Doctor Who and Road to Perdition artist Richard Piers Rayner to make rare convention appearance for Lancaster Comics Day 2017

Richard Piers Rayner

Richard Piers Rayner

Making a rare convention appearance at Lancaster Comics Day on 11th June 2017will be the Doctor WhoHellblazer and Road to Perdition artist Richard Piers Rayner.

His appearance is something of a coup, as Richard has only appeared at perhaps as many as three comic conventions in the last twenty years.

Richard began his professional comic career in 1988, drawing for DC Comics and Marvel Comics. His work includes HellblazerSwamp ThingL.E.G.I.O.N.Doctor FateNeil Gaiman’s Midnight DaysCaptain America: Red White and Blue and Doctor Who.

Richard found international success as the artist on The Road to Perdition, written by Max Allan Collins, which was turned into a Hollywood blockbuster by Sam Mendes starring Tom Hanks and Paul Newman.

A third generation Boro supporter (his Granddad bought a house in Tavistock Street, Middlesbrough, because of its proximity to Ayresome Park), Richard has been attending matches since a 2-0 victory over Liverpool in the old Second Division in October, 1961. (So he knows what it is to suffer.)

He was Artist in Residence at Middlesbrough Football Club from 2000 to 2016, creating hundreds of pieces of art, building up an unprecedented illustrated history of the club from 1876 to the present. He also wrote and illustrated Middlesbrough FC: The Unseen History, published by Breedon Books in 2008. Its comic book style presentation chronicles the unseen days, forgotten heroes as well as more familiar faces and recent history from the formation of the club in 1876 to the present day.

For Doctor Who, he drew Marvel UK’s Evening’s Empire, written by Andrew Cartmel, which began in Doctor Who Magazine Issue 180 but hit production problems and was eventually published as the 1993 Doctor Who Classic Comics Autumn Special.

Last year, Panini UK re-presented the story in a new collection, which included a number of stunning new pages from Richard.

Richard was also one of three artists on part one of IDW Publishing’s Doctor Who story, Ripper’s Curse.

Focused primarily on local creators and others based in the North West, Lancaster Comics Day is in its third year. Other guests announced so far for Lancaster Comics Day are acclaimed fantasy author AS Chambers, who is based in the city and has set his Sam Spallucci  detective series there (news of a special comcis-related competition featuring him soon); and publisher and comic artist Tim Perkins, who is currently working on the second volume of his stunning Worlds End project.

Taking place in Lancaster Library (and raising funds on its behalf), Lancaster Comics Day is organised by the Friends of Lancaster Library and comics editor and writer John Freeman, who moderates most panels on the day, which this year will include “Creating Comics: Self Publishing and More” (with Tim Perkins and others), “Doctor Who Comics (with Richard); “Jack Kirby: A Celebration”; and “Football Comics – Past and Present”.

• Richard has a new web site in the works; for now, you can follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RPiersRayner

• Lancaster Comics Day Official Site

• Follow Tim Perkins on Twitter @timpwizardskeep

• AS Chambers is online at www.aschambers.co.uk and has a Facebook page which he would be delighted for you to follow (@A.S.Chambers) as well as the obligatory collection of ramblings in the Twittersphere (@ASChambersUK).

Here’s just a small sampling of Richard’s incredible art…

Richard with a copy of his limited edition ‘Mutual Respect’ print, released in 2010, based on a photo taken by John Varley at the Estadio Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico on 7th June 1970. It shows Bobby Moore and Pele swapping shirts following England’s Group C defeat at the hands of Brazil. Quoted as being Bobby Moore’s ‘favourite photo’, the then world champions were effectively handing over the baton of world supremacy to champions-elect and the world’s greatest-ever player.

Richard with a copy of his limited edition ‘Mutual Respect’ print, released in 2010, based on a photo taken by John Varley at the Estadio Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico on 7th June 1970. It shows Bobby Moore and Pele swapping shirts following England’s Group C defeat at the hands of Brazil. Quoted as being Bobby Moore’s ‘favourite photo’, the then world champions were effectively handing over the baton of world supremacy to champions-elect and the world’s greatest-ever player.

A previously-unpublished artwork by Richard Piers Rayner featuring Marvel UK's "Dark Angel" and The Punisher.

A previously-unpublished artwork by Richard Piers Rayner featuring Marvel UK’s “Dark Angel” and The Punisher.

Richard Piers Rayner: Dracula

Dracula by Richard Piers Rayner

Richard Piers Rayner Doctor Who Art (IDW)

Doctor Who: Ripper’s Curse

Richard Piers Rayner: Boro goalkeeper from the 1960s, Eddie Connachan

Boro goalkeeper from the 1960s, Eddie Connachan

Art from Doctor Who: Evening's Empire, on show in Middlesbrough

Art from Doctor Who: Evening’s Empire, on show in Middlesbrough

A panel of Richard Pier's Rayner's new art for Evening's Empire

A panel of Richard Pier’s Rayner’s new art for Evening’s Empire



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