Wilbur Dawbarn Cartoons, Comics and Illustration

Uncle Biffo...

2012-03-01T00:46:00.000-08:00

Just occasionally the worlds of comics and magazine cartoons collide...

(Unpublished cartoon from early last year)

Sketchbook graffiti -- giraffe

2012-02-28T02:23:00.000-08:00

Another of my 7-year-old son's captions on one of my sketchbook drawings. This one's a bit sad...

"I got him!" "I'm DEAD!" "What!" "Did I?" "WHY YOU!" "You killed a garafe" (sic) "Pow"

Wilbur does... The Badd Lads!

2012-02-22T00:43:00.000-08:00

I've just finished four more pages for the 2013 Dandy annual, to add to the Winker Watson and Robin Hood's Schooldays strips I produced last month. This time I've been breathing new life into the old Beezer strip The Badd Lads. (A bunch of inept crooks, for the ill-read among you).

The strip was originally drawn by Malcolm Judge, who also produced Billy Whizz and Ball Boy for The Beano, and The Numskulls for The Beezer. Like my Robin Hood's Schooldays pages, I've worked pretty close to the original style...and yet somehow without finding it a big adjustment from my usual style.

I'm now working on one last thing for the Dandy annual... the endpapers, which I've been having rather a lot of fun with...

Sketchbook graffiti

2012-02-20T00:50:00.002-08:00

There are lots of old sketchbooks hanging around in our house, so over the last few years I've been using them up... The figure on the left here was drawn years back by my girlfriend, the figure on the right more recently by me, and the captions were added even more recently by my son...

"A gun!" "Yes." "How dare you"

Random comic strip

2012-02-16T04:08:00.000-08:00

This was going to be a 9,017 page epic graphic novel, but after a bit of ruthless editing it ended up a three panel strip...

More sketchbook graffiti

2012-02-13T01:10:00.000-08:00

That son of mine has been at it again...

"Two burgers please."

I See Dead Books...

2012-02-09T01:40:00.000-08:00

...is a haunt for book buyers, book lovers, readers and collectors -- vintage, out-of-print, collectable and used books of all genres...

So, I did this logo for them a while back...

...they didn't like the clouds, so I took them out of the final edit; the above is the director's cut, as it were. Drop in to the site here.

Sketchbook graffiti

2012-02-06T01:09:00.000-08:00

Recently my seven-year-old son got hold of my sketchbook and wrote his own captions on some of my drawings. The cheeky young pup!

"I am massive."

Meecher framed!

2012-02-01T04:56:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know I've been banging on about the Dandy a lot lately, and I promise this'll be the last time (for a while) -- but I have to mention this week's Mr Meecher The Uncool Teacher -- mainly because it took me twice as long as normal to draw, dagnabbit!

It's a bit different and is a bit of a must for Meech fans, as it has a frame around it which works as a guide to all the characters in the strip to date, as well as being, well, you know, maybe quite a nice thing in its own right. I can't really reproduce it here other than as a tiny thumbnail, because I'd be hauled off to the Dandy dungeons and bludgeoned by Desperate Dan, but once again -- and for the last time for, oh at least a week -- I urge you to support this great British institution, the country's funniest comic for kids, and go out and buy a copy! Out now.

(EDIT: 12th February: I've now put the whole strip in the comics section, so you can see it at a decent size)

Robin Hood's Schooldays

2012-01-27T07:49:00.000-08:00

As a few sharp cookies amongst you guessed, the second strip I've produced for the forthcoming Dandy annual is Robin Hood's Schooldays. It was originally drawn by Ron Spencer in the '70s, in a style which pretty much reprised the Leo Baxendale-esque style he used when he took over Little Plum for The Beano in 1962 (thanks Wikipedia!)

It's a strip I always loved, as it combined a Bash Street kind of mentality and art style with Robin Hood, who was a big hero of mine as a kid. (I was released on parole in 1993 after serving five years for armed robbery*)

Anyway, here's a title panel from one of the strips.

(*Yes, that was a joke)

Guess the strip!

