Tim Perkins's Blog, page 5
August 4, 2015
MALTACOMICCON – 2013 – 2014
The BEST Convention on the Planet
Hi everyone,
Well, as you know by now, 2014 was a very emotional time for my family and I and so the convention held in 2013, which I had made notes for never actually got written up, which I realise must have disappointed people, especially the organisers who I know look forward each year to my massive Blog reports and reviews of the wonderful event. However following my Mum’s passing, which took a long while to at least try to come to terms with – I guess I never truly will – I just never got around to doing so, even though I kept promising I would.
Thankfully the organisers, who have been very supportive with me about this ever since, have never said anything about the lack of such a Blog being written. 2014 saw me attend last year’s event and so I am going to write a condensed Blog with elements from both and hope these serve to both entertain you guys and give you a true flavour of the event, which I now call THE BEST comic convention on the planet!!!
Before you read any further you may want to make a brew and grab a few biscuits or a slice of cake… It’s quite a long one and has loads of photos…
MaltaComicCon 2013
MaltaComicCon 2013 saw the return of Dave Windett, Jon Haward and Warren Pleece. Alongside those amongst an ever-increasing number of creators attending the event were Ian Churchill, Mike Carey, Charlie Adlard, and Sean Phillips.
Now earlier in the year and following on from our exploits in the Maltese Karaoke arena the previous year, my good buddy from Orbital Comics, Chris Thompson had thrown down a gauntlet to Ian Churchill, saying this to me via a FaceBook comment: “I was just chatting about you with Ian Churchill at Bristol on the weekend, and he seems keen to challenge your karaoke crown at Malta Comic Con this year ... I think that's gonna have to be the Saturday night event now (and possibly every other night as well!)”
Well ever one to accept a challenge of this kind I kindly told Chris and later Ian I accepted his challenge.
On the Saturday of the event, not having met Ian before, except for our Internet connections and occasional chats, I asked Chris Le Galle to formally introduce us. As we shook hands and Ian sat back down to work some more on a fan’s sketch, I took out a small white pair of gloves and promptly lightly slapped him about his chops and said I accepted his challenge. His face was a picture and the smile said it all, we were about to have some fun this weekend – my only worry – a cold/cough I was trying to fight since my return from the Thought Bubble event a week earlier.
That night was to be the only night I could sing however, as my voice finally went off-line after I had sung Bat out of Hell by Meatloaf and Hotel California by The Eagles. It was an immensely enjoyable evening though and lots of the other comics creators also joined in the fun and there were some great entertainers. The guy that won the competition, couldn’t sing, but the entertainment value he gave… To be honest we all though he was drunk, but he is tea-total and hadn’t touched a drop – I wouldn’t like to see him after a drink… LOL.
The convention was yet another opportunity to run my children’s comic workshops, which always go down well with both the children and the adults too. It also serves to give me a chance to meet old fans and friends alike, as well as meeting lots of new ones. I always seem to do well at this convention, thankfully.
The convention was well documented by voracious photographer, comic artist and storyboard artist on the Game of Thrones, Will Simpson series as he avidly snapped away at all and sundry.
On the Saturday afternoon I was asked if I could draw a caricature of the Maltese President, George Abela, as Superman, as he was stepping down from the post the next day at the end of the Presidential Charity Fun Run. No big deal there then… I was honoured, but getting a caricature right during a convention, when I only had that afternoon as well as that night and during which time we had a convention party organised, which I was expected to be going along to… Ooh dear what could possibly go wrong?
Well, one of the guys, Mark Ellul, managed to get me the smallest photo of the guy possible on his mobile phone. I tried this, but I was getting nowhere, plus I was trying to keep the convention visitors happy at the same time, by producing their sketches along with everything else. I then decided this was madness – I had never met the man, so I had no idea what he really looked like aside from this tiny low-res photo on a small mobile screen.
I decided to give it a punt and wait until I went back to the hotel and then ask them if they could access a good enough photo on their computers there at reception. Now my thinking was quite right as when I mentioned what it was for and who it was for they jumped at the chance to help – luckily for me.
With a decent black and white print in my hands I went back to my room informing everyone that I would meet up with them later for food and then the party. It didn’t take long to produce the piece in the quiet of the room. Then I looked at the Superman logo and the clock and decided to ask one of my comic mates, Jon Haward a great superhero artist to help me out with the S symbol. A quick phone call, a short walk down the corridor between our rooms and he very quickly had one such symbol in place on the character’s chest. DONE!!!
All that needed to be done was the inking. I called Mike Quinton to let him now the drawing was done and I was inking it, as they wanted to have it before the party started. No sooner had I started with the inks than I received a call back and the news, finish it for the morning and come along to the meal and party as soon as I could. Relief… but it still needed completing.
The party, as always was brilliant, but of course there were drinks and lots of conversation, which as always included a great many laughs and now a Karaoke involved at a nearby bar, so by the time my voice had become affected at last by the cold I was trying to fight off, I headed back to the hotel room having partied the night away.
I sat at the drawing and I have to admit to thinking that maybe I should wait until the morning before inking the final bits and pieces and thinking I was tired. But, undeterred I finalised the drawing and looked at the finished piece content that once I awoke for breakfast that all I needed to do now was eat.
The Sunday morning following breakfast we left for the convention, but what the coach driver had not anticipated was the extent of the aforementioned charity fun run. We found ourselves amidst the throng of runners and eventually had our coach turned around by the local police, much to the chagrin of our driver. I showed the organisers the caricature – they loved it – Relief!!! Eventually late for the convention and in despair our driver took us to the main bus terminus in Valletta and we made our way to the venue at a pace. Once there, I hadn’t even dropped off my gear than Fabio wanted to whisk me off to visit the Prime Minister in the first instance.
I quickly ran upstairs and dropped off my gear with Deej and asked if he minded holding the fort, or the Keep to be more correct until I got back.
Then we were off rushing through the milling crowds of Valletta. The sun was beating down on us and the sound of several helicopters overhead resounded and bounced off the walls of the ancient city. Everywhere there were police, armed police and there I was being dragged along by Fabio, would we make it there alive I asked myself?
At length as we turned to go towards the Parliament Building and the main crowd, who were awaiting the return of all the runners we were greeted by one of the guys that was security and a friend of Fabio, who had been waiting for our arrival. We were whisked behind the barriers and behind the stage above which were huge speakers and a huge screen. It was manic, loud with music and everyone dancing in the main square. It was a great carnival atmosphere, full of folks singing and lots of smiling, happy faces.
No sooner had we arrived at the side of the stage than a TV camera was thrust in my face and I found myself being interviewed first in Maltese, which was then translated into English. It was like being inside a whirlwind, but the adrenaline was pumping through me, by now and I was excited and truly honoured to be taking part in this momentous event.
Soon after this, the Prime Minister, Dr Joseph Muscat, came down from the stage to greet us and was shown the Picture I had drawn – this was followed by a big grin an arm around my shoulder and the words – “Brilliant, you have captured him exactly.” Relief!!!
We followed him up the side steps at the side of the stage onto the main stage and waited in the wings. We didn’t wait long and soon the President himself leading the crowd of runners ran into the square – we could see this on the big screens all around the area. Eventually after being patted on the back by the crowd below he joined us on the stage.
The Prime Minister gave his speech and luckily this was translated by Fabio, so I knew what was being said, although I do remember MaltaComicCon, Superman, Comic Artist from England and my name being mentioned and then he showed the drawing to the President who had a huge smile on his face when he saw it. He then turned to me gesturing for me to hold one side of the drawing as we presented it to him. He shook my hand with both of his and said he was delighted with it. – Finally true relief!!!
With our job done, the clouds rolled in and by the time we had finally left the stage, after speaking to the folks on the stage, Fabio and I took our leave and raced once more through the streets of Valletta, looking like Del Boy and Rodney in that famous scene from Only Fools and Horses when they ran through the streets as Batman and Robin, only in our case it wasn’t fog we were trying to avoid, it was rain, lots of it!!!
By the time we arrived back at the venue, we looked like two drowned rats and Fabio immediately took me to the video games room, whereupon I was given a brand new T-Shirt to replace the soaked one I was currently wearing. Then it was back to the convention for me.
I guess I have to say that it was at this convention that, having coined the phrase, the year before for my good buddy and student, Deej, that he was, “Chronically Unpleasant,“ following his alleged session of wild, abandoned Pigeon Kicking on his first day at the convention venue on the Friday before it began, that I got my comeuppance – when folks started calling me a Maltese God and with that followed all the stuff you can probably imagine, including the photo contained further down, which folks have disclaimed was created using Photoshop or any such art program. You can see for yourselves in the photos a little further down in this Blog.
As usual the pre-convention run up, the convention itself and the interim times between, along with the post-convention activities were all full of fun and a great many laughs lots of great meals and a terrific day trip out sampling Malta’s culture and heritage on the legendary Monday trip out.
We even managed to stave off the “Windett Curse,” as did Dave Windett himself, much to all our relief.
The weather was okay for the most part, with the occasional quick shower, but on the final day before departure the heavens opened and one would have sworn, The Mighty Thor had made an entrance with the wind and gales which accompanied the torrential rain. It was thankfully short lived and eventually the weather turned nice again. After all it is winter for goodness sake and we would be returning to the North of England and some very wintery weather as usual, but it’s hard to remember this on these trips, until they are over and one gets out at Manchester airport and everywhere is white.
As I say I am having to keep this brief and I need to fulfil the 2014 convention report as well in the same manner, so I can both honour the Blog promise to the Gang back in Malta and also keep to my deadlines with the painting of Worlds End – Volume 2 – A Hard Reign’s Gonna Fall.
I have to say at this point though, just how proud I was to be asked in the first instance and to then take part in this presentation of my artwork to the President of Malta and I am only too glad I was able to tell my Mum all about my experience, however briefly between her hospital visits. I know she and my Dad were really proud of me when I told them.
And now a few photographs from 2013:
MaltaComicCon 2014
Last year’s convention saw the return of the mighty Mike Collins along with some new appearances from the likes of Mario Alberti – an incredible artist and Marama Corlett of the BBC adventure series, Sinbad, fame.
I was joined this time by another of my students, this time Owen Dodds, who incidentally had moved out to live permanently just six months or so before my arrival. Deej had other commitments, to which I guess he is now eternally regretful about.
So it was Owen’s turn to accompany me at the table and the after convention shenanigans as well as the Monday trip out. I am excited about this year as all three of us are making yet another return to my favourite convention. All I can say is watch out Malta and just add a reminder – hey, that microphone is mine… LOL.
I was accompanied to the event on the same flight by the wonderful and talented, Dave Taylor, another good mate of mine in comics along with his wife and young daughter – whom Owen and me adopted throughout our stay… she is such a little star. Not like her Dad… LOL, Sorry Dave I couldn’t resist.
