Tripwire Catches Up With 2000AD And DC Comics Legend Glenn Fabry

Talking To A British Comics Original

Tripwire’s contributing writer Paul N Neal just interviewed legendary UK comic artist Glenn Fabry to talk about his health and what he is up in terms of work and his long career…

TRIPWIRE: Glenn Fabry, you are a Slaine and 2000AD legend. Many, many fans absolutely adore your art. Let’s get this out in the open once and for all. You have stated a few times online you have recently been in less than perfect health. Can you give your fans any update, how are you mate? Are you willing to say a few words on the subject?

GLENN: I had a series of tests done when I lost a lot of weight, couldn’t eat or drink anything without it suddenly reappearing from any orifice (step into my orifice) you’d care to mention. Then my GP told me I had between one or two years to live. All the tests were cancer related including the colonoscopy, 45 feet of rubber tubing shoved up my arse while I was watching it on a massive telly with a nurse holding my hand. I’ve been smoking since I was 16 so I thought this is it; Blood tests x rays and cat 🐱 scans. All of it! So, all of March this year 😳anyway got the test results back, after I’d told my children I was going to snuff it,

Results come through 31st of March: No cancer! So, continue to smoke or start soon, it’s obviously good for you.

My favourite cigarette ads from the 1950s in America; John player smoking is good for you, and I think it was Carlton the cigarette that Jesus would have smoked.

TW: What is your current project? What are you working on these days? What is on your drawing board at the moment?

GF: I’m working on Claudia Christian’s Dark Legacies, for Scratch Comics. There are 3 issues – I’ve done covers and interiors for issues 2 and 3. Haven’t finished issue 3 quite yet but nearly there. There’s some other wonderful artists involved, check it out. There’s Essentials from The Lab, couple of covers and interior artwork, hardcover plus believe it or not, a plush toy! First time for everything.

GF: After that, there’s a couple of ideas, a children’s book with Karen Holloway and a Kickstarter thing which is going to be based on my lucid dreams.

TW: What on Earth have you kept hidden? Can you give me any clue as to what occupies your “lucid dreams”?? How much insanity are we talking about?

GF: Obviously my lucid dreams.

TW: You sent me a very cool picture of a cat. I am also a cat lover. Can you tell me about the history of the image?

GF: Someone showed up at a convention and showed me a photo of his dead cat whom he loved and asked if I could draw a picture of said feline, so I did. He paid for the picture and when I asked if he liked it, he started crying. Result.

TW: Was that the desired effect? Do your fans often cry after meeting you?

GF: Quite often before or during.

TW: Please accept a little sarcasm there.

GF: A piquancy. It was a good cat 🐈‍⬛ likeness, got the eyebrows right.

TW: I cannot resist. You shared a very cool Adam West Batman image. There’s a story there.

GF: Someone across the road here in Ryde wanted a picture of Adam West as 🦇 Batman, there’s the result.
TW: You really captured his likeness.

GF: I did an MCM show in London yonks back, I was on the top floor, walked into the lift, there was Adam West, also a ComiCon guest. I asked if I could shake his hand because when I was 5, I preferred him to Jesus. True, Church of England upbringing. We shook hands and had a chuckle. Nice bloke far as I could tell….  If I was too unwell to attend the church, on Sunday mornings, Batman was on TV. That was when I’d dip the thermometer in Dad’s tea.

TW: Do you go to a lot of comic conventions these days? Do you have any favourites?

GF: I’m still attending if it’s possible. Pompeii was amazing.

portrait of Fabry by fellow artist Simon Davis

TW: Do you have any fun or interesting recent convention stories you can share? In your travels, have you met any of your heroes in recent years?

GF: I’ve met Liberatore, been a fan of his since I was 16. We ended up sharing an interview at a convention in Lake Como. I’d seen him before at shows, but we didn’t get talking until after the interview. I’m quite matey with Bill Sienkiewicz these days too. You’re aware of these people for years; I know all the British guys for yonks

TW: I am intrigued. You shared an image with me. Is there a tale to be told please? Did you actually lose a sketch book in Mexico? Was your art published without your permission?

GF: No, I lost my portfolio in Croatia, it had all of my artwork on Mute, my Battle Action strip, and a couple of paintings. I got very upset 😢 about it. I’d spent ages on some of those pieces, and they went missing. All told, about 40 grand’s worth of work; it was easy getting to Croatia but getting back was a fucking nightmare. We had a connecting flight. Our luggage was to be sent on to Heathrow. Theres was some Covid awfulness, and we got stuck in Vienna without even a chance of looking about. Got back to Heathrow, no portfolio anymore.

