There’s a smashing looking collection of “Space Dork” out now, marking the launch of a 20th anniversary of the strip written by Ben (Dr. Simpo) Simpson, drawn by Graham Manley.
The new collection was the focus of one final exhibition at the sadly closing Deadhead Comics shop in Edinburgh which, to the dismay of many fans, is shuttering following the retirement of Gafin Austin.
Space Dork – The Intergalactic Goofball, collects past adventures created over the past 20 years, introduced by Bryan Talbot, with an afterword by Hunt Emerson. It’s available now from Deadhead Comics until the end of this month, then from Gosh! (London), Dave’s Comics (Brighton), OK Comics (Leeds) and, hopefully, the Travelling Man stores from June.
You can also reach out to Ben to grab a copy.
Ben Simpson a.k.a Doctor Simpo is a Senior Lecturer for the BA (Hons) Animation course at Leeds Arts University. He regards himself as ‘Sequential Narrative Specialist’ in traditional 2D sequencing techniques, with a rich grounding within the shorter comic book format and the longer comic form of the graphic novel, skills he learnt from the cohort of creatives working out of Glasgow’s Hope Street Studies of the early naughties, Dave Alexander, Graham P. Manley, Frank Quitely, Grant Morrison and Jamie Grant.
His fondness for passing-on his extensive knowledge of analogue, digital and ‘tradigital’ 2D sequencing techniques comes from the enthusiasm bestowed upon him from those that he was mentored by whilst attending the Glasgow School of Art, the Pratt Institute in New York and the Royal College of Art. Including the likes of Tim Webb, Bob Godfrey Quentin Blake and Alan Kitching. Some of this insight is included within his book, Bring Stuff to Life? YOU can with the 12 principles of animation.
His gag-based picture books have been translated into many different languages and he’s drawn caricatures of the English nobility. Some of his original hand lettered drawings from the first ever 3D Scottish comic book, Menshies, hang between a Dali and a Picasso at the Dick Institute in Kilmarnock.
Ben says that if he could have had any job, anywhere at any time he would have been a ‘Gag-Man’ for MGM Studios in the 1940s or working alongside such greats as Ken Reid and Leo Baxendale for The Beano of the late 1950s early 1960s. His first solo comic book, Things and Stuff, came out in the spring of 2004 and he has been producing publications in a humorous vein ever since.
Following on from his highly acclaimed interactive and multi-visceral exhibition, “The Norms: Process and Production of 2018”, where he brought his first glow-in-the-dark children’s picture book to life, he continues to make and push the boundaries of visual storytelling. He directed the critically acclaimed animated short starring ex-Beano star Derek the Sheep, created by Gary Northfield, which was produced in conjunction with the award-winning animated collective of his ex-students, Schwa.
His many creative credits include the SnotDog animated series, co-created with Shari Clow and Jack Land, extensively pitched but yet to be successfully commissioned; and, in collaboration with Leeds Arts University’s widening participation department, Thought Bubble Festival, Student Ambassador’s and the legendary Eddie Lockhart, he directed and co-produced another internationally screened animated short From Tiger to Anansi, looking at the Akan folklore character of Anansi the Spider.
More recently, he’s continued to develop his kids media content with a whole host of visual sequential narrative based publications and animation concepts including Reapercorn, MMM…ARG!, Eggs and Bacon, Bobble the Boggle and Castle Skull-a-Tron.
Graham Manley, whose early work included promotional art for Edinburgh’s fondly-remembered Science Fiction Bookshop, played a key role in alternative and alternative comic Near Myths, creating distinctive wraparound covers, and Fleetway’s Dice Man in the 1980s, and drew strips for Dark Horse Comics’ Max Overload, and Manga Publishing’s Space Precinct.
He’s also drawn strips for various Dandy annuals, and drew episodes of “Juliet November” and “Whatever Happened To?” for Judge Dredd Megazine.
Graham also contributed to several volumes of DC “Big Book” collections published under the Paradox Press imprint: The Big Book of Hoaxes, The Big Book of The Seventies, and The Big Book of Thugs. He also worked on the opening titles of the feature film, Electric Man, his original drawings of the character animated into an impressive opening sequence.
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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.
Categories: British Comics, British Comics - Collections, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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