Spiv Hop Pop Art Print

Here's the final Hitsville UK print, featuring Spiv Hop pioneer Jack Spatz. 

We can't get all the prints on our web shop at the moment (hopefully they'll all be up there in the future) but if you'd like one of Mr Spatz printed on lovely posh paper for £10 plus p&p then let me know.

SCARY SANTA!

My tutor saw my big red faces and asked me to do a scary Santa for our class Xmas do.

Here he is. He ended up on a skateboard. 
That's  how he does it all in one night.

I've gone back to college...

...it's like one of those episodes of Neighbours where someone's Mum goes back to school and really embarrasses the kids. Well, it's a bit like that, I should have waited until I had offspring.

Anyway, as opposed to the first time round, I am not, thus far, spending all of my time drinking myself into a slough of depsond, I'm actually making work!

Here are highlights so far: twenty faces on a sheet of A1 paper, followed by another sheet of A1, concentrating on one face. Faces are my thing so this was right up my street, so I decided to muck about with some new techniques, loosening up my drawing/inking style and having a right laugh with some really basic printing techniques. The kitchen looked like I'd murdered the cat*

I'm in there, with current Movember lip slug, and there's the obligatory reference to William Blake in the form of his Ghost of a Flea, top right. The big face turned out like a particularly angry Aleister Crowley, not sure what happened there. We put our A1's up in the corridors of Camberwell on the day that a bunch of prospective students were visiting, so I hope I didn't scare any off!

This Monday, Chloe Cheese took us through some more established forms of those printing technigues, in the form of mono printing. Brilliant fun! It was like primary school art class all over again. Potato printing for the artistically ambitious! Hoorah!

Here's the culmination of my day's experimentation, Hitsville UK's Gwillum, in process and finished version.

I'm really enjoying trying out these new techniques, and I'm really keen on incorporating some of them into my big project (which I am writing the proposal for now, I am I am honest!) 

I get to try out etching tomorrow, hope William is watching over my shoulder.

*I did not murder the cat.

Mo-town 'tachebusters vol. 1

John has been bullied into taking part in Movember and, not to be outdone, Ruthie from The Carrie Nation's Revenge has followed suit. 

That's Feminism in action!

If you can spare a few quids/dollars/euros/yen please donate at http://mobro.co/johnriordan

Thoughts on the bubble

Thought Bubble was ace, and bloody knackering. It was straight back into college stuff when I returned so I'm still collecting my thoughts.

I've not been to Thought Bubble before, and I have heard literally not a bad word about it, so I was convinced that I was going to ruin it! 

"D'you remember that comics convention in Leeds?" 

"Oh yeah, it was really good for the first four years, then that big-headed twat with the crap 'tache came along..." etc.

I am pleased to report that I did not manage to hex the Bubble. It was the first time they've done it as a two-dayer and opinion was divided as to whether they'll do it that way again. It was certainly quieter (and foggier!) on the Sunday but it was nice to actually be able to wander and talk to people, without feeling like it was totally hectic.

We were sharing a table with our good friends Underfire Comics (that's Dan on the edge of the picture above), and stationed in the smaller of the two halls, part of the amazing Royal Armouries (it's actually full of armour, who knew?) 

Here's the view from the stand!

Mike and Mark conducted a video interview with Keiron Gillen for a forthcoming Comic Gosh!p sesh (discussing Phonogram and Hitsville UK) and rumour has it that Gwillum may have got in on the act. We'll get back to you with evidence on that when we see it.

Oh yeah, the comics, eh? So much good stuff on sale, waaaay too much to take in. Here's my haul.

God knows when I'm going to find time to read all of these... Nelson alone looks like it's going to demand some serious (and rewarding) rumination. Still, that's a rather nice problem to have, isn't it, and if that's not a good indication of the wealth of talent in comics in our poor, austere isle at the moment, then I don't know what is!

Face to (lack of) face

I like to think I don't really do hero worship but you'll have to excuse my gushing a little bit because the other evening I got to to meet Peter Blegvad.

Peter wrote the amazing comic strip Leviathan, about a faceless and philosophically inclined baby that ran in the Indy on Sunday from 1992 to 1999, when I was but an impressionable teenager.

Leviathan was an oblique but definite influence on William Blake, Taxi Driver, and the inquisitive and playful nature of the strip has been an influence on me as a human (I hope) as much as a comic artist.

Here's what my meeting with Peter might have looked like.