The weather was much better than the previous year and we returned to a sun-filled convention. Being longstanding guests of the event it is pretty much expected that folks can ask for a guided tour of restaurants and bars in the area around the Hotel Santana, at which we stay throughout our trips out to the wonderful island and this year was no exception, with both Chris Thompson and I being given that role by the other guests. So from the first night onwards we are constantly asked where everything is… we could have some fun there if we really wanted to be cruel, couldn’t we.
Owen lives in Saint Paul’s Bay a short ten minute or quarter of an hour drive away, so he used to come along to meet up at the hotel at breakfast time, leaving his car on the adjacent car park until his return back from the convention. He then used to drive to his apartment and then get a taxi back to the Hotel Santana. He would then not leave until we had realised it was almost time to get up, whereupon he would take his leave, hop in a taxi and then, after having approximately half an hour’s sleep, do it all over again. I think it took him until New Year to recover from my trip out there.
I am proud to announce, here at last, officially as well that I was crowned MaltaComicCon Karaoke Champion 2014, after my renditions of Heaven can Wait, by Meatloaf, Two out of Three, by Meatloaf, Bat out of Hell, by Meatloaf, and Against all Odds, by Phil Collins, the latter of which had dozens of folks holding lights in the air as they swayed to the music – or thinking about it were they just nauseous? It was the first time in public I had sung since my Mum and I wasn’t sure whether Heaven can Wait, Two out of Three, or Against all Odds were doable, as I usually choked doing them here in the studio. I remember blowing a kiss to the sky when I had finished singing the Phil Collins track and feeling a little choked, but at the same time immensely happy for the first time in a long while.
Everyone had such a good time that night that even Dave Taylor a Karaoke sceptic admitted he had begun to look for a song to do – he is a great drummer – but unfortunately he missed out, as the final song had been sung by me. So next time Dave get in there early – I know you will now.
On the Sunday I had the pleasure of presenting yet another piece of artwork I had been asked to produce whilst back at the Keep. I was asked to produce a piece of artwork for a young lad, Jacob that had recently undergone major surgery. His code name because of his bravery during it and his comeback fight after the surgery earned him the moniker, Titanium Man, as he now had a titanium plate in his skull. Again I was honoured to do the drawing. I had done it purposely on Watercolour paper and taken along a little tin of watercolours, in case he decided he would like me to paint it for him, whilst he watched.
It was a lovely experience for me as much as for he and his family, who just couldn’t thank me enough – his Mum almost cried and I am so glad she didn’t because I think I would have joined her. I painted the picture and it now resides proudly on his wall alongside other artwork created for him in this way. There were lots of photos taken and I am sure a video too of this, but I haven’t seen a copy of the video yet, if I do I’ll ask permission to share it with you all here. I hope they all come along to the event later this year. It will be nice to catch up with them once more.
Anyhow, the convention was yet again a resounding success for me and also for the organisers, without whom this simply wouldn’t happen. It is all down to their incredible hard work, love for the medium of comics, love for their island and all its culture, heritage, fine cuisine and marvellous people, along with their dedication to putting on the best conventions that they can and boy, do they fulfil all those roles above. They are the greatest ambassadors any country could hope for and I know from speaking to lots of the comics creators after the events that, just like I did, they now know a lot more about the small Mediterranean island and all that comes with it, due to the diligent care and attention given to both the guests and the convention and its ever-growing fan base.
I know I can never thank the guys enough for their continued support and friendship. I was lucky enough to have one of them, Chris Muscat pay us a visit with his wife and children back in early May this year, where his first words as I greeted them at the door was – "Tim!!! You are wearing a T-Shirt," which is how I dress in Malta, even though they are in light jackets and sweaters, just as they were during their visit.
It was an incredible honour for me to host their visit along with my wife, Margaret for the afternoon and I have a surprise to announce about early 2016 soon, but as you know I like leaving you with teasers, so just before I sign off, I’ll let the photographs tell the tales for both conventions. Thanks to all the wonderful folks from whom, I have ‘borrowed’ their wonderful photos if I did not have them to record the event. I hope you don’t mind.
And now a few photographs from 2014:
Next up: John Gillmore's interview for BBC Radio Lancashire - Part 2
This will be quickly followed with Bentley who is taking over the Blog for a while with a return of his adventures, entitled: Blogtrotting with Bentley 2 – A Bogtrotter Lineage Part 1.
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…
August 5th 2015
Hi everyone,
Well, as you know by now, 2014 was a very emotional time for my family and I and so the convention held in 2013, which I had made notes for never actually got written up, which I realise must have disappointed people, especially the organisers who I know look forward each year to my massive Blog reports and reviews of the wonderful event. However following my Mum’s passing, which took a long while to at least try to come to terms with – I guess I never truly will – I just never got around to doing so, even though I kept promising I would.
Thankfully the organisers, who have been very supportive with me about this ever since, have never said anything about the lack of such a Blog being written. 2014 saw me attend last year’s event and so I am going to write a condensed Blog with elements from both and hope these serve to both entertain you guys and give you a true flavour of the event, which I now call THE BEST comic convention on the planet!!!
Before you read any further you may want to make a brew and grab a few biscuits or a slice of cake… It’s quite a long one and has loads of photos…
MaltaComicCon 2013
MaltaComicCon 2013 saw the return of Dave Windett, Jon Haward and Warren Pleece. Alongside those amongst an ever-increasing number of creators attending the event were Ian Churchill, Mike Carey, Charlie Adlard, and Sean Phillips.
Now earlier in the year and following on from our exploits in the Maltese Karaoke arena the previous year, my good buddy from Orbital Comics, Chris Thompson had thrown down a gauntlet to Ian Churchill, saying this to me via a FaceBook comment: “I was just chatting about you with Ian Churchill at Bristol on the weekend, and he seems keen to challenge your karaoke crown at Malta Comic Con this year ... I think that's gonna have to be the Saturday night event now (and possibly every other night as well!)”
Well ever one to accept a challenge of this kind I kindly told Chris and later Ian I accepted his challenge.
On the Saturday of the event, not having met Ian before, except for our Internet connections and occasional chats, I asked Chris Le Galle to formally introduce us. As we shook hands and Ian sat back down to work some more on a fan’s sketch, I took out a small white pair of gloves and promptly lightly slapped him about his chops and said I accepted his challenge. His face was a picture and the smile said it all, we were about to have some fun this weekend – my only worry – a cold/cough I was trying to fight since my return from the Thought Bubble event a week earlier.
That night was to be the only night I could sing however, as my voice finally went off-line after I had sung Bat out of Hell by Meatloaf and Hotel California by The Eagles. It was an immensely enjoyable evening though and lots of the other comics creators also joined in the fun and there were some great entertainers. The guy that won the competition, couldn’t sing, but the entertainment value he gave… To be honest we all though he was drunk, but he is tea-total and hadn’t touched a drop – I wouldn’t like to see him after a drink… LOL.
The convention was yet another opportunity to run my children’s comic workshops, which always go down well with both the children and the adults too. It also serves to give me a chance to meet old fans and friends alike, as well as meeting lots of new ones. I always seem to do well at this convention, thankfully.
The convention was well documented by voracious photographer, comic artist and storyboard artist on the Game of Thrones, Will Simpson series as he avidly snapped away at all and sundry.
On the Saturday afternoon I was asked if I could draw a caricature of the Maltese President, George Abela, as Superman, as he was stepping down from the post the next day at the end of the Presidential Charity Fun Run. No big deal there then… I was honoured, but getting a caricature right during a convention, when I only had that afternoon as well as that night and during which time we had a convention party organised, which I was expected to be going along to… Ooh dear what could possibly go wrong?
Well, one of the guys, Mark Ellul, managed to get me the smallest photo of the guy possible on his mobile phone. I tried this, but I was getting nowhere, plus I was trying to keep the convention visitors happy at the same time, by producing their sketches along with everything else. I then decided this was madness – I had never met the man, so I had no idea what he really looked like aside from this tiny low-res photo on a small mobile screen.
I decided to give it a punt and wait until I went back to the hotel and then ask them if they could access a good enough photo on their computers there at reception. Now my thinking was quite right as when I mentioned what it was for and who it was for they jumped at the chance to help – luckily for me.
With a decent black and white print in my hands I went back to my room informing everyone that I would meet up with them later for food and then the party. It didn’t take long to produce the piece in the quiet of the room. Then I looked at the Superman logo and the clock and decided to ask one of my comic mates, Jon Haward a great superhero artist to help me out with the S symbol. A quick phone call, a short walk down the corridor between our rooms and he very quickly had one such symbol in place on the character’s chest. DONE!!!
All that needed to be done was the inking. I called Mike Quinton to let him now the drawing was done and I was inking it, as they wanted to have it before the party started. No sooner had I started with the inks than I received a call back and the news, finish it for the morning and come along to the meal and party as soon as I could. Relief… but it still needed completing.
The party, as always was brilliant, but of course there were drinks and lots of conversation, which as always included a great many laughs and now a Karaoke involved at a nearby bar, so by the time my voice had become affected at last by the cold I was trying to fight off, I headed back to the hotel room having partied the night away.
I sat at the drawing and I have to admit to thinking that maybe I should wait until the morning before inking the final bits and pieces and thinking I was tired. But, undeterred I finalised the drawing and looked at the finished piece content that once I awoke for breakfast that all I needed to do now was eat.
The Sunday morning following breakfast we left for the convention, but what the coach driver had not anticipated was the extent of the aforementioned charity fun run. We found ourselves amidst the throng of runners and eventually had our coach turned around by the local police, much to the chagrin of our driver. I showed the organisers the caricature – they loved it – Relief!!! Eventually late for the convention and in despair our driver took us to the main bus terminus in Valletta and we made our way to the venue at a pace. Once there, I hadn’t even dropped off my gear than Fabio wanted to whisk me off to visit the Prime Minister in the first instance.
I quickly ran upstairs and dropped off my gear with Deej and asked if he minded holding the fort, or the Keep to be more correct until I got back.
Then we were off rushing through the milling crowds of Valletta. The sun was beating down on us and the sound of several helicopters overhead resounded and bounced off the walls of the ancient city. Everywhere there were police, armed police and there I was being dragged along by Fabio, would we make it there alive I asked myself?
At length as we turned to go towards the Parliament Building and the main crowd, who were awaiting the return of all the runners we were greeted by one of the guys that was security and a friend of Fabio, who had been waiting for our arrival. We were whisked behind the barriers and behind the stage above which were huge speakers and a huge screen. It was manic, loud with music and everyone dancing in the main square. It was a great carnival atmosphere, full of folks singing and lots of smiling, happy faces.
