Jim McCarthy (comics)

Jim McCarthy
Nationality British
Area(s) Writer, Penciller, Artist, Inker, Colorist
Notable works
 Bad Company
Bix Barton
Notable collaborations
 Brett Ewins
Peter Milligan

yourcartoons.co.uk

Jim McCarthy is a British comics creator. He became well known for working on Bad Company in 2000 AD before going on to write a number of graphic novels based on musicians, as well as becoming a music journalist.

He is the brother of Brendan McCarthy.[1]

Jim McCarthy writer

Biography

Jim McCarthy studied art at Ealing College, leaving in 1975 and working as an artist in Europe for three years. Travelling to Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, and various parts of the UK. Jim produced graphics and cartoons for industry practices for a period of over three years.[2]

He started at 2000 AD in 1977 and 1978 on Tharg's Future Shocks, sharing art duties with Brett Ewins, a partnership that would continue on his return in 1986 for their long run on Bad Company with Peter Milligan. He would work solo with Milligan, again, on their occult detective series Bix Barton, and McCarthy would work steadily at 2000 AD throughout this period until 1996, briefly returning in 2001 and 2002 to draw more Future Shocks.

McCarthy would return to comics full-time in 2003 writing the first of a number of biographical graphic novels, including Godspeed: The Kurt Cobain Graphic, that was re-released in digest form in 2011,[3][4] and Sex Pistols: The Graphic Novel.[5] The NME reported that the former "had proved both controversial and commercially successful. Beaumont [the artist] received death threats from irate fans before Godspeed was even published".[6]

How To Draw Monsters For Kids

He also writes about music, his first piece was about Jah Wobble whom he met when they were both in rehab,[7] and he has since gone on to write a book on Latin rock.[8]

The Voices Of Latin Rock book dealt with the Mission District in San Francisco, and the explosive fusion of Latin, salsa and rock is chronicled from a writer who has followed the music and the musicians for over 30 years. The book covers the stories of prominent Latin rock bands including Santana and Malo, examining in detail the pioneering records and the ways in which both reflect a wide spectrum of Latin influences. It highlights the cast of characters and emerging period in the US during the late ’60s,

with all the cultural background events including the Summer of Love, Woodstock, political activism, and the record label expansion.

Legendary figures such as Bill Graham, Clive Davis and the Escovedos family play crucial roles in the development of this sound.

As Latin music continues to become more mainstream, the interest in its musical roots grows. This book sheds light on these musical pioneers, and is gorgeously illustrated with over 800 B&W photos by Jim Marshall, Rudy Rodriguez,

Joan Chase and others, plus artwork of dozens of rare album covers.

This innovative book has resulted in a series of music concerts in San Francisco promoting autism awareness and has featured Carlos Santana, Booker T, Los Lobos, Sly Stone, George Clinton, El Chicano, Malo, Taj Mahal, Mike Shrieve's Spellbinder, The original Santana Band with Neal Schon,the Doobie Brothers among others. The money was raised for the Alex Speaks Autism Awareness charity foundation, the proceeds being distributed to schools supporting autism in the San Francisco Bay Area. A lex is the son of Dr Bernardo Gonzalez, a well respected member of the Latino Mission District community and a regular concert promoter with his company Latin Rock Inc.

Through his auspices and along with Jeffrey Trager, Ron Sansoe and Jim McCarthy, they set out to honour, and represent the best in Latin/Funk/Soul and R&B artists mainly from the West Coast but with a open approach to emerging culture and music. The common denominator being the excellence, profile and longevity plus cultural import of the artists appearing at our events. The Voices Of Latin Rock shows are now heading to the 10th show to be held at Bimbos in January 2015, with another stellar musical cast.

McCarthy is currently based in Sussex.[5][7]

Bibliography

Comics


Graphic novels

Books

Notes

  1. ↑ Windsor, John (8 April 2001). "Justice for Dredd". The Observer. Retrieved 7 March 2011. Bad Company was launched as a comic in 1988 by Ewins, Milligan and Jim McCarthy, brother of Brendan, a Dredd artist
  2. ↑ Jim McCarthy at Lambiek's Comiclopedia
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Armitage, Hugh (7 March 2011). "Jim McCarthy ('Godspeed')". Digital Spy. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  4. ↑ Jones, Alice (16 March 2011). "Godspeed: The new smell of teen spirit". The Independent. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 McRae, Alex (5 June 2008). "I Want Your Job: Comic book artist". The Independent. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  6. ↑ Smells Like 'Toon Spirit, NME
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Bland, Archie (6 July 2008). "How We Met: Jim McCarthy & Jah Wobble". The Independent. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  8. ↑ Selvin, Joel (20 January 2008). "Legends of Latin Rock". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 7 March 2011. Last year, the surviving members of the original Santana band played together at Bimbo's for the first time in more than 20 years. The event began in 2004 as a publication party for a book, "Voices of Latin Rock," by authors Jim McCarthy, a British music journalist, and Ron Sansoe, Gonzalez's partner in managing Malo.
  9. ↑ Flameboy comics

References

External links