British Comic Awards

Well, here's a thing - after issue #5 of The Absence being nominated for Best Comic at the British Comic Awards last year, the whole blimmin' thing has been short-listed for Best Book this year! I KNOW, RIGHT!? I'm chuffed, amazed, stunned and chuffed some more.
I'm up against some stiff (hahaha because my name is Stiff) opposition (particularly Celeste which I loved):

The Absence – Martin Stiff (Titan Books)
Celeste – I.N.J. Culbard (Self Made Hero)
The Encyclopedia of Early Earth – Isabel Greenberg (Jonathan Cape)
Lighter Than My Shadow – Katie Green (Jonathan Cape)
Sally Heathcote: Suffragette – Mary Talbot, Kate Charlesworth and Bryan Talbot (Jonathan Cape)

The award ceremony is on the 15th November at the Thought Bubble ComicCon, so keep your fingers crossed for me! I'll be going along, so if you're there come say hello. I'll be the one nervously pacing in the corner.

Zarjaz!

Ever since I was a kid I've been in a relationship with the cult sci-fi comic 2000AD. Sure, we've had our difficulties – periods where we have grown apart or fallen out – but somehow we've always ended up back together again. It's impossible to quantify exactly how much impact characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, and Zenith have had upon my life, especially creatively. With it's weird British sensibilities and lashing of ultra-violence, it offered an insight into the world of comic creating that would have an enormous effect of me growing up. All I ever wanted to do as a kid was write or draw for my favourite comic and it was a passion which ultimately saw me creating my own stories.


I think you can see it in The Absence. The strange, slightly off-beat humour, a little experimental, bonkers sci-fi ideas, thick black line-work… so much of everything I write and draw today is influenced by a lifetime of reading 2000AD. And now, at (almost, ahem) 40 I'd still bloody love to write or draw for it.

But until that day should happen, I've done the next best thing and written and drawn a short story in the new issue of the 2000AD fanzine Zarjaz. Like it's parent comic, Zarjaz is an anthology comic and my story is about the Brit-Cit Detective-Judge Armitage, (imagine Judge Dredd crossed with Inspector Morse). I'm proud to be featured in a comic with so many other ace creators and it's a great opportunity to play in the 2000AD world.

You can buy a copy of Zarjaz #21 here. Let me know what you think of it.

In other, 'The Absence' news, I've been asked to do something rather exciting! As soon as I have more information I'll post about it, but suffice to say there should be some Official Absence merchandise along shortly…

Yes, more reviews

Reviews for The Absence continue to come in, most of them pretty bloody great thanks for asking. One even goes so far to call me a 'literary genius' which is rather lovely/hilarious/bizarre/wrong.

http://www.fandompost.com/2014/05/07/the-absence-hardcover-graphic-novel-review/

http://portlandbookreview.com/the-absence/

http://www.fortressofsolitude.co.za/os_book/the-absence-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-absence-review

http://www.themacguffin.net/absence-review/

http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/6689/review-the-absence-is-an-atmospheric-and-spooky-small-town-horror-gn/

http://www.atomicmoo.com/2014/04/20/atomic-moo-comic-book-review-of-the-absence/

http://www.thecultden.com/2014/04/the-cult-den-book-club-comic-review.html

Additionally, folk have been saying nice things about the book over on Good Reads, too.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18373418-the-absence?from_search=true

And just in case you think this blog has become nothing but a platform for me to plug the book, here's a sneak peak of something I'm working on at the moment. It's a little 7 page strip I've written and drawn for the 2000AD fanzine Zarjaz. As with The Absence I pencilled it all using, well, pencils, but as an experiment I'm inking it all on the computer. And for various reasons it's driving me absolutely batty, but I'll blog about that later…

Competitions, signings and awards…

Here's some things:

You can win a copy of my graphic novel The Absence, here. But be quick, the competition closes tonight at midnight:http://www.thecultden.com/2014/04/competition-win-copy-of-absence.html

On Saturday, I'm doing a signing at Forbidden Planet, London (3-4pm) for Free Comic Book Day (And no, The Absence ain't gonna be free – you gotta pay for that) Come along and say hi!:

https://forbiddenplanet.com/events/2014/05/03/martin-stiff-signing-absence/

And finally, if you have a spare moment, I'd be forever grateful if you could vote for The Absence as Best British Comic: Black and White in the Stan Lee Eagle Awards (here: http://www.stanleeeagleawards.com/nominations.html) and/or Best Book at the British Comic Awards (here: http://britishcomicawards.com)

Ain't It Cool News reviews The Absence!