No sooner had we arrived at the side of the stage than a TV camera was thrust in my face and I found myself being interviewed first in Maltese, which was then translated into English. It was like being inside a whirlwind, but the adrenaline was pumping through me, by now and I was excited and truly honoured to be taking part in this momentous event.
Soon after this, the Prime Minister, Dr Joseph Muscat, came down from the stage to greet us and was shown the Picture I had drawn – this was followed by a big grin an arm around my shoulder and the words – “Brilliant, you have captured him exactly.” Relief!!!
We followed him up the side steps at the side of the stage onto the main stage and waited in the wings. We didn’t wait long and soon the President himself leading the crowd of runners ran into the square – we could see this on the big screens all around the area. Eventually after being patted on the back by the crowd below he joined us on the stage.
The Prime Minister gave his speech and luckily this was translated by Fabio, so I knew what was being said, although I do remember MaltaComicCon, Superman, Comic Artist from England and my name being mentioned and then he showed the drawing to the President who had a huge smile on his face when he saw it. He then turned to me gesturing for me to hold one side of the drawing as we presented it to him. He shook my hand with both of his and said he was delighted with it. – Finally true relief!!!
With our job done, the clouds rolled in and by the time we had finally left the stage, after speaking to the folks on the stage, Fabio and I took our leave and raced once more through the streets of Valletta, looking like Del Boy and Rodney in that famous scene from Only Fools and Horses when they ran through the streets as Batman and Robin, only in our case it wasn’t fog we were trying to avoid, it was rain, lots of it!!!
By the time we arrived back at the venue, we looked like two drowned rats and Fabio immediately took me to the video games room, whereupon I was given a brand new T-Shirt to replace the soaked one I was currently wearing. Then it was back to the convention for me.
I guess I have to say that it was at this convention that, having coined the phrase, the year before for my good buddy and student, Deej, that he was, “Chronically Unpleasant,“ following his alleged session of wild, abandoned Pigeon Kicking on his first day at the convention venue on the Friday before it began, that I got my comeuppance – when folks started calling me a Maltese God and with that followed all the stuff you can probably imagine, including the photo contained further down, which folks have disclaimed was created using Photoshop or any such art program. You can see for yourselves in the photos a little further down in this Blog.
As usual the pre-convention run up, the convention itself and the interim times between, along with the post-convention activities were all full of fun and a great many laughs lots of great meals and a terrific day trip out sampling Malta’s culture and heritage on the legendary Monday trip out.
We even managed to stave off the “Windett Curse,” as did Dave Windett himself, much to all our relief.
The weather was okay for the most part, with the occasional quick shower, but on the final day before departure the heavens opened and one would have sworn, The Mighty Thor had made an entrance with the wind and gales which accompanied the torrential rain. It was thankfully short lived and eventually the weather turned nice again. After all it is winter for goodness sake and we would be returning to the North of England and some very wintery weather as usual, but it’s hard to remember this on these trips, until they are over and one gets out at Manchester airport and everywhere is white.
As I say I am having to keep this brief and I need to fulfil the 2014 convention report as well in the same manner, so I can both honour the Blog promise to the Gang back in Malta and also keep to my deadlines with the painting of Worlds End – Volume 2 – A Hard Reign’s Gonna Fall.
I have to say at this point though, just how proud I was to be asked in the first instance and to then take part in this presentation of my artwork to the President of Malta and I am only too glad I was able to tell my Mum all about my experience, however briefly between her hospital visits. I know she and my Dad were really proud of me when I told them.
And now a few photographs from 2013:
MaltaComicCon 2014
Last year’s convention saw the return of the mighty Mike Collins along with some new appearances from the likes of Mario Alberti – an incredible artist and Marama Corlett of the BBC adventure series, Sinbad, fame.
I was joined this time by another of my students, this time Owen Dodds, who incidentally had moved out to live permanently just six months or so before my arrival. Deej had other commitments, to which I guess he is now eternally regretful about.
So it was Owen’s turn to accompany me at the table and the after convention shenanigans as well as the Monday trip out. I am excited about this year as all three of us are making yet another return to my favourite convention. All I can say is watch out Malta and just add a reminder – hey, that microphone is mine… LOL.
I was accompanied to the event on the same flight by the wonderful and talented, Dave Taylor, another good mate of mine in comics along with his wife and young daughter – whom Owen and me adopted throughout our stay… she is such a little star. Not like her Dad… LOL, Sorry Dave I couldn’t resist.
The weather was much better than the previous year and we returned to a sun-filled convention. Being longstanding guests of the event it is pretty much expected that folks can ask for a guided tour of restaurants and bars in the area around the Hotel Santana, at which we stay throughout our trips out to the wonderful island and this year was no exception, with both Chris Thompson and I being given that role by the other guests. So from the first night onwards we are constantly asked where everything is… we could have some fun there if we really wanted to be cruel, couldn’t we.
Owen lives in Saint Paul’s Bay a short ten minute or quarter of an hour drive away, so he used to come along to meet up at the hotel at breakfast time, leaving his car on the adjacent car park until his return back from the convention. He then used to drive to his apartment and then get a taxi back to the Hotel Santana. He would then not leave until we had realised it was almost time to get up, whereupon he would take his leave, hop in a taxi and then, after having approximately half an hour’s sleep, do it all over again. I think it took him until New Year to recover from my trip out there.
I am proud to announce, here at last, officially as well that I was crowned MaltaComicCon Karaoke Champion 2014, after my renditions of Heaven can Wait, by Meatloaf, Two out of Three, by Meatloaf, Bat out of Hell, by Meatloaf, and Against all Odds, by Phil Collins, the latter of which had dozens of folks holding lights in the air as they swayed to the music – or thinking about it were they just nauseous? It was the first time in public I had sung since my Mum and I wasn’t sure whether Heaven can Wait, Two out of Three, or Against all Odds were doable, as I usually choked doing them here in the studio. I remember blowing a kiss to the sky when I had finished singing the Phil Collins track and feeling a little choked, but at the same time immensely happy for the first time in a long while.
Everyone had such a good time that night that even Dave Taylor a Karaoke sceptic admitted he had begun to look for a song to do – he is a great drummer – but unfortunately he missed out, as the final song had been sung by me. So next time Dave get in there early – I know you will now.
On the Sunday I had the pleasure of presenting yet another piece of artwork I had been asked to produce whilst back at the Keep. I was asked to produce a piece of artwork for a young lad, Jacob that had recently undergone major surgery. His code name because of his bravery during it and his comeback fight after the surgery earned him the moniker, Titanium Man, as he now had a titanium plate in his skull. Again I was honoured to do the drawing. I had done it purposely on Watercolour paper and taken along a little tin of watercolours, in case he decided he would like me to paint it for him, whilst he watched.
It was a lovely experience for me as much as for he and his family, who just couldn’t thank me enough – his Mum almost cried and I am so glad she didn’t because I think I would have joined her. I painted the picture and it now resides proudly on his wall alongside other artwork created for him in this way. There were lots of photos taken and I am sure a video too of this, but I haven’t seen a copy of the video yet, if I do I’ll ask permission to share it with you all here. I hope they all come along to the event later this year. It will be nice to catch up with them once more.
Anyhow, the convention was yet again a resounding success for me and also for the organisers, without whom this simply wouldn’t happen. It is all down to their incredible hard work, love for the medium of comics, love for their island and all its culture, heritage, fine cuisine and marvellous people, along with their dedication to putting on the best conventions that they can and boy, do they fulfil all those roles above. They are the greatest ambassadors any country could hope for and I know from speaking to lots of the comics creators after the events that, just like I did, they now know a lot more about the small Mediterranean island and all that comes with it, due to the diligent care and attention given to both the guests and the convention and its ever-growing fan base.
I know I can never thank the guys enough for their continued support and friendship. I was lucky enough to have one of them, Chris Muscat pay us a visit with his wife and children back in early May this year, where his first words as I greeted them at the door was – "Tim!!! You are wearing a T-Shirt," which is how I dress in Malta, even though they are in light jackets and sweaters, just as they were during their visit.
It was an incredible honour for me to host their visit along with my wife, Margaret for the afternoon and I have a surprise to announce about early 2016 soon, but as you know I like leaving you with teasers, so just before I sign off, I’ll let the photographs tell the tales for both conventions. Thanks to all the wonderful folks from whom, I have ‘borrowed’ their wonderful photos if I did not have them to record the event. I hope you don’t mind.
And now a few photographs from 2014:
Next up: John Gillmore's interview for BBC Radio Lancashire - Part 2
This will be quickly followed with Bentley who is taking over the Blog for a while with a return of his adventures, entitled: Blogtrotting with Bentley 2 – A Bogtrotter Lineage Part 1.
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…
August 5th 2015
August 2, 2015
WONDERLANDS – the UK Graphic Novel Expo
Inaugural event
Hi everyone,
Well, it was another early start for me, as the Hotels were full by the time I finally got around to sorting my accommodation out. I had mistakenly thought that this was being organised for us. The WONDERLANDS event was being held on the same weekend of a Rugby final, so all the accommodation for miles around was taken. It was actually fortunate for me though, because I was struggling with the workload for Worlds End – Volume 2 – A Hard Reign’s Gonna Fall, so time was precious at that moment in time as it continues to be.
The plan was to go along with my assistant colour flat artist, Gaby, but when I arrived to pick her up in the wee hours she was ill, so as with all the best laid plans, I made my way off to Sunderland. Poor Gaby, she was more upset than I was that she couldn’t make, but she would not have made it to the venue in one piece, so her debut alongside me for a signing session remains somewhere in our futures at this moment in time.
It was dark when I set off and the Sat Nav decided to take me on the scenic route and would have continued to do so had I not recognised where it was taking me. I quickly sorted this and continued in good speed to the event.
By the time I was half way there, towards Harrogate the sun was up. It looked like the previous week or two’s inclement weather had broken and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky by the time I arrived at the University in Sunderland.
The venue, like the one at the True Believers Festival, had great access for loading and unloading and so in no time at all, with my sack truck doing the donkey work, I found myself inside the venue setting up – yes I was the first person there again. LOL
I had been initially invited along by my friend and fellow comic creator, Bryan Talbot with this first foray into a UK Graphic Novel Expo. It was worth a look at this experiment and I was keen to play a part in this inaugural event.
As I set up I was met by one of the two organisers, Hannah Matterson – I would meet the other organiser, Richard Callaghan a little later that morning. We chatted for a while and then as she went about her hosting of the event and I settled into setting up I was joined by my old pal and fellow comic creator, Jeff Anderson . We hadn’t seen each other for years and had only communicated via email on occasion, so we had a lot to catch up on. Then, as we looked at the time and realised neither of us had set up properly, we set about doing so and arranged to chat further later in the day.
