ON THE HUSH QUARTERLY #8: Spring-ter 24-25
Hello there, welcome to Issue 8 of my comics happening and meanderings. If we've not yet met I'm Lucy. I write & draw comics such as BARKING, a BLACK HAMMER short for Jeff Lemire and art for exciting things like RAZORBLADES & D.O.T WILD FICTIONS. I’m currently creating the next part of my folk-horror series SHELTER. The 1st story, Early Doors, has manifested & is available to buy online along with the research zine HAGBOUND.
This newsletter will be updates on my projects, chats about process, events and a little wander around what I'm reading, watching or listening to. I'll be putting it out 4 times a year and using the seasons as a reminder to write them. Thanks for subscribing & without further waffle…
“What the actual feck is Spring-ter, Lucy?” I hear you muse. Could it be that by the time I got around to writing my Winter newsletter it was already past the Spring Equinox? Or is there in fact an in-between season you just haven’t come across as yet? Yeah, no, it’s the former but worth a shot. My apologies for letting Winter slip past but it was a pretty intense one, globally, that didn’t exactly make me feel like anyone needed my two pence. As it continues in intensity without letting up I figure I’ll get back to adding my thoughts here and hope it serves as somewhat of a distraction for you from the everything.
WINTER ROUND UP -
In around what had become my main job of painting, decorating, cleaning and decluttering our gaff for the sale I managed to sneak away for a weekend at Angoulême, France’s premier BD Festival, with my fellow comics aficionado Gabi of Graphic Novel Reading Room. This was my first time at the festival having wanting to attend since Nick Abadzis told me about it back in 2009. It was an eye-opening weekend and very inspiring in terms of what can be achieved when comics are valued as an art form and it’s creators elevated (to almost mythical status). The latter isn’t exactly a necessity but the scale of the event and variety in age of attendees was very impressive.
We didn’t lose a minute of time in checking out exhibitions, attending talks and visiting a variety of the marquees but we still didn’t make a number of aspects including the Manga marquee and Junji Ito exhibition. As the festival is hosted all over the picturesque but very hilly town, you put in a fair bit of walking to get to the various sections. Highlights for me were the exhibitions at (permanent) Museums, Future Off (a Small Press mini fest) and the distinctly indie flavour of comics on show at Nouveau Monde, the main exhibitors hall. It was very encouraging to see that, despite the clear love shown for more traditional comics & BD in France, the main flavour of current comics - The art style, the story telling, the compositions - were predominantly what we would call Small Press comics here. I expected to find halls packed with work I would admire but wasn’t particularly taken with, instead had to restrain myself from spending way over my budget on comics, zines, prints and the table of Baudoin books that I would’ve sold a kidney for (despite my French not being anywhere good enough to read them). It turns out my will power is appalling but my new French comics selection is now top notch. It would take up most of this newsletter to go over everything we saw so instead I’d encourage you to visit one year too.
Although I will say there is much controversy around the festival, both in it’s lack of representation (very evident) and more recently serious sexual assault allegations against staff, to be taken into account when booking. We were unaware of the latter until recently but the representation is a major issue in their programming so don’t expect to see much change there. It was a good show for UK comics with Posy Simmonds’ excellent exhibition and superb talks from Posy, Lizzy Stewart and Jon McNaught as well as Breakdown Press at Future Off and Full Bleed Rights representing a number of UK creators and publishers in the Rights Market. I will be hoping for a translation request for BARKING so I can return to the festival again one year.
ON THE DRAWING BOARD -
I am delighted to say two things at last. Firstly I finally got to reveal the BIG SECRET GIG and secondly that I’m back making comics. Let’s start with no.1…
Apologies for not saying it here first. As mentioned I signed a somewhat terrifying contract that meant I was very cautious of saying anything but then one day, out of the blue, I was announced as working on the adaption of Max Porter’s acclaimed novel GRIEF IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Written/Directed by Dylan Southern (Rank+File). I first spoke to Dylan about the film back in the first Lockdown when he’d decided to change the character DAD to a graphic novelist and was looking for an artist to draw the work as well as making sure he had written the details of his practice accurately. I was suggested by Max Porter and Dylan alike having both read BARKING, which was hugely massaging for my ego. I love this book. I read it whilst drawing the final stages of BARKING and when I completed my book we celebrated by catching the theatre adaption starring Cillian Murphy at The Barbican. Max approached me about buying a copy when my book came out, I offered to send it for free as I was so influenced by his book but he declined with (I quote) “Fuck that. I’ll buy it but it better be good”. Luckily he thought it was, calling it ‘a terrifying and beautiful book’. Obviously it was an instant yes to being involved in the film. Then the world went into lockdown and it all went quiet for a good while. I was saddened but figured they may have found another artist & moved on. Then at the end of ’23 Dylan dropped me a line saying production was getting going and was I still keen? We took a walk and discussed the adaption and I sketched, we discussed more and talked a lot about comics and found much similarities both in our work and our lives. Dylan is a comics fan to rival many and loves the form so rest assured any aspect of comics in the film has been long considered and lovingly advocated for.
