Happy Birthday…

Jack “King” Kirby - 91st Anniversary of his birth…

Sadly, for reasons I won't bore you guys with, I was unable to post this on Thursday, but although a day and an hour late I would still like to celebrate Jack’s Birthday with everyone. As you all know Jack is the guy responsible for me wanting to work as a comic artist from back when I first saw his wonderfully powerful artwork at around eight years old.

He would have been 91 on Thursday August 28th.

I found the above New Gods image with “amended lettering” a while ago from a great Blog by Chris Sims, regarding Jack’s birthday last year. You can check out the rest of the Blog here:

Chris’s Incredible Super-Blog

Happy Birthday Jack!

This Thor Cover from Issue #171 is one of my all-time favourites and sports some superb inks by the late Bill Everett, creator of The Sub-Mariner. Bill also inked the inside art too - a really beautiful issue all round!!!

My next Blog:

Bentley “Bogtrotter”.

You’ll have to come back to see what I mean…

Until next time have fun!

Tim Perkins…
August 27th 2008

Asterix the Gaul…

By Goscinny and Uderzo…

I thought this time around I would take a general look at Asterix and what it is I like about the characters and their stories. At some point I’ll look at individual books, but for now I thought I take the overview to the albums.

It was my younger brother, Chris that collected the Asterix books long before I did. I think from memory I only had two at the time in the middle eighties that I chanced upon them almost en masse with a local UK book store chain and unable to pick one I chose to take home two, which I promptly took home and read that night in bed.

Well trouble is, I find the stories very funny and, although very silly in its execution, I couldn’t help but snigger away all night as I read them, much to the frustration of my wife Margaret. Anyhow the next day I went back down to the store and picked up yet another two and so the cycle began again.

This went on for several weeks until I had the complete set up to date. The Corsica episode had me in stitches, so much so that the bed heaved and moved so much that Margaret asked me to stop reading them or at least not in bed…please!

The writing is always superlative and although I am told there are differences between English and French versions the humour and use of allusion and puns is superb. The artwork is likewise always superlative too and full of frenetic energy. Mixed together you have the perfect, symbiotic synergy and warmth of character to make the series the success it is.

I have my favourites, but they are all great reads and it is no surprise to me that they have stood the test of time and are continually in print, entertaining new generations as they come along.

A quick overview of my favourites in the series has to include:

• Asterix and the Soothsayer
• Asterix and the Cauldron
• Asterix the Legionary
• Asterix in Corsica
• Asterix and the Great Crossing
• Asterix and the Laurel Wreath
• Asterix in Britain
• Asterix in Spain
• Asterix and the Banquet
• And the beautifully written, drawn, and painted, How Obelix fell into the Magic Potion when he was a Little Boy.

Now that’s not to say I haven’t enjoyed the others in the series, but these stand out in my mind and for different reasons. I will be blogging on some of them as individual books over time.

I have come to realise, by writing this Blog that there are the four latest books still outstanding from my bookshelves, those being:

• Asterix and the Secret Weapon
• Asterix and Obelix, All At Sea
• Asterix and the Actress
• Asterix and the Falling Sky

I guess I can safely look towards a winter read or two, along with a goblet of magic potion and a portion of wild boar, after I go out and search the remaining books out.

Until next time have fun!

Tim Perkins…
August 27th 2008

Plugging time…

A look at some goodies on the way…

Well just a quick plug this time around, the larger Blogs will have to wait a while as I work insane hours to keep things moving forward, so what’s new there I hear you ask? I said to both editors that I would plug these two magazines and thought tonight was as good a time as ever to do so.

I have some great new longer Blogs I want to share with you guys at a later date, but I just can’t around to being straight enough to write them up. Although due to popular demand I may be sharing some photos of my new dog, Bentley with you very soon. There I know that has made some folks smile.

Anyhow for now here are a couple of things you can look out for, both of which have something of mine within the pages.

First up is Bulletproof Issue #2. To quote editor Matt Yeo, “It's another 80-page beast of an issue, with a fantastically diverse range of stories from many super-talented creators. Best of all, this issue has a whopping 33-pages in full colour!” My part is providing the colours over the pencils and inks of comics veteran, Jon Haward, who I recently added to the Wizards Keep website as the new Guest Artist, with the spot vacated by John Ridgway, as he entered the newly created Hall of Fame. The picture is a pin-up of Simba Khan for an up-coming story for Bulletproof, which will be written by Paul Birch and drawn by Jon.

Second up is Jack Kirby Quarterly Issue #15, which Dez Skinn thinks is, “The best damn Kirby mag ever” and believe me when I say, Dez knows his stuff. There is some great content and I have been lucky enough to see a few sneak peaks of some of the work inside it and the whole magazine looks to be an incredible read. JKQ, as it is better known by Kirby fans, is the brainchild of Chrissie Harper who has edited and designed this latest issue and made a truly excellent job of doing so.

If sales are as good as expected the book will look to a slight name change next time around, as it becomes Jack Kirby Annual with an on-going yearly schedule from then on. The magazine was the first such to feature the work of Jack Kirby and is different from John Morrow’s Jack Kirby Collector, with less emphasis on artwork (although there are still lots of beautiful examples of Kirby artwork in it) and goes for a more in-depth analysis of his work, both written and drawn. As I Blogged about a few Blogs back, my piece looks at Toxl - The World Killer.