Eventually all was set up and there was a slow start to the day and so I took the rare opportunity, albeit for a short time only to chat to some of the other creators and publishers. As I say that didn’t last long and over a short period of time, a nice steady flow of people came by and I was very pleased to say that lots of people bought the graphic novel as well as lots of our other products, but they stopped to talk about the books as well as Wizards Keep and Worlds End in general, which was lovely. I found myself doing many sketches during the day and whilst drawing one such sketch a newspaper photographer came by and took a photo of the young boy, whose sketch it was and me. This appeared in a piece in the local paper, a day or so later.
Well, the day passed quickly and before I knew it I was packed and sitting in a nearby pub along with lots of others awaiting our pre-booked Indian restaurant reservation a short drive away. The meal and the company which I shared during it was superb. It had a lovely atmosphere.
The drive home was again marred by motorway hold ups and the weather, which had been great up until that point had now turned nasty. The detour, which again was badly signposted again also added a further two hours to my journey – I think we went via Canada. Eventually, exhausted and the car unpacked I retired for the night about 5:00am – yes, it was light although grey for as far as the eye could see.
For me it was a resounding success. Selling the graphic novels and our other merchandise is always the goal of these events and we did that by the bucket load. Obtaining new readers, whom we now call our, “Wizardlings” is also always one of the things we are looking to find and here again we were not disappointed.
The great news following was that it is all going to happen again next year, which is wonderful.
Thanks to Hannah and Richard for asking me along and to Bryan for asking me in the first instance. It was a pleasure to take part in this inaugural event and I look forward to doing it all again soon.
And now a few photographs:
Next Time: MaltaComicCon 2013 and 2014 – The Combo-Blog
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…
August 3rd 2015
Hi everyone,
Well, it was another early start for me, as the Hotels were full by the time I finally got around to sorting my accommodation out. I had mistakenly thought that this was being organised for us. The WONDERLANDS event was being held on the same weekend of a Rugby final, so all the accommodation for miles around was taken. It was actually fortunate for me though, because I was struggling with the workload for Worlds End – Volume 2 – A Hard Reign’s Gonna Fall, so time was precious at that moment in time as it continues to be.
The plan was to go along with my assistant colour flat artist, Gaby, but when I arrived to pick her up in the wee hours she was ill, so as with all the best laid plans, I made my way off to Sunderland. Poor Gaby, she was more upset than I was that she couldn’t make, but she would not have made it to the venue in one piece, so her debut alongside me for a signing session remains somewhere in our futures at this moment in time.
It was dark when I set off and the Sat Nav decided to take me on the scenic route and would have continued to do so had I not recognised where it was taking me. I quickly sorted this and continued in good speed to the event.
By the time I was half way there, towards Harrogate the sun was up. It looked like the previous week or two’s inclement weather had broken and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky by the time I arrived at the University in Sunderland.
The venue, like the one at the True Believers Festival, had great access for loading and unloading and so in no time at all, with my sack truck doing the donkey work, I found myself inside the venue setting up – yes I was the first person there again. LOL
I had been initially invited along by my friend and fellow comic creator, Bryan Talbot with this first foray into a UK Graphic Novel Expo. It was worth a look at this experiment and I was keen to play a part in this inaugural event.
As I set up I was met by one of the two organisers, Hannah Matterson – I would meet the other organiser, Richard Callaghan a little later that morning. We chatted for a while and then as she went about her hosting of the event and I settled into setting up I was joined by my old pal and fellow comic creator, Jeff Anderson . We hadn’t seen each other for years and had only communicated via email on occasion, so we had a lot to catch up on. Then, as we looked at the time and realised neither of us had set up properly, we set about doing so and arranged to chat further later in the day.
Eventually all was set up and there was a slow start to the day and so I took the rare opportunity, albeit for a short time only to chat to some of the other creators and publishers. As I say that didn’t last long and over a short period of time, a nice steady flow of people came by and I was very pleased to say that lots of people bought the graphic novel as well as lots of our other products, but they stopped to talk about the books as well as Wizards Keep and Worlds End in general, which was lovely. I found myself doing many sketches during the day and whilst drawing one such sketch a newspaper photographer came by and took a photo of the young boy, whose sketch it was and me. This appeared in a piece in the local paper, a day or so later.
Well, the day passed quickly and before I knew it I was packed and sitting in a nearby pub along with lots of others awaiting our pre-booked Indian restaurant reservation a short drive away. The meal and the company which I shared during it was superb. It had a lovely atmosphere.
The drive home was again marred by motorway hold ups and the weather, which had been great up until that point had now turned nasty. The detour, which again was badly signposted again also added a further two hours to my journey – I think we went via Canada. Eventually, exhausted and the car unpacked I retired for the night about 5:00am – yes, it was light although grey for as far as the eye could see.
For me it was a resounding success. Selling the graphic novels and our other merchandise is always the goal of these events and we did that by the bucket load. Obtaining new readers, whom we now call our, “Wizardlings” is also always one of the things we are looking to find and here again we were not disappointed.
The great news following was that it is all going to happen again next year, which is wonderful.
Thanks to Hannah and Richard for asking me along and to Bryan for asking me in the first instance. It was a pleasure to take part in this inaugural event and I look forward to doing it all again soon.
And now a few photographs:
Next Time: MaltaComicCon 2013 and 2014 – The Combo-Blog
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…
August 3rd 2015
July 31, 2015
TRUE Believers Festival 2015
Inaugural Comic Festival
Hi everyone,
Well, earlier this year found me winging myself down in the early hours to Cheltenham Race Course where, following a Tweet I had posted. I received an invite to appear as one of its official guests at its inaugural event - True Believers from its main organiser, Stuart Mulrain.
It is a long trip from the mountains of Cimmeria here in the North of England, but I soon found myself with dawn’s light just rising, as I arrived outside the venue and ready to set up.
It was a well organised event and the venue was great with pretty much everything in easy reach of each other. We were taken to the Panels with the organisers so there was none of the finding your own way to them, as many of the UK ones can end up being.
The venue was a huge, modern, high-vaulted roof affair.
I was the first person there and was immediately allowed to set up. There was adequate room for cars and vans to unload and load and I soon found myself due to this with a fully-functioning table of Wizard Keep Wares on display.
It was a very busy day with me sketching and speaking to the folks visiting, all about Worlds End. Towards the end of the day I once again joined with two of my favourite comics-creators, the wonderful Emma Vieceli and Kate Brown on a panel about self-publishing.
From the response I certainly got after the panel we delivered just what the folks there wanted to hear and they found our discussion highly informed and entertaining, thankfully.
The event was well sign posted and it was well branded too with all the banners, posters, signage, etc. matching the website, which made it look very professional and every bit the larger convention organisation. It certainly didn’t look like a first one at all.
I was told later that over 500 visitors came through the doors, certainly enough for them to do the same again this coming year in 2016.
It was thoroughly enjoyable day made all the better with a meal afterwards withMike Collins, Emma Vieceli, Paul Duffield, Kate Brown, Dylan Teague and Lee Garbett. It was well turned midnight when I left the restaurant/pub and set off on the homeward journey back to the Keep.
It was foggy and a section of the motorway was closed on that night only, so by the time I had made the detour, which was incredibly badly signposted – I have to admit to feeling a little like I was in an episode of the Twilight Zone – would I ever escape the loop? I had been delayed by approximately two hours.
Well eventually I did escape, and after unloading the wares, went straight to bed, just as a lot of folks would be getting up.
Was it worth the trip, well following a couple of none-events the previous year it didn’t have to do much to attain that for me, but thankfully it proved to be every bit as exciting and great an event as the organisers had said it would be. It certainly didn’t feel like an inaugural event at all.
I can’t make it to the next one, as I am too busy with the painting and production of the second volume of the Worlds End graphic novel series – A Hard Reign’s Gonna Fall, but I hope to make it along to the one following in 2017.
I’ll leave you with my final thoughts for the guys – thanks for the invitation to attend and I wish you all the continued luck in the world with this festival.
And now, a few photos of the occasion:
Next time: WONDERLANDS – The UK Graphic Novel Expo
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…
July 31st 2015
Hi everyone,
Well, earlier this year found me winging myself down in the early hours to Cheltenham Race Course where, following a Tweet I had posted. I received an invite to appear as one of its official guests at its inaugural event - True Believers from its main organiser, Stuart Mulrain.
It is a long trip from the mountains of Cimmeria here in the North of England, but I soon found myself with dawn’s light just rising, as I arrived outside the venue and ready to set up.
It was a well organised event and the venue was great with pretty much everything in easy reach of each other. We were taken to the Panels with the organisers so there was none of the finding your own way to them, as many of the UK ones can end up being.
The venue was a huge, modern, high-vaulted roof affair.
I was the first person there and was immediately allowed to set up. There was adequate room for cars and vans to unload and load and I soon found myself due to this with a fully-functioning table of Wizard Keep Wares on display.
It was a very busy day with me sketching and speaking to the folks visiting, all about Worlds End. Towards the end of the day I once again joined with two of my favourite comics-creators, the wonderful Emma Vieceli and Kate Brown on a panel about self-publishing.
From the response I certainly got after the panel we delivered just what the folks there wanted to hear and they found our discussion highly informed and entertaining, thankfully.
The event was well sign posted and it was well branded too with all the banners, posters, signage, etc. matching the website, which made it look very professional and every bit the larger convention organisation. It certainly didn’t look like a first one at all.
I was told later that over 500 visitors came through the doors, certainly enough for them to do the same again this coming year in 2016.
It was thoroughly enjoyable day made all the better with a meal afterwards withMike Collins, Emma Vieceli, Paul Duffield, Kate Brown, Dylan Teague and Lee Garbett. It was well turned midnight when I left the restaurant/pub and set off on the homeward journey back to the Keep.
It was foggy and a section of the motorway was closed on that night only, so by the time I had made the detour, which was incredibly badly signposted – I have to admit to feeling a little like I was in an episode of the Twilight Zone – would I ever escape the loop? I had been delayed by approximately two hours.
Well eventually I did escape, and after unloading the wares, went straight to bed, just as a lot of folks would be getting up.
Was it worth the trip, well following a couple of none-events the previous year it didn’t have to do much to attain that for me, but thankfully it proved to be every bit as exciting and great an event as the organisers had said it would be. It certainly didn’t feel like an inaugural event at all.
I can’t make it to the next one, as I am too busy with the painting and production of the second volume of the Worlds End graphic novel series – A Hard Reign’s Gonna Fall, but I hope to make it along to the one following in 2017.
I’ll leave you with my final thoughts for the guys – thanks for the invitation to attend and I wish you all the continued luck in the world with this festival.
