Euan Kerr Leaves Thomsons

[Digifiend]

I saw that too, judging by the ending, it looks like there's no more Torchwood.

[Peter Gray]

http://petergraycartoonsandcomics.blogs ... e-and.html

See Lews first published comic work for IPC..
also a sci-fi Bookworm!!

[Classic Comics]

I saw that too, judging by the ending, it looks like there's no more Torchwood.

Given the ratings and AI for last week's run I'd be amazed if there wasn't more Torchwood. Eve Myles talked in an interview about her pregnancy possibly being part of a series 4, so it's obviously been talked about in Cardiff. I think it's set up perfectly for a new team beside Gwen and Jack (Lois taking the Ianto role, perhaps?), with Jack seeking some kind of redemption after Children Of Earth. It was a downbeat ending, but one that left the show with a lot of dramatic possibilities.

[Digifiend]

Someone suggested pretty much the same thing at Digital Spy forums (I'm JAS84 there). Ratings aren't the only factor, does Russell T Davies want to do any more?

By the way, this thread seems to be going off topic not just for this thread, but for this board...

[Classic Comics]

Someone suggested pretty much the same thing at Digital Spy forums (I'm JAS84 there). Ratings aren't the only factor, does Russell T Davies want to do any more?

By the way, this thread seems to be going off topic not just for this thread, but for this board...

I think we can crave a little indulgence about the direction of the thread - after all, there's a Torchwood magazine with a comic strip in it so there's a bit of comic interest there... ish... sort of... a bit...

RTD has said fairly recently he's interested in continuing his involvement with Torchwood and Sarah Jane. Whether that's changed with him supposedly heading off to America to make a Doctor Who movie, I don't know. But given that it's a thriving international franchise - the TV shows, the books, the Big Finish CDs, the new Tom Baker series and so on - I think the BBC will go to enormous lengths to keep all three TV shows alive and vibrant.

[alex_collier]

The title of this thread has now become incredibly misleading. Surely 'Discussion leaves Topic' would be more appropriate.

I think Euan did a great job, I met him a couple of times, (including once in a lift in London. We were going up, if memory serves me correctly) and he was a lovely fellow. His work inspired me as a child, and still does now today. Best of luck to you Euan.

[Digifiend]

The title of this thread has now become incredibly misleading. Surely 'Discussion leaves Topic' would be more appropriate.

That's why I mentioned Digital Spy.

[kevf]

Having only just spotted this thread, can I throw in my quick words of tribute to Euan Kerr.

He has, in my opinion, presided over what can only be described as a golden age at The Beano. It was Euan who discovered and championed writer-artists who broke the mould and who dragged The Beano into the 21st century, shedding much of its dated look and ways.

Mike Pearse's strips are the biggest revolution in the look of the comic in 40 years, with their mature storytelling and occasional spurts of book-length adventures, which I went on to endeavour to emulate. Although such stories are now a rarity, and Mike himself only appears as reprint, still his decade long stint in the comic will not be forgotten.

Likewise the introduction of fresh artists being allowed to flex their creative muscles in their own style and not being forced to ghost artists three times their age, eg Hunt Emerson, Laura Howell and Lew Stringer, greatly improved the look and variety of the comic. And the inclusion of a writer-artist who was even allowed to keep the copyright on his own character, Gary Northfield with Derek The Sheep, is a move that one couldn't have imagined DC Thomson having made in the past - I can hardly believe it still happens now.

And obviously he gave me my break, for which I'll thank him even if history is probably not that bothered.

Alan's doing a fine job filling his shoes (remember it was Alan who introduced the first printed artists credits in the Beano, until he was stopped from above) so innovation may not yet be over.

Here's to Euan, comics' loss is golfing's gain.

[Digifiend]

And obviously he gave me my break, for which I'll thank him even if history is probably not that bothered.

History most certainly isn't bothered Kev - you was omitted from The History of The Beano The Story So Far, for some strange reason. None of your feature strips, nor Mike's were mentioned in the book, although Mike was credited for The 3 Bears and Singled Out.

[Lew Stringer]

Not to diminish any of your fine and worthy tribute to Euan, Kev, but it was current editor Alan Digby who brought me into The Beano.

However, I did work for Euan about 10 years ago, doing a couple of pages for the Beano Summer Special.

Lew

[Jonny Whizz]

I certainly don't think there's any problems with crediting the artists. Even today, not all artists sign their work, and most reprints aren't signed (Bob Nixon's and Trevor Metcalfe's strips are an exception here). I'm sure the artists are happy to get a mention, we like to know the artists and there will be kids out there who want to know them as well but don't know about places like this forum. I too appreciate the way artists are no longer being constrained by being told to ape other artists styles.

Euan obviously did a great job, with all that you mentioned Kev, and it looks even better when you remember how many comics folded or ran into some sort of trouble during Euan's (slightly more than) two decades in charge, such as Beezer, Topper, Buster etc. It is to his immense credit that the Beano was never in danger of heading the same way as these lost titles in what was, and is, a troubled era for comics.

The Beano would definitely not be where it is today without what Euan did. Remember too that he brought the great Tom Paterson to DCT and took Bob Nixon back from IPC in his early years. Cracking stuff, Ed!

[kevf]

Not sure how much I'd credit the editors for the rising or falling sales of their comics, or their avoiding cancellation. There seems to be a tide in the market that has a far bigger sway over these matters. (In fact a thread could be dedicated to the DC Thomson Licensing and Marketing departments who have, in my experience over the last decade and a half, done more to keep the Beano and Dandy characters commercially viable than any of the comics alone).

But it's the quality of the content that, ultimately, is all we can comment on. If you think about it, how many comics do you know that were cancelled because the quality had dropped? Most I've read in the last 40 years were at their peak when it turned out I was the only person left reading them!

Kev F
(whose strips were in the final issues of Oink, Warrior, Sounds, Red Dwarf Smegazine, Zig & Zag's Zogazine, Marvel's 2099 series... let's say I've got previous. Maybe The Beano will be the lucky one!)

[Steve Henderson]

I think that history will have no choice but remember Kev's work seeing as he hides his signature in most of his panels! Not a dig at you there kev, slightly off topic (unusual for this thread) but I'm in glasgow and I put the tewlly on and there was some sock puppets on with velcro bits (part of the sketch) there was also a bit of a beano mickey take called 'the crackle' anything to do with you Kev?

[Jonny Whizz]

It makes no sense that Mike and Kev's strips were afforded no mention in The History of the Beano. It's even worse for Kev, as he wasn't even mentioned in the artist credits (at least Mike was). They've played a huge part in bringing The Beano in the 21st century with their long strips with clever humour and funny ideas. We should write a book about it and give these guys their dues! I'm sure you won't be forgotten Kev. Indeed, you might not be working for The Beano anymore, but you've still got plenty on your plate I'm sure.

[kevf]

Steve, not sure what sock puppets you saw, but I doubt they were mine (we've not been on telly this year yet, horror!).

If anyone wonders what we're talking about, I do a comedy act called The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre, and if you're going to the Edinburgh Fringe this August well be on every night at 10.15 at the Gilded Balloon. http://www.edcomfest.com/events/details?eventId=14:145

Plug over, back to changing the subject...