Alan Holloway Talks To Tripwire About Ending Falcon, Writing And TV Show The Floor

Taking Flight

With the announcement that the UK Indie title Falcon would be coming to an end with issue 6, Tripwire’s contributing writer Paul N Neal spoke to Alan Holloway about this and more…

TRIPWIRE: Simply put, how did your relationship with comics begin? Can you recall the first comics you enjoyed reading, perhaps where they were from?

ALAN HOLLOWAY: My mum was always generous with comics, as she encouraged me to read a lot. I guess the first one would have been Beano or Dandy in the early 1970s, but as I got older I’d grab whatever was new, so I read Monster Fun, Cheeky, Buster, Whizzer and Chips, Cor! and many more. Every year me and my big brother would get Summer Specials to read on holiday as well.

TW: Did you experience a particular “Eureka” moment, or read a specific comic, that inspired you to start trying to create comics rather than just reading them?

AH: I genuinely can’t remember. I found out that there was a Doctor Who fanzine called Doctor WTF looking for scripts, probably at a convention, fifteen or so years ago. I’d not really thought about writing comics, but a one-page idea came to me and was accepted by editor Owen Watts. Just a silly little thing, improved by Darren Stevens’ excellent art. After that I did a time traveller story, again for Owen, that was way better, and from there I discovered Zarjaz and a knack for comic writing I didn’t know I had.

TW: Did you have any skills as an artist yourself? Do you still have any aspirations as an artist at all?

AH: I was never any good at art, too lazy to apply myself, and I much preferred writing, something I did apply myself at.

TW: As an aspiring writing in that case did you find yourself submitting a great deal of scripts to editors? For many, receiving a handful of disappointing rejection letters is a rite of passage before they are published. Did you experience that feeling?

AH: I’ve not had many rejections, obviously publishing yourself helps with that!

I’m lucky, I can write good dialogue and have an instinct for a good ending. I guess reading all those 2000ad Future Shocks paid off.

The only person who’s rejected more than one script is Andrew Lewis, current Zarjaz caretaker. I gave up trying there, to be honest. Sometimes your face doesn’t fit, but that’s life and I have plenty of other outlets.

If I stopped tomorrow I’d have over a thousand published pages and would be proud of every single one.

TW: You mentioned over a thousand published pages. Could you share just one for our interview you are especially proud of?

AH: Sure.

AH: Text Me: I wanted to write something that could be drawn quickly, and a story that was mostly text messages seemed to hit that mark. What I didn’t realise is just how emotional it would end up being. It’s not the best thing I’ve done, but it is a fine example of a short story with a beginning, middle and gut punch ending without any need for art heroics.

TW: We must move onto talking about Falcon. How did it all happen? Did the desire to create an anthology come first? Or did the desire to create a tabloid newspaper style comic book supplement come first?

AH: One thing about my caped crusader partner Ed Doyle is that he’s a great ideas man as well as a cracking comic artist.

So, it was him naturally that said we should do a new comic inspired by the 1950s Eagle, because it might be fun and no one else was doing it.

It wasn’t about us doing all the work (no vanity project here), but about bringing together writers and artists from throughout the indie world. It didn’t matter who you were, or if you’d ever had anything published before, everyone was welcome. We had plenty of friends in the scene after the Bolt01 tribute annual, so we just cast the net.

Like any anthology it can be hit and miss depending on the reader, but it’s a beautiful thing that has achieved what it was supposed to.

It’s a lot of work and we recently decided that six was a good number so will stop publication after the next issue later this year.

TW: From a practical point of view, how much more difficult is it to put together, print and distribute a newspaper format anthology as opposed to a traditional stapled style type of comic along the lines of say 2000AD for example?

AH: The newspaper format is interesting as it forces creatives to work within a smaller space than they might be used to. We have to make sure that things aren’t too squashed up and are legible. Via manage to get twenty panels on a smaller page but to be fair they are professionals!

It’s not a slog to put together as we are working with talented, passionate people. As it’s a spare time thing for most, though, our schedule has to be pretty loose. There’d be no chance of a regular issue unless we could afford decent recompense and sadly there’s no money in it.