And now, a few photos of the occasion:
Next time: WONDERLANDS – The UK Graphic Novel Expo
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…
July 31st 2015
July 22, 2015
Playing Catch Up
Long Overdue Blogs
Hi everyone, just a quick note that I am about to write and publish a series of long overdue Blogs.
First up – I missed out on Blogging about MaltaComicCon 2013 and 2014 is now later than normal too, so I’ll be posting a double event special – not as many as usual, but a Blog about both years fun and frolics combined – if only to give a flavour.
Then I plan on Blogging about the True Believers Festival in Cheltenham from earlier this year.
This will be followed up by a third Blog, this time regarding the Wonderlands Graphic Novel Expo in Sunderland in May.
I really cannot believe how fast time is moving at the moment, hence the smaller Blog post this time around, as I work towards the completion of Worlds End – Volume 2 – A Hard Reign’s Gonna Fall.
A quick update on the progression of the book:
Gabyis working hard on the flats and has delivered some more pages to me only this past Friday, whereupon she worked herein the Keep studio.
I’m busy playing lots of catch-up both business and networking wise, so next week should see me firmly back at the workstation painting full-time again.
Bentleyis of course keeping a firm grip of the situation and his coolheadedness is the back bone of our operation here.
In fact speaking of Bentley, he’ll be returning to this very Blog once more to take over the reins for a while, when he begins his BLOGTROTTING with Bentley 2series in a few week’s time.
In the meantime the rest of this week sees me writing, both the Blogs and some exciting Business stuff too, so I’ll sign off for now and would just like to remind any of you entering our Design An Aoevill Space Craft Competition that the DEADLINE is JULY 31st – so not long now to get your design into the studio here.
Good Luck everyone!!!
Just one last thing before I go; you can listen in live to the John “Gilly” Gillmore show on BBC Radio Lancashire this coming Tuesday – the 28th of July from 2:00pm GMT when I’ll be discussing my NEW Children’s Saturday Morning Comics workshops at D.A.P.A inside of Eanam Wharf from 9:00am – 10:30am each week, as well as my weekly Wednesday Evening Fantasy Art Unlimited Course from 6:00pm – 9:00pm and more besides.
So if you live locally and you or your children fancy doing some drawing yourselves, tune in and find out the when, where and how.
Listen Live to BBC Radio Lancashire
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…
July 22nd 2015
Hi everyone, just a quick note that I am about to write and publish a series of long overdue Blogs.
First up – I missed out on Blogging about MaltaComicCon 2013 and 2014 is now later than normal too, so I’ll be posting a double event special – not as many as usual, but a Blog about both years fun and frolics combined – if only to give a flavour.
Then I plan on Blogging about the True Believers Festival in Cheltenham from earlier this year.
This will be followed up by a third Blog, this time regarding the Wonderlands Graphic Novel Expo in Sunderland in May.
I really cannot believe how fast time is moving at the moment, hence the smaller Blog post this time around, as I work towards the completion of Worlds End – Volume 2 – A Hard Reign’s Gonna Fall.
A quick update on the progression of the book:
Gabyis working hard on the flats and has delivered some more pages to me only this past Friday, whereupon she worked herein the Keep studio.
I’m busy playing lots of catch-up both business and networking wise, so next week should see me firmly back at the workstation painting full-time again.
Bentleyis of course keeping a firm grip of the situation and his coolheadedness is the back bone of our operation here.
In fact speaking of Bentley, he’ll be returning to this very Blog once more to take over the reins for a while, when he begins his BLOGTROTTING with Bentley 2series in a few week’s time.
In the meantime the rest of this week sees me writing, both the Blogs and some exciting Business stuff too, so I’ll sign off for now and would just like to remind any of you entering our Design An Aoevill Space Craft Competition that the DEADLINE is JULY 31st – so not long now to get your design into the studio here.
Good Luck everyone!!!
Just one last thing before I go; you can listen in live to the John “Gilly” Gillmore show on BBC Radio Lancashire this coming Tuesday – the 28th of July from 2:00pm GMT when I’ll be discussing my NEW Children’s Saturday Morning Comics workshops at D.A.P.A inside of Eanam Wharf from 9:00am – 10:30am each week, as well as my weekly Wednesday Evening Fantasy Art Unlimited Course from 6:00pm – 9:00pm and more besides.
So if you live locally and you or your children fancy doing some drawing yourselves, tune in and find out the when, where and how.
Listen Live to BBC Radio Lancashire
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…
July 22nd 2015
June 25, 2015
10 Years Old
Wizards Keep Anniversary Celebrations
Wow, yesterday we celebrated 10 years of incorporation here at Wizards Keep and to say we were a little excited is quite the understatement.
I paid a visit to the BBC Radio Lancashire studios in the afternoon (please click the link below) from 1:00pm GMT to the John "Gilly" Gillmore Show where I discussed the past ten years and also what lies ahead in the future for the company and its main franchise - Worlds End and more... He surprised me by putting me on the spot with a comic-based quiz, but I’ll have my revenge, mark my words. LOL.
Tim’s Interview by Gilly
There will be a permalink file uploaded onto the websites soon.
It seems like yesterday that, one Wednesday morning in March of 2005, I walked down the stairs to where my wife, Margaret was making breakfast and feeding our then relatively small menagerie of doggies and broke the news that I was thinking of starting a new company, Wizards Keep . I had coined the name back in school as a sixteen year old student, so it made sense to stick with the name.
She asked me if I thought I could make it work and I was honest and said I didn’t know for sure, but that I would give it my best shot. This mirrored my conversation with her way back in the early eighties when I was thinking of making a move to go Freelance into the Comic Business and, just like back then her answer was the same. Well if you think you could make it work, why not go ahead then.
And, with those very words echoing in the back of my mind our fates were sealed.
It’s been a wonderful experience – not all good, as you can appreciate, but the bad bits are so few compared to the many great things that have happened that they pale into insignificance as the years have rolled on by.
There have been so many marvellous events along the way, so many opportunities to learn and to work with incredibly talented people. The support from certain individuals cannot ever be recompensed, but a few names will be mentioned in a roll call later on in this humble little Blog of mine.
I couldn’t have got this far without such support from those individuals alongside my wonderfully supportive and long suffering family and close friends and that of my peers too. All this alongside the many fans, customers and indeed the new members of the general public that have hitched on board the Wizards Keep Rollercoaster for the ride.
I always wanted to promote the company first, the book second and myself at the end of this. I was lucky, I already had a small existing fan-base – after all I had worked for some of the biggest comic and book publishers on the planet – Marvel, DC, 2000AD to name but a few. That said, however, I realised back even before the inception of the company that I would have to reinvent myself, because I had been out of the comic business for six years by then and what I was proposing doing no one, except close family and friends, had seen me produce before. I had left the worlds of comicdom back in late 1999, when I could no longer stomach the politics and shenanigans I faced on a daily basis back then, especially following the comics crash in the mid-nineties following on from my stint working in New York for Jim Shooter, which if I am honest was my best experience working in comics.
I spent three solid months, after learning all the ins and outs of managing a website, sourcing equipment, materials, suppliers, printers. I sourced my Wizards Keep website gurus by looking for someone to build a website that would open fast on my 64K PC – I realised not everyone had machines like the main one I was using back then – my SGI Z-10 and broadband was just surfacing and wasn’t cheap, so most folks were still relying on dialup. My, how things change.
With all my suppliers in place, my huge business plan in hand, my Wizards Keep e-commerce Website and NEW Workstations being built, software ordered, all the office equipment and paraphernalia ordered and a new business bank account opened, I proceeded to start what was to become a huge and ongoing investment. I put my foot out of the door and away I went and on June 24th 2005 with the help of my accountant, John the company was incorporated.
When I first went to get the bank account sorted I was directed by my business manager, as seemed to the case with all start-up companies at the time, to a small Help for Start-ups Company, called Bootstrap that helped to prepare such companies as I was proposing to get their first foothold on the ladder. There was at the time a very small grant available to start-ups too. It was only small, but free money is FREE, after all, and better than a kick in the proverbial. I walked into their offices, suited and booted, armed with my originals that were to become the Giclées, some original pages from Worlds End- Volume 1, which I had already begun to pencil, some of my incredibly detailed McFarlane toys and my, as I have already mentioned huge business plan.
I made a good impression, I was in a suit, I had examples of products and the toys I had with me represented the kind of figurines I was speaking to them about – it all made sense to them, because they could see stuff. So much so that I was asked to take it all to the board myself, rather than have Bootstrap represent my company – the only change that needed to be made was to pare down my business plan into their format. That itself was no hardship, it just needed to be put down to the bare essentials.
I remember being told that no one had ever gone into their offices with such a comprehensive business plan before and that alongside my presentation technique were the reason for asking me to represent myself in order to obtain the grant. The exception being our cash-flow projection, which my accountant John and I had created, based on out theories for the business model.
The weather that late spring/early summer was superb all throughout that period of setting the company up and it made a world of difference. As the studio was gutted and refurbished and decorated ready for the refit, etc I remember constantly listening to Green Day’s American Idiot album, especially their track, When September Comes, which I had playing on loop – so much so that my Daughter, Joanne, whose album it actually was can hardly bring herself to listen to the track any longer. But then Prog Rock returned and I was looking forward to seeing the new studio kitted out and live for the first time.
When I went along to the board a free weeks later I was expecting around six folks around the table – it’s a good job that these kind of things don’t faze me, because when I walked in I found myself in a boardroom with what must have been nearly, if not, twenty other people that I had to win over.
I did the same presentation as before, I was grilled by certain members of the group, in a nice way really, I suppose and I left. Later that day I was told I had won the grant and so arranged to go along once more to the bank at which point the huge investment was made and the course was set.
Back in the early days I remember being told on more than one occasion that if I could survive five years I stood a chance of the company being successful. What a scary thought that was at the time. The first products had to be quickly put together and they comprised of a series of, what would become successful, limited edition signed and numbered Giclée prints, a limited edition signed and numbered sketchbook, and a fantasy bookmark alongside original artwork from various stages of my comic book career for various publishers – not exactly a huge gamut of products, but it was a start.
Over the years I have created a much bigger Internet presence with the addition of the Worlds End Website and this Wizards Keep Blog to the Wizards Keep Website alongside many other networks, such as the currently three FaceBook pages, three Twitter pages, MySpace, About Me pages etc, etc. The product ranges too have grown to include Ashcans, Mouse Mats, Posters of all shapes and sizes, Greetings Cards, Mugs and of course the first Graphic Novel, with the second now firmly taking shape amongst other things.