2012-01-25T07:59:00.000-08:00

Following on from this post, I'm happy to report that the 2013 Dandy annual will include, as well as the three two-page Winker Watson strips I mentioned, three one-page strips of another vintage Dandy strip, by yours truly.

Quite interesting facts about this one:

It'll complete a triumvirate of school-based strips for the Dandy (the other two being Winker Watson and Mr Meecher The Uncool Teacher, obviously)
It bears the same initials as another of my Dandy strips.
And in this one I'm ghosting the style of the original artist, Ron Spencer (much more closely than I did the Eric Roberts style on Winker Watson)

Have you guessed it yet? Oh come on, I've practically told you! It is a lesser-known strip, but it was always one I loved as a kid. I have a vague childhood memory of feeling deliciously happy reading this strip in a summer special, on the beach. (Not that that's going to help you much)

PS The weekly Dandy really is a great comic now, btw, and if you haven't tried it on your kids yet, I really urge you to give it a go -- this great British institution needs support! It seems to have got rid of the celebrity-based stuff (which I have to admit was my least favourite part) and now really is a cracking kids comic!

Cripes! Bit text-heavy, this post -- here's the title pic from this week's Mr Meecher The Uncool Teacher (out now) to appease the image-hungry:

Poop poop!

2012-01-23T00:49:00.000-08:00

For no particular reason -- Mr Toad:

More Wilbur's Winker Watson on the way

2012-01-18T00:49:00.000-08:00

The year has started well for me, being kept busy so far throughout January with comics work...

First up, following on from his appearance in Mr Meecher the Uncool Teacher, I'm happy to announce that I've just produced three two-page Winker Watson strips for the 2013 Dandy annual.

It was one thing to put Winker in the Meecher strip as a guest star, but getting to produce actual Winker Watson strips was a real honour. The editor let me do it my way, too, which I'm eternally grateful for -- so expect more of the slightly tongue-in-cheek treatment he got in the Meecher/Winker crossover strip.

Of course, we've got a bit of a wait, but not too long -- the annuals come out in about April these day, don't they?

Wool-uf.

2012-01-12T09:09:00.000-08:00

Classic guest star in Mr Meecher The Uncool Teacher!

2012-01-03T13:56:00.000-08:00

I had a lot of fun doing this week's Mr Meecher The Uncool Teacher strip in the first Dandy of the new year -- out now! It involves one of my favourite classic Dandy characters, and I tried to give it the full retro comic feel -- toned with just one colour, old-style lettering, use of a ruler, Meech dressed up in the old-style mortar-board and gown...

Cripes! You're going to have to wangle yourself a look at this one!

(EDIT 1st March: Have now added it to the comics section)

Review of 2011

2012-01-01T04:04:00.000-08:00

This has become something of a blogging tradition of mine (previous years here)

Here's a selection of my topical pocket cartoons from the year just departed... Some published, many not.

As ever, it's a far from complete retrospective -- just whatever topics I happened to make cartoons on. I drew far fewer pocket cartoons in 2011 than I have in recent years, and had some breaks from them altogether, as I was focussing my energies more on other projects -- particularly the comics.

Here are the cartoons.

The environment...

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Those ruddy banks...

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Those ruddy cuts...

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A couple of films that caught my eye...

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Those ruddy lib dems...

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Those ruddy superinjunctions...

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Marking the passing of a fellow cartoonist...

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Those ruddy riots (and a few other things)...

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The end of Gaddafi...

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This one will only be understood by Radio 4 listeners...

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Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T15:41:00.000-08:00

Here's one from my *dark* period.
;)

Dandy Christmas Special

2011-12-16T03:52:00.000-08:00

Yes, the Dandy Christmas Special is now on the shelves of all quality retail outlets (hem hem).
In it you'll find another Wilbur double-bill, as Rocky's Horror Show is back for a special xmas episode...

(Don't forget, if you have excellent taste and want to see more Rocky's Horror in The Dandy, tell the editor!)
Mr Meecher The Uncool Teacher is in there too, taking the lead in 4M's Christmas assembly -- a role he was surely made for...

It's also crammed with loads of other great stuff, er... so I'm told... Still waiting for my copy to arrive, actually.

Late conkers!

