OTHQ #4
ON THE HUSH QUARTERLY : #4 Gemred ’23 / ‘24
Hello there, welcome to Issue 4 of my comics happening and meanderings.
If we've not yet met I'm Lucy. I write & draw comics such as my debut graphic novel BARKING, a BLACK HAMMER short for Jeff Lemire and IND-XED with Fraser Campbell. I'm currently creating the next part of my folk-horror series SHELTER. The 1st story, Early Doors, has now manifested & is available to buy online.
This newsletter will be updates on my projects, chats about the processes, events and a little wander around what I'm reading, listening or singing along 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...
WINTER HAPPENINGS & (Secret) DRAWING BOARD
Well, where the feck did that go?
I swear it was yesterday I was at THOUGHT BUBBLE gassing away with lots of you and meeting more folks anew. Apparently it’s now February and months have passed. I’m still not sure how that happened but it is technically still Winter so I’m sneaking this in as a round up of ’23 end & looking forward to ’24.
The end of the year saw as wonderful time as ever at my fav weekend of comics, TBUBS. I got a sneaky small batch of BARKING’s from Avery Hill that were sold out in mere hours on the 1st day. The print is very lovely indeed and I’m thrilled with how the new cover design has come out. Very much looking forward to it hitting shops and getting placed on bookshelves soon.
The rest of the festival was an absolute blast. I had an eye-opening time at SILENCE TO ASTONISH panel alongside Rachael Stott, Al Ewing and surprise guest Adlai Not-Actually-Caspar Wijngaard. Adlai was a proper trooper after being called to duty on stage to take on the missing guest slot. We then ad-libbed answers to the mind-boggling questions, created collages, drew dogs, wore many beards, did a lot of advertising for an energy drink and tried to forget meeting Mr Intestine Face close up. It was quite the event! If you missed it you can catch up online here (there’s some unmissable pics too):
SILENCE! To Astonish 2023 | Free Podcasts | Podomatic"
Here’s the recording of SILENCE! To Astonish from Thought Bubble 2023. Gary Lactus, The Beast Must Die and Al Kennedy put Al Ewing, Rachel Stott, Lucy Sullivan and Not Caspar Wijngaard to the test.
I also had the great pleasure of live drawing with Christian Ward, Natalie Andrewson and Judith Vanistendael. It was very flattering to find myself in the esteemed company of a Batman creator, the TBUBS ’23 poster designer & creator of one of my favourite GN’s When David Lost His Voice (Self Made Hero).Yes, I was a bit intimidated! But it was a very lovely panel and hosted by Paul Gravett of Comica Festival. I managed to elicit some “Oooohs” when I revealed my carbon scribbles under the black paper. Always a fun moment. It was a lot less stressful than I thought to draw in front of people and that’s in large part thanks to my fellow artists and the amazing Team TB. It was a truly brilliant weekend.
Ahead of the festival I chatted to my friend & podcaster legend Jimmy Aquino of COMIC NEWS INSIDER ahead of the festival about HAGBOUND, my new zine that launched at TB and my future plans. There’s even a bit of a hint about what I’ve worked on lately in there, although I had no idea at the time, it’s a strangely prescient interview:
âComic News Insider: Episode 1463 - Thought Bubble Festival: Lucy Sullivan! on Apple Podcasts
âShow Comic News Insider, Ep Episode 1463 - Thought Bubble Festival: Lucy Sullivan! - 20 Nov 2023
The end of 2023 was engulfed by Christmas and school holidays. I did get to table at two lovely events during that time. The Wellcome Collection hosted their first ZINE FAIR, which was a really lovely day and hopefully the start of things to come. As was the 1st LIBRARY CON hosted by Surrey Libraries. The 1st was held at Leatherhead Library and saw a gaggle of creators table as well as a panel with Alison Sampson, Cathy Brett and myself hosted by Alex Fitch (Panel Borders) which will hopefully air on Alex’s Resonance FM show soon.