We found a great printer in France with a very quick turnaround, so that side is easy, and I do all the addressing and posting myself. It’s a case of just put your head down and do it. As with anything, the work is balanced by the reward, the reward being a brilliant comic that’s unique in the current day.

TW: What role has Ed Doyle played in making Falcon a success?

AH: Ed is essential to Falcon. He is the art editor; he also puts it all together on the computer for the printers. Not to mention his actual art duties in every issue!

TW: I’d like to ask a broader question. What is your opinion about the UK comic scene in 2026? As ever, 2000AD and Judge Dredd The Megazine are still going reasonably strongly and Zarjaz and The ’77 both have a passionate fan base. What sort of comic do you think could truly change that landscape and be successful?

AH: Let’s be honest, there is barely a ‘UK comic scene’ in 2026. Rebellion have their side, Beano/Phoenix have theirs, and in the middle there’s several indie people putting out random comics.

The problem is there’s no money in it unless you’re one of the big lads, much like being in a band these days.

The best of the bunch, for me, has been SHRIEEK, a horror lite anthology that is put out with alarming regularity by Dave Metcalfe and has a heady mix of styles inside.

We’re all hobbyists, really. I said some time back that we do it is because we love comics, not because we love money, and it still rings true. You go on comic groups online and unless you’re in the UK it’s all about money over creativity, and I’m not surprised that AI is seen by some as a viable alternative to paying a real artist four grand.

Our comics culture is different, and many of us grew up with dozens of titles down at the corner shop. I don’t think a new, successful and financially viable new comic is possible these days. Quantum had a good go and was the best for years, but a true success would need to start with serious investment and no one’s investing proper money in UK comics anymore.

I used to send Rebellion and DC Thompson copies of Sentinel but never received a reply or simple acknowledgement. They don’t care about the indie people unless they can make money from them, I guess.

Who knows what the future will bring, I suppose, I’m just glad I was there when comics were fun. Someone selling 300 copies isn’t changing anything but I’m glad they’re doing it anyway.

TW:  From your point of view as Falcon editor, has the project been a success? Has it been a financial struggle? With all the costs involved, does putting together a title like Falcon break even, or has Falcon been a passion project you are prepared to lose a little bit of money on just to say it was out there for the world to enjoy?

AH; The aim in anything we’ve self-published has always been to not lose money. The Kickstarter campaigns cover the costs, basically, with extra copies to sell at conventions or online.

Doing a convention always costs more than it makes to be honest, but I really don’t mind that.

So, in the end it’s a passion project for everyone involved, really. I can’t afford to lose any significant amount so we just worked it out to ensure that wouldn’t happen.

TW:  Would you agree Falcon has been a success creatively? it seems to me that it has given a voice to creative writers and artists that might otherwise have potentially been unrecognised? Can you say you have discovered new talented creators?

AH: Creatively, Falcon has been a total success. Creators have come to us for the most part. We have given people like Andy Hayes and Wayne Hughes their first ever published work, and that really makes me happy, because we all needed that first person to see our worth as a creative. Then we have writers like Andy Smith, who has turned into a writing machine! It’s getting the feeling that ‘Hey, I might actually be good at this’ and igniting that creative spark.

TW: Can you roughly say what the print runs of Falcon have been? Have they gone up dramatically since issue 1 for example?

AH: I have found that the first issue of a project tends to do the best, with subsequent ones finding a stable but lesser readership when fundraising. Print runs have been less because funds have been lower.

TW: This may seem a slightly redundant question now, but it is worth asking. Should your publishing success be referred to as simply “Falcon” or “The Falcon“, which do you prefer?

AH: Falcon, there’s no ‘The’

TW:  In which case I have to ask a bold but important question. Given the love for (and the success of) Falcon can you explain the decision to end the project with issue six later this year? As an editor can you explain what factors have influenced that choice? Was that a difficult decision to make?

AH: Each issue of Falcon seems to take a little longer than the last, and it’s easy to lose the passion a bit. You have to remember that this is a hobby, not a job, and when it becomes a job that’s basically unpaid it’s time to move on. While I love working with other creators myself and Ed like doing our own thing, being spontaneous and indie, not a full-time publishers.