Lovely review for The Absence on top cult geek website Ain't It Cool:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/66776#5

Some quotes:

"While it plays on many levels, the crux of THE ABSENCE is filling voids."

"The naturalistic dialog, intricate black and white pencils and Stiff's reverence for the time period from style to sayings are worth the price of admission, but it's the sci-fi twist that makes THE ABSENCE a true comic book as well as a great story."

While you're there, scroll down a bit for a review of Psycho Gran by my friend David Leach.

New reviews and news

A couple more reviews:

http://www.popcults.com/book-review-absence-martin-stiff/

http://retrenders.com/2014/03/17/the-absence-by-martin-stiff/

Another Q&A (on the hugely influential cult comic and film website Bleeding Cool):

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/03/03/the-absence-is-a-dark-wwii-mystery-play-the-bleeding-cool-interview-with-martin-stiff/

And, bizarrely, here's a website that has made The Absence their April book club choice! How terribly flattering!

http://www.thecultden.com/2014/03/the-cult-den-book-club-aprils-book-of.html

A few more reviews and a signing

Nothing to see here - just a little more self-congratlatory back-slapping, move along, move along*…

(*LOOK, I WANT ALL THESE REVIEWS STASHED IN ONE PLACE FOR CONVENIENCE SAKE, ALRIGHT?! JEEZ.)

http://markclapham.wordpress.com/2014/03/11/ten-minutes-on-the-absence-by-martin-stiff/

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2014/03/09/review-time-with-the-absence/

http://www.awkwardgeeks.com/absence-graphic-novel/

I did my first signing for The Absence at Forbidden Planet, London on the 5 March and had a great time. Thanks so much to everyone who turned up! Here's a photo of me looking terrified:

I'm doing another signing at the London Superhero Comic Convention on Saturday 15th March at 4pm on the FP stand (tables 115-121). If you're visiting the con, come along and say hi!

Links to reviews, and some general self-congratulatory stuff

(Apologies in advance: I'm putting all this stuff on here mainly so I have it all in one place but the upshot of that is that it looks a bit showy-offy. Um, not much I can do about that, sorry.)

With The Absence graphic novel out shortly (this week, in fact!) the reviews have started appearing. Here's a few links. In an attempt to be as unbiased as possible, I've also put the more negative reviews here too…

On the whole people seem to be very kind about it, which is great! I'm really pleased with the response so far. I've had a few people drop me a line on Twitter as well, which is incredibly nice of them.

http://curiosityofasocialmisfit.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/the-absence-graphic-novel-review.html

http://www.brokenfrontier.com/the-absence-a-welcome-collection-of-martin-stiffs-dense-evocative-mystery-story/

http://www.existentialennui.com/2014/02/titan-comics-graphic-novel-roundup.html

http://hoopercomicart.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/titaqn-books-absence.html

http://www.clandestinecritic.co.uk/2014/02/comic-book-review-absence.html

http://www.capsulecomputers.com.au/2014/01/the-absence-review/

Here's a review from Comic Heroes (it's available on the Apple Newsstand, so I can't link directly to it. You should all be buying it anyway…)

I've also written a really long (rambling, self-indulgent) 'director's commentary' over at The Forbidden Planet International blog. Those guys have been supporters of The Absence since the beginning and I'm hugely grateful to them. Here's a link to that.

http://www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2014/directors-commentary-martin-stiff-talk-the-absence/

