Friday 24 December 2010

Inigo Montoya Santa (and Fezzik Santa)

Here is our final entry in SantaSketchFest 2010! And it's a bonus two-for-one offer.

24 - Inigo Montoya Santa and Fezzik Santa

"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare... for PRESENTS!"

This plcuky pair of Princess Bride Santas are for Anna Jay, aka @mondoagogo - whose birthday it is today! "Close to Christmas. Was that hard?"

And that's that, I have drawn quite enough stupid Father Christmases for one year. I am actually off on holiday RIGHT NOW, I posted this yesterday. Thanks to everyone who took part in the SantaSketchFest, HUGE thanks to everyone who bought my book this year, and said nice things about it, and told their friends about it, and all that good stuff. Lots of love to you all, and I hope you have a very very Merry Christmas. I for one certainly intend to.

And once again: Happy Birtday, Anna!



Thursday 23 December 2010

Lando Santa

Here is today's - penultimate - entry in SantaSketchFest 2010!

23 - Lando Calrissian Santa

Santa Calrissian is a special Christmas present for my good friend Pimpin' Ken The Gentleman Pimp, by way of an apology for my continuing failure to procure for him Billy Dee Williams' autograph. Maybe in 2011, Ken!

I have a million exciting and interesting things that I probably should blog about, but to be honest my brain is rapidly shutting down for the holidays, or at least becoming consumed by thoughts of what time the potatoes need to go in, what needs to go on which plate on the hob at what time, and so forth. So I think I'll officially declare myself on Christmas holiday as of... now!

Oh, except to advance-post our final Santa! Check back tomorrow for it!


Wednesday 22 December 2010

K9 Santa

Here is today's entry in SantaSketchFest 2010!

22 - K9 Santa

A companion piece, if you will, to this one.

I genuinely can't remember who I drew this one for! Maybe it was me, maybe I just wanted to draw K9 Santa? Look, it's been a long December and I'm very confused. Um, if you would like a K9 Santa card, raise your hand?

Only two more Santas to go! And then... I can finally rest.

Full set on Flickr | Santas 2009 | Santas 2008 | Buy prints

Hey, while I'm here: check out this list of Comics Alliance's 15 favourites from this years SantaSketchFest!

Also: just look at this rather marvellous animated Christmas Card from David Fickling Books, featuring amongst other delights the Jamie Smart-illustrated sight of kids sledding on copies of Mo-Bot High and its DFC Library friends!



A timely message there. This year, give the greatest gift of all.

COMICS.


Tuesday 21 December 2010

Hamlet Santa

Here is today's entry in SantaSketchFest 2010!

21 - Hamlet Santa
"Alas, poor Santa. I knew him, Rudolph."

It's really Yorick Santa, not Hamlet Santa at all. But it is for Linda Sargent anyway. Merry Christmas to Linda!

More Santas tomorrow!

Full set on Flickr | Santas 2009 | Santas 2008 | Buy prints



Monday 20 December 2010

Mighty Morphin Santa Rangers

Here's today's entry in SantaSketchFest 2010! No. 20!

20 - Mighty Morphin Santa Rangers

The Mighty Morphin Santa Rangers are for Bradley Jernigan, a.k.a. @SimonTheDigger.

Only four more Santas till Christmas! I am in full-on genuine Christmas mood now, it's ace. The deep snow outside and the fact I've been living on Christmas sandwiches for some time now may be to blame.

Full set on Flickr | Santas 2009 | Santas 2008 | Buy prints

While I'm here: there's a great feature on the DFC Library books over on Armadillo magazine, with interviews with the creators and with publisher David Fickling. Check it out here!

Also: a very positive if somewhat gramatically unorthodox review of Mo-Bot High, on ComicBuzz.com! 9/10, yay! (Hmmm, I may start reviewing reviews of Mo-Bot High, over on URT.)


Friday 17 December 2010

Cerberus Santa

And here is TODAY'S Santa! No. 19 already, gosh.

19 - Cerberus Santa

Cerberus Santa is for @LiterateKnits, and it was another one of those suggestions I simply could not resist drawing. Merry Christmas @LiterateKnits, may Cerberus Santa carry many excellent presents to you from across the river Styx.