The Wizards Keep Website and Brand has also grown to include new products such as the bespoke wall covering service, Mural Artz , a Hall of Fame , where my influences are shown in all their magnificent glory, a guest artist page amongst many other aspects. Our custom built studio for all kinds of arts services, ranging from graphic design, all the way through, concept art storyboards and script writing to a huge gamut of other things for publishing, animation, feature films and TV, as well as theme parks, and theatre productions. There is even the occasional time to privately commission me, although those periods are still quite rare, due to the time constraints imposed with the day-to-day running of the business and trying to create new pages for the graphic novels as well as other art for the company.
I guess the one common denominator in answer to the array of questions I am always being asked is that I love being able to steer the ship, in the way I want to. Okay, if mistakes are made they are mine alone, but I like that aspect of what I am doing. Never have I felt so creatively at ease with myself – although that itself has its own burdens. One is always one’s worst critic. I feel as though for this past ten years I have finally come home again and this, all because of creative freedom. The freedom to create the stories in exactly the way I envision them, as both the writer and the artist. I can pace the stories exactly as I want to, I can layout the pages, exactly as I want them, and I can decide on the stock and format of each item we release. You simply cannot buy that kind of creative freedom.
I spoke a little yesterday to John in the BBC Radio Lancashire studios about the future of Wizards Keep, but there is a whole lot more I have in store for the company and those I am fortunate enough to have working alongside me.
And now, as promised, a few mentions:
My Mum, Grace and Dad, Harry – I wish Mum was here to hear this – without your support all throughout my life both during my education and ever since none of this would be happening.My Wonderful and I am grateful to say, mad as a Hatter, Wife, Margaret – I’m not sure even I would have supported my seemingly hair-brained schemes, but I am so glad she has. Thanks for all your support.My beautiful Daughter, Joanne, now married to Toby with a wonderful daughter of her own now, Phoebie – Thank you so much for all the support you give to your mad Dad.My handsome Son, Simon, now along with his missus, Amy also with a beautiful baby daughter, Peyton. Like your sister – Thank you so much for all the support you give to your mad Dad. My Best Friend, Paul Roberts – You’ve been with me longer than most and still give your support, mate – you’re the best.John McAvoy a silent, but vital Wizard with that little magik needed to run Wizards Keep – Thanks for everything John. Without your valuable help and advice things would be different.Dean ‘Deano’ Jackson – Workstation and Software Wizard – Thanks for all your hard work keeping us up-to-date with our systems. You continue to save my bacon regularly.Derek Roberts – Another unsung angel for us here at the Keep. Thanks for all your support and help, you truly are one of the nicest Wizards around.John & Rita Ridgway – My best friend in comics and his wife who puts up with our constant long conversations. John, you are the nicest guy in comics, you are my friend and without you, things could have been so very different. Thanks for all your mentoring, your continued support, your wonderful introduction to the first graphic novel, as well as the wonderful illustration from the first Worlds End Ashcan, and most of all your friendship.Gabriella ‘Gaby’ Golden – my new Colour Flats Wizard on Worlds End Volume 2 – Thanks for the great work and great laughs.James Hill – Editor Wizard – Thanks for all your support and friendship, buddy.Rob Sharp – Graphic Design Wizard – Thanks for all your hard work on Worlds End Volume 1Yel Zamor – Colour Flats Wizard on Worlds End Volume 1 – Thanks for doing such a great and diligent job.Richard Starkings – Font Wizard – Thanks for the use of all your Fonts, mate.Albert Deschesne – Lettering Wizard – Thanks for doing such an incredible job on Worlds End Volume 1 and making it seamless with the storytelling.Bryan Talbot – Foreword writer on Worlds End Volume 1 – Thanks for such lovely words and your support now and throughout my career. Frank Zigarelli – Art Wizard – Thanks for the beautiful illustrations on the Worlds End Volume 1 Ashcan.Sean Green – Sculpting Wizard – Thanks for doing such a beautiful job with Gweldar – You set the standard, by which everything else was measured.Jeff Meckley – Sculpting Wizard – Thanks for breathing life into Ralf – A Truly Beautiful Figurine.Choi Chow – Sculpting Wizard – Thanks for creating our first bad guy, Master Chl’Atheeir – A tremendously powerful piece in such a short space of time.Paul Finch – Graphic Design Wizard – Thanks for the great motifs you provided on the Worlds End Volume 1 Ashcan, and which were also used on Worlds End Volume 1.
My Website Wizards
Vinceand Mike at SurfOcracy For their fantastic work and patience with me on the Wizards Keep Website.Chris Trickett at House of Trix for his wonderful and whimsical work on the Worlds End Website.
Truly you are all Wizards.
Mark Mugan & Joe MuganAll my printers at Direct Ed and at Print WorthyMark Lomas and all at Lomas Office SuppliesJohn and Ann at PortfolioPat and the Gang at GranthamsIvo MilićevićGensen (China)
ALL the organisers at MaltaComicCon
Mike QuintonChris Le GalleChristopher MuscatFabio AgiusChristian StelliniSamantha AbelaKenneth Micallef
And all the people of Malta that have welcomed me to your country and embraced me as one of your own. I am humbled by your warmth.
John ‘Gilly’ Gillmore and Garry Scott at BBC Radio Lancashire for your continued support and the fun interviews with you guys – it’s always FUN!!!
All the other convention organisers at:
Bristol International Comic ConventionBirmingham International Comic ConventionThought Bubble InternationalThe Lakes International Comic Art FestivalTrue Believers Comic FestivalWonderlands UK Graphic Novel Expo
All the many schools, colleges and universities that have asked me along to perform one or more of my workshops, talks and courses.
All my past and present Fantasy Art Unlimited students – You have been a joy to teach.
All our ever growing legion of loyal fans – our ‘Wizardlings’ as we call them.
All our customers, without your support and purchases, there literally is no company.
And all the many creative people I have worked with since I embarked on my career all those many moons ago in 1980.
Barry Kitson for opening the door for me.
Jim Shooter for showing me proof that it could be done right.
Jack Kirby for inspiring me enough with his creations to want to do the same in my career.
And in memory of my wonderful Mum, Grace, my Grandparents on both sides of the family, and my Uncles, Bob and George as well as my good friend and fellow comic artist, Art Wetherell and Mike Wieringo, if only.
All of you have been my inspiration in one way or another and continue to be so.
I am one of the luckiest people on this planet and I think you all deserve credit for making that so.
As for the future, I’m currently working on the painting of Worlds End – Volume 2 – A Hard Reign’s Gonna Fall alongside Gaby, who is busy flatting the pages for me.
Plans are in the works for more products, some of which are as yet TOP SECRET others not so much. Our next publication will probably be a third Sketchbook – this next one is going to be all about fantasy, faeries, goblins, giants, orcs and all the many different variants therein.
Look out for the launching of a new series of A4 and A3 Prints too.
Now, whilst some of you grab your hankies, just a quick reminder – please don't forget our current Competition, which will end on July 31st 2015.
Every time we announce the winner of one of our competitions, the reaction from the winners is always the same I really didn’t expect to win – but as we always remind them – SOMEONE HAS TO WIN!!!
Get your entries in soon for your chance to be one of the THREE lucky WINNERS.
In the meantime, as we look forward to our weekend shenanigans at our specialExhibition and KARAOKE party, here's a new teaser - We may have a little special something COMING SOON - Stay Tuned, as they say!!!
My heartfelt thanks once again to all our supporters – words cannot express my sincere and eternal gratitude.
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins… June 25th 2015
Wow, yesterday we celebrated 10 years of incorporation here at Wizards Keep and to say we were a little excited is quite the understatement.
I paid a visit to the BBC Radio Lancashire studios in the afternoon (please click the link below) from 1:00pm GMT to the John "Gilly" Gillmore Show where I discussed the past ten years and also what lies ahead in the future for the company and its main franchise - Worlds End and more... He surprised me by putting me on the spot with a comic-based quiz, but I’ll have my revenge, mark my words. LOL.
Tim’s Interview by Gilly
There will be a permalink file uploaded onto the websites soon.
It seems like yesterday that, one Wednesday morning in March of 2005, I walked down the stairs to where my wife, Margaret was making breakfast and feeding our then relatively small menagerie of doggies and broke the news that I was thinking of starting a new company, Wizards Keep . I had coined the name back in school as a sixteen year old student, so it made sense to stick with the name.
She asked me if I thought I could make it work and I was honest and said I didn’t know for sure, but that I would give it my best shot. This mirrored my conversation with her way back in the early eighties when I was thinking of making a move to go Freelance into the Comic Business and, just like back then her answer was the same. Well if you think you could make it work, why not go ahead then.
And, with those very words echoing in the back of my mind our fates were sealed.
It’s been a wonderful experience – not all good, as you can appreciate, but the bad bits are so few compared to the many great things that have happened that they pale into insignificance as the years have rolled on by.
There have been so many marvellous events along the way, so many opportunities to learn and to work with incredibly talented people. The support from certain individuals cannot ever be recompensed, but a few names will be mentioned in a roll call later on in this humble little Blog of mine.
I couldn’t have got this far without such support from those individuals alongside my wonderfully supportive and long suffering family and close friends and that of my peers too. All this alongside the many fans, customers and indeed the new members of the general public that have hitched on board the Wizards Keep Rollercoaster for the ride.
I always wanted to promote the company first, the book second and myself at the end of this. I was lucky, I already had a small existing fan-base – after all I had worked for some of the biggest comic and book publishers on the planet – Marvel, DC, 2000AD to name but a few. That said, however, I realised back even before the inception of the company that I would have to reinvent myself, because I had been out of the comic business for six years by then and what I was proposing doing no one, except close family and friends, had seen me produce before. I had left the worlds of comicdom back in late 1999, when I could no longer stomach the politics and shenanigans I faced on a daily basis back then, especially following the comics crash in the mid-nineties following on from my stint working in New York for Jim Shooter, which if I am honest was my best experience working in comics.
I spent three solid months, after learning all the ins and outs of managing a website, sourcing equipment, materials, suppliers, printers. I sourced my Wizards Keep website gurus by looking for someone to build a website that would open fast on my 64K PC – I realised not everyone had machines like the main one I was using back then – my SGI Z-10 and broadband was just surfacing and wasn’t cheap, so most folks were still relying on dialup. My, how things change.
With all my suppliers in place, my huge business plan in hand, my Wizards Keep e-commerce Website and NEW Workstations being built, software ordered, all the office equipment and paraphernalia ordered and a new business bank account opened, I proceeded to start what was to become a huge and ongoing investment. I put my foot out of the door and away I went and on June 24th 2005 with the help of my accountant, John the company was incorporated.
When I first went to get the bank account sorted I was directed by my business manager, as seemed to the case with all start-up companies at the time, to a small Help for Start-ups Company, called Bootstrap that helped to prepare such companies as I was proposing to get their first foothold on the ladder. There was at the time a very small grant available to start-ups too. It was only small, but free money is FREE, after all, and better than a kick in the proverbial. I walked into their offices, suited and booted, armed with my originals that were to become the Giclées, some original pages from Worlds End- Volume 1, which I had already begun to pencil, some of my incredibly detailed McFarlane toys and my, as I have already mentioned huge business plan.