I emerged blinking into January ’24 to start my * REDACTED * art gig. I cannot wait to be able to talk about this one but I have literally signed away the ability to do so until it’s announced. It’s a bit of a departure from comics, but still comics, and involves a personal favourite of mine. It has been an intense but fascinating job, especially applying my comics thinking to another industry. There have been some aspects that will make a few folks have actual kittens over and it’s all pretty exciting really. As soon as I can blab I will be SHOUTING! Until then I suggest you find me at one of the following events and see just how well I can keep a secret…
IT’S LAUNCH MONTH!
Now that it’s February I can finally get excited for an event I have waited years for. Back in the before times when we naively thought a ‘lock-in’ was a naughty-after-hours pint I had a launch planned. BARKING was set to debut at GOSH! Comics and my ambitions were coming true after 10 years in the making. This was April 2020 and a mere week before everything shut up shop for the foreseeable. In the back-drop of a Global Pandemic this was small shakes but I was obviously gutted. I’d been through the mill with the 1st publisher and had to take over all the promo and launch details for it to crumble at the last hurdle. Well that is a long time ago know and I am thrilled to leave it to the past with a new launch plan.
I’m going to be at GOSH! with the gorgeous AHP edition of BARKING on Thursday 29th February from 7-9pm. I’ll be bringing my dip-pens & carbon paper to sketch in copies on the night plus will have an exclusive set of sketch-cards for their copies too. If you’re London way please join me to celebrate 2nd chances & toast the excellent AHP. I will be very easily cajoled to a local pub after too.
On the same week but slightly before I will be one of a line-up of speakers for the CARTOON CONFERENCE ‘24 at London’s Cartoon Museum. Featuring the new Comic’s Laureate Bobby Joseph (Skank Magazine / Scotland Yard), Creator, Educator & LDComics lead Rachael Ball (Deadline / The Inflatable Woman / Wolf) as well as speakers from Titan Comics, The Creative Mentors, Association of Illustrators and Society of Authors. There will also be an opportunity to have your portfolio reviewed by our AHP own Ricky Miller! FOR FREE! It's not to be missed.
The shop has arranged for early copies of BARKING which will form some of my talk along with tips on getting going with your comic, funding options and contract warnings. It’s a jam packed day and lunch included in the price so join us on Monday 26th February and plan to get home late as we are hitting the pub after. (I know, I know, I am looking forward to getting out. It’s been a LONG Winter!)
BARKING officially launches from Avery Hill on Tuesday 27th February and will be available for the 1st time in the US & Canada! Pre-orders are open on AHP’s shop now & will start shipping from that date: https://averyhillpublishing.bigcartel.com/product/barking-by-lucy-sullivan-pre-order
I’ll also have copies for Festivals and my website soon so keep ‘em peeled. There’s been some great press around BARKING already…
COMIC BOOK YETI - An interview with me by Alex Green
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - Excellent early preview write-up
PAUL GRAVETT - Top 20 title to get this February!
COMICON.COM - Reviewed & awarded 10/10!
Which is all very lovely indeed however seeing it in readers hands and hearing their thoughts remains my favourite part of making comics. I hope there will be much more to come.
SOUL FOOD LITERATURE
I have been less feeding my soul and more scratching my anxiety of late. This Winter I took a deep dive into Global Conspiracies, the Alt-Right and stains of Capitalism with the return of the brilliant THINGS FELL APART by Jon Ronson for BBC Sounds / Radio 4. The 2nd season sees Ronson’s trademark gentle narration as he links global waves in the Culture Wars, Transphpobia, Vaccine Conspiracies, Alt-Right fear spreading and Climate Denial to a series of smaller events that, due to timing and happenstance, grew into monstrous global waves. In an unnerving time to live, especially with the horrors still unfolding in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and more there’s solace in hearing from those at the epicentre. Be it the Essayist who pondered 15 minute cities, the teacher who joked at his 'apparently incontinent' students about getting litter trays in class or the survivor of a terrifying Homophobic shooting who vowed to help all LGBTQ+ kids. That these acts became completely different beasts in the hands of fear mongering media, Right Wing Bigots and uneducated parents is mind-boggling in its reality but essential listening.
