OTHQ: #6 Summer-ish? ‘24
Hello there, welcome to Issue 6 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 IND-XED with Fraser Campbell. I'm currently creating the next part of my folk-horror series SHELTER.
This newsletter will be updates on my projects, chats about process, events and a little wander around what I'm reading, listening or drawing 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…
Well, I guess it’s technically Autumn now and certainly feels like it. I’m always amazed as to where Summer goes but what with schools breaking up, my kid’s birthday (officially double digits now) and catching up with friends it’s flown by in a blur. All of that combined with having to continue the DIY purgatory at our place means this edition of OTHQ will be a little different to usual.
SKETCHBOOK & DRAWING BOARD -
The era of Secrecy continues, even more secretly! Yep, I still can’t quite say anything about the secret film gig I’ve been working on this year. I think I can let a few little snippets out without getting sued to oblivion so… I can say it’s a feature film, that the cast is top tier, that I’ve provided all the on-screen artwork and that I’m am beyond hyped to start shouting about it IN DETAIL when I can.
I had the pleasure of being back on set over Summer. It was eye-opening to not only watch the well-oiled machine that film making is: Dozens of specialists all seamlessly working with and around each other, intertwining like a family of cats, to bring the story to life. But this time I was also in the mix, working with the crew on some very cool *redacted sections. I miss the camaraderie of animation and can see how folks get drawn into film but luckily I just am not made for those hours, 5am is officially for the birds. It was a brilliant experience and the idea of seeing my art on the big screen one day soon is incredibly exciting.
Work on the next SHELTER is soon to recommence. I have now got a publisher ready to go and (nooooooo) I can’t say who yet BUT it’s a great home for Mothers Ruin. I’ve realised in my long extended break from the story that I will need to rewrite an entire character and figured out some plot holes or extra twists that will make the story even better. It’s a tad daunting having potentially 200 pages of comics awaiting your attention, not to mention having to write what I will ultimately also have to draw. But I can’t express how much I have missed making comics. I’m starting to realise how much it has become a lifeblood for me. Without it I can feel my depression growling and my mind atrophy. I know that sounds dramatic but it’s the truth. I feel very lucky to have a focus to distract my thoughts, the puzzle of storylines to ponder and the challenge of drawing to burn away the black clouds. Now all I need is a settled place to make the bloody thing. I’m close to sacrificing if it doesn’t happen soon so here’s hoping it does.
I have at least been able to see the other side of comics recently with the pleasure of getting collaborator’s work in my inbox. For those backing or following KILLTOPIA: Nano Jams I’m debuting my 1st writer-only story. I had the great fortune of being paired with Liana Kangas on art (I know!), JP Jordan on colours (Right?!) & Micah Myers (Yes, Yes!) for our story. It’s such a thrill seeing your script develop through the skills of these talented folks. I can’t wait for readers to see the full glory of the anthology on its release. If you missed out you can get a copy on Big Cartel. I suggest you do as KILLTOPIA is getting a collected release with Titan and is going to be an even big hit.:https://davecookcomics.bigcartel.com/product/killtopia-nano-jams-digital-preorder
Another recent joy was getting my comps for WILD FICTIONS - Department of Truth. This beautiful, huge book arrived out of the blue and absolutely made my week. I can’t believe my name is in the epic list of talent on this project and extremely grateful to be asked to draw The White Lady to accompany Steve Foxe’s detailed investigations.
I often tell people that I have a camera roll full of ludicrous ref photos of myself for poses. I’ve used toys to figure out Sweeney Todd’s grip, pretended to be a universally popular singer (in my bathroom) and even tried to whack myself on the head with a rolling pin (long Black Hammer story) but this image was such a pleasure to figure out. A spectral, lovelorn bride with a penchant for drowning bad men…? YES. I AM THE PERSON TO DRAW THIS.
