For Carlos

-- What is this about? --

Why, it's for Carlos Ezquerra. The Spanish veteran 2000ad artist and co-creator of Judge Dredd & Strontium Dog. He recently went through surgery for lung cancer and is recovering - posting the status "I don't need two lungs to draw comics" and appearing on forums to assure everyone of his wellbeing. The response was enormous - and a very good man ([link]) secretly put together an enormous one-off anthology comic for artists and writers to express their admiration for Carlos' huge (AND CONSTANTLY CONTINUING) body of work. I drew this for that several months ago and as he received the comic today it's now not a secret.

-- What's this picture about? --

2000 (top left) - My first issue of 2000ad, Carlos is on Judge Dredd: Sector House and I've been doodling my own little comics for years after a torrid love affair with Marvel. That's over now - I have eyes only for the Galaxy's Greatest.

2003 (top right) - I'm re-reading the history of 2000ad - Carlos' 200 page epic Apocalypse War and lengthy runs of Strontium Dog knock me the hell out. In the background is my GCSE final piece - a giant comic war scene. I've filled two sketch books full of doodly bollocks.

2006 (bottom left ) - Carlos begins a breathtakingly extended run on Dredd's origins and I'm published for the first time in Solar Wind - working on Murray (my long-dead computer) to put together vaguely interesting looking comics.

2010 (bottom right) - Carlos resurrects Johnny Alpha (presumably whilst undergoing hefty chemo) and I sit agape - putting together this very piece.

I'm humbled and honoured to have taken part in the thing with so many other ridiculously talented people - my hat is well and truly completely doffed to the glorious Mark Howard and to Carlos himself who keeps dropping my jaw with every new panel of his I see.

Carlos Ezquerra - He is the Law!