The LOOK-IN PICTURE STRIP ARCHIVE

[Shaqui]

I'm hoping to interview artist Martin Asbury shortly - does anyone have any questions they would like asked?

On the UK SF TV front (the interview is for the Gerry Anderson Complete Comic History website) he illustrated some of the Joe 90 strips in 'Joe 90: Top Secret', then drew 'Captain Scarlet' and 'UFO' for 'Countdown', as well as 'UFO' and 'The Protectors' for the TV Action Holiday Special in 1973. He then drew the three strips in the second 'Space:1999' annual.

Of course, he is much better known for other things, such as 'Forward From The Back Streets' in the latter 'TV21', 'Cannon' in 'TV Action', and 'Kung Fu', 'The Six Million Dollar Man', 'Dick Turpin', 'Battlestar Galactica' and 'Buck Rogers' for 'Look-In', as well as taking over 'Garth' for the Daily Mirror when Frank Bellamy died in 1976.

The interview will try and focus on the 'Joe 90', 'TV21', 'Countdown/TV Action' and 'Space:1999' input, but I'm open to questions about the rest of his career to put everything in context, as with the Mike Noble interview:

http://www.technodelic.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Interviews/Noble01f.htm

Over to you guys...

Shaqui

The Gerry Anderson Complete Comic History
http://www.technodelic.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/homealt.htm

[Shaqui]

As one of the most prolific and stylish artists to work on Look-In through the 1970s, I can't believe no-one has any questions for Martin Asbury - but the gods willing, I'll be interviewing him on Tuesday...


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Space Patrol � Sara & Hoppity � Gerry Anderson Comics � Look-In �

[CapBritain]

Well, I've been having a good think these last few days and have come up with the following (in no particular order):

1. As a young artist going into the strip illustration field, who were your contemporary influences, if any? Did you read the comics your work was appearing in?

2. Do you prefer to work in colour or black & white? What materials do you use to illustrate a comic strip page?

3. How much reference material were you usually given on a particular TV-related strip? Alot or a little? Was it usually enough? How much more reference material do you seek out yourself when not given to you?

4. What is your favourite genre of strip to illustrate? For example, do you prefer a more realistic script to that of a sci-fi story?

5. Did you enjoy working on strips that were based on TV shows? Or have you preferrred to work on strips which were more original and less restrictive in format?

6. Were there any strips based on TV shows you never got the chance to illustrate but would have really liked to have had a crack at?

7. How much freedom of input did you usually have in a script? How much could you contribute to a script in the form of your own ideas for the story? How much freedom did you have in the illustration? What constraints were imposed on you for the TV-related work? Did you have much contact with the writers of a strip you were illustrating?

8. Did you ever get to meet any of the actors/actresses associated with any of the TV-related strips you've illustrated?

9. On average, how long does it take you to illustrate one full page in B&W? And one full colour page?

10. Are there any strips you particularly did not enjoy working on?

11. Did you watch any of the TV shows you were illustrating?

12. Where is the original artwork that you have worked on over the years? have you gotten it back? Have you sold it? Given it away?

13. Do you have a particular favourite strip you have worked on over the years? What strip are you most proud of having worked on?

14. Are you generally very pleased with a finished page? Or are you never fully satisfied with the finished product?

15. What words of wisdom would you give to an aspiring comic strip artist?

That's all I have so far but will post some more questions here if I happen to think of any, Shaqui, so I hope you can use a couple or three if you haven't already thought of them.

DAZ

[Shaqui]

Hey, some nice ones there... I'll be sure to add some of those.

Cheers.


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Space Patrol � Sara & Hoppity � Gerry Anderson Comics � Look-In �

[porkulator]

I was going to ask a question, but I may have missed the deadline, but I think Daz has covered all angles there anyway!, You could ask him if he's seen the archive and what he thinks of it?

JOhn.

[Shaqui]

If you read this in time John, you've got a couple of hours...


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Space Patrol � Sara & Hoppity � Gerry Anderson Comics � Look-In �

[porkulator]

You could ask him what sort of deadlines he was on when he worked for Look-in, and if it is harder to draw under pressure of deadlines. I think Daz has covered everything else.

John.