I hope folks will enjoy delving into the plethora of unexplained phenomena collected in Duluxe Hardback by Image from the Tiny Onion series but do reinforce your bookshelf as it’s weighty: https://imagecomics.com/press-releases/the-department-of-truth-wild-fictions-to-collect-in-world-casefiles-feature-artwork-by-stokoe-sienkiewicz-shimuzu-henderson-simmonds-more
In his tenure as Comics Laureate Bobby Joseph has been a powerhouse at getting eyes on comics. Part of his biog drive is the Laureate Library List: A selection of comics, graphic novels and manga for readers across the ages from a diverse range of creators. I was thrilled to have BARKING included alongside 2 more Avery Hill titles - SENNEN by Shanti Rai & WHAT WE DON’T TALK ABOUT by Charlotte Kristensen. The list is available to libraries and can be bought from Waterstones stores countrywide. You can follow Bobby on socials and hear more on his big plans in this Broken Frontier interview: https://www.brokenfrontier.com/bobby-joseph-comics-laureate/
My final news is that I’m now repp’d by James Spackman at BKS! Really pleased to work with James, a comic aficionado and cycling enthusiast, to broaden my books reach and maybe stroll into other avenues. I’ve only recently felt the need for support and advice in my career and it’s been brilliant to have James involved already. Looking forward too what we can do as a team and what we may be able to do to get more comics in spaces.
Speaking of I may have inadvertently started a new comic fair. The DIY Hell I’m in is all in aid of moving to Brighton soon. When we FINALLY get there I’m hoping to find a venue & get BHCZF (Pronounced: Buckzuf!) going. I’d love to bring a bit of SLCZF or (the much missed) Catford fairs’ magic to the coast. I spoke about that and SHELTER this Summer at Cartoon County. You can catch my chat on host Alex Fitch’s radio show PANEL BORDERS alongside John Dudley & Scott Gray as we talk Horror Locations.
SUMMER HAPPENINGS & AUTUMNAL TRIPS -
As mentioned my Summer was awash with painting doors or drawing secrets things or the screams of fellow Rollercoaster riders (Disneyland Paris & Thorpe Park was quite a lot). I did however get to a couple of comics festivals in very different parts of the world.
The first in July was to Manila for Philippines International Comics Festival. I was very lucky to be invited by LICAF to join Mollie Ray for the 1st in-person PICOF festival. We were joined there by Julie Tait of LICAF, Paul Gravett and a gang of international publishers. Our hosts Paolo & Kris went to every effort to welcome us, feed us and introduce us to the brilliant array of Filipino comic creators.
If you ever get the chance I cannot recommend PICOF festival and its organisers high enough. It’s a true passion project, built around the grassroots of comics and boasts a variety of international guests. I also highly suggest you get Mollie’s book GIANT, published this year by Faber & Faber about her brother’s cancer diagnosis & recovery. It’s silent, all ages and a gorgeously rendered (in biro only!) story:http://www.mollieray.co.uk/giant.html
Back in Blighty I finished off the Summer with another first: SEQUENT’ULL Comic Art Festival (SCAF) run by Small Press stalwart, Sean Azzopardi in Hull. I took my kid along for her inaugural tabling and had a lovely day chatting to the band of small pressers from around the country gathered by Sean. It was my first trip to Hull and a pleasure to be a part of. I met some new faces and picked up more comics (of course) to get my inspiration going for the art form again.
Looking ahead this Autumn I have just 2 more festivals to round off the year. First up is Winchester Comic Festival on Saturday 19th - 10:30am-4:30pm - I’ve heard lovely things about this fair from fellow tablers so I’m looking forward to hanging out with the exhibitors & meeting the comics folk of Winchester. It’s easily reached by train so why not join us? The line-up from what I have seen, is looking very tasty.
My final event is my favourite of the year, the mighty THOUGHT BUBBLE in Harrogate. I always describe it to non-comics people as our Xmas party. Along with being the biggest (500+ exhibitors!), most varied and inclusive of festivals TBF is also our annual get together. It’s such a delight to catch up and meet in person with collaborators, online pals and fellow creators. I get misty eyed explaining it and spend all year looking forward to this magic weekend. I’m very lucky to be a guest this year and cannot wait to talk to everyone. I’ll be back here to say where I'll be tabling, when it’s announced, but please find me for a natter.
SOUL FOOD LITERATURE -
Despite buying triple my bodyweight in comics this Summer I have read almost none but only almost. On my way to SEQUENT’ULL I delved into SILK COTTON - a thrillingly spooky and gratifyingly supernatural tale of Caribbean folklore as protagonist Peter soon discovers. Brought to you by Colleen Douglas (Writer), Jesus C. Gan (Artist), Lorenzo Palombo (Colours) & Tobias Meier (Letters). I’ve got to know Colleen as a pal and my word is she a raconteur. Colleen pitched me SILK COTTON in a pub and the book is everything I hoped it would be and more besides.I firmly encourage you to seek it out from comic shops like GOSH. You can also hear more from Colleen in this month’s Panel Borders as part of the Black History Month show.
