Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 63: Fraser Campbell

By John Freeman on September 14, 2016

Fraser Campbell, the writer of Sleeping Dogs and Alex Automatic, joins the Awesome Pod crew to talk about the new 1970s tv inspired book, his work process, influences and more.

Alex Automatic – currently the focus of Fraser’s latest crowdfunding campaign, drawn by James Corcoran – is about a Government agent called Alex Anderson. Subjected to an experimental programme, Alex has knowledge and even skills grafted into his brain for specific missions. He is the perfect agent, docile, efficient, re-writable. However, the process has left Alex so unstable that he has become trapped in a fractured delusion, believing that he is a robot super-spy hero from a 1970s TV show called Alex Automatic.

Extremely volatile and dangerous, he is held in stasis in a secure Government facility. However, two well-meaning journalists find out about him and break him out, thinking they’re getting a great story and doing him a favour. They soon realise they have no idea what they’ve unleashed.

“The story came about after James and I had been talking about how much we loved the old Gerry Anderson TV Century 21 shows like Thunderbirds and Joe 90,” says Fraser, “and the ITC shows like The Prisoner, Danger Man and Department S.

“We soon came up with an idea that combined the innocent fun of these shows with the far more sinister story of a broken, dangerous man, living inside the delusion that he is a TV robot super-spy at odds with a mysterious organisation called PRYSM. If you enjoy stuff like The Prisoner, TV’s The Avengers and The Saint but also love comics like Miracleman, Casanova and The Invisibles, this should be right up your alley.”

There’s also plenty of talk about exciting books’ for you to check out, the work of Alan Moore and Watchmen, conventions in Scotland, Dan Butcher reveals he is a nightmare to intruders, Vince Hunt completely messes up a famous quote and Tony Esmond talks sideboob.

Mentioned in this episode are: Fraser Campbell, Alex Automatic, Sleeping Dogs, NoBrow Press, Audubon, Midnight Butterfly, Empire of Geek, Frank Cho, Skybourne, Boom Studios, Scurry, Black Mumba, Ram V, Iain Laurie, Periwinkle, Kubo and the Two Strings, The Institute of Marine Research, Claire Connolly Comics and Anything about Nothing

• Listen to the podcast right here (please note, some adult language throughout)

• Check out the Alex Automatic Kickstarter here

• Let the guys know what you think! Email: awesomecomicspod@gmail.com

• Facebook: facebook.com/awesomecomicspodcast

• Twitter: @theawesomepod | Vince: @jesterdiablo | Dan: @Vanguardcomic | Tony: @Ezohyez

• Got some small press and self published stuff you want the ACP team to check out? Drop them a line at tony.awesomecomicspod@gmail.com

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. Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Explorer (previously known as Star Trek 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.

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