I may be mixing up my mythologies there. Did I mention I'm quite tired?

More Santas tomorrow!

Full set on Flickr | Santas 2009 | Santas 2008 | Buy prints



The explanatory section: as this year's Advent Calendar Blog Thing I am drawing Santa cards for nice people who bought my book. If you would like to suggest a santa, fire 'em at me on twitter, facebook or the comments section here. If you would like to buy my book, here are some handy details on how you might do so: http://www.neillcameron.com/mobot-high/buy.html. Thank you.

Marty Feldman Santa

Here is yesterday's Santa! (Look, I was busy.)

18 - Marty Feldman Santa

Marty Feldman Santa is for @teamsmithy, who - actually, I don't think he has bought my book. That BUM. But he can have a Santa anyway, because it is the Season of Santa and Santa forgives all sins.

Wow, I'm quite tired.

Full set on Flickr | Santas 2009 | Santas 2008 | Buy prints



The explanatory section: as this year's Advent Calendar Blog Thing I am drawing Santa cards for nice people who bought my book. If you would like to suggest a santa, fire 'em at me on twitter, facebook or the comments section here. If you would like to buy my book, here are some handy details on how you might do so: http://www.neillcameron.com/mobot-high/buy.html. Thank you.

Wednesday 15 December 2010

Davros Santa

Here is today's entry in SantaSketchFest 2010!

17 - Davros Santa

Today's Santa was drawn for Ben Werdmuller - @benwerd on twitter, and I hope he enjoys it! A very excellent suggestion. I think - in fact I know - that this is going to be just the first of several Doctor Who-tinged Santas as we draw nearer to Karen Gillan Day.

More Santas tomorrow!

Full set on Flickr | Santas 2009 | Santas 2008 | Buy prints



The explanatory section: as this year's Advent Calendar Blog Thing I am drawing Santa cards for nice people who bought my book. If you would like to suggest a santa, fire 'em at me on twitter, facebook or the comments section here. If you would like to buy my book, here are some handy details on how you might do so: http://www.neillcameron.com/mobot-high/buy.html. Thank you.

Tuesday 14 December 2010

Wolvie Santa

Here is today's entry in SantaSketchFest 2010!

16 - Wolvie Santa
Or "Santa Claws", I guess. Yeah, I said it.

Santa Wolvie is for... actually, I'm not saying who it's for, because they bought my book as a present for someone and I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise! But they know who they are, and they are awesome. If you would like to buy a copy of my totally awesome book as a Christmas present for someone - well, there could be a Santa in it for you, clearly.

Check out the full set so far on Flickr! And check back tomorrow for more Santas!




The explanatory section: as this year's Advent Calendar Blog Thing I am drawing Santa cards for nice people who bought my book. If you would like to suggest a santa, fire 'em at me on twitter, facebook or the comments section here. If you would like to buy my book, here are some handy details on how you might do so: http://www.neillcameron.com/mobot-high/buy.html. Thank you.



Media Mo-Botspotting

Mo-Bots have been popping up here and there in the nation's newsagents and thought I'd put together a quick round-up of places to look for 'em!

TF Cover RGB v2 600px
Giant Robot Snowball Fight - my cover art to Transformers issue 19, on sale in all good newsagents now!
  • The latest issue of Transformers comic features a cover by ME (yay! Transformers! This one's for you, 8-year-old me) and a competition to win 10 copies of Mo-Bot High AND 10 copies of my DFC Library compadres The Etherington Bros' fabulous Monkey Nuts, too! Get on that.
  • The latest issue of fantastic anime / manga / asian pop culture mag NEO features a short interview with ME, talking about Mo-Bot High, AND a 10-PAGE PREVIEW! Including this funky poster here, and a Bonus Extra Page which wasn't included in the book!


