Awesome Comics Podcast 185: Getting ‘Away’ with Comics – with Grant Richards

By John Freeman on January 26, 2019

The artist on the graphic novel Away, Grant Richards, joins the Awesome Comics Podcast crew – Dan Butcher, Tony Esmond and Vince Hunt – to talk about his amazing artwork, processes and upcoming projects for the year ahead.

There’s also talk of great comics to check out, promotional interactions, the difficulties of drawing heads from different angles and more!

Successfully funded through Kickstarter last year, Away, published by Markosia, was created and written by Jon Laight (publisher at Level 8, Brethren Born, Late Knights and more). It’s a dark mash-up of The Matrix, Quantum Leap and Twelve Monkeys – time and space-spanning journey of an ordinary man ripped from his family time and time again, to obtain the skills he needs to save his world.

Grant Richards is based in Wales after 18 years in Australia. During his time there, he became interested in comics, such as 2000AD, and made the big decision to be a comic book artist. While Away is his first graphic novel, he’s also had pinup work featured in Madius Comics, Comichaus and Brethren Born and has also produced cover art for Wrench Productions Wings of Terror.

Great stuff to check out this week: Grant Richards, Away, Jon Laight, writer Kevin Gunstone, the Sliced Quarterly Volume 2 Kickstarter, the Baad Food 2 Kickstarter, writer and artist Martin Simpson, Needleman, The Sons of El Topo, Fair Spark Books and their project How to Make Comics with Springworth, by Tony Esmond and Andy Hanks.

Listen right here

• Buy AWAY on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

• Follow the AWAY team on Twitter: @level8comics | @GrantArtist | @Dikiminster | @RobJonesWrites | @Markosia

• Check out the Awesome Comic’s Podcast on Podbean

• Buy the Awesome Comics Anthology

• Join the discussion today at the Facebook group Awesome Comics Talk

• Check out the folks who sponsor the show – the mighty folks at Comichaus

John Freeman

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.