An ex-career criminal and cartoonist have come together to launch a true crime cartoon website (www.smugglingvacation.co.uk) which introduces two unique drug smuggling anti-heroes the like of which may never have been seen before.
The site serialises the story of a young couple who discover a stash of cannabis on a Spanish beach and try to smuggle it into Britain.
The tale is the result of scores of letters sent back and forth over an 18 month period between British cartoonist Jason Wilson and a convicted but reformed smuggler, ‘Smith’ (now revealed as Tony Spencer), who has just completed four years of a six year sentence for smuggling hashish in Spain.
“After a two-year period we finally completed the 75 page adventure that took the dealers, growers, black marketeers and smugglers we both knew and made them the stars and cast in the tale of two Brits abroad who come across the opportunity of a lifetime,” says Jason.
“The result is a unique book, mixing fact and fiction like no other book could. Many of the characters have been based on real life criminals although the names have been changed to protect the guilty.”
Aimed at the 15-35 age group, male and female, Jason warns it’s definitely not a story for the “conservatively minded and the humourles,” and tells downthetubes the story is already attracting a growing audience from the British, French and Dutch webcomic and cannabis communities who tune in each week to see how far the amateur smugglers have got in their quest to smuggle the tonne of cannabis back to the UK.
Jason has stepped up promotion of the site with the imminent publication of the print edition of the comic. Jason is currently looking for simple but effective means to distribute, sell and promote the print version to UK comic buyers.
• For the latest news, visit the web site and read Jason’s blog on developments, which include plans for a second book
• Buy Him and Her’s Smuggling Vacation from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link) | ISBN 9780955917004
- About the Author
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics
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