Mo-Bot NEO poster

  • The brand-new issue of Comic Heroes magazine has some preview pages too, in its comics-previewing supplement SIDEKICK! And very nice they look too.
  • Me and my Cardboard Mo-Bots popped up a couple of times last week in the Oxford Mail and the Oxford Times, publicising the book launch party at Blackwells. And look, Logan even made it into the paper, too!
(I would not normally use my own son for marketing purposes, honestly. But I was looking after him the day we had to go do the photos, and what was I going to do? "Listen kid, you go play outside in the street for a bit while Daddy poses for the nice man.")

Also, I've just seen a couple of very nice reviews pop up online:

This one, on fantastic teen fiction review site Chicklish, from reviewer Luisa Plaja.
"Filled with action, suspense, brilliant tongue-in-cheek humour and amazing illustrations, this book is wonderful and I highly recommend it. I want the next book and I want it now!"
And here's another over on kids' book site Armadillo:
"...there is a lot more going on here than giant robots and spectacular fight scenes – the sinister dinner ladies, and ominous comments about Asha being ‘the Harbinger’ give this a touch of Doctor Who-style mystery alongside the technological awesomeness."
The Armadillo review is part of a lovely great big feature on the DFC Library, along with interviews with loads of the creators and Mr David Fickling himself! Do go and have a read.

Right, that's it, I'm exhausted. Hooray, now for several days of not having to have my picture taken!


Monday 13 December 2010

Overweight Princess Leia Cosplay Santa

And here we are all up to date with SantaSketchFest 2010!

15 - Overweight Princess Leia Cosplay Santa

Overweight Princess Leia Cosplay Santa was drawn as a Christmas card for Laura Howell, because she bought a copy of Mo-Bot High! And also because she is awesome. And also because she was kind enought to send me a copy of her comic The Bizarre Adventures of Gilbert & Sullivan. And also because said comic was pretty much my favourite thing I read this year.

..That's enough reasons, right?




The explanatory section: as this year's Advent Calendar Blog Thing I am drawing Santa cards for nice people who bought my book. If you would like to suggest a santa, fire 'em at me on
twitter, facebook or the comments section here. If you would like to buy my book, here are some handy details on how you might do so: http://www.neillcameron.com/mobot-high/buy.html. Thank you.


Baby Yeti Santa

After the horrors of Alan Moore, a much-needed injection of cuteness into SantaSketchFest 2010!

14 - Baby Yeti Santa

Baby Yeti Santa is for Jenni Scott and Richard Buck and their awesome new daughter Aphra, who has a furry suit that totally makes her look like a baby yeti. It is pretty much the cutest thing ever, and this card in no way does it justice.

Another Santa coming up RIGHT ABOUT NOW.





The explanatory section: as this year's Advent Calendar Blog Thing I am drawing Santa cards for nice people who bought my book. If you would like to suggest a santa, fire 'em at me on
twitter, facebook or the comments section here. If you would like to buy my book, here are some handy details on how you might do so: http://www.neillcameron.com/mobot-high/buy.html. Thank you.

Disturbingly Cheerful Alan Moore Santa

Today we shall be getting caught up with Santas for SantaSketchFest 2010! Here is the ominous no. 13...

13 - Disturbingly Cheerful Alan Moore Santa

Disturbingly Cheerful Alan Moore Santa was requested by K. D. Bryan, a fine fellow who has not in fact bought my book but has promised to do so, which is good enough for me!

If you want to suggest a Santa, please feel free to do so via twitter, facebook or the comments section here.

Friday 10 December 2010

Kirby Santa

Here is today's entry in SantaSketchFest 2010!


11 - Kirby Santa

KIRBY SANTA is for Chris Sims, a fine fellow who has certainly earned the title Friend Of Mo-Bots (FOM), bigging up the book both on his podcast War Rocket Ajax and over on Comics Alliance!

I assumed this was what he meant by "Kirby Santa", but just in case, here is BONUS EXTRA KIRBY SANTA!

12 - Kirby Santa 2

Now: FIGHT.

If you would like to request a Santa as part of SantaSketchFest 2010, let me know your Santa Suggestions via twitter / facebook / here on this blog. I will post it here and send you the original art as a christmas card! Pretty good, right? Lots of good suggestions which I'll be posting in the next week, but there are a few spots left so get in fast! To be eligible you just need to have bought a copy of Mo-Bot High! (I will accept a promise that you intend to but it but haven't got round to it yet. And I might even allow wiggle room on that, if you ask nicely. Politeness is key, really.)