I made a good impression, I was in a suit, I had examples of products and the toys I had with me represented the kind of figurines I was speaking to them about – it all made sense to them, because they could see stuff. So much so that I was asked to take it all to the board myself, rather than have Bootstrap represent my company – the only change that needed to be made was to pare down my business plan into their format. That itself was no hardship, it just needed to be put down to the bare essentials.
I remember being told that no one had ever gone into their offices with such a comprehensive business plan before and that alongside my presentation technique were the reason for asking me to represent myself in order to obtain the grant. The exception being our cash-flow projection, which my accountant John and I had created, based on out theories for the business model.
The weather that late spring/early summer was superb all throughout that period of setting the company up and it made a world of difference. As the studio was gutted and refurbished and decorated ready for the refit, etc I remember constantly listening to Green Day’s American Idiot album, especially their track, When September Comes, which I had playing on loop – so much so that my Daughter, Joanne, whose album it actually was can hardly bring herself to listen to the track any longer. But then Prog Rock returned and I was looking forward to seeing the new studio kitted out and live for the first time.
When I went along to the board a free weeks later I was expecting around six folks around the table – it’s a good job that these kind of things don’t faze me, because when I walked in I found myself in a boardroom with what must have been nearly, if not, twenty other people that I had to win over.
I did the same presentation as before, I was grilled by certain members of the group, in a nice way really, I suppose and I left. Later that day I was told I had won the grant and so arranged to go along once more to the bank at which point the huge investment was made and the course was set.
Back in the early days I remember being told on more than one occasion that if I could survive five years I stood a chance of the company being successful. What a scary thought that was at the time. The first products had to be quickly put together and they comprised of a series of, what would become successful, limited edition signed and numbered Giclée prints, a limited edition signed and numbered sketchbook, and a fantasy bookmark alongside original artwork from various stages of my comic book career for various publishers – not exactly a huge gamut of products, but it was a start.
Over the years I have created a much bigger Internet presence with the addition of the Worlds End Website and this Wizards Keep Blog to the Wizards Keep Website alongside many other networks, such as the currently three FaceBook pages, three Twitter pages, MySpace, About Me pages etc, etc. The product ranges too have grown to include Ashcans, Mouse Mats, Posters of all shapes and sizes, Greetings Cards, Mugs and of course the first Graphic Novel, with the second now firmly taking shape amongst other things.
The Wizards Keep Website and Brand has also grown to include new products such as the bespoke wall covering service, Mural Artz , a Hall of Fame , where my influences are shown in all their magnificent glory, a guest artist page amongst many other aspects. Our custom built studio for all kinds of arts services, ranging from graphic design, all the way through, concept art storyboards and script writing to a huge gamut of other things for publishing, animation, feature films and TV, as well as theme parks, and theatre productions. There is even the occasional time to privately commission me, although those periods are still quite rare, due to the time constraints imposed with the day-to-day running of the business and trying to create new pages for the graphic novels as well as other art for the company.
I guess the one common denominator in answer to the array of questions I am always being asked is that I love being able to steer the ship, in the way I want to. Okay, if mistakes are made they are mine alone, but I like that aspect of what I am doing. Never have I felt so creatively at ease with myself – although that itself has its own burdens. One is always one’s worst critic. I feel as though for this past ten years I have finally come home again and this, all because of creative freedom. The freedom to create the stories in exactly the way I envision them, as both the writer and the artist. I can pace the stories exactly as I want to, I can layout the pages, exactly as I want them, and I can decide on the stock and format of each item we release. You simply cannot buy that kind of creative freedom.
I spoke a little yesterday to John in the BBC Radio Lancashire studios about the future of Wizards Keep, but there is a whole lot more I have in store for the company and those I am fortunate enough to have working alongside me.
And now, as promised, a few mentions:
My Mum, Grace and Dad, Harry – I wish Mum was here to hear this – without your support all throughout my life both during my education and ever since none of this would be happening.My Wonderful and I am grateful to say, mad as a Hatter, Wife, Margaret – I’m not sure even I would have supported my seemingly hair-brained schemes, but I am so glad she has. Thanks for all your support.My beautiful Daughter, Joanne, now married to Toby with a wonderful daughter of her own now, Phoebie – Thank you so much for all the support you give to your mad Dad.My handsome Son, Simon, now along with his missus, Amy also with a beautiful baby daughter, Peyton. Like your sister – Thank you so much for all the support you give to your mad Dad. My Best Friend, Paul Roberts – You’ve been with me longer than most and still give your support, mate – you’re the best.John McAvoy a silent, but vital Wizard with that little magik needed to run Wizards Keep – Thanks for everything John. Without your valuable help and advice things would be different.Dean ‘Deano’ Jackson – Workstation and Software Wizard – Thanks for all your hard work keeping us up-to-date with our systems. You continue to save my bacon regularly.Derek Roberts – Another unsung angel for us here at the Keep. Thanks for all your support and help, you truly are one of the nicest Wizards around.John & Rita Ridgway – My best friend in comics and his wife who puts up with our constant long conversations. John, you are the nicest guy in comics, you are my friend and without you, things could have been so very different. Thanks for all your mentoring, your continued support, your wonderful introduction to the first graphic novel, as well as the wonderful illustration from the first Worlds End Ashcan, and most of all your friendship.Gabriella ‘Gaby’ Golden – my new Colour Flats Wizard on Worlds End Volume 2 – Thanks for the great work and great laughs.James Hill – Editor Wizard – Thanks for all your support and friendship, buddy.Rob Sharp – Graphic Design Wizard – Thanks for all your hard work on Worlds End Volume 1Yel Zamor – Colour Flats Wizard on Worlds End Volume 1 – Thanks for doing such a great and diligent job.Richard Starkings – Font Wizard – Thanks for the use of all your Fonts, mate.Albert Deschesne – Lettering Wizard – Thanks for doing such an incredible job on Worlds End Volume 1 and making it seamless with the storytelling.Bryan Talbot – Foreword writer on Worlds End Volume 1 – Thanks for such lovely words and your support now and throughout my career. Frank Zigarelli – Art Wizard – Thanks for the beautiful illustrations on the Worlds End Volume 1 Ashcan.Sean Green – Sculpting Wizard – Thanks for doing such a beautiful job with Gweldar – You set the standard, by which everything else was measured.Jeff Meckley – Sculpting Wizard – Thanks for breathing life into Ralf – A Truly Beautiful Figurine.Choi Chow – Sculpting Wizard – Thanks for creating our first bad guy, Master Chl’Atheeir – A tremendously powerful piece in such a short space of time.Paul Finch – Graphic Design Wizard – Thanks for the great motifs you provided on the Worlds End Volume 1 Ashcan, and which were also used on Worlds End Volume 1.
My Website Wizards
Vinceand Mike at SurfOcracy For their fantastic work and patience with me on the Wizards Keep Website.Chris Trickett at House of Trix for his wonderful and whimsical work on the Worlds End Website.
Truly you are all Wizards.
Mark Mugan & Joe MuganAll my printers at Direct Ed and at Print WorthyMark Lomas and all at Lomas Office SuppliesJohn and Ann at PortfolioPat and the Gang at GranthamsIvo MilićevićGensen (China)
ALL the organisers at MaltaComicCon
Mike QuintonChris Le GalleChristopher MuscatFabio AgiusChristian StelliniSamantha AbelaKenneth Micallef
And all the people of Malta that have welcomed me to your country and embraced me as one of your own. I am humbled by your warmth.
John ‘Gilly’ Gillmore and Garry Scott at BBC Radio Lancashire for your continued support and the fun interviews with you guys – it’s always FUN!!!
All the other convention organisers at:
Bristol International Comic ConventionBirmingham International Comic ConventionThought Bubble InternationalThe Lakes International Comic Art FestivalTrue Believers Comic FestivalWonderlands UK Graphic Novel Expo
All the many schools, colleges and universities that have asked me along to perform one or more of my workshops, talks and courses.
All my past and present Fantasy Art Unlimited students – You have been a joy to teach.
All our ever growing legion of loyal fans – our ‘Wizardlings’ as we call them.
All our customers, without your support and purchases, there literally is no company.
And all the many creative people I have worked with since I embarked on my career all those many moons ago in 1980.
Barry Kitson for opening the door for me.
Jim Shooter for showing me proof that it could be done right.
Jack Kirby for inspiring me enough with his creations to want to do the same in my career.
And in memory of my wonderful Mum, Grace, my Grandparents on both sides of the family, and my Uncles, Bob and George as well as my good friend and fellow comic artist, Art Wetherell and Mike Wieringo, if only.
All of you have been my inspiration in one way or another and continue to be so.
I am one of the luckiest people on this planet and I think you all deserve credit for making that so.
As for the future, I’m currently working on the painting of Worlds End – Volume 2 – A Hard Reign’s Gonna Fall alongside Gaby, who is busy flatting the pages for me.
Plans are in the works for more products, some of which are as yet TOP SECRET others not so much. Our next publication will probably be a third Sketchbook – this next one is going to be all about fantasy, faeries, goblins, giants, orcs and all the many different variants therein.
Look out for the launching of a new series of A4 and A3 Prints too.
Now, whilst some of you grab your hankies, just a quick reminder – please don't forget our current Competition, which will end on July 31st 2015.
Every time we announce the winner of one of our competitions, the reaction from the winners is always the same I really didn’t expect to win – but as we always remind them – SOMEONE HAS TO WIN!!!
Get your entries in soon for your chance to be one of the THREE lucky WINNERS.
In the meantime, as we look forward to our weekend shenanigans at our specialExhibition and KARAOKE party, here's a new teaser - We may have a little special something COMING SOON - Stay Tuned, as they say!!!
My heartfelt thanks once again to all our supporters – words cannot express my sincere and eternal gratitude.
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins… June 25th 2015
June 19, 2015
COMPETITION TIME!!!
Design an Aoevill Spacecraft
As part of the on-going 10 Year Anniversary Celebrations I am proud to announce that…
Yes, folks, it’s COMPETITION time once again.
This time you are testing your design and art skills by designing an alien spacecraft.
What I am looking for is a great design for one of the alien invaders’ technologically advanced, sleek spacecraft. If you (shock horror) don’t have a copy of the book yet, there are examples of the existing craft on the Wizards Keep and here on the Worlds End Websites, Wizards Keep Blog, as well as all theFaceBook, Twitter Pages and other Networks.
Being Aquatic and Semi-Aquatic creatures the spacecraft designs created by Tim for the Worlds End Graphic Novel series reflect their fish-like appearance.
