Comic Idol returns

[Lew Stringer]

This week's Beano begins a new run of Comic Idol, the series that presents "pilot episodes" of new strips for readers to choose their favourite. Three new strips up this week, by Dave Sutherland, Laura Howell, and Nigel Parkinson. So for those of you who like key issues that feature first appearances, your newsagent awaits.

There's also a Super School which was particularly fun to draw and the Thomson colourists have made a great job of it.

Plus good stuff from Dave Eastwood, Ken Harrison, Hunt Emerson and the usual gang of suspects. (Super Mario promo on the cover, but you can't have it all. )

[Digifiend]

Dave Eastbury you mean, surely?

[Peter Gray]

I can't choose I like them all..

The last one by Nigel really took me by surprise..the mum going crazy!!!!!!!!!!
so..
Vic Volcano eat your heart out..and Zap Zodiac..and Puss and Boots/ Marvo the chicken..

Did like the surrealness...strangeness in all of them..

[Lew Stringer]

Dave Eastbury you mean, surely?

Agh! Yes of course. (Sorry Dave if you're watching.) Again, that'll teach me to post too quickly while me ink's drying!

[AndyB]

There's also a Super School which was particularly fun to draw and the Thomson colourists have made a great job of it.

... except they lost track of things and gave Stinkbomb yellow tights instead of bare legs Does Sam usually have brown gloves? I've forgotten...

(Yes, I checked them all off against each other - how sad of me!)

The three new strips all have strengths - although of course Meebo and Zuky is Puss 'n' Boots reimagined, Uh Oh Si Co has the premise of Vic Volcano with a mum to match, and Home Invasion has similarities to Zap Zodiac (tiny aliens on a big earth)

Having said that... Home Invasion is already more tightly scripted than Zap Zodiac, together with a different plot (definitely invasion); Si distinguishes himself from Vic by being an extremely polite and smart boy (as opposed to pretty ordinary kid) who goes psycho; and there is always room for another cat and dog story.

Meebo and Zuky live in a different world from Puss and Boots and Mutt and Moggy before them, with a very different form of surreality which will make more sense when you read it. Laura's artwork reminds me of Wayne Thomson's on Agent Dog Zero, but I would say her execution is far better. As one might expect, it's easy to be a fan of Laura's work.

My tip is for Meebo and Zuky. I've guessed right the last three times

[Peter Gray]

Is Meebo and Zuky based on anything.. the names?

I really would like all three to stay in The Beano,,,

[Lew Stringer]

There's also a Super School which was particularly fun to draw and the Thomson colourists have made a great job of it.

... except they lost track of things and gave Stinkbomb yellow tights instead of bare legs Does Sam usually have brown gloves? I've forgotten...

Well spotted re: Stinkbomb. Ah well, never mind. They did a great job anyway.

Yes, Sam has brown gloves. Originally they were fingerless but I changed them to full gloves recently to help simplify the character a bit for myself and the colourists. (Not that they complained but it must have been very fiddly colouring each finger.) Changed his sock design slightly too. In retrospect if I was designing them now I'd have probably made Safari Sam's hair less neat, in keeping with his wildboy aspect but Stinkbomb has unkempt hair so it wouldn't be good to have them too similar.

[Digifiend]

Nice Ratz title graphic from Hunt. A Jonah Ratz!

[Classic Comics]

Just to let you all know that the voting form for voting in Comic Idol is now online http://www.beanotown.com/index.php?id=408. I won't say which one is mine but I've got my family all primed to go online and vote tonight.

[AndyB]

I do have to say, it's the strongest Comic Idol line-up yet.

The only criticism I would make about Super School is that I still think Bananagirl's tag line should read "Like Bananaman, only sMArter" - which she certainly is

It would however be churlish of me not to say that, yes, you and the colourists did a cracking job on this week's Super School. Except for one bit of yellow, everything was accounted for, and it was fun!

[Jonny Whizz]

Agreed, it's the best line up I've seen. There have been some good characters introduced via Comic Idol or polls, such as Tim Traveller and Colin the Vet (who I voted for!), but from the last two under Euan Kerr, there weren't any really good strips - the fact that in 2006 Nicky Nutjob won says it all really, given how badly he flopped in the comic.

I don't know why but I didn't particularly enjoy Home Invasion, but I did like the other two. I don't think I'll vote but I'd be happy if either (or both!) of Meebo and Zuky or Si Co got in the comic. Both of those two seem to be very wacky and have great comic potential. It must be said that all three have been done by excellent artists.

[Digifiend]

Home Invasion is similar to Zap Zodiac. It was an origin story, so maybe next week's will be more fun. Si Co is an update of Vic Volcano (I assume his name was inspired by Simon Cowell). Meebo and Zuky evokes Puss n Boots. None of them are particularly original ideas, they're all updates on old themes. But considering the longevity of certain other stories, I guess old ideas aren't necessarily bad ones.

[Peter Gray]

http://petergraycartoonsandcomics.blogs ... -from.html

Uh-oh-si-co and Samuel Creeps-from Nutty have similar theme as well..

[Digifiend]

Good spot. Si Co seems to be a cross between Samuel and Vic then. He's polite like Samuel, but then gets angry like Vic.

[Spencer]

Uh-Oh Si Co also reminds me a little of Jim Petrie's Incredible Sulk from Jackpot comic... which I absolutely LOVED as a 10-year-old and can still chuckle out loud if I read them now!!