More Santas tomorrow!

Thursday 9 December 2010

Santa Widdecombe

10 - Santa Widdecombe

Today's Santa is for Andrew Wildman! I have no idea why he would wish to see such a ghastly thing, but there you go. Dude drew Transformers, he gets whatever Santa he wants.

(Non-UK readers who have no idea who Anne Widdecombe is should frankly just count themselves fortunate and move on without asking too many questions).

That's what I am doing this year, drawing Santa Christmas cards for nice people who've bought my book! (Or who intend to buy my book - I'm a trusting fellow). If you have a particular Santa you'd like to see, let me know about it via twitter / facebook / comments on this blog.

Another Santa tomorrow! And hopefully, a less gruesome one.



Wednesday 8 December 2010

FrankenSanta

09 - FrankenSanta

Today's Santa was suggested by @Leenygma on twitter! Dude, DM / e-mail me your postal address so I can send you the original!

I don't actually know whether @Leenygma has in fact bought my book in order to qualify for the SantaSketchFest, but he suggested FrankenSanta and how the hell was I NOT going to draw that?

If you would like to suggest a Santa of your own - and get the original art send to you as a Christmas card, don't forget - then simply buy my book and then tell me what kind of Santa you'd like via twitter / facebook / comments on this blog.

Also, don't forget - some of last year's Santas are available as printed cards in my shop! Not many left, so order fast! And check out a gallery of some of last year's lot over on Comics Alliance, the world's most entirely fabulous comic book website!

Another Santa every day till Christmas!

Tuesday 7 December 2010

Nutella Santa

08 - Nutella Santa

Here is a bonus extra Santa, drawn as a christmas card for my DFC Library compadre Kate Brown! Simply because I initially misread 'Nigella Santa' as 'Nutella Santa'. I hope Kate likes this card. I think she was hoping for a bit more... interface between Nigella and the Nutella, but this is an ALL-AGES BLOG! Well, sort of. Well, sometimes.

I've got a few school events coming up with Kate which I am really looking forward to because - well, because Kate is awesome, really. Her DFC book The Spider Moon is one of the most beautiful comics I own, and 2011 is going to see the release of her new book Fish & Chocolate which from the few sneak peeks I've seen of it is shaping up to be every bit as gorgeous. Merry Christmas to Kate! (And also to Paul Duffield, who shares a mantelpiece and so shares this card!)

If you want to suggest a santa, fire 'em at me on twitter, facebook or the comments section here.

Another Santa tomorrow!

Nigella Santa

07 - Nigella Santa

Nigella Santa! Boobs, check. Big dollops of whipped cream, check. SCARY MAD EYES, check.

Today's Santa is for the entirely lovely and quite appallingly talented cartoonist, illustrator, blogger and spectacle-wearer Sarah McIntyre, and I hope she likes it. Getting to know Sarah, in our capacity as DFC Library colleagues (and latterly, I would like to think, as friends) has been a particularly lovely thing about this year. She's been inordinately generous and supportive as I've taken my first stumbling steps as a Published Author. We did a school event together earlier this year that really was a turning point for me in realising that public speaking and live events were not something to fear but something that it actually turns out I really enjoy and am actually kind of good at. But having Sarah there to hide behind made it all much less scary to begin with. So a very merry Christmas to Sarah! Why not go and buy her wonderful book Vern and Lettuce for someone as a Christmas present? It would look so lovely next to a copy of Mo-Bot High. HINT.

If you would like to suggest a Santa and have bought my book (I will accept a solemn promise that you intend to buy it, if you haven't), just let me know what Santa you'd like to see via twitter, facebook or the comments on this blog!

BONUS EXTRA SANTA coming right up...

Monday 6 December 2010

Soviet Santa

06 - Soviet Santa

FORWARD THROUGH PRESENTS!

This is a christmas card for my good friends James and Marsha (and Felix, if he promises not to chew the corners), because they are awesome and also because they bought my book, and that is what I am doing this year, drawing christmas cards for awesome people who bought my book.