And here's a Q&A I was asked to do (which included the curiously tough question, 'What was the most horrific thing that happened to you when you were working on this book?' Whatever happened to asking people the price of milk?):

http://decapitateddan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/deep-discussions-with-decapitated-dan.html

Finally, here's a photo from the London Forbidden Planet store (which had The Absence on early release), showing it at #17 (!) in the graphic novel charts…

Jeez, slapping yourself on the back is harder than it looks! I'm off for a lie down. Next week I have a signing at Forbidden Planet on Wednesday (hey, you should come along!) and at least one more Q&A due for publication. Oh, and the small matter of the actual proper official publication of book itself…

The Absence - The Graphic Novel

Well, with publication date fast approaching I thought I'd better check in. Been neglecting the blog a bit too much recently.

With the complete collection out in a month, I've had to remove the last 3 issues from sale on Lulu. That said, if anyone has been collecting the individual issues (for the last five years - well done for sticking with it…) and needs one to complete their collection, just drop me a line. I have a few copies kicking about at home.

Here's a photo at the graphic novel. And look! Fun can be had matching up your face with the cover.

I'm really rather pleased with how the book turned out. It's 272 pages long (including 8 pages or so of extra features at the back) and the matte paper stock has quite a weight to it. The production quality is lovely - my slap-dash black inky artwork has never looked so crisp!

You can buy it at this places. Just click a link:

AMAZON UK
AMAZON US
FORBIDDEN PLANET
FORBIDDEN PLANET INTERNATIONAL

I gather I'll be doing some signings and various bits of promo for the book as we near the release date, but more on that soon. And more on what I'll be doing next, too…

Midnight Man

Now I'm all done with The Absence (I checked over and approved the printer proofs at Titan Comics HQ the other day - so that's the 272 page collection officially off at print!) I finally have a little time to fulfil a few promises I've made over the last couple of months to people.

Some time ago, artist Andy Bloor (check out the amazing Wolfmen series, drawn by Andy and written by Dave West) asked me to do a pin up for his and writer Mo Ali's new comic Midnight Man.

Plot details of the comic are shrouded in secrecy, but Andy has been posting artwork from it on his blog, so I had reference material and, after the fairly slow-paced Absence I was excited about drawing something that had, like, superheroes with guns and explosions and action. In his black trench coat, the titular character has a design which allows for a great deal of expressive movement and so I knew I wanted to do something with a lot of energy and along with Andy's cool mask design (an eerie blank face, with a simple arrow pointing up) I also figured I could do something quite graphic.

Mulling it over for a few days I wondered if there might be some mileage in using the arrow in a way similar to the poster for The Dark Knight Rises (see below).

From a low angle like this provides it meant I could have the Midnight Man falling onto the viewer - always a cool angle to draw a superhero. I sketched a pretty loose interpretation of what was in my head.

Happy with the general way it was progressing I wanted to sketch it up with heavier black to figure out how the composition would work.

From there I worked up a more polished pencil version. (Sorry about the pic - it's a crappy photo rather than a scan).

I spent fricking ages getting his legs and feet right. Like ages. I wanted a pose quite realistic, but the problem with that, when you're dealing with such a weird angle and position, is that (weirdly) it can look too forced and not natural enough.

So anyway, finally happy with it, I inked it up.

And there we were. I left it for the night and came back to it the following morning.

Imagine my annoyance when, the following morning, I discovered I didn't like it anymore. It felt too static. My artwork is pretty loose (some might say slap-dash…) and I'd spent so long trying to make it 'neat' I'd over-worked the inks and it had lost the spontaneity. And I'd also gone off the general pose - it too lacked the energy I was after. 

I searched the internet looking for something to spark an idea and eventually found this image:

There was something about it I like - the total lack of control and the way the guy is utterly giving himself up to the jump. Legs right back, arms outstretched. That said, it wasn't perfect - it wasn't very heroic and frankly he looks a bit bloody terrified. So, with that all in mind, and while trying to keep that urgent spontaneity, I sketched this doodle as quickly as I could:

Aha. There was something there - not just the pose but the mere fact that it reminded me not to over labour the drawing - keep it loose and sketchy. 