(He didn't really have milk, but he is very tall).

If you have no idea what I'm on about I urge you in the strongest possible terms to check out Leviathan over here.

Les Petit Prints

Here are the Hitsville prints that I've been working on. Hoping to add one of Jack Spatz yet, but I've run out of time for Thought Bubble and my MA is quite rightly demanding that I actually do my work.

These are A4, printed on lovely, posh paper (somerset enhanced, 100 per cent cotton) and signed by yours truly.
We'll have them on sale at Thought Bubble this weekend (19 -20 November) for £3.50 or £6 with a copy of Hitsville UK #1. We'll put them up on the Hitsville shop next week but they'll be a bit pricier to buy this way so snap 'em up if you're at Thought Bubble.

BADGES!

So, let's be honest, making comics and being in a band is just an excuse to do the really good bit, which is...
MAKING BADGES!
These little fellas will be on sale (or, I dare say, free with a copy of Hitsville UK) at the Comica Comiket this Saturday at the Bishopsgate Institute. Click HERE for full details.

I'll be selling limited edition Hitsville prints as well. I'll get some pics up tomorrow.

CHE!

This is going to be on the t shirt of a Hitsville character.

It relates to probably my favourite lyric, from The Super Furry Animals' 'Hermann Loves Pauline'.

"They call him MC Squared because he raps like no other,
An asthma sufferer like Ernesto Guevara".

The Gumps!

Me and the Mrs have been quite grumpy this week. When such moods descend we often refer to each other as the following chararacters:

 
It seems to help!

HEROISM

"A perfect three minute chemical-infused rush of a comic", not my words but the words of Comic Heroes magazine (to paraphrase Alan Partridge.


Hitsville UK gets its review in the new issue (Small Press Round-Up pp 110-111) and it's a corker.


Our humble comic is "an acid-fried report from the edges of sanity" and "a feverishly inventive psychedelic odyssey". 


They seem to think we're on drugs!


We got five stars (out of five), which is better than all of the DC, Marvel and Image fare on review and the same as Morrison & Quitely's WE3, David B's new book and Paul Gravett's new tome. Not that we're counting. (We're not counting.)


Thanks to Rob Power at Comic Heroes, glad you enjoyed it. 


As ever you can read Hitsville UK at www.hitsvilleukcomic.com and buy the whole issue at http://hitsvilleuk.bigcartel.com/

Men Behind Guitars

New Hitsville UK pic showing Marvin from retronauts Men Behind Guitars.


I'm going to do a series of Hitsville prints and we'll be selling them at Comica Comiket, Thought Bubble and through our shop.


Don't touch the brown acid!

VERBOTEN SPHEROID

Big belated love to Forbidden Planet International who named us one of their favourite comics of September.

See here! 

http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2011/propagandas-best-of-september/

Will Kirkby's Tuk Tuk also looks proper good. Can't wait to get my hands on that. Will he be at Thought Bubble I wonder?

We just heard from Comic Heroes mag that they've reviewed us in their new issue, out 25 October. We don't know what they've said (but they told us they liked it).

Oh, and of course, Hitsville UK here: http://www.hitsvilleukcomic.com/

UNCLE KEVIN

I just found out that my Uncle Kevin has died.

He was a pretty weird guy, in how he lived, thought, and looked. I couldn't honestly say that I knew him all that well or that I really understood him, but we got on in our way and I'm very sad that he's gone.

This is a picture that I drew of him way back when for an A level art project.

KEVIN RIORDAN 1938 - 2011

PLANET HITSVILLE!

BONJOUR!
I've just returned from France, and what should greet me in dear old broken Blighty but this very flattering review of our humble comic by Richard at Forbidden Planet International.


ICI!
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2011/hitsville-uk-a-hit-oh-such-a-hit/

He gets it! The Clash, Phil Spector, Martin Hannett, Scooby Doo, Wacky Races (Dan will love that), Grant Morrison, Deadline... and he says (amongst other things) "it’s 36 pages of out and out brilliance."

(We didn't bribe him, I promise.)

C'EST FORMIDABLE!
Hitsville UK will be in some of Forbidden Planet's shops soon, details to follow.

OR, you could always head to our shop and get yourself a copy.

MERCI!

NUKE ROSS...

I will be selling copies of Hitsville UK at the New Cross Turn Left Comics and Art Garden Party this Sunday 24th July.

