) or introduced new ones (Loki, WandaVision, Hawkeye and to a lesser degree Falcon and Winter Soldier).

As a long time reader of Marvel comics I guess I picked up things that people who just follow the movies will be unaware of, but I'd be surprised if that in anyway lessened their enjoyment.

and What If was fabulous too.

I'm not a big Star Wars fan but I've dipped into some of those too and enjoyed the Mandalorian  (first season more than the second). I'll check out the Boba Fett series when it lands. 

Well worth my money. 

Titles to print next year.

With the last couple of years being very poor from a Comic Convention perspective I've been beavering away regardless, producing what I would have produced anyway. 

The problem has become one of storage and it this that has stopped me printing them off. This means that as we go into the early part of 2022 I'll most likely have the following books ready to print.

• Right Place at the Right Time - A Blessed/Cursed comic.
• WesterNoir - Collection 2 (prints, in colour, issues 5, 6, 7 and 8, plus extras)

• Kia Wordsmith - Issue 3
• A New Threat - a single issue tale. accompanying Kia Wordsmith featuring two of the main characters

and second half of the year

• Stephenson's Robot - Collection (prints the main story arc of issues 1 to 5, plus never before printed 6 and 7... plus extras).
• Stephenson's Robot Companion - Collection (prints the back up stories, those seen in issues 1 to 5, plus a number of new tales)
• Thick Skin - A Blessed/Cursed comic
• V2A - Wasteland Chronicles 

I just hope that the 2022 Con Season is much better than 2020 and 2021.

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.

A day off today...

So, yesterday my daughter was looking to travel down to stay with me over Xmas but we decided it was too risky. She'd have to take a few trains and go through London to reach me. The plan was that I'd then drive her back up North around the 28th. So, we have Covid (with very high cases in London) and then there's a possible lockdown after Christmas (too late Boris) and the weather looks like it's going to take a turn for the worse.

We'll celebrate in February, or whenever things calm down a bit.

So I had booked today as a holiday and have decided to keep the day off and write the script for a comic instead. It's about one of the characters who will appear in Kia Wordsmith Issue 3, well actually it features two of them, and I'm enjoying writing again. I'll need to come up with a title, these usually occur to me halfway through writing but I've had nothing pop into my mind as yet.

Take care over the Festive Break everyone.

Ian Ashcroft's Patreon

Just to let you all know that Ian Ashcroft, artist on Kia Wordsmith, has a Patreon where he will put up pencils for issue 3 of Kia before it sees print.

As well as the basic level there are some very attractive higher levels where you can get original art. 

Go and check it out over at Ian.Ashcroft.Art

I'm in.

The Shadowless Man walks again

A couple of years ago I wrote the story of another character who is central to the stories that surround Jigsaw Girl. 

The Shadowless Man could also move between planes, using the Nexus, and their tales are set to meet at a significant crossroad in the greater story.

Joe Campbell, who I had enjoyed working with on my Blessed/Cursed story Missing: Have You Seen The Invisible Man? agree to do the art and got to work.

The first issue was completed, and I'm very happy with it, but then one thing or another got in the way and it went into limbo.

Good news is that I've contacted Joe recently and he's agreed to pick it up again and get it finished.

We'll be producing it as a combined story as I think that works best for this tale.

I just need to get the scripts to Joe... and try not to read and play with them first.

Last Con of the Year

What a great little Con that was.

Northwich isn't a big town. It does have a comic shop, Millennium Comics run by Dan, but it has no book shop. 

I popped up and stayed at Col's house, meeting Gary at the venue. It was really just an excuse for me to get together with friends before 2022, and whatever that dumps on us all. It was also a chance to support Mike, a friend of many years, who organised the event.

I was surprised that it was so well attended. 

It had a great feel to it, despite being in a cold winter hall, and a whole range of things to interest most people. I bumped into an old work friend who had provided some really fabulous pinball machines. Jon Ayre, co-writer of the Stephenson Robot - Companion Book stories and his family popped by for a surprise visit, and it was great to catch up. 

A really nice day and I sincerely hope that Mike runs another next year. If he does then I'll be there.