My role was to be Art DAD (Off screen) and produce all artwork seen drawn or strewn around DAD’s studio, itself inspired by my own cluttered workspace but bigger and neater. I won’t spoil anything of the story in saying I drew some very dark things, I even had to research which search engine wouldn’t ruin my algorithm as a result of what I was looking up as it was pretty gruesome (it’s DuckDuckGo by the way). The art I made will be mere snippets on screen I’m sure but it was an intense time in my head. I produced 2 sketchbooks along with dozens of individual pieces in a variety of styles, media and formats as well as teaching Cumberbatch how to draw with carbon and being a part of filming on set including for a very ink laden scene.
It was a brilliant project to be a part of with a team of incredible talent giving it their all to make a film they care very much about. Being on set was thrilling especially when I could contribute rather than feel like a third wheel and seeing rushes will make me forever impressed at the magic of cinema. There’s a scene that when you see it you will know which one, Cumberbatch is next level and it’s brilliant. I know there are 20 or so people hiding in corners, squeezed up against walls, just doing their jobs to get that scene and yet they leave not a hint of shadow on screen. It’s quite the feat. The World Premiere was in January at Sundance Festival followed by a European Premiere at Berlin. The audiences loved it, some of the critics less so, some more so but there was much chatter so it’s making impressions. It’s definitely in the undefinable genre of films (and not Horror as was marketed at Sundance), hopefully it will get wide distribution so keep ‘em peeled for THE THING WITH FEATHERS in cinemas soon.
So I’m finally back to making my follow up SHELTER story, MOTHERS RUIN. The unintentional extended break made for not the most enjoyable return to comics. Somehow I had convinced myself that I had written way more of the script that in fact I had, not a great discovery. But the work I had thought I would need to do, rewrite an entire character after researching, I realised was actually more about changing the layouts than the dialogue. You win some, lose some.
As this project is my most ambitious story yet I’ve decided to break it into parts to create. The story takes place over a year, 1970, in four chapters by season so that’s gives me a clear division of labour. I’m starting with Spring by taking my outlined story into scenes then developing the script with dialogue whilst thumb nailing at the same time. I then write the panel descriptions based on my thumbnails to remind me of what I want the art to focus on in each scene. This is will be the first project I’ve shown to an editor at the rough stage so feel I should make an effort to make it more readable. It’s a new way of creating for me. I tended to separate writing and art in the past but combining at this stage seems to be working and feels like it’s making my storyline tighter. We shall see…
I’m enjoying getting back to sketching albeit roughly and digitally. I think I’ll start some art tests soon and get back to retraining my drawing muscles. Looking over the Early Doors print it was darker and more muddied than I hope for. I’m going to see if I should go with ink instead of carbon for the next book to achieve a cleaner line. But that’s for the next newsletter. In the meantime it’s good to get back to 70s West London and revive Mammy Magee and her extraordinary girls in my head. So far I’ve drawn scenes on Route-master buses, under elevated motorways and in the men’s bogs of a high rise office with so much more to come. Expect unusual happenings in mundane settings, a dive into Celtic mythology and a lot of tea and ciggies.
SPRING HAPPENINGS -
I have just one event booked for Spring as we’re moving home soon but it’s a doozy. I’m going to be tabling at my first MCM London as part of their Artist’s Alley. I’ve been going as a punter with my kid for a couple of years now and we always have an enjoyable albeit very stimulating day. I’ve pondered as to whether my work would fit the crowd but thanks to encouragement from may pals and frequent MCM-ers I’m giving it a go and joining creators such as Alison Sampson, Sarah Gordon, Alex Moore, Rachael Smith, Dave Cook, Norm Konyu, Abi Stevens, Sarah Graley and more. I’ll be there for the full 3 days with comics, zines, prints and original art plus hopefully taking part in an interesting panel. Details are yet to be announced but the con runs from Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th May. Tickets are on sale now, under 10s are discounted & under 4s get in for free: https://www.mcmcomiccon.com/london/en-us/tickets.html
It’s an excellent day out with eye popping Cosplay, a huge array of stalls and events plus many opportunities to pick up comics, prints, games, merch and more. My kid never fails to leave with a bag full of manga, stickers, cool t-shirts and usually a new addition to her own cosplay. Last year she created her version of a brief character in Demon Slayer & made a friends with another kid of similar tastes. The camaraderie is one of the wonderful things about MCM. We shall see what May will bring and what kind of battering my wallet will take.
I also have a discount from Avery Hill for anyone getting a copy of BARKING. If you buy direct from my publisher you can get 25% off with the checkout code: LUCYSULLIVAN25 and support Small Press in doing so. It’s a great thing to do and sticks two fingers up at Amazon so it’s a win win!
SONIC LITERATURE -
Because everything is so intense and increasingly horrific, both in the world and my new book, I’m trying to balance the topical and upsettingly factual that I’m reading/listening to with more poetic, fantastical fare. To understand more about what’s happening through what has happened and how it went wrong but made for enthralling folklore.