All you need to do is create something that would look cool, sleek and really scary for the folks living on the planet of Gaeryth.
Yes, it really is that simple.
Scan your artwork or take a photo of the picture on your mobile/cell phone in the first instance and send it via email to studio@wizards-keep.com orgweldar@worlds-end.co.uk – where your design will be judged by the Gang and I here at Wizards Keep Publishing.
Or send a printed copy of the design to the address below – (please don’t send originals as they can get lost in the post and we cannot be held responsible for any losses – sorry).
Wizards Keep Publishing
11 Walton Crescent
Whinney Heights
Blackburn
Lancashire
BB2 3TQ
United Kingdom
NOW THEN WHAT IS THE PRIZE? – I hear you ask.
Well this time there are three prizes up for grabs.
FIRST PRIZE – is a unique one off large-format Worlds End Poster, which shows lots of the spacecraft in all their glory that have been seen thus far in Volume 1 and are in production in Volume 2. This unique large-format poster will be signed by me. The lucky winner will also become the proud owner of a special, 10 year anniversary, commemorative Worlds End themed Mug.
SECOND PRIZE – is a remarked edition of the first Volume of the Graphic Novel and a special, 10 year anniversary, commemorative Worlds End themed Mug.
THIRD PRIZE – is a special, 10 year anniversary, commemorative Worlds End themed Mug.
As always with our competitions I'll leave you with these three words…
GOOD LUCK FOLKS!!!
Below is the artwork for the large-format Poster...
Don't forget to continue to check out the News Pages for more updates on events, appearances as part of this year's celebrations, as well as further information about Worlds End - Volume 2 - A Hard Reign's Gonna Fall.
And be sure to listen in to BBC Radio Lancashire on Wednesday 24th June to catch Part 2 of John "Gilly" Gilmore's live interview with me, when we'll be getting together once more in the BBC studios to discuss Wizards Keep, Worlds End, the 10 Year Anniversary for the Company and what the future may have in store.
February 24, 2015
BBC Radio Interview 18.02.15
John Gillmore's interview for BBC Radio Lancashire
You can now listen to the interview by clicking on the Banner below:
I look forward to hearing what you think.
Part 2 of the interview will air on Wednesday 24th June 2015.
All part of the 10 Year Wizards Keep Anniversary Celebrations.
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…February 24th 2015
You can now listen to the interview by clicking on the Banner below:
I look forward to hearing what you think.
Part 2 of the interview will air on Wednesday 24th June 2015.
All part of the 10 Year Wizards Keep Anniversary Celebrations.
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…February 24th 2015
February 12, 2015
New Merchandise Launches
2 New Products for 2015
Wizards Keep Limited and its imprint, Wizards Keep Publishing is TEN Years old this year and to help celebrate that we are holding several events throughout the year.
This week is the second of those and I am proud to announce that we are unveiling not one but TWO NEW Products.
First up is the "All at Sea!" Worlds End A4 Poster
This is the first in a series of A4 format full colour posters from us here at Wizards Keep, which depict accompanying scenes from the “Science Fusion” Graphic Novel series Worlds End written and illustrated by me. The scene here shows all of our principle heroes from the ongoing series, as they find themselves once more in trouble – this time on a lone rock formation somewhere out on the Seas of Gaeyrth.
The posters can be personalised with my signature, which can be added to them at no extra cost by adding an accompanying email, when placing the order, requesting a signature from me.
Second up is my 12 The Witching Hour – Sketchbook
The sketches inside this second book in the series are the culmination of sketches produced by me over the last ten years or so.
Set in the Halloween Genre, these Spooky Treats, I hope that they will satisfy any collector of Ghosts and Horror.
As with the first Sketch Book they come Signed and Numbered out of 999 copies with an Illustrated accompanying Certificate of Authenticity.
Don't forget to continue to check out the News Pages for more updates on events, appearances as part of this year's celebrations, as well as further information about Worlds End - Volume 2 - A Hard Reign's Gonna Fall.
Be sure to listen in to BBC Radio Lancashire from 1:00pm this coming Wednesday 18th February to catch John “Gilly” Gilmore’s live interview with me.
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…
February 12th 2015
Wizards Keep Limited and its imprint, Wizards Keep Publishing is TEN Years old this year and to help celebrate that we are holding several events throughout the year.
This week is the second of those and I am proud to announce that we are unveiling not one but TWO NEW Products.
First up is the "All at Sea!" Worlds End A4 Poster
This is the first in a series of A4 format full colour posters from us here at Wizards Keep, which depict accompanying scenes from the “Science Fusion” Graphic Novel series Worlds End written and illustrated by me. The scene here shows all of our principle heroes from the ongoing series, as they find themselves once more in trouble – this time on a lone rock formation somewhere out on the Seas of Gaeyrth.
The posters can be personalised with my signature, which can be added to them at no extra cost by adding an accompanying email, when placing the order, requesting a signature from me.
Second up is my 12 The Witching Hour – Sketchbook
The sketches inside this second book in the series are the culmination of sketches produced by me over the last ten years or so.
Set in the Halloween Genre, these Spooky Treats, I hope that they will satisfy any collector of Ghosts and Horror.
As with the first Sketch Book they come Signed and Numbered out of 999 copies with an Illustrated accompanying Certificate of Authenticity.
Don't forget to continue to check out the News Pages for more updates on events, appearances as part of this year's celebrations, as well as further information about Worlds End - Volume 2 - A Hard Reign's Gonna Fall.
Be sure to listen in to BBC Radio Lancashire from 1:00pm this coming Wednesday 18th February to catch John “Gilly” Gilmore’s live interview with me.
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…
February 12th 2015
February 6, 2015
NEW Worlds End Pencil Art Volume 2 - Day 5
ONE Page per Day for the Next FIVE Days
Wizards Keep Limited and its imprint, Wizards Keep Publishing is TEN Years old this year and to help celebrate that we are holding several events throughout the year.
This week is the first of those and we are proud to announce that we are unveiling ONE page of my pencilled artwork for Worlds End - Volume 2 - A Hard Reign's Gonna Fall PER Day for the NEXT FIVE DAYS!!!
Here is the fifth page of our ONE Page a Day for the next FIVE Days event on the run up to my attending the True Believers Comic Festival this coming Saturday 7th February. You can find these pages all week here on the Worlds End News Pages and the Wizards Keep Website News Pages, as well as links from all our other networks.
I will also have this artwork with me at the festival for Fans to come along and check out.
This is the very first time this artwork has been shown in this form and the first artwork to have been shown since July 2013.
As always I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my latest work.
And so without further Ado here is the last of the five pages..
Page 32 - Greyscale - Artwork: Tim Perkins
I hope you liked checking out the five pages in this promotional event and look forward to hearing what you thought of them.
Don't forget to continue to check out the News Pages for more updates on events, appearances as part of this year's celebrations, as well as further information about Worlds End - Volume 2 - A Hard Reign's Gonna Fall.
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…
February 6th 2015
Wizards Keep Limited and its imprint, Wizards Keep Publishing is TEN Years old this year and to help celebrate that we are holding several events throughout the year.
This week is the first of those and we are proud to announce that we are unveiling ONE page of my pencilled artwork for Worlds End - Volume 2 - A Hard Reign's Gonna Fall PER Day for the NEXT FIVE DAYS!!!
Here is the fifth page of our ONE Page a Day for the next FIVE Days event on the run up to my attending the True Believers Comic Festival this coming Saturday 7th February. You can find these pages all week here on the Worlds End News Pages and the Wizards Keep Website News Pages, as well as links from all our other networks.
I will also have this artwork with me at the festival for Fans to come along and check out.
This is the very first time this artwork has been shown in this form and the first artwork to have been shown since July 2013.
As always I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my latest work.
And so without further Ado here is the last of the five pages..
Page 32 - Greyscale - Artwork: Tim PerkinsI hope you liked checking out the five pages in this promotional event and look forward to hearing what you thought of them.
Don't forget to continue to check out the News Pages for more updates on events, appearances as part of this year's celebrations, as well as further information about Worlds End - Volume 2 - A Hard Reign's Gonna Fall.
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…
February 6th 2015
February 5, 2015
NEW Worlds End Pencil Art Volume 2 - Day 4
ONE Page per Day for the Next FIVE Days
WizardsKeep Limited and its imprint, Wizards Keep Publishing is TEN Years old this year and to help celebrate that we are holding several events throughout the year.
This week is the first of those and we are proud to announce that we are unveiling ONE page of my pencilled artwork for Worlds End - Volume 2 - A Hard Reign's Gonna Fall PER Day for the NEXT FIVE DAYS!!!
Here is the fourth page of our ONE Page a Day for the next FIVE Days event on the run up to my attending the True Believers Comic Festival this coming Saturday 7th February. You can find these pages all week here on the Worlds End News Pages and the Wizards Keep Website News Pages , as well as links from all our other networks.
I will also have this artwork with me at the festival for Fans to come along and check out.
This is the very first time this artwork has been shown in this form and the first artwork to have been shown since July 2013.
As always I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my latest work.
And so without further Ado here is the fourth of the five pages...
Page 31 - Greyscale - Artwork: Tim Perkins
Check back TOMORROW for the grand unveiling of the fifth and last of the five pages in this promotional event.
Don't forget to continue to check out the News Pages for more updates on events, appearances as part of this year's celebrations, as well as further information about Worlds End - Volume 2 - A Hard Reign's Gonna Fall.
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…February 5th 2015
WizardsKeep Limited and its imprint, Wizards Keep Publishing is TEN Years old this year and to help celebrate that we are holding several events throughout the year.
This week is the first of those and we are proud to announce that we are unveiling ONE page of my pencilled artwork for Worlds End - Volume 2 - A Hard Reign's Gonna Fall PER Day for the NEXT FIVE DAYS!!!
Here is the fourth page of our ONE Page a Day for the next FIVE Days event on the run up to my attending the True Believers Comic Festival this coming Saturday 7th February. You can find these pages all week here on the Worlds End News Pages and the Wizards Keep Website News Pages , as well as links from all our other networks.
I will also have this artwork with me at the festival for Fans to come along and check out.
This is the very first time this artwork has been shown in this form and the first artwork to have been shown since July 2013.
As always I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my latest work.
And so without further Ado here is the fourth of the five pages...
Page 31 - Greyscale - Artwork: Tim Perkins
Check back TOMORROW for the grand unveiling of the fifth and last of the five pages in this promotional event.
Don't forget to continue to check out the News Pages for more updates on events, appearances as part of this year's celebrations, as well as further information about Worlds End - Volume 2 - A Hard Reign's Gonna Fall.
Until next time, have fun!
Tim Perkins…February 5th 2015
