DON'T LET THE BELLS END

CURRENT SOUNDTRACK: Scala Choir, DREAM ON, CD2, 'Le Grand Secret'

Much like misplaced keys or the TV remote, 2005 is the year that somehow got lost under the cushion of the sofa, only to be found quite late in the day. It seems to have disappeared remarkably fast.



Personal highlights have been the return of DOCTOR WHO; some great TV in LOST and THE WEST WING; shaking Rick McCallum's hand at the Episode 3 premiere, and generally being in the same room as a thousand other screaming STAR WARS fans watching six films back to back; getting such a great reponse on REDEYE; SERENITY; comic conventions; HELLBOY: THE ISLAND; Comics Nation events. Lowlights have been annoying viral infections; computer problems delaying publications; forced eviction from Studio Baz...



With every disappointment comes an opportunity, however. The new Studio Baz will open at the end of January, without leaking roof and security issues; extra time needed to get publications ready means more time proofreading and fine-tuning; and, well there's nothing good about a viral infection, just look at my wage slip.



Going into 2006 I've so many ideas I want to explore, creatively as well as in business. I've mentioned before, often under the haze of alcohol, true, but that I can't see any real reason why Top Shelf or Image style business models can't be applied to UK comics. Thanks to the contacts and overview afforded by editing REDEYE, I think we are really on the edge of a major breakthrough. We just need to keep applying the pressure, and eventually it will reach critical mass. There's more than enough great material out there to make it happen. We just have to do it one comic at a time, one reader at a time.



With ENGINE, there's three comics ready to go to print, plus REDEYE 5, that will be released at the UKWEBCOMIXTHING 2006 in March. It's only been purely due to time and financial reasons that they have been delayed so long, and I apologise to the creators involved. We have three or four titles in development, which as soon as the art is in I can't wait to preview it here.



So a big thanks to everyone who sent their cards and whose art is above, thanks to everyone's support and encouragement over the last twelve months. Lets make 2006 a kick ass year. Time to get this remote controlled Dalek wrapped up. After some test driving round the living room...

All the best.

STAYING ALIVE...

More or less.



After the big move out of the studio, found some old sketchbooks, one had some (I thought) nice ideas on new Cybermen designs from last year, after getting a script to send off for possible submissions. As with many things, it hasn't quite got round to be finished yet, nor get that much further than the sketching stage, but still quite like the blue, silver/gold and black. Thought you could make cybermen almost etherially thin, corpselike, or bulk them out to look very Borg or Iron Man like, to give the sense of power and menace.





May have a new studion in the next month or so. Can't wait. Might start gettingsome WORK DONE!!!