One of the aspects frequently bugging me about the failing of the left to withhold fascism is the constant arguing amongst ourselves and how that has been weaponised any the Far Right. This is also one of the many theories posited by Ash Sarkar in her new book MINORITY RULE and one of the reasons I picked the book up. I frequently find myself nodding along to Sarkar’s interviews and articles so thought I would find much to ponder from this book and I have. I don’t agree with some of her theories and that’s really the point but I am finding much to demystify the strategies used by the Alt Right and aspects to consider on the stoking of divisions and how we combat it. Quality, necessary reading we can all benefit from.
For balance I took a crazed run in the woods with Rachel Yoder’s NIGHTBITCH. This is a wry, absolutely-not-sanitised look at modern motherhood through the myth of the werewolf and mystical woman against a backdrop of American Suburbia. I found it touching, revealing, genuinely funny and very close to the bone. I’m yet to catch the film adaption but enjoyed the book a lot.
MOTHERS RUIN introduces a new character Pegi who is in the grip of a coercive, controlling marriage. I have some personal experiences with this sort of relationship but still want to research the topic for the nuances and understand how they often lead to violence. In HIDDEN HOMICIDES, an excellent but distressing Podcast series for Tortoise, Louise Tickle discusses cases of abusive relationships that led to the suspicious deaths of the women involved. Many were noted as suicides or tragic accidents with the history of abuse often being missed by police or social services. In her investigation and through interviews with the victim’s families Tickle uncovers evidence that these are in fact murders and that there may be an epidemic of such crimes if the cases were properly handled. It’s upsetting and very sobering but vital in understanding how often domestic abuse leads to homicide.
For balance I’ve started a new habit of listening to something more fantastical on my dog walks to set up my week. I’ve just started PODYSSEY by Alex Andreou (of Quiet Riot Podcast) and already it’s a firm favourite. Andreou takes us through Greek mythology by dissecting it’s true meaning through expert interviews, depictions through the ages and his own passion for the tales whilst comparing it to modern figures and global politics. Episode one reveals how we may have missed understood Narcissus and how that seeped into popular culture and psychology. This is excellent podcasting and highly recommended.
VISUAL DISTRACTIONS -
When I was researching female gangs and crime queens in the UK for SHELTER I came across The 40 Elephants. A misfit band of women, often teenagers, that pulled off frankly impressive heists in Victorian London. I very nearly changed my story all together for it but figured there must be someone working on THAT story already. And there was. The first of my two recs is A THOUSAND BLOWS (Disney+) starring Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty and Malachi Kirby. Doherty superbly portrays the Elephant’s Queen, Mary Carr, who convinces newly arrived Hezekiah (the equally excellent Kirby) to seek fortune in the West End’s Gentlemen's Boxing after being turned down by local bare-knuckle Kingpin, Sugar Goodson (terrifyingly acted by Graham). It’s a well written, beautifully shot, top quality drama with a superb cast and is excellent TV.
Graham & Doherty are on an absolute blinder at the moment as both are also superb in ADOLESCENCE (Netflix). I’m sure you’ve heard much already about this drama of a teenage boy who murders his female classmate and the discussion of how schools, parents and social media are all as culpable as he is for the misogynistic crime. Personally I found this deeply upsetting but so needed for exposure having experienced incidents of sexism and misogyny against our daughter at primary school. I could go into a long rant here about how certain figures and institutions have been pointing social blames on minority groups whilst it was so clear our boys were being raised elsewhere. Or how unregulated social media has allowed hate figures to rise unfettered and now girls are growing up faster and more fearful of their male counterparts and it’s not the boy’s fault… But I don’t need to. Watch the show. Consider what we’re not seeing everyday around us because we’re too busy, don’t understand it or feel too uncomfortable to talk about it. This is a brilliant show not just for the subject and how deftly handled it is or the incredible performances, and they are, or even the technical marvel of each episode being a single shot. It’s all of those but also it’s the nuance - of the characters, the influence and the crime - that will sit with you, hopefully, until we all wake up and make us talk (more openly) and organise (more effectively) how to start taking control of the narrative being fed to our kids and shaping a potentially disastrous future.
My last shout out is for the addictive but utterly compelling SPIRITFARER (Nintendo Switch). My kid & I love a Dev game and this is up there for me with GRIS and UNTITLED GOOSE GAME. However tonally it’s more the former with themes of grief as you embark on a nautical quest as Stella. Recently given the mantle of ‘Spiritfarer’ Stella is tasked with finding, aiding, building homes for and feeding spirits before ferrying them to the ‘Ever Door’ and onwards. It’s full of mini quests and daily tasks such as growing and cooking food, collected and making ingredients including mining metals, cutting trees and scaling buildings. It has a lovely aesthetic, good physics in the game play and some surprising dialogue. I’m entirely addicted and already mourning it’s ending.
Well, that’s my news for now. I’ll be back in the Summer having hopefully relocated to Brighton and further into making my next comic. Until then you can keep up with me on the socials. I’m off Twitter permanently now and set my FB account for implosion. It’s really not going brilliantly online BUT you can still find me on:
Instagram - @lucysullivanuk
Bluesky - @lucysullivan.bsky.social
Online & shop: lucysullivanuk.com
Thanks for reading and may your magnolias bloom with ferocity. Cheers, Lucy