Well I cannot wait to receive my copies of both magazines.

Until next time have fun!

Tim Perkins
August 26th 2008

Hot Wheels Issue #50...

A look at the latest cars…

Hi Guys,

Here is another monthly sneak peak at the cars you’ll see in issue #50 of the Hot Wheels comic, to whet your appetite.


The two cars are respectively:

Night Burner – From the story: “Night Burner Burn-UP!”

Motoblade – From the story: “Blade Runner!”

Both stories are produced by the same gang as always:

Written by – "Iridescent" Ian Rimmer
Pencilled, Inked and Computer Coloured by – "True-Blue" Tim P
Edited by – "Jacinth-Like" James Hill

With Production Design by – "Reddish" Rob Sharp

In the Blade Runner story, Ian introduces the Dark Claw Industries Head Quarters and Factory for the first time, which was fun for me to design on page 1. Ian also introduces the inner sanctum of Diesel Darkclaw’s office, on page 2, which lead me to finding a way to introduce some new characters, not written into the script as a means to enlarge the cast and try to give the stories the potential to look at new directions for future stories. You’ll see more of one of them in the next issue, #51.

I am looking forward, as always, to hearing what you think of this latest artwork. The comics will be on sale soon, so don’t forget to order a copy!!!

As a teaser for the next issue following, Issue #51, which I am finishing off as you read this, the two cars for fans of Hot Wheels will be Croc Rod and CUL8R.

Until next time have fun!

Tim Perkins…
August 23rd 2008

Carlos Meglia…

Yet more sad news in the comic book world.

I have just learned that Argentinean comic book artist Carlos Meglia has died. He was only 50 years old.

According to initial reports on the Internet, he was admitted to hospital after suffering from problems related to his heart.

Meglia, who made his first artistic foray in 1974 as the assistant for the illustrator Oswal is probably better known to American audiences for his more recent work on projects such as Adventures of Superman, Superman – Infinite City, which I had planned on Blogging about soon, Tarzan & Superman, Spyboy, Monster World and a brief stint on Marvel comics' Elektra.

In his native Argentina (and later in Spain), Meglia’s artwork could regularly be found in the art scene since his debut in 1974, illustrating El Pendula magazine, record covers, and other works such as La Bible pour les Enfants, Don Quichotte and many more.

Spanish-speaking audiences perhaps best knew him for his collaborations with Carlos Trillo, with whom he created Irish Coffee and Cybersix. Along with Didier Crisse, he created Canari in 2005.

A lot of his more recent European work was being published by French comics publisher, Soliel.

He had a fun style and I was amazed to find he had worked for so long without my having any knowledge of him until the start of the new Millennium.

I cannot recommend his Superman – Infinite City graphic novel enough, truly beautiful cartooning.

My thoughts go out to his family and friends for their loss.

As always with these things I will let his artwork speak for itself…






Until next time have fun!

Tim Perkins…
August 15th 2008

Hall of Fame…

New Section launch

Well guys I am proud to announce the launch of the new section went ahead and on schedule at precisely 3:00 p.m. GMT yesterday afternoon.

We had all the approvals except for Will Eisner’s section, but that has now been obtained from Carl and the Hall of Fame is now fully occupied.

We have some more folks that will, hopefully, be coming on board to join this illustrious group of creatives, over the coming months. The guys inside it are some of the greatest artists and writers ever to grace the pages of comic books.

The line-up is absolutely incredible and I include the link to the pages here:

Hall of Fame

The response to the new section has been incredible thus far and makes all the effort of getting things right through thorough research all the more rewarding.

This has been my chance to pay tribute to the guys that have influenced me in my career from way back when I first realised I wanted to be a comics artist until now.

Thanks to all the artists that gave their permission to add them to the hall of Fame and thanks also to the estates of those who are sadly no longer with us.

There is also a new addition to the Guest Artist spot as John Ridgway makes way to join the ranks of the Hall of Fame for Jon Haward, who is presently working on his second graphic novel for Classical Comics – Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

Here's the link to this section too:

Guest Artist

I look forward to hearing what you guys think of the new section. I hope the work within it gives you as much pleasure, as it as me over the years.

Until next time have fun!

Tim Perkins…
August 11th 2008

Hall of Fame…

Launch Date 10.08.08…

At long last, despite all that 2008 has thrown at us the Hall of Fame is complete.

We are just awaiting final approval from Barry Windsor Smith and Will Eisner’s nephew Carl Gropper and the line up have all given us their approval and we are good to go.

A lot of time and energy has gone into researching everything to ensure all the facts are correct and all the due credits are given.

Once we get the remaining two final approvals then the list is complete.

So check things out on Sunday this week.

We are going to be going live at 3:00 p.m. GMT Here in the UK.

Remember:

• Date: Sunday 10th August 2008


• Time: 3:00 p.m. GMT


• Venue: Wizards Keep website

Until next time have fun!

Tim Perkins...
August 4th 2008