Arthur Ranson, Judge Dredd (I need to read this)
You do, it is some seriously impressive work.
“Have you ever head of… The Game? A game of murder… going on right now - right at this moment - under your nose. There are the players - Button Men… And the voices - the fixers. They control the game.” Coming on like a classic 60s British thriller Button Man is the story of Harry Exton - ex-solider - who gets dragged into a dark and dangerous world of a secret society where killers go up against each other in high stakes games to the death.
Some news on the Button Man film emerges:
EXCLUSIVE: Drive helmer Nicolas Winding Refn is in talks with DreamWorks to direct Button Man, an adaptation of the graphic novel Button Man: The Killing Game by John Wagner and Arthur Ranson. Wagner created Judge Dredd and Strontium Dog. The action revolves around Harry Exton, a hired gun who’s offered a fortune to take part in a game organized by bored millionaires that sets trained killers against one another in a fight to the death. The fat cats bet on the proceedings, and when Exton gets disgusted and opts out, his only exit strategy might be to off the millionaires funding the competition. The film is produced by Roger Kass, Josh Braun and Michael De Luca.
From that it sounds like he isn’t locked in, the important thing this hasn’t faded away and died.
From Alan Grant & Arthur Ranson’s Judge Anderson: Postcards From The Edge, Pt. 4 (Judge Dredd Megazine, Vol. 2 #50-60, 1994).
Steve Cook has found another one of Tharg’s Christmas cards and it is a beauty:
A Silent Night in Mega-City One. A 2000AD, specially commissioned Christmas card by Arthur Ranson. Lettering by Tom Frame. 1992. That looks like Brian Bolland in the background.
The Mazeworld graphic novel is out and Forbidden Planet have a review:
Mazeworld is a complete story, here in one volume, and it’s a fine piece of classic British comic book storytelling, brought back into print by Rebellion who listened to a lot of fans (see Richard’s post here) who made it clear this was a classic story they wanted to read again.
Adam Cadmam is standing on the hangman’s trap, a modern executioner’s noose around his neck, in a Britain which is a little out of step with our own, it seems. As the trap drops and he falls to what is inevitable to us all, something strange occurs, and in the moment where one expects life to flash before one’s eyes, he is transposed to another realm, Mazeworld.
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Grant and Ranson have created a wonderful fantasy world. Its legends and lore are well thought through, its political system and status a key to the society, and a brilliantly realised set of fantastical creatures complement the characters in this quasi-medieval world.
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Cadman phases in and out of Mazeworld, and as he does so we see him in a hospital, unconscious, and soon to be experimented upon given his unusual brain activity. This element creates a lovely link between the real world and the Mazeworld.
And the Mazeworld is something to behold: flying creatures which are steeds for men, a terrifically realised fantasy world with beautiful buildings and brilliantly drawn weaponry, and this quest of an individual of questionable character who finds himself drawn by the good cause despite himself, or because he wants to.
Arthur Ranson has a fantastic style of artwork. It is anatomically correct fine line work that is rare currently in comics. His style brings out the detail in characters and is very skilled at architecture. The sky view of the Mazeworld is lovely and the winged demons are especially neat. His work is classic, not only in the sense that he has been a professional artist for some time, but also in that his style would not be out of place in classic comics such as Epic Illustrated, Eagle, Victor. The comic has a timeless quality to it.
Overall a very enjoyable read.
More.
Arthur Ranson gives a podcast interview to celebrate the launch of Mazeworld:
After almost a year of the North East accents, squabbles and over-the-top jingles, the festivities end with North East Geek Feast episode 8…
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MAIN COURSE – The fan-favourite artist of Button Man and Judge Anderson, Arthur Ranson, grants North East Geek Feast the first audio interview of his career. Recorded in November to celebrate the successful ‘Let’s Get Mazeworld Back in Print’ Facebook campaign, Arthur chats openly about his work for Look-In, 2000AD and Marvel and DC.