If you are an awesome person and you bought my book, let me know about it! I'll be drawing another Santa every day between now and Christmas. 19 to go! You can holla at me and request a Santa in the comments here, on twitter using the hashtag #santasketchfest, or over on my Facebook page. Or, I dunno, just think it really hard and hope I have somehow developed psychic powers. It could happen.

Another Santa tomorrow!

Buffy Santa

05 - Buffy Santa

Buffy Santa! This is a christmas card for my pal Emma who, in addition to being one of the most awesome people I have ever met, bought my book. Being awesome is of course its own reward, as for that matter is buying my book, but the combination of both gets you a card.

More Santas coming up in LIKE ONE SECOND.

B-Boy Santa

04 - B-Boy Santa

We're back! I have a few days' worth of Santas to catch up on. Think of it as like when you forget to open your advent calendar for a few days and then get to eat a bunch of chocolates all at once.

First up, we have here B-Boy Santa. This one is for my pal Jamie Peppitt, who is - apart from being the greatest breakdancer the village of Twatt* in Orkney has ever seen - a nice person who bought my book. If you are a nice person who bought my book, and you would like a Santa too, just let me know!

It is inspired by a recent viewing of the motion picture 'B-Girl', which may actually be the single worst thin I have ever seen. And oh my word but that is saying a lot.

More Santas COMING RIGHT UP.

* Yes, that is actually what the place is called. Really.

A Very Random Christmas

Last week I went along to the Random House Children's Books Christmas Party. And look who I met there - only bleedin' POSY SIMMONDS that's who! Thanks so much to Sarah McIntyre for introducing me, and taking the photo to prove it. I think in this picture I am grinning while apologising for not being remotely famous or talented enough to talk to her.

It was a lovely party although it did have the overwhelming effect of making me realise how appallingly little I know about the world of children's book publishing. It's beyond 'embarrassing' and into 'actually quite seriously unprofessional', the degree of my ignorance about what is now after all my own field. I can only plead newness and point out in my defence that I do know an awful lot about comics. But that's really no excuse. I have made an early New Year's Resolution to begin properly acquainting myself with some of the works and authors I really ought to be acquainted with already, and as a starting point I am going to seek out works by some of the people I met at the party, because (a) they seemed lovely, and (b) their books sounded really interesting.

So in no particular order, I think I owe it to myself to be checking out...

Grizzly Dad by Joanna Harrison . A story about a boy who discovers that his grumpy hangover Dad has turned into an actual grizzly bear! I am totally buying this for Logan, something tells me he may be able to relate. Joanna was one of the animators who worked on The Snowman, a fact that caused me to gibber involuntarily and express my awed nerdy admiration at her for about ten minutes in an entirely embarrassing fashion. But hopefully she didn't notice.








Tall Story by Candy Gourlay - I only met Candy super-briefly but I've heard great things about her work from Sarah McIntyre. And hey, the Blue Peter Favourite Story Prize can't be wrong, right?














Swapped by a Kiss by Luisa Plaja because, if I'm understanding this right, it's a bodyswap teen romance novel, and frankly that sounds like it was written specifically FOR ME. Luisa's books look so very much my cup of tea it's ridiculous. Luisa, if you ever start writing comics, give me a shout!

So that's a start! Fortunately I also had the chance to chat at the party to Ann Giles, who blogs as Bookwitch, and has taken pity on my catastrophic lack of knowledge and put together some suggestions on her blog for books I can read with Logan! Thanks so much, Ann!

Giant Robots and Sausage Rolls: the Mo-Bot Launch Party


(Happily, there were rather less by the end of the night.)

Last Friday saw the Mo-Bot High launch party at Blackwells in Oxford, and a very lovely time it was too. I was a bit apprehensive beforehand, as I had spent all day receiving a flood of apologies and last-minute cancellations from people who'd been hoping to come but had found themselves snowed in, iced up and generally unable to come due to the suddenly arctic conditions gripping Britain. I was starting to worry that the party would just be me, Di and Logan with some cardboard robots and a big pile of biscuits. (Although actually, that sounds pretty great too.) However, a bunch of people did manage to make their way through the icy wastes to show up, and it ended up being lots of fun.