Come along and check out not only my stuff but the comics etc of an amazing selection of artists, including David O'Connell, Ellen Lindner,Gary Northfield, John Miers and Julia Scheele, who designed the cool logo above.

Things kick off at 1 PM, full details here.

REEEEEED HOT!

Hitsville UK #1 is back in stop in the Hitsville UK shop.


36 pages of full-colour pop art adventures.

3 and a half squid plus p&p to you sir/madam.

Dedications and doodles available on request.

I'LL HUFF AND I'LL PUFF

Well look at that, through a series of fortuitous events I have a gallery on the launch of the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/07/03/artist-showcase-john-riordan_n_889476.html?ref=fb&src=sp

They also publish some words from my brain on Hitsville UK and a link to the new Hitsville website here: http://www.hitsvilleukcomic.com/

Enjoy!

NEW CROSS TURN LEFT

Two fings:

firstly, I will be selling Hitsville and a few other bits and pieces at New Cross Turn Left, a Comics and Art Garden Party on Sunday 24 July at Deptford's grooviest studio, the Old Police Station (114-116 Amersham Vale, Deptford, SE14 6LG). There's a great bunch of comics and illustration dudes taking part. See the New Cross Turn Left site for more details.


secondly, I've finally got round to updating my website with new illustrations and comics pages, including Hitsville and other stuff. Take a look http://www.johnriordan.co.uk

JESUS CHRIST

How does he do so? By being so goddamn hunky, that's how! I wonder who does the artwork for the Jehovah's Witnesses. They're amazing.

HITSVILLE UK & IAPF

We had fun selling the new comic at the (deep breath) International Alternative Press Festival last weekend.

Thanks to Mike Medaglia for the pictures of us and our handsom standard bearer.

We've got a big order of new copies on their way and we're going to set up a website with a shop and that.

In the meantime you can snap up a copy of Histville UK #1 at London's Orbital Comics.

(sings) "when the Hitsville hit UK..."

HITSVILLE UK NEW ISSUE 1

So cause we like to make things confusing, we've done a new issue 1 of Hitsville UK. Last year's effort was a 12-page try-out, think of it as issue 0 like one of those baffling 90's comics. The new issue 1 is 36 pages of pop art madness, incorporating the 10 pages from last year's comic and a whole lot more.

Here's the cover...















...plus a few new pages...

We don't actually have all that many copies yet, and have to make sure we've got stock for the London Alt Press con in a couple of weeks, but if you fancy a copy send me a message and I'll put you on the list. It'll be £3.50 plus p&p to you fine people.

THURSDAY 17 MARCH 2011

...was officially the best day ever.

First, my other half's niece was born. Hello Kitty, welcome to the world. Hope you have fun!

Second, Jonathan Edwards (illustrator, not formerly Christian triple jumper) put my Serge Gainsbourg picture up on his brilliant Draw Serge site.

Here's mine, but go have a look at all the other Serges - there are some real gems.

Third, I got my copy of 2011 3x3 Illustration Directory. A very handsome volume it is, and I'm very pleased to be sharing space with some top talents. Go have a browse on the t'interweb version: http://www.3x3directory.com/

Fourth, I found out that we The Little Philistines will be playing at Meadowlands on Sunday 29th May.

Hoozah!

Got an interview for Illustration MA on Monday so hope the good luck lasts!

SCHOOL'S OUT FORRRR EVAH!

Pre-colour page from forthcoming (honestly it is) Hitsville UK. Any resemblance to my secondary school is probably coincidental.

HOT POSTER!

Here's the poster for our gig next Friday 4th Feb. As my friend Lucas said: "Nice symmetrical bums".
Sadly, Symmetrical Bums will not be playing but a great night it promises to be all the same. Tickets available here: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/105062

HOT PHONE! HOT PHO-ONE!

Happy New Year! We, The Little Philistines release our new single Hot Phone on iTunes on 7th Feb and we would dearly love you to come to our SINGLE LAUNCH EXTRAVAGANZA on Friday 4th Feb at The Good Ship, 289 Kilburn High Road, London town, NW6 7JR.


We will be joined by a roster of our favourite talent, namely Bordeauxxx, Cop On The Edge, Keith John Adams, Ben Folke Thomas and special DJ guests including Recharged Radio's Alex Watson.


Doors open at 7.30 and close in the small hours of Saturday morning and I believe the whole shebang will cost you about a fiver.


Huzzah!