Friday Pictorial the Seventh: Heroes

We can be heroes, so sang Bowie, but have you ever wanted your heroes to have less flying, shooting lasers out of their eyes and omnipotency and more steel cricket bats, denim bomber jackets and acid wash jeans? Well, then you might like the sound of my latest project 'Crucible'.


This is Tony Standforth- Sheffield born, steelworker, superhero. Standforth is 'Crucible', a member of a team of masked Military Intelligence operatives that tackle organised crime throughout the British Isles.


The team, led by the feisty Britannia (see below) find themselves moved from tracking elusive drug barons and gangland players to the hell of the Falklands War, an experience that will change every operative for better or for worse.

After their experiences of war the team soon crash headlong into their next conflict, the Miner's Strike and Crucible struggles with his split loyalties, his domineering coal miner father and the masks' association with increasing police brutality. Will he turn his back on his roots or rebel against his friends and the very government that employs him?

Set in Thatcher's Britain, 'Crucible' is a gritty, noirish tale of friendship, conflict and rebellion, all set against a background of New Romantics and bleak, British winters. It's Watchmen meets David Peace's GB84 and you followers are the first to get the details.

As a bonus here's a (very rough) concept sketch of the first panel from Issue 1 'To Cut A Long Story Short...'


As you can tell, I'm not much of an artist but I'm hopeful of attracting one to the project. That said, if by some miracle there's one reading this or any of you know one, direct yourselves/them my way and I'd be eternally grateful.

I'll try and keep you all posted with the details but I don't want to give too much away (you know what the internet's like with intellectual property...).

Have a good weekend, folks and I hope next week brings some bloody bloggable news stories, not like this week where sod all happened but the end of western civilisation on This Morning.