ipod comic publisher Clickwheel has announced a new addition to its premium roster with the arrival of top British creator Richard Starkings’ Elephantmen.
True to its Sci-Fi themes, Elephantmen and Starkings are eager to help Clickwheel, which is owned by 2000AD publishers Rebellion, push the boundaries of comics as we know them.
Elephantmen are the survivors of genetic engineering experiments and indoctrination by Doctor Kazushi Nikken and MAPPO, a sinister organization which sought to create suprahuman weapons of mass destruction. Following their involvement in the war between Africa and China, Nikken’s creations were freed and rehabilitated by the United Nations. These ‘Unhumans’ now live amongst men. Legitimized by the ‘Elephantmen’ act, they are nevertheless denied the right to bear arms and survive on their wits alone. (For more information, visit the official web site).
“I’ve been interested in Clickwheel since Tim Demeter set up the site,” says Elephantmen and Hip Flask writer/creator Richard Starkings. “Of all the sites that approached Comicraft with the whole ‘iTunes for comics deal’, it seemed clear that Clickwheel had the cleanest, best designed user interface, and as ‘Purveyors of Unique Design and Fine Lettering’ the presentation of a download site is obviously going to be important to us.
“Plus — Tim didn’t even approach me, he got my attention just by doing a good job, what a concept!
“When Tim added 2000AD to Clickwheel I realized that we were more than a perfect match — I’ve often said in interviews that Elephantmen is the strip I would have contributed to 2000AD had I ever had the opportunity. 2000AD‘s founding fathers, John Wagner and Pat Mills were a huge influence on me and we even share cover artist Boo Cook from time to time!”
“Tim and I have been working out the logistics of posting Elephantmen on Clickwheel for the last couple or three months but now the contracts are signed, the ink is dry, the hands have been shaken, the tees crossed and the eyes dotted and… I’m sorry, I’m drifting…”
Elephantmen will be available for download every month on Clickwheel for just $1.99 an issue. Every ad, every letters page, all the back up features and indicias will be included. “Everything except the staples,” says Richard, “and Tim tells me he’s working on making small pieces of bent rusty metal downloadable even as I speak.”
“I lettered my very first comic with Comicraft fonts and it’s a true honour to be working with Rich,” says Tim Demeter, Clickwheel Editor in Chief. “I’m really excited about this for a lot of reasons, none the least being that Elephantmen is a great book. It’s the type of quality we want people to think of when they think of Clickwheel.
I’m also happy to announce that Elephantmen is the first of many, many new comics to come at Clickwheel in the coming weeks.”
• Elephantmen is available monthly at www.clickwheel.net. One $1.99 purchase earns three formats: PDF, CBR and iPhone formatting. (Via the Clickwheel iPhone reader, available free on the Apple App Store.) • Download Elephantmen #1 now at www.clickwheel.net/features/254
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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.
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