Comic Crowdfunding Spotlight: Joe Matthews “A Christmas Carol”

By John Freeman on December 22, 2015

Christmas 2015 may be fast approaching, but cartoonist Joe Matthews is already planning for 2016 – by trying raise funds to publish a very personal graphic novel; his own adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, working with David McCluskey of Dammaged Comics.

Rochdale cartoonist Joe has come a long way since the childhood days when he and his brother John kept themselves busy with a pencil and some paper, creating their own superheroes and comics. This early appreciation of comics, cartoons and art set forth Joe’s career as a self taught comic artist.

By 1985 he was well established, drawing “Ivy The Terrible”, “Ball Boy” and “Billy Whizz” stories for The Beano. He had a regular newspaper strip called ‘The Sunday Gang’ for Newcastle-based Sunday Sun. Trials for the Count Duckula, Barbie and Rug Rats comics eventually led to Joe getting the contract with Warner Bros to draw ‘Tom & Jerry’ and ‘Baby Loonie Tunes’ comics, as well as doing storyboards for the BBC children’s programme Bob the Builder.

In recent years, though, he’s concentrated on his own characters and publications – and his plan to publish A Christmas Carol in comic strip form in time for the 2016 festive season is just part of that.

Joe created the All Star Squad for the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre Kids Club, each of whom have been embodied with life-sized mascots. He also designed animated characters for Animal Impact PE Ltd to engage children in primary school PE lessons and is currently producing Funny Monsters Comic for children, with the characters ‘Zackster Kid Zombie’, ‘Werewolf Growl’, ‘Millie Monster Hunter’ and Bed Bugs.

“It has always been my dream to illustrate Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol in cartoon form,” says Joe. “When I met Dave McCluskey at a Comic Convention and saw what brilliant work he was doing with his Dammaged books we decided to collaborate on making my dream come true.

“This version will appeal to children and adults with humorous illustrations and quotes.”

Marley’s Ghost come a-haunting in A Christmas Carol by Joe Mathews and David McCluskey

Now seeking backing on Kickstarter backing, the verse and story is done and nearly all the pages have been pencilled, and he’s set aside the first six months of 2016 to ink, colour up and prepare for the print run so, if the project gets the £4750 in backing he’s asking for, the book will be ready to be posted in time for next Christmas.

• Check out the project A Christmas Carol in comic strip form here on Kickstarter

• For more information on Funny Monsters Comic visit the comic’s official Facebook page; or follow Joe on Twitter @FunnyMonstersCo

• More of Joe’s work with his partner at www.animalimpactpe.co.uk

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as 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.