Thrill-Power Thursday – The Weekly Droid Watch – July 16th 2009

Occasionally, Tharg permits some of his script & art droids to leave 2000 AD headquarters. In the Weekly Droid Watch, I’m going to be keeping an eye on what present and former droids have been up to this week. 2000 AD droids tend to go on to produce some of the most phenomenal U.S. comics, so I’ll also be listing what comics released each week have that extra special shot of thrill-power.

Former Art Droid Gary Erskine has drawn a jaw dropping, photo realistic vision of Mega City one

- Erskine posted this image on his blog on Saturday, and it could be one of the greatest things I have ever seen:

Gary had this to say of the image:

Digital sketch for Mega City One referencing some familiar buildings and trying to capture the sheer scale of the city. The Sergio Leone close up of Dredd is a deliberate attempt to force a contrast of scale to image and there is more than a passing nod to Blade Runner, Fifth Element and AKIRA too. A bit of work trying to pull in all the seperate elements and lots of colour correcting but done for the day. Pleased with final version and not bad considering it was completed over a Saturday afternoon and early evening.

He had previously posted this gorgeous colour test of Dredd:

Both images are for a new art blog called Scotch Corner which features regular artwork from a collection of Scottish professional artists. Somewhat like Eclectic Micks, the blog will have new art from a different artist, every day of the week. Erskine is scheduled to update on Tuesdays. Check it out!

Art Droid PJ Holden posted a gorgeous greytone image of Tom Strong over on Eclectic Micks

Another sketch drawn for the book that never was – the Eclectic Micks Sketchbook – it’s Tom Strong!

Somethings I like: the splatter (I even went to the half-effort of using a mask – it was made of paper and cut out so didn’t quiet fit…) and things I don’t like: Nazi Tom Strong’s profile, Tom Strong’s waist (which is thin to try and mimic how Chris -hallowed be his name- Sprouse draws anatomy, which is great looking for weirdly pulled out or something…)

Anyhue, I should run of out unseen art next week which may necessitate drawing something fresh. But look at the great jobs the other mick’s are doing!

Art & script droid Bob Byrne also updated Eclectic Micks with the following weird thingy:

This forlorn fellow is for an upcoming 2000AD thing.

More importantly I finally got to draw my favourite page of Uncle Spunk Nugget this week

As the man said, make sure you check out his weekly web comic, Spazzmoid. It is most deliciously odd!

Art Droid Simon Fraser posted a new page of web comic Lilly MacKenzie & the Mines of Charybdis

- Lilly Mackenzie & the Mines of Charybdis is a graphic novel being serialised, for free, on the well known Webcomics Collective ACT-I-VATE. The latest page is Chapter 4, Page 28.

Art Droid Frazer Irving has posted a cool “cover in progress” post over on his blog

- Frazer is doing covers for a new DC mini called “Arkham Reborn”, and this image is for the first issue.
- [ART DROID NOTE - This droid's fuel cells are power by alcohol, much like Bender from Futurama]