2011-12-09T03:25:00.001-08:00

One slight problem I have is that I get ideas from things around me, but I'm working (as far as The Dandy is concerned) three months ahead of the schedule... So I got this idea for a Mr Meecher The Uncool Teacher page about conkers in November, but that's ideally when it should've been published...

I managed to persuade them to bring it forward a bit, but it's a difficult one to resolve because things going on around you are always likely to give you ideas... I suppose I could squirrel them away for a whole year, but then you never can be sure if your strip -- or even the comic in which it's published -- is still going to be around in a year's time!

Reworked limousine cartoon

2011-11-29T02:26:00.001-08:00

...one of a pair of mine from the latest Private Eye.

It was a reworking of this old unpublished gag.
It took several years before it occurred to me that it might work better with a woman.

This week's Dandy...

2011-11-23T03:27:00.001-08:00

...sees the last Rocky's Horror Show of this initial season (except for a Christmas one to come later)

If you've enjoyed Rocky's Horror Show and want to see it return to The Dandy, get in touch with the editor and let him know!

Elsewhere, this week's Mr Meecher the Uncool Teacher strip is notable for the fact that Mr Meecher doesn't appear in it! It's another strip loosely based on the harsh realities of my (short) career as a teacher...

Plus of course all the usual great stuff from the rest of The Dandy squad, including a new contributor -- my cartooning pal Royston Robertson's 9 year old son Fergus came up with this week's Lord Booger idea for The Bogies. Go Fergus!

Private Eye annual 2011

2011-11-15T09:02:00.001-08:00

...is now on sale.
Here's one of a couple of mine in it.

You've never really embraced consumer culture have you?

Shakespeare in The Dandy

2011-11-02T09:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, i'm proud to say that i got some actual lines from Shakespeare into this week's Mr Meecher strip, in which Meech reveals himself to be a bit of a luvvie.

Elsewhere in the comic, Rocky's Horror Show continues with the tale of Big, Bad Riding Hood, plus there's the return of Jamie Smart's Space Raoul, which i'm rather looking forward to reading...

Go on, get yourself a bit of culture!

Dandy Halloween special!

2011-10-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

Yes, comics fans, it's time to rush out to your local newsagents (or possibly Sainsbury's) and purchase The Dandy, a Halloween special this week featuring lots of great stuff, including the return of Andy Fanton's Boo in a one-off (I gather) double-page spread, plus Rocky's Horror Show (one of the few strips NOT to be a Halloween special, but then it's pretty much Halloween all year round at Rocky's HQ...), and a Meecher Halloween story.

I spent quite a long time on the final panel of this one, here's a glimpse at it (I'd feel a bit naughty posting it bigger as it isn't far off half the page -- if you want to have a better look, you know what to do!)
(EDIT: 8th November: I've now put the whole strip in the comics section, so you can see it at a decent size)

I've always loved this kind of cartooning (see here, for example), so it was nice to have a go at something like this in a Meecher strip.

Bonus for Meecher fans: Here's a little video of me drawing Meech, which those fine folk at The Dandy have put on their youtube site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suoLb9Y1aCw

Underpants

2011-10-25T13:04:00.000-07:00

(From the latest issue of the Reader's Digest)

My kids in the Dandy

2011-10-14T03:54:00.000-07:00

Had a lot of fun doing this week's Mr Meecher strip in The Dandy -- it features drawings of Mr M by my children, including this title panel by my seven-year-old son:

I love the way he made his eyes a bit red -- dunno what that was all about!
I also put some other youngsters' work in it, including Dandy superfan Harry Rickard (a talented young cartoonist in his own right )
I'd have been super-thrilled to have been published in The Dandy at the age of seven, but my own kids, of course, took it in their stride.Oh well. Harry and I enjoyed it anyway.
Rocky's Horror Show continues this week with Psycho Demon Kid From Hell (Exorcist spoof in The Dandy? Why not -- your kids'll love it!) -- all the usual other good stuff, too. Buy one if you can find one.

Around the world in my pencil case

2011-10-12T08:40:00.000-07:00

Only thing is, i forgot to note in my sketch book where this is...

Swamp Bloke!

