Brett Ewins
Encyclopedia
Brett Ewins is a British
comic book
artist best known for his work on Judge Dredd
and Rogue Trooper
in the weekly comic book 2000 AD.
, and left in 1977. Ewins formed a long-term collaborative partnership with fellow artist Brendan McCarthy
, creating the comic Sometime Stories, which faltered after the first issue leaving the second issue completed but unpublished. On the strength of Sometime Stories, Ewins soon started providing covers for 2000 AD, the first being issue #33 published in October of the same year.
Ewins and McCarthy continued working together on Future Shocks
and Judge Dredd
, but soon after Ewins began working solo on Rogue Trooper
and later Judge Anderson
. In 1985 Ewins started working on Bad Company
, a sci-war epic, written by Peter Milligan with artwork by Ewins and Jim McCarthy (brother of Brendan).
Along with Steve Dillon
, he started the comic magazine Deadline
in 1988, which continued for another seven years. At the same time as Ewins was starting Deadline
, he began working on Skreemer
for American comics publisher, DC. Ewins was also still contributing art to 2000 AD at the same time. This level of work was to have a serious impact of Ewins' health.
In 1991 Ewins "suffered a serious breakdown from overwork" and was unable to take on work that had a deadline, which led to lost commissions from DC Comics
and Penguin Books
. His plan to recover was to create an anthology
based on work from friends in the industry like Peter Milligan
, Alan Grant and Alan McKenzie
, as well as friends like musician Michael White. The volume was finished off with, "Machine," a story written by Brett based on his breakdown. He worked on the stories from 1995 to 2003 and they were published in 2004 by Cyberosia Publishing.
Ewins currently paints and has had a number of exhibitions.
In 2011, Air Pirate Press published a biographical retrospective book of Ewins' life and work, "The Art of Brett Ewins".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
artist best known for his work on Judge Dredd
Judge Dredd
Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
and Rogue Trooper
Rogue Trooper
Rogue Trooper is a science fiction strip in the British comic 2000 AD, created by Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons. It follows the adventures of Rogue, a G.I. and his three comrades' search for the Traitor General...
in the weekly comic book 2000 AD.
Biography
Ewins studied Conceptual Art at Goldsmiths College, where he met future collaborator Peter MilliganPeter Milligan
Peter Milligan born in London, a British writer, best known for his comic book, film and television work.-Early career:Milligan started his comic career with short stories for 2000 AD in the early 1980s. By 1986, Milligan had his first ongoing strip in 2000AD called Bad Company, with artists Brett...
, and left in 1977. Ewins formed a long-term collaborative partnership with fellow artist Brendan McCarthy
Brendan McCarthy
Brendan McCarthy is a British artist and designer best known for his work in comic books, film and television.- Biography :Brendan McCarthy, of Irish descent, was born in London. Brendan soon began painting and drawing his own home-made comics....
, creating the comic Sometime Stories, which faltered after the first issue leaving the second issue completed but unpublished. On the strength of Sometime Stories, Ewins soon started providing covers for 2000 AD, the first being issue #33 published in October of the same year.
Ewins and McCarthy continued working together on Future Shocks
Future Shocks
Future Shocks is the name given to a long running series of short strips in the weekly comic 2000 AD in 1977. The name originates in a book titled Future Shock, written by Alvin Toffler, published in 1970.-Publishing history:...
and Judge Dredd
Judge Dredd
Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
, but soon after Ewins began working solo on Rogue Trooper
Rogue Trooper
Rogue Trooper is a science fiction strip in the British comic 2000 AD, created by Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons. It follows the adventures of Rogue, a G.I. and his three comrades' search for the Traitor General...
and later Judge Anderson
Judge Anderson
Judge Cassandra Anderson is a fictional character that started as a supporting player in the comic story Judge Dredd of 2000 AD and eventually rose in prominence and became the star of her own series, which is entitled Anderson: Psi-Division. It was created by writer John Wagner and artist Brian...
. In 1985 Ewins started working on Bad Company
Bad Company (comics)
Bad Company is a comic book team created for 2000 AD by Alan Grant and John Wagner but their initial story remained unpublished for over 16 years . Peter Milligan, along with regular collaborators Brett Ewins and Jim McCarthy, reworked the concept into the form that was finally seen in the magazine...
, a sci-war epic, written by Peter Milligan with artwork by Ewins and Jim McCarthy (brother of Brendan).
Along with Steve Dillon
Steve Dillon
Steve Dillon is a British comic book artist, from Luton, Bedfordshire, best known for his work with writer Garth Ennis on Hellblazer, Preacher and The Punisher.-Biography:...
, he started the comic magazine Deadline
Deadline magazine
Deadline was a British comic magazine published between 1988 and 1995.Created by 2000 AD stalwarts Brett Ewins and Steve Dillon, Deadline featured a mix of comic strips and written articles targeted at older readers...
in 1988, which continued for another seven years. At the same time as Ewins was starting Deadline
Deadline magazine
Deadline was a British comic magazine published between 1988 and 1995.Created by 2000 AD stalwarts Brett Ewins and Steve Dillon, Deadline featured a mix of comic strips and written articles targeted at older readers...
, he began working on Skreemer
Skreemer
Skreemer is a six-issue comic book limited series, written by Peter Milligan with art by Brett Ewins and Steve Dillon. The first issue was published by DC Comics in May 1989.-Plot:...
for American comics publisher, DC. Ewins was also still contributing art to 2000 AD at the same time. This level of work was to have a serious impact of Ewins' health.
In 1991 Ewins "suffered a serious breakdown from overwork" and was unable to take on work that had a deadline, which led to lost commissions from DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
and Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
. His plan to recover was to create an anthology
Comics anthology
Comics anthologies collect works in the medium of comics that are too short for standalone publication.- U.S. :- UK :British comics have a long tradition publishing comics anthologies, often weekly...
based on work from friends in the industry like Peter Milligan
Peter Milligan
Peter Milligan born in London, a British writer, best known for his comic book, film and television work.-Early career:Milligan started his comic career with short stories for 2000 AD in the early 1980s. By 1986, Milligan had his first ongoing strip in 2000AD called Bad Company, with artists Brett...
, Alan Grant and Alan McKenzie
Alan McKenzie
Alan McKenzie is a British comics writer known for his work at 2000 AD.-Biography:McKenzie worked for Marvel UK during the early 1980s, editing Starburst, Cinema and Doctor Who Monthly magazines. After leaving the Marvel staff in 1985, he wrote several Doctor Who comic stories for the Monthly under...
, as well as friends like musician Michael White. The volume was finished off with, "Machine," a story written by Brett based on his breakdown. He worked on the stories from 1995 to 2003 and they were published in 2004 by Cyberosia Publishing.
Ewins currently paints and has had a number of exhibitions.
In 2011, Air Pirate Press published a biographical retrospective book of Ewins' life and work, "The Art of Brett Ewins".
Awards
- 19891989 in comics-Year overall:* "Inferno" company-wide Marvel Comics crossover continues, involving the mutant titles The Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, The New Mutants, and Excalibur, as well as the X-Terminators limited series and various other Marvel titles...
: Won "Favourite Single or Continued Story US" Eagle Award, for Skreemer