30 April 2018

Hot Dogs!

A western IN SPACE!


That's kinda the underlying high concept of classic 2000AD strip Strontium Dog right? Sure, Wagner & Ezquerra took Johnny Alpha and Wulf on all kinds of sci-fi escapades, but the bounty hunter premise gives most stories the tone (and often narrative shape) of a gritty western.


Alexi has long liked the idea of this and finally got round to scripting a story for Dogbreath, the long-running Strontium Dog comic anthology fanzine from FQP. Turns out, he really enjoyed trying to come with a satisfying sci-fi western story, and ended up scripting a chunky fourteen-pager - fortunately, the editors accepted it and artist David Parsons (plus Bolt-01 lettering) really nailed the art.


You can find the resultant story, 'A Safe Haven', in Dogbreath #34. It's the tale of a sheriff of a prim backwater farming colony having to deal with a notorious criminal gang (pursued by Strontium Dog bounty hunters) trying to lie-low in his jurisdiction. (IN SPACE!)


Dogbreath #34 cover by Mike Collins




Panel from 'A Safe Haven', art by David Parsons


But that's not all! Also fresh out from FQP is FutureQuake 2018 - the latest volume in their flagship sci-fi anthology series.


FutureQuake 2018 cover by Gibson Quarter & Steve Denton


Panel from 'A Strange Thing Happened', art by Scott Twells


Snuck in on the back cover is a one-pager scripted by Alexi, art by Scott Twells, colours by Owen Watts, letters by Bolt-01, A Strange Thing Happened - a brief sad look at disaffection and loneliness... and dogs.


These fine publications are now available from FQP - direct via their webstore (details plus full contents lists here: Dogbreath #34, FutureQuake 2018), or catch FQP in person at Oldham Comic Con on the 12th May.