Logan muscles in on David Fickling's speech, unwilling to miss an opportunity to have a roomful of people look in his direction.

L-R: Jenny Ashby, Wakefield Carter, Linda Sargeant

Check out my Mum's expression in background. What on Earth was I saying to prompt that?

After some fine and inspiring introductory speechmaking from David Fickling, one of the few men I would conceivably follow onto a field of battle, I did a bit of a live Robot Comics interactive drawy-thing. Appropriately given the setting and occasion, the story ended up being about a heroic Book-Bot and his battle against his nefarious and mind-robbing enemy, TV-Bot, before the day is saved and their differences reconciled by the timely intervention of Literary Adaptation-Bot. (And then, because I know my audience, there was a big explosion at the end).

I explain the Principle of Multiplication of Awesomeness, With Special Application to Robots

Logan "helps".
Honestly, it was pretty funny.

We also had Mo-Bot colouring, robot comics activity sheets and a collaborative Cardboard Mo-Bot building project, which produced some rather wonderful results.


The youth of today, making Mo-Bots. #win


That's Jamie Peppitt, who came down from Orkney to be at the launch. You hear that, "it was too snowy" people? ORKNEY. I'm just saying.

A Mo-Bot, designed by committee.

I had prepared a nice shiny red pre-built card-bot to act as a 'here's one I made earlier' example, but unfortunately Logan grabbed it within 30 seconds of arriving and refused to let go of it all evening, as you can probably tell from his various appearances throughout these photographs.

He quite enjoyed the sandwiches, too.

Di is shocked - SHOCKED I tell you. I have no idea why.

Fine upstanding Oxfordian men of culture Marc Bloch and Ed Wong, hob-nobbing.

"Art"

David Fickling and myself, discussing TOP SECRET plans for Mo-Bot High Book Two? Or possibly, sandwiches.

The event ended with a raffle to win a custom bit of mo-bot artwork: a portrait of the winner with their own personalised mo-bot. And the winner was... Finn Carter, who you may remember form a previous appearance on this blog! It was very gratifying to see him literally jumping up and down for joy at winning, as I was kind of worried that like my Mum would get the winning ticket and it would be totally embarrassing. (Of course, when making the draw for the runner-up prize of some pre-made cardboard mo-bot kits, my Mum did of course get the winning ticket and it was totally embarassing.)

Proceeds from the raffle are going to SSNAP, so thanks to everyone who bought a ticket. The cardboard mo-bot kits will be available for download on the Mo-Bot High website soon, as soon as I get around to writing up some comprehensible instructions to go with them!

And, just thanks to everyone who came, both lovely Oxford peeps like Kate Brown and Paul Duffield, Jenni Scott and Richard Buck (and little baby Aphra!) and also those who ventured from further afield like Emma Vieceli and Andrew Ruddick who made it over from Cambridge, Kenny and Emma Ritch who managed it from Glasgow, and of course the long-distance award winner Jamie Peppitt, the Biggest Gangsta in Dounby. Thanks to my Mum and Dad, Hester and James, Di and Logan seem to go without saying. But extra thanks too to Di, Jamie and my Dad for taking all the pictures in this post. And ENORMOUS thanks, lastly, to Hannah Chinnery at Blackwells and Matilda Johnson at DFB for organising everything so marvellously. It was a really wonderful evening, we sold a bunch of books and made some money for a very good cause, and I then got to spend the weekend hanging out with several of my favourite people in the world. So that's pretty much a win. Bless you all.


Friday 3 December 2010

Drunk LEGO Santa

03 - Drunk LEGO Santa

Lots to do today getting things ready for the Giant Mo-Bot Party tonight, so I shall let Drunk LEGO Santa pretty much speak for himself.

Another Santa tomorrow!

Wednesday 1 December 2010

Skeleton Santa

01 - Skeleton Santa

It's the start of this year's Santa Sketchfest! And a spoooooky start it is, too!

Another Santa tomorrow, and in the absence of injury / insanity / asteroid collision, every day till Christmas!