Book-wise I have been imbibing many audiobooks as I splosh low VOC paint about. I devoured the latest from Juno Dawson - QUEEN B, a prequel to her brilliant Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series. See my 1st newsletter for more but if you like witchcraft, 90s nostalgia and some absolutely wonderfully awful women then this series is the business. The prequel takes us all the way back to the beginning with Anne Boleyn and the hags of Tudor England for a tale that is tonally different form the other books but no less compelling.
I then discovered I’d missed M.R Carey’s latest series PANDOMINIUM and can’t understand how. I’m a huge fan of his books and loved the KOLI trilogy so it was a thrill to find this mind-bending, multiverse set Sci Fi. I’m already half way through Book 2 as it rattles along nicely & demands you find out more. The complicated cast of characters, let alone variety of species or multitude of Lagos’ can’t be done justice here but just read it & thank me later. In fact read all his books. The audiobooks are extremely well produced.
Finally I’m sure you’ve been watching SLOW HORSES and if not rectify that asap. Or get the audiobooks of Mick Herron’s perfect spy fuck-ups narrated by Seàn Barrett. Unbelievably Jackson Lamb is even more of a total prick than Oldman’s portrayal & even more likeable for it. In no time at all I’m onto Book 4 and up to speed with the TV series. It’s brilliant writing and funny as hell. Big thumbs up.
AUDIO/VISUAL DISTRACTIONS -
When you are working on a long-form story and it’s taken a while or worse yet, you have an extended break, the fear that someone will create it before you can be… Consuming. When I was making my first book I nearly quit altogether when not one but two books came out with the same title: BLACK DOG. One of which was by Dave McKean, who’s work I love so I was really close to calling it a day. Instead I talked myself round but thinking well maybe it’s a zeitgeist, a time when people are open to the discussion around depression and mental health. How it relates to our folklore and the visual ticks of the mind. I can find another title and so I did. I think BARKING is more apt for my tale too.
Now, I’m not saying I’m some sort of prophet but when KAOS hit the screens with it’s mix of mythology, family drama and modern sensibilities I thought ‘here we go again’. Luckily it’s Greek myths to my Celtic and it’s more current day than my 70s set SHELTER but the mix of genres is very similar so this really appealed. And hoooooo boooooy! THE CAST. It’s really quite the line-up and they are clearly having fun. I’m not sure the story line always works and it certainly has flaws but it’s a whole lot of fun, especially when the world is such bin fire.
Speaking of hellscapes, I’ve continued my research into coercive abuse with a number of high profile accusations unfolding. For years there have been hushed rumours around Neil Gaiman and like many fans of his work I was reluctant to know more. But the multitude of accusations and similarities lead me to MASTER a brilliant podcast investigation by Tortoise Media.
It’s a hard listen and brings up both sides of the accusations from the victims who say it was coercive abuse to Gaiman’s protestations that it was part of consenting relationships. It’s a valuable insight to how these situations manifest and the reasoning people apply to cover what is, in truth, a horrible abuse of privilege.
There are sadly many similarities with two other accusations, also multiple and involving extremely vulnerable people. The horror of what is coming out in the Mohamed Al Fayed (World of Secrets Podcast) & Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs (The Creep Dive Podcast) cases are of such depths that I’m close to barricading the doors for good. I can’t say it’s not hard to hear as it really is but more so if, like me, you have experienced abuse. However the similarities show the key tactics used by abusers: Seeking out the vulnerable, love-bombing with insistent generosity, a fast-paced development of a reliance by the victim (be it for money or emotional support), a sudden change of treatment or power balance and the start of long term abuse. It’s text book coercion. In plain sight. By very powerful people. And yet I can already hear the naysayers and those who look for blame in the victims. Really, we need a reckoning once and for all on how, what and who commits this type abuse, how widespread it is and finally face the reality. Until then I urge you to listen up and support those in your life who have been there, could be victims or to arm yourself against future happenings. Knowledge matters and seeing the patterns even more so.
Well, that’s probably a good, if intense, note to finish on. I’m sure you’re not here for light tittle tattle so can handle these topics. I’ll be back in late Autumn with hopefully less secrets but not going to promise anymore! Until then you can keep up with me on the socials… I’m all but off Twitter these days but occasionally posting. It’s really not going brilliantly online BUT you can still find me on:
Instagram - @lucysullivanuk
Bluesky - @lucysullivan.bsky.social
Online: lucysullivanuk.com
Thanks for reading. Best Spooky Season wishes to you & give generously to your local witches. Cheers, Lucy