While drawing The Absence I'd have three stages - loose pencils, then I'd tighten those up, and then ink 'em. But for this I missed out the middle stage. I did a really rough pencil sketch - just to get proportions right, figure out where the head was gonna go and whatnot - and then went straight to inks. I ended up with this: 

I liked that. And I liked it even more the following morning. 

So I scanned it in, and played about with it in Photoshop for a while (adding various textures I've built up doing The Absence, and using some photo collage) and this is the final version. 

I'm really happy with it. It has the exact feel that I wanted and looks pretty close to what was in my head at the beginning (and it's not often that happens…)

And what's even better, Andy and Mo both like it too. I love their work so I'm hugely proud to have been asked to do it, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the final Midnight Man comic! Make sure you all buy it.

Next week, I'll be posting details about a signing (my first signing oh god oh god I'm so nervous) I'll be doing for Titan Comics at Thought Bubble in Leeds.

"Stiff Competition"

I was recently asked to write a short thing for MyM Magazine about The Absence and it's nomination in the British Comic Awards. Instead I wrote an overly long, rambling thing but they ran it all anyway.

It's available now in all good newsagents and the iTunes store.

Available now: The Absence #6 - FINAL ISSUE

All done.

This is it. This is the final issue of The Absence and it's available on Lulu now. £3.50 for 58 pages. Lulu have changed their publishing formats so it's perfect bound with a spine whereas the earlier issues were stapled. Not much I can do about it sadly - and actually I had to go back and rejig the earlier issues so any bought now will also have spines.

Can't quite believe it's all over.

(Well, over until Titan Comics release the graphic novel collection (which is available for preorder on Amazon) next March anyway…)

The Absence: Nominated for Best Comic at the BCA

Well, now here's a thing. Issue 5 of The Absence has only gone and got shortlisted for Best Comic at the British Comic Awards! 

I'm utterly blown away by the news and I'm so proud to be up there amongst so many great creators and books. It's a huge honour. And the fact Lenny bloody Henry (one of the final round of judges) will actually be reading my comic makes my head spin.

In other news, due to the publication of The Absence graphic novel by Titan next March, I've had to take the first three issues offline from Lulu. It's a shame, but I understand that it would damage sales of the collection. The last three issues will be available until Christmas when I'll also have to retire those.

(That said, I do have some spare copies of 1-3 kicking about so if anyone wants one, just drop me a line. But don't tell anyone else I told you that, right?)

"I'm just showing you the horizon"

After 5 years, the sixth and final issue of The Absence will be available soon.

Here's the teaser blurb from the back:

While the terrified villagers evacuate their doomed town, frantic work continues in the caverns deep beneath their feet in a last ditch attempt to save it. 

Marwood Clay, already mistrustful of the mysterious Dr. Temple, meets a man from Temple’s past who finally seems to validate and confirm Clay’s worst suspicions. But even as he learns the awful truth about his nemesis, little does he realise the full horrifying extent of Temple’s masterplan. A plan which, now his strange house is complete, Temple can finally reveal. 

As Clay and Temple’s intertwined history is revealed, events in the small coastal town race towards their catastrophic conclusion… 

Here's a picture of some dead rats.

Cover to come…

The Absence #5 - AVAILABLE NOW

 There were a couple of minor quibbles in the first proofs I received so I've tided up those up and now the fifth issue of The Absence is available online from Lulu.com. Here's a link:

PURCHASE THE ABSENCE #5 HERE

It's £3.50 for 52 pages (50 pages of strip, plus another two page essay thingy I wrote about the origins of the story).

The Absence is a six issue miniseries, so only more issue to go! Script is written, thumbnails are done. Nearly there…

"How many people have you killed, Dr Temple?"

Huzzah! Issue 5 of The Absence is done, and at the printers! It's 52 pages long and took about 5 months which makes it the quickest issue (in terms of size to speed) EVAH! Which is just as well, since I now have to squeeze out the sixth and final issue before October… Thankfully the last issue will be a little shorter. I've been head down and working (both on The Absence, and, at, well, work) which explains the lack of blog udpates.