One of my friends has said that some pages have cropped up. If anyone finds or is offered a page from Mute, it’ll have my name and Duncan Jones’s on it at the top. It’s stolen from me.

TW: How did this particular book come about?

GF: The other thing that has been published without my permission is one of my anatomy books. There are Italian and Spanish versions of it, which …. yes that’s the fellow.

No royalties reprint fees nothing. Not even free copies.

TW: On a scale of one to ten, just how annoying is it to have your hard work published and not receive a penny for it?

GF: I’ve been working in comic books for 45 years now, on projects that have made a lot of money, unfortunately not that much for me! I’ve never had an agent (probably a mistake that) and all of the cover art I’ve done was for a flat payment. The only royalties I’ve made were for my complete Preacher covers book, and one issue of Daredevil: Bullseye. Every now and again I might get a reprint payment from Slaine or a couple of quid for Endless Nights or Neverwhere, a couple of Neil Gaiman stories. Mostly I’m skint but can make some money from comic conventions.

Generally that’s from selling original stuff, prints and autographs. I’ve been all over the world on those things but for the most part don’t get to sightsee, you’re at a table with a few people showing up.

TW: When you are attending conventions etc, apart from random cat pictures and Adam West portraits, what do you get asked to sketch most of the time? Is it a close run thing between Jesse Custer and Slaine? Do other characters get requested?

GF: These days, mostly Cassidy the Preacher vampire. Slaine and Dredd most popular in Britain. Batman, Hulk, the Joker in the US but I’ve decided not to go there anymore because I’m too old to live in a real-life western.

I was in a 7 / 11 buying some smokes and there was an eight-year-old with real guns in his holster belt. His dad was with him, but he was armed to the bloody teeth as well. That was in Dallas.

TW: If 2000AD ever came calling for your obvious skills, would you pick up the phone? Are there any legacy character you’d like to sink your artistic teeth into. Strontium Dog perhaps?

GF: Sure, I’d give it a go, 2000AD was originally only intended to last 6 months because science fiction was popular with the kids thanks to Star Wars in 1977. For ages the talk was “what will they call 2000 AD in 2000AD? “and here it is still healthy and cruel and funny and good looking all these years later on.

TW: Have you ever been asked to illustrate Johnny Alpha / Strontium Dog?

GF: Sure, some commission or something. Might even have drawn one for Fleetway or Rebellion, There’s a picture of them on the 2000th cover for 2000.

TW: You famously won an Eisner award for a Preacher cover. Can I just ask, do you think awards in the comic industry are important? Where do you keep yours?

GF: I used to live in Brighton through the 90s and I won an Eisner for Preacher and for Endless Nights, so there’s a couple back in Saltdean. I’ve won Eagle 🦅 awards and several other things, including a Golden Squirrel, a SFW award, a statuette from Lawless, they generally just end up all over the place. I’ve been nominated more times than I’ve 🏆 won, but it’s always good to know your work is respected. Simon Davis has been brilliant for years and got his SFW award this year and told me it’s the first time he’s won anything. Astounding.

TW: So, you don’t have a posh glass cabinet that displays all your awards, despite how appreciated they are when they are received? I recall reading some world-famous actors kept their awards in their toilet for guests to admire.

GF: I did keep my first Eisner in the loo and David Lloyd popped over for a coffee and was cross with me for being disrespectful…
There’s a glass cabinet back in Saltdean which has got a Preacher figurine and a Hellblazer figurine in it. I designed those statuettes, they’re quite expensive these days. I couldn’t afford one. In fact, I couldn’t afford to buy my own artwork.

TW: Are there any white whales left for you? DC or big Marvel comic character you’d fancy illustrating? I’d love to see you take a stab at Swamp Thing for example.

GF: I’ve done Swamp Thing, I’ve done Man-Thing, I’ve done all of them at some point or another.

TW: How did I miss your Swamp Thing?

GF: Couple of covers for DC etc. The white whale would be a creator-owned property that I’d finally make some dosh out of. I shall keep you informed .😳

TW: What do you think your legacy as a comic artist will be? Of all your work, what do you suspect is the most significant?

GF: It would have to be Preacher. There’s no killing it. As Edge of Darkness is the best TV programme ever, or I Claudius I suppose, Preacher is still the best comic book for grown-ups.

TRIPWIRE NOTE: To conclude, Glenn was kind enough to share some or his art. These are all from various projects or commissions (some perhaps not 100% completed) over recent years. He assured Tripwire all images are absolutely fine to share online.