2011-10-07T02:42:00.000-07:00

My strips Rocky's Horror Show and Mr Meecher the Uncool Teacher both continue in this week's Dandy.

Rocky's Horror is now at its regular one-page format. This week's story, Swamp Bloke, is already easily the most talked about individual comic page I've ever produced! Thanks to all those who've tweeted, or sent other messages and comments of appreciation!

And if that's got you curious -- get down to Sainsbury's and buy yourself a Dandy!

Incredible Shrinking Schoolboy -- the end.

2011-10-03T05:46:00.000-07:00

The dramatic conclusion!

Buy the Dandy this week!

2011-09-28T04:31:00.000-07:00

If you've been considering checking out The Dandy but still haven't got round to it, this week's issue is an excellent jumping-on point for Wilbur-watchers. It features the long-awaited (by me hem hem) debut of my new strip Rocky's Horror Show -- a double-pager this week to open with.

The issue also features Mr Meecher The Uncool Teacher. At the time of writing i'm not sure which page it is (they don't always publish them in the order i draw them) -- but if it's the one i think it is, it's a personal favourite.

So what more reason do you need? -- you need more reasons?! -- okay, how about cracking material from Jamie Smart, Alexander Matthews, Nigel Auchterlounie, Andy Fanton and the rest of the Dandy team? Go on, support this great British institution -- buy The Dandy!

PS I'm not certain about the rest of the country, but where I live it's best found in Sainsbury's.

Cereal killer pun

2011-09-27T03:06:00.000-07:00

...from the current Spectator.

The Incredible Shrinking Schoolboy

2011-09-26T01:20:00.000-07:00

He's getting smaller....

The thrilling conclusion next week.

Around the world in my pencil case

2011-09-23T01:55:00.000-07:00

Tripoli.

Incredible Shrinking Schoolboy

2011-09-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

Around the world in my pencil case

2011-09-15T02:59:00.000-07:00

Burma.

Temple.

Incredible Shrinking Schoolboy iii

2011-09-12T01:46:00.000-07:00

More of this unpublished strip from way back...

Around the world in my pencil case

2011-09-08T01:01:00.000-07:00

Kabul.

Swimming pool.

More Incredible Shrinking Schoolboy

2011-09-05T01:37:00.001-07:00

Around the world in my pencil case

2011-09-01T01:24:00.000-07:00

Cairo.

Building site.

From the archives...

2011-08-29T04:25:00.000-07:00

...a strip from 2004 which never saw the light of day...

To be continued.

burn_the_strimmers!

2011-08-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

Back in the Spectator this week with this one...

It was pre-riot, by the way, nothing to do with any of that -- i just wanted to do something against strimmers!

Mr Meecher update

2011-08-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

My character Mr Meecher The Uncool Teacher continues in The Dandy -- this week his lesson plan really is a pile of crap. It's out tomorrow, folks!

The good news for Meecher fans is the current run, which was twelve, has been extended -- i've been asked to draw more Meecher, no number specified at this stage.

Here's a little Meecher extra: The first character design i did. I'd already had this approved by the ed when i decided on changing him -- I didn't like the ponytail, but mainly i wised up to the fact that a character i'm going to be drawing a lot should maybe not have quite such a complicated outfit.

EDIT -- While we're in Meecher mode, there's an interview with Dandy editor Craig Graham, plus another chance to read the very first, slightly awkward-looking Meecher strip, here.

Apocalypse now!

2011-08-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

The signs are all there, i tells ya!

From the latest issue of The Spectator.

Film sketch 2

2011-08-09T01:30:00.000-07:00

Here's another film sketch. I reckon this one is a bit more challenging -- can you name the film?

Horse crap

2011-08-05T04:28:00.000-07:00

An illustration for this week's issue of the local paper, the Bucks Free Press.

Film sketch

2011-08-02T03:55:00.000-07:00

...but can you name the film?

Bond cartoon in the RD

2011-07-28T03:52:00.000-07:00

Here's the other cartoon from the Reader's Digest Money section this month.
Having drawn a Robin Hood one, i also got to draw another iconic, quintessentially English hero.
This one accompanied a bit about *safe* ways to gambling.