I followed this up with Naomi Klein’s DOPPLEGANGER which covers a deeper dive into many of the same events and movements alongside her falling into a rabbit hole of her own making. Being confused for another well known writer, Naomi Wolf, had become a running joke for Klein but when her double became embroiled in conspiracies theories and hanging out with Alt-Right spearhead Steve Bannon she had to find out why. It’s a fascinating and extremely well researched book that will have you equally saddened, enlightened and horrified. Having seen a family friend go into the Wellness industry and become a fully-fledged Mumsnet-Covid-Denier I had a personal need to understand more about what pushes people into the 'Mirror World'. Although I feel just as bamboozled by their decisions I do feel a greater understanding of events and why we cannot fight Fascism but just arguing with it. It’s not a light read and I found myself in frequent need of pressing pause just to process what I heard. It is however extremely timely and I recommend checking both out if you’re interested in current global affairs.
I have got a now ridiculous amount of comics lined up for when I get some time (still not sure when that will be) and my recent additions include…
The Park Bench - Chabouté (Faber & Faber)
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me - M. Tamaki & R. Valero-O’Connell (01:Second)
The Temptation of Mr. Rose - Tor Freeman (Self Published)
Sunny (Volume 2)- T. Matsumoto (Viz Media)
These will join my now 5 layered, strategically placed reading piles in the hope of one day just sitting and reading comics.
AUDIO/VISUAL DISTRACTIONS
I’ve only viewed Small Screen of late but there were some absolute pleasures. A welcomed return at House of BARKING was the superb SLOW HORSES (Apple TV) based on the snidey, sweary spy series SLOUGH HOUSE by Mick Herron. Season 3 sees the slovenly but brilliant Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) put in a position along with his rouge team of “losers” at Slough House as they face the might of MI5 and their own monsters. Oldham’s performance in this series is a grubby delight. I have no idea why he reminds me of my Dad, who was clean as a whistle and dapper AF but he does. Maybe it’s the unparalleled mind, the razor sharp cynicism and love of kebabs? It’s definitely the West London way of swearing and I absolutely adore it. The cast are a riotous combination and the threat always seems very real. If you’ve yet to find this gem then I'd say get on it, sharpish.
We devoured the latest series of TRAITORS with relish and as more knowing set of deceivers bedded down in the castle and tried not to get murdered. It’s an addictive glimpse into how easily we fall into group dynamics and a lesson in trusting what you see rather than what someone says.
After all that deception I’ll top it off with a well meaning lie, well at least as far as the lead characters are concerned. I giggled throughout and laughed loudly at a climatic scene in BOTTOMS. A spin on the 'high-school outcasts seek dates' genre. The film sees best mates PJ and Rosie inadvertently start an All-Female/NB-Fight Club in the hopes of getting it on with the school beauties. The club’s members believe they are protecting themselves from a rival school’s attacks and gleefully (literally) take the punches in the name of self preservation. Although a tad formulaic in it’s structure (I wish it had the vision and flare of BOOK SMART), it still played with the US high school tropes in a satisfying way and sees a football pitch scene unlike anything else. We thought was great craic.
To change the tone a bit I also really enjoyed the insight and step back into 00s New York music with MEET ME IN THE BATHROOM. A beautifully crafted documentary adapted from the book of the same name by writer Lizzy Goodman. The doc deftly combines interviews and footage from the era featuring bands like Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs / LDC Sound System / The Strokes & more. It struck deep for me as a resonant time in my life, both in terms of grieving and adult stresses. I found the insight into Karen O particularly affecting and heightened my love of MAPS, still one of the greatest songs for me but I understood so little about what was happening for her at the time. The film is so well crafted that I think it will be a pleasurable watch even if it wasn’t an era of music for you. There’s a sideline theme about regeneration and lost spaces for artists to develop that continues to be an impossible problem these days, especially in larger cities where the scenes often still are based.
Well that's all from me for now. I'll be back with you with hopefully some juicy tales of commissions soon. Until then... I’m all but off Twitter these days but occasionally posting. Find me on:
Instagram - @lucysullivanuk
Bluesky - @lucysullivan.bsky.social
Online: lucysullivanuk.com
Thanks for reading!