In addition, Ed wants to spend more time with his family, his new grandchild and his Hot Wheels collection. Falcon takes up way more time than just writing and drawing your own things.

I can happily look at the six issues with pride, but I don’t want to carry it on without the passion as the quality will suffer.

It was my idea, but Ed didn’t try to talk me out of it. We both realised that it’s had its run, time to move on. I think the most disappointed people will be the contributors, which i understand as it’s a wonderful and unique outlet.

We don’t want anyone else to carry it on but are fine with one of the lads setting up something similar.

TW: Would you ever consider a “Best Of Falcon” book?  Perhaps a celebration of the six issues?

AH:  I can’t pretend I haven’t thought that a big ass hardcover compilation would be awesome, but it’s a bit of a pipe dream. Maybe in a couple of years. It will be a thing to do, but certainly not too close to the original release.

TW: Beyond issue 6 of Falcon what are your aspirations or hopes as a writer? Do you have any projects you would like to promote?

AH: I will continue to contribute to Dave Metcalfe’s comics, currently doing some Barbarian stuff, a new genre for me. A while ago Ed had one of his ideas, this time to do a ‘page a day’ comic. Thing is, I wasn’t allowed to plan, just do a page, Ed would draw it, then do another the next day and see what lunacy came out. It was twelve pages of crazy shit, seriously, but fun to do and read.  We’d like to carry it on, with a bit more streamlining to iron out the loose plot and add some structure. This would literally be for fun, though a single issue would be nice if it works.

I’ve written an Ace Trucking/Blackhawk crossover for Paul Spence, a man who does the best Massimo Belardinelli since the man himself. The last one was incredibly well received online. This one tells us what actually happened to Blackhawk after his series ended – he ended up in Ace’s yooniverse! When done, this will be offered to Zarjaz first, then put online when it’s inevitably rejected 😉

I’ll write for anyone who needs a script. I enjoy it. Whatever happens, happens, and if I never get another thing in print I’m happy with all that I’ve achieved.

TW: Have any of the obvious famous superheroes ever appealed to you? For example, would you enjoy the opportunity to write Batman, Superman or Spiderman or an Avengers title? What would be the dream writing job?

AH: I’ve never wanted to write any DC or Marvel characters, though I enjoy reading them when a good writer is involved. I always wanted to write for 2000AD. With Zarjaz I got to do Dredd. Slaine, Robo Hunter, Strontium Dog… it was so cool!

Such a shame 2000ad is a closed shop to good, British indie talent, but that’s not a new development.  I had a nice idea for Regened Robo Hunter but Regened was cancelled so we will have ‘Mech Hunter’ in Falcon issue 6.

TW: How would you describe yourself? Are you an editor?  Or are you more comfortable as a writer?

AH: I am a writer who gets dragged into editing. On the Bolt01 annual, someone had to do it, so it was me. With Falcon, Ed does all the fiddly stuff, so I step up for the rest, like doing the Kickstarter.

I would never call myself an editor, it’s just an aside to what I am at heart, which is a writer.

TW: you mentioned comic conventions. Have they been enjoyable experiences? Has Falcon been warmly received?

AH: Falcon has received universal approval, I think people love a good anthology and the format really tugs on the memory strings. It’s a love letter to how comics used to be, not hateful or lecturing and that’s appreciated.

I like cons, full of wonderful people, but as a non-driver I get to hardly any. My favour is Enniskillen, as it’s so warm and friendly and I can treat it as a holiday.

TW: So ComicCon in San Diego may not be on your calendar this year?

AH: Ha! Maybe if I’d won fifty grand on The Floor.

TW: That rather eloquently brings me to my next question. You have recently appeared on the ITV quiz show The Floor. Was it fun and what was the host Rob Brydon like?

AH: The Floor was a great experience and Rob Brydon seems like a top bloke.  It’s added to my list of shows that include The Crystal Maze, Weakest Link, Eggheads, 15 To 1, Impossible and more.

Anyone thinking about trying out for a show, just do it!

TW: My final question is silly but fun. After all every comic creator hasn’t read a handful of superhero comics.  If you could have any superpower what would it be?

AH: The power of friendship!

Haha nah bollocks to that, give me flight any time.