Hello my fellow Bookworms and Page turners, this is the first of three posts covering some of the panels at Hull Comic Con 2015, which was held at the University of Hulls student union bar.
This Panel included three guest artists called : Lee Bradley, Rachael Smith, & Lee Sullivan.
Lee Bradley is a U.K. Based freelance illustrator that works within the comic books industry.
He has worked on a variety of properties including Spider-man, Transformers, The Transformers How-to-Draw Guide and Transformers Animated. Along with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Wars, Mars Attacks and the Middle Eastern comic book The ’99. Lee Also works on a variety of Marvel Properties such as Retro Marvel, Marvel Greatest Battles, Women of Marvel and this years Upcoming Avengers ‘Age Of Ultron’ Card Series. (Source)
Rachael Smith has self-published several comics such as The Way We Write, Flimsy’s Guide to Modern Living, and I Am Fire and went on to release Clara’s Shadow via David ‘V for Vendetta’ Lloyd’s publishing house Aces Weekly. Her debut graphic novel House Party came out in 2014 with Great Beast Comics to critical acclaim. Rachael is currently working with Titan Comics on her monthly strip for the Doctor Who: Tenth Doctor comic series, working on her new book The Rabbit, and was recently nominated for the Emerging Talent category in the 2013/14 British Comic Awards (source)
Lee Sullivan trained as a wildlife and technical illustrator at Barnfield College before working as a graphic illustrator for British Aerospace. As a fan of Doctor Who he was inspired by the launch of Doctor Who Weekly to prepare sample art but as his output was slow at the time, he was put off when David Lloyd told him what the rates were. He then worked as a freelance illustrator for advertising from 1983 when he met John Higgins who was writing a music magazine comic story, The Bizniz. Sullivan ended up colouring Steve Yeowell’s art on the story and later Higgins introduced him to the editors at Marvel UK. He began work there in 1987 providing covers for The Transformers until he got his break in 1988 drawing a Doctor Who story written by John Freeman. and has subsequently been published in a number of titles including: Transformers,ThunderCats, Death’s Head, RoboCop, TekWorld, Thunderbirds (from 2000 to 2005) and 2000 AD. (source) He also spoke of his current commission of bringing Ben Aaronovitch’s “The Rivers of London” series to illustrated life.
And now you know a little about these very talented individuals, so let get straight into the quizzie question action!
Rachael, Can you tell us what its like to work a day in your shoes?
Sometimes its very hard. Take my Doctor Who: Tenth Doctor comic series. Despite having to only do a comic a month, the process is monstrous! I usually start by working like crazy trying to get my 18 panel script to the correct level of interesting, weird and above all else funny, Once it has been sorted and sent off for approval. Then comes the drawing inking colouring, and wording. However I must be doing ok, as I have been doing “A Rose by another name” for a while now, and they have not got rid of me yet.
Can you tell the audience a little about “A Rose by another name”
The story follows the 10th Doctor getting over his relationship with Rose Tyler. So how does he do this?.. he acquires a cat and calls it rose an for a time “rose cat” becomes his companion, and the comic follows their zany antics through space and time.
Lee Bradley, What is it like inside of Marvel Towers?
“what do you want me to make up” – Lee Bradley
I am afraid its the same as it is in any other studio. I sit there at my desk and stare at a piece of paper, then i go on Facebook, and Twitter, then i might listen to the Radio a while, check my emails and then nip to the shop.. look back at the blank page get frustrated and then actually start work at 2am.
So you don’t receive regular phone calls from Stan Lee or anything?
I have only ever received one phone call.. and it wasn’t Stan Lee, it was my Editor, back when I was working on Spiderman. This phone call told me they had moved a deadline forward from 1 month to tomorrow.. this resulted in Coffee, Doughnuts, Coffee, Coffee, PANIC! & eventually claw hand.. but I got through it in the end i managed to Draw the two pages and Ink the remaining 3. so yeah.. same as other Artists really!
Lee Sullivan, Do you ever use your “technical drawing” skills in your work?
Erm.. yes quite a lot especially recently. I am currently working on the Rivers Of London, and there are a lot of Evil cars eating their owners. I had to do technicall illustrations of a Bently, car engines, and other technical drawings for it thus far. The thing that has changed though, is that there is an abundance of reference material now, before I would have had to go down to the Library, now its just a touch of a button.
I am glad you brought up reference pictures, I believe in the past something you have used for reference became quite collectable?
Oh yes!, back when I was working on Transformers i used to use the Argos catalogue for reference as that was the only way to really see the colour of the toys from back then. but then die hard collectors began also collecting the pages as they document what the prices where upon there release, and the model numbers.
Rachael, Can you tell us a little about Flimsy?
Flimsy, well Flimsy is a Blue Kitten that i created for my blogspot. She is a kind of agony kitty, she answers questions which are put to by my followers, and offers advice… sometimes its not always good advice, she is also quite the wine drinker. I started it as a kind of Joke, she is kind of like a feline version of myself, right down to the wine and often terrible advice. But it seems to have gained quite the cult following.. i just hope that most people will understand its a joke and not try to take her advice all of the time!.
Lee Bradley, Your website says that you are an accredited Lucas Arts Artist, how did this come about?
It sounds very cool doesn’t it, you see what happened is I was approached to do some Star Wars cards for lucas arts, and all my artwork had to be approved by lucas arts. So I thought.. well that’s accredited isn’t it! it’s just part of the job! so I wrote it down, but above all else I did it because it sounds cool.
Who is your Favourite Character that you have drawn so far?
Lee Sullivan – Well I have not worked on many Superhero’s or anything like that, and i always say that picking your favourite character is like trying to pick a favourite Child! and I have had the opportunity to work with lots of amazing characters, Optomus Prime, Robocop, Kirk, but if I had to pick a favourite it would have to be Doctor Who.
Lee Bradley – I have never worked for DC but I love drawing Batman, he is my favourite I am a big fan of the 90’s cartoon, and that’s the style of Batman and Harley that I draw. However if it has to be a piece I have been paid for I would have to say my favourite would be Captain America.
Rachael Smith – I would have to say Doctor Who, as i have been Drawing David Tennant he is an interesting character, annoying hair, but interesting, either that or a character from the LumberJanes I would like to work on that one day.
What is your relationship like between yourselves and your writers?
Rachael Smith- Well my relationship with myself is pretty wicked, and my relationship with the gentleman I am working with currently, but he is making me draw a lot of cars recently .. and I don’t like drawing cars
Lee Bradley – most times I have never met my writer, However i have met Simon Ferman, and he was ace. But its like all human interactions it depends on the individual.
Lee Sullivan – I have never had a close relationship with creative writers, the same as Lee. I have met Writers at events and conventions, sometimes we get on other times we don’t working with a writer is a bit of an oddity really as you are never really working with them, instead it is more like you are working alongside them instead.
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And that concluded the Panel, if you wish to check out any of their work, or follow them on Twitter I have copied all the relevant information below.
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Website : Rachael Smith
Twitter: @rachael_
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Website : Lee Sullivan
Facebook: LSullivan
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Website : Lee Bradley
Twitter: @LEEBRADLEY_COM
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Until next time, read more books..
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