After 30 years, comic books still inspire me, says Cork author

It’s great to see so many people making comic books these days.

The success of Corkonian comics creators such as Will Sliney, Chris O’Halloran, and Colin O’Mahoney is inspiring a new generation of artists and writers, and fast-evolving information technology is opening up new vistas of opportunity for them.

Leesiders are making their mark on the world of mainstream and indie comics, and will continue to do so, if the quality of the work being produced is anything to go by.

This hasn’t always been the case. Back in the early 1990s, before the information revolution, no-one was making and publishing comics in Cork. Things were bleak for those who wanted to find work in the industry.

It seemed like the only path to success was via the British comic, 2000AD, and the chances of being picked up by them were virtually zero.

It was shortly after the opening of Cork city’s first comic book shop, Ummagumma Rose, that me and some fellow comics creatives decided to do something about it.

The result was the anthology comic, Within: the first self-published comic book ever to come out of Cork. It lasted only three issues, but I’m proud to say that I was part of that first generation of comic creators from this part of the world.

And now, more than 30 years later, I’m proud to announce the publication of The Madness Of King Goll, my graphic novella inspired by the WB Yeats poem of the same name.

The book was illustrated and lettered by David Metcalfe-Carr with covers by Ed Doyle and Dell Barras. It’s a grim tale set in Dark Ages Ireland against a background of war and violence.

King Goll loses his mind in the heat of battle and takes to the wilderness. After he is found again, his hands are broken by an irate goddess as punishment for destroying a sacred lute.

But he returns to his kingship in the end, after becoming a man of words instead of a man of the sword.

Yes, it’s a dark and thought-provoking story with lots of action in it. Anyone who enjoys mainstream comics should like it, and those who love Irish literature and history will also, hopefully, get some enjoyment out of it.

Another source of inspiration for the book was Seamus Heaney’s translation of the Middle Irish text, Mad Sweeney.

This is one of a plethora of fabulous stories to be found in the national myths and legends.

It’s a shame that such a rich legacy of imagination, humour and poetry has been largely ignored by Irish writers.

But, in recent years, comics creators have embraced that legacy - in particular, the story of Cú Chulainn and the tales associated with him, which have been brought to comic book life by Will Sliney, Paul J. Bolger, and others.

This fresh wave is the result of a new national self esteem and potency that has its roots in the huge cultural and economic shifts that occurred in Ireland from the mid-1990s on, at about the same time that we were boldly creating Cork’s first comic.

You meet some great people working in this business. Dave Metcalfe-Carr was a pleasure to work with throughout. Based in Birmingham, Dave has been working in comics for a long time and he brought all his wisdom and experience to bear on The Madness Of King Goll.

What was really great about working with Dave was that he has no ego. Everything he did, every little change he made to the script, was done in service to the story.

There are some dark, psychological moments in the book that he caught perfectly and there is also some fantastic battle artwork.

Also, I’m delighted to have Wexford man Ed Doyle’s superb artwork on the cover. There is an indie comics explosion going on at the moment, especially with the advent of the Kickstarter fundraising platform, and Dave and Ed are at the forefront of it with their respective anthologies, Shrieeek! and Falcon.

Working with them has given me so much energy and inspiration and is also the source of much pride.

Before finishing up, I’d like to offer some advice to anyone who is thinking about making comics in this day and age. Start now! Don’t waste time!

Find some like-minded people and just go for it. It’s good fun and it’s a great way to socialise and share a passion.

And if you are serious about making it, stick to your guns, keep working, and use the technology and resources that have become available for both creating and selling comic books and graphic novels.

And if you are new to these resources, do the research and the homework until you know what they are and how to use them.

As with most things in this life, a strong work ethic will pay dividends.

And remember, age really is just a number.

After turning 50 recently, I’m more enthusiastic and inspired than ever about making good comic books.

It really is a fantastic medium to work in and a great community to be a part of.

Thank-you, Echo reader, for your time and interest.

You can buy a copy of The Madness Of King Goll by visiting davidjordanwriter.wordpress.com.

Waterstones in Cork are running a Young Adult Short Story Competition. Entry is open to anyone aged between 13 and 17. Stories can be in any genre up to 3,000 words.

To enter, simply email the story to cork@waterstones.com with Short Story Competition in the subject line or hand in a printout of the story to the shop. Handwritten entries will not be accepted.

Entries must include the author’s name, age and contact details as well as the story title. Entries close on August 10.

The shop has also started a Waterstones Cork book club which had its first meeting on Wednesday, with Summer by Edith Wharton.