The game's Bonds. Premium Bonds.

If i'd not been working so close to deadline, i might have noticed i only put a *shine* on one stack of gambling chips.

Or perhaps the other stacks just weren't very shiny...

Robin Hood cartoon in the RD

2011-07-25T03:43:00.000-07:00

A couple of my cartoons in the Reader's Digest this month. Unusually they were commissioned, to illustrate the Money pages. Knowing a cartoon is going to be published gives the opportunity to put a bit more into the drawing than you can generally afford to with speculative submissions. Regular visitors will know how much i like drawing trees and wooded areas, so i was pleased when they went for a Robin Hood scenario among the roughs i offered...

'We rob the rich and give reliable investment advice to the poor'

I was on a bit of a tight deadline, and looking at the composition as it neared, i did think if i'd had more time i might have made sure it didn't look like there's a tiny Will Scarlett balanced on the end of the branch Robin's standing on...

Night doodle

2011-07-22T03:45:00.000-07:00

So, fired with the enthusiasm of having my brand new shiny blog, i'm going to try and keep posting new stuff on here regularly, even if it's just doodles and sketches...

Never seen before Bodkin and the Bear pages!!!

2011-07-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

(...unless you've already found them in the new comics section)

Yes, among the new stuff i've added to the revamped site are these two previously unseen pages from B&B, which ran towards the end of the life of the ill-starred DFC comic.

Twelve pages were published in the comic before it folded, and then three on the DFC website, but these last two were never seen, and they're probably my favourite two pages of the lot (i was getting better)

(Click to enlarge)

Mr Meecher hits the road!

2011-07-15T02:31:00.000-07:00

...in the first part of a 4-page summer adventure in The Dandy -- a double-page spread this week and next, in which the uncool one rides out for the summer!

It was supposed to coincide with the school summer holidays, really, but those Dandy folk just couldn't wait to run it!

As usual loads of other great stuff in there too -- support Britain's oldest comic, get yourself or your kid a copy today. Or maybe one each to save fights over who reads it first.

Kicking off in a statuesque manner

2011-07-13T03:13:00.000-07:00

Kicking off my new blog with my contribution to the latest issue of Private Eye:

"Best living statue I've seen"

Curiously, some of the shaded areas disappeared in the printed version, leaving the horse with a few white patches. This is the kind of fascinating inside information you can expect from this blog. Do come by again.

Just stretching my feet under the table...

2011-07-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

...at my new webspace...
Until I get round to my first proper blog post, please feel free to browse my updated portfolio (above), or look in on my old blog

Wilbur Dawbarn Cartoons, Comics and Illustration

*Uncle* Biffo...

Sketchbook graffiti -- giraffe

Wilbur does... The Badd Lads!

Sketchbook graffiti

Random comic strip

More sketchbook graffiti

I See Dead Books...

Sketchbook graffiti

Meecher framed!

Robin Hood's Schooldays

Guess the strip!

Poop poop!

More Wilbur's Winker Watson on the way

Wool-uf.

Classic guest star in Mr Meecher The Uncool Teacher!

Review of 2011

Merry Christmas!

Dandy Christmas Special

Late conkers!

Reworked limousine cartoon

This week's Dandy...

Private Eye annual 2011

Shakespeare in The Dandy

Dandy Halloween special!

Underpants

My kids in the Dandy

Around the world in my pencil case

Swamp Bloke!

Incredible Shrinking Schoolboy -- the end.

Buy the Dandy this week!

Cereal killer pun

The Incredible Shrinking Schoolboy

Around the world in my pencil case

Incredible Shrinking Schoolboy

Around the world in my pencil case

Incredible Shrinking Schoolboy iii

Around the world in my pencil case

More Incredible Shrinking Schoolboy

Around the world in my pencil case

From the archives...

burn_the_strimmers!

Mr Meecher update

Apocalypse now!

Film sketch 2

Horse crap

Film sketch

Bond cartoon in the RD

Robin Hood cartoon in the RD

Night doodle

Never seen before Bodkin and the Bear pages!!!

Mr Meecher hits the road!

Kicking off in a statuesque manner

Just stretching my feet under the table...

Uncle Biffo...