Friday 27 August 2010

What progress with Policy Police 2?

I'm quite pleased with how things are going with the next book. I've pretty much got the whole of the "Up close and personalised" into page form. Just a few tweaks and amends to do there. I've reduced the font size (it'll come out around 10pt in the final version) and the frame per page ratio is 3.2 as opposed 2.7 in the first book, so it's a slightly denser read. But I think it works better than the last one. Lessons learned and all.

All this means I've still got 10 pages for a bonus feature, and I've got the first two pages of that done, too. This time it's a separate comic-book story that gives a kind of alternative perspective on the Policy Police world.

I liked the idea of the kids in the boiler suits in episode 7, so I've given a bunch of them their own story. Maybe it's what is known in educational circles as "Learner Voice". These are the people who are "done to"  in this world. The object of the system. So I thought it'd be nice to hear them.

When I was at school,some of the larger kids liked to remind me, "the object suffers the action of the verb". I had a practical education. In fact a lot of our responses to being "done to" were practical. Practical jokes mainly. This way we stood a chance of winning. This was our turf, not theirs.

Anyway. I've tried to get something of that power-of-the-powerless thing over in the story.

Saturday 21 August 2010

Will the Policy Police survive public sector cuts?

Cuz of course I didn't. Right now, I'm in the Twilight Zone between working for the state, and not working for the state. Tying up loose ends etc before the Organisation ceases to be...

I did worry about whether I'd be able to carry on with the comic in these circumstances. But actually, I think it's OK. As long as I  don't get too isolated from the mad world of office politics (hint), there seems to be plenty coming up to keep our heroes busy.

In retrospect, making Gosman a subcontractor looks like a smart move. Not just some excuse to make the cop/subcontractor quip in Episode 3. So far it has allowed Gosman and Partner to move between different jobs and departments. And in the future it will enable them to avoid direct cuts, but maybe be a bit less choosy in their job hunting.

Can't remember if I've said this someplace else, but I'm already beginning to see some conflict between "the machine" and its political masters. I guess I'm going to have to become like one of those "Kremlin watchers" of days gone by. Interpreting the occasional ripple on the surface of the still waters of state.

Thursday 5 August 2010

Big Breakfast

Here we have the Bumper Fun Summer Special for 2010. Guest artist is my friend and colleague Rob Englebright. You can find the comic in THE STORIES tab, under the heading, Rapid Response.

I usually have to wait several months before I can really enjoy the ones I've done entirely myself. But I laughed like a drain when I got this one back. Partly cuz Rob is so good, but also because I don't have those niggling little thoughts about bits where I feel that with a bit more time...

And for those of you who didn't come here from there, you can follow Rob's current ongoing comic at wychwolf.com.