Wednesday 4 November 2009

Paul Crystal, Graphic Designer

My entry into this year's Observer/ComICA/Johnathan Cape long name short graphic story competition.
Click to enlarge to readable size


Aware that the winning story (which was very good) was to be printed across 4 pages of the Observer magazine, I created this specifically for such a context. For the benefit of those who are not Observer readers (the foreign and the non-middle class), the story pokes fun at the pretensions of many of their features, whilst berating the Saturday Guardian (same publisher) for so savagely dropping the Comic section. Which might be why I didn't win.

19 comments:

Alex Potts said...

That's brilliant that is. Well done. At least they mentioned you on the website.

Oliver East said...

ha! very good.

and the winner was pants by the way.

Mike said...

What he said. The second-placed story seemed good, based on the first page.

LauraH said...

Love it! I've not been to the Observer website yet to see the winner, but I seriously doubt if I'll like it as much as this...

John A said...

Really great Jim.

Matt Badham said...

That clearly should have won.

Lizz said...

This is excellent! :oD

Graham said...

You was robbed!

Hannah Nunn said...

Hey Jim,

someone on the internet was talking about paintings of cats and it reminded me of you. Thought i'd see what you were up to. Your work is looking great and your website is fun. Havent heard from Helen for a while. send her my love when you see her. Take care

Hannah Nunn

Unknown said...

Nice work, Jim! It's great to see the entries that didn't win cropping up on blogs and what have you.

Dave Shelton said...

Lovely stuff, Jim.

Kenny Penman said...

Great strip Jim. I laughed out loud a couple of times. They can't print this, sales of 'The Bell Jar' would have evaporated in the Observer book shop.

Dave Morris said...

Yours is laugh out loud funny *and* it's clever. You should've won, Jim!

Son of the Suburbs said...

The obvious winner. Hey Jim you woz robbed mate. I suggest you go all Sir Alec on them and question their fitness to judge comic stories. Cheers, Nick Tesco

fabtoons said...

Only just realised they had announced the winner, yet again proved they don't really get the medium...
This is laugh out loud funny and looks amazing. It should have been YOU!!!

monocat said...

spiffing sir.
they'd be scared stiff of being self-referential, so I guess they'd veer from it, which is a shame.

John Paul Welding said...

Yeah, I liked this, I really wanted to read all 4 pages and pass it on for friends to see, unlike the 'winning' entry.

roryroryrory said...

That was ace!

Sean Michael Wilson said...

I can dig it...
Was very impressed by this Jim.

cheers,
Sean Michael