FutureQuake 24 and Zarjaz 19 are OUT NOW!

From FQ Publications comes the latest issues of their flagship anthology and the Galaxy's Greatest Fanzine - and I've managed to secure a place in both of 'em!

FutureQuake #24:

For FutureQuake #24, I've been lucky enough to team up with the ludicrously talented Jim Lavery for a short called...

Sir Edward James: inventor, adventurer and hero of The British Empire. His exploits are known and revered throughout the land, but when the latest in a series of strange sightings in London is brought to his attention, his dark secret is finally about to be revealed...

Power And The Glory came from the challenge I set myself last year, to create and write a five page story in a day. I ended up setting the bar pretty high for myself with the script: I wanted to give the world it was set in enough texture and colour to bring it to life and help establish the lead characters credentials as a pulp hero and, I'll admit, I was quite happy with the results - but then Jim Lavery just brought a whole new, utterly jaw dropping level of brilliance to the world building.

This is the first time I've had the opportunity to work with Jim and I really hope it's the first of many collaborations. He brought so much to the table with his work and, in just a few panels, establishes this alternative reality so completely it makes you want to dive in and read more adventures set there (and, I have to say, about 99% of the world building in the story was from Jim - the robot policemen, the mini-zeppelins, they were all him). Jim's clean, dynamic style is an utter joy to read and his clarity when it comes to storytelling is second to none. I can see Jim's star rising very quickly...

Update: Jim has also posted a couple of teaser panels over on this blog.

Letters for this were by FQ editor Bolt-01, who deserves kudos for...pretty much everything, really - not least of which was putting up with my last minute dialogue tweaks and changes.

The cover to FutureQuake #24, by Mauro Lirussi looks like this:


FutureQuake #24 is available from The FutureQuake Shop NOW, priced £4.00 (+ shipping) - along with some back issues - and should be available from your local Forbidden Planet International store and Orbital Comics in London soon. And, of course, copies will also be available from the FQP table at Thought Bubble Comic Festival later this month. You can see the full line up of strips and creators over at the FQP Blog.

Zarjaz #19:

For Zarjaz #19, I've been fortunate enough to team up with Stephen Downey, artist extraordinaire of Cancertown and Jennifer Wilde, for a Judge Dredd story called Collectors Market:

With a 90% unemployment rate in Mega City-1, certain enterprising citizens have found a unique way to exploit those desperate for work. But when Judge Dredd stumbles across their operation, he uncovers an equally unique market for their "products"...
Collectors Market was one of the first Dredd strips I ever wrote for Zarjaz and it remains one of my favourites. I can't really say much more about the background of the script without giving story details away, though, which makes this paragraph shorter than I thought it would be...

Anyway. This is the first - but hopefully not the last! - time I've had the opportunity to work with Stephen and, I can honestly say, his work on this just completely bowled me over. He handles the various aspects of Dredd's world with aplomb, balancing the violence and humour with ease, but always retaining a visual clarity and narrative that makes the whole thing a pleasure to read. His art is a feast for the eyes and I really wouldn't be surprised to see Stephen's work popping up in a future issue of 2000AD before too long...

Again, letters for this were by Bolt-01, who really doesn't get enough credit for his lettering prowess.

The rather scrotnig cover for Zarjaz #19, by art droid Simon Fraser, looks like this:


Zarjaz is available from The FutureQuake Shop NOW, priced £3.00 (+ shipping) - along with a whole lotta ghafbettle back issues - and should be available from your local Forbidden Planet International store and Orbital Comics in London soon. And, of course, copies will also be available from the FQP table at Thought Bubble Comic Festival later this month.

You can see the full running order and previews of the issue over at The Quaequam Blog (along with the news of the new Zarjaz special, "Drokk!") - but remember: set your browsers for Maximum Thrill Power!
FutureQuake 24 and Zarjaz 19 are OUT NOW! FutureQuake 24 and Zarjaz 19 are OUT NOW! Reviewed by Unknown on 11:09 am Rating: 5
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