Where issue 4 examined Marwood's history, issue 5 takes a look at the past of the enigmatic Dr. Temple. Here's the blurb from the back:

Following the horrifying discovery of a massive chasm beneath his home and in an attempt to help save the village from certain collapse, Dr. Temple enlists the help of an old friend from his time in a military experimental science unit. 

But with Irvine Pink’s arrival also come memories of Temple’s tragic childhood and recruitment by the enigmatic and dangerous Taylor, a man whose motives are never quite what they seem and should never be trusted. 

Meanwhile, as the doctor and Pink race to discover the truth behind the missing villagers, Marwood’s suspicion of Temple continues to grow...

And here's the cover.

That's Taylor on the front there. He's already made a couple of appearances in The Absence (most notably in issue #2) and he gets a little more screen time in this issue. 

In other news, a story I drew and painted a couple of years ago has made it into this month's CLiNT magazine! Written by JP Rutter it's a short tale of haute cuisine, absolute desperation and crushing horror. A bit like the Great British Bake Off, then. Here's a photo, now go and buy it.

SketchUp

Yes, I know it's been fricking ages since my last post. I've been manically busy with one thing or another and it seems more important to actually get the comic finished (it's going well, thanks for asking) than it does to talk about it, but it's Sunday night and I'm too knackered to draw so I thought I'd post something instead.

I used Google's (now Trimble's) SketchUp briefly at work a few years ago to create 3D packshots of books I was designing. I never used it much, and so I never really 'mastered' it (in fact most of my time was spent going, 'Oh now why has that happened? Don't move that there, I didn't… OH FOR GOD'S SAKE').

I'd read how some artists use it to create a 3D environment which they can immerse themselves in to help ensure their backgrounds and scenes look authentic. I discovered it's possible to download 3D sculpts created by other people and when working on issue #3 I found a great model of a Messerschmitt which I used as reference for the upended plane on the cliff edge. To be able to spin the thing round and find the perfect angle was a revelation but still I shied away from actually creating my own sculpts because it always seemed so complicated.

But I continued to fiddle with it over the next year or so, and now, on issue #5, I've used it to create a couple of environments. Here's some screengrabs of the models:

The Falling Moon pub interior

Edward Temple's house (Who he? Wait and find out…)

They're pretty coarse, very simple and a bit clunky but they enable me to move around inside the two spaces and find the perfect angle. I do a 2D export, stick it into my page layout and basically 'trace' the geometric lines. All the detail I put in by hand afterwards, safe in the knowledge that my vanishing points and perspective are bang on.

With Edward Temple's house I imported other elements I downloaded from the SketchUp database (the staircase is actually a model someone created of the Titanic's staircase - I put it in then pulled it apart a bit while the chandelier is really just there for positional reference for me).

So SketchUp is proving to be really useful - and I'm spending less time arguing with it as well, which is nice. And the best thing about it? It's totally free to download. You can't argue with that...

ISSUE FOUR! AVAILABLE NOW!

Well crikey, it's taken slightly over a year but I've finally navigated the torrid waters of a busy work and home life to finish issue four (of six, oh god still two more to go!) of The Absence! I have it in my sweaty little hand, look:

If you're so inclined, you can buy a copy here. It's £3.50, and 68 pages long (SIXTY! EIGHT!). Thanks in advance and please do let me know what you think!

Grumpy Marwood

Seen it done before by others, but there's something about photographing your artwork in Instragram that adds a real depth and warmth to it. Well, I think so anyway. Obviously once the inevitable Instagram backlash occurs and we all think it's terribly passé I'll revise my opinion accordingly...

In other news, I'm one page - ONE SOLITARY, INKED PAGE - away from finishing all of the artwork for issue 4. And then it's just a bit of lettering, some redrawing here and there, then a final proof read and it'll be off to printers... Oh thank god.

Pearl Clay