Art For Art’s Sake #115: The Impending Brilliance Of Zoe Thorogood

Art For Art’s Sake – Hello, good evening and welcome… it’s the best kickass rock n roll collection of comic art you’ll ever see and all ending with a great selection from Zoe Thorogood, one of the best new UK comic makers…

Jesse Lonergan – Black Bolt

Dave Shelton –

Bilquis Evely

Nick Brokenshire –

Christian Ward – 10 year old Dr Strange & Hulk –

Andi Watson –

James Lawrence –

Alex Toth – who else?

Nick Cardy – Bat Lash #2, Dec 1968/ Jan 1969

Steve Pugh –

Chris Weston – yep, we want to see this!

Phillip Light – Catwoman (Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt, Michelle Pfeiffer and Anne Hathaway)

Gary Frank –

Kevin Wada – “…the explorations that led to my Scarlet Witch redesign for Marvel comics I did in 2015. They wanted witchy fashion, dark but luxe, romantic and sharp.”

Michel Fiffe… Spider process –

And to end – Zoe Thorogood, one of the best new talents we’ve seen here in Britain since Avery Hill discovered Tillie Walden.

Not unsurprisingly, her first graphic novel, The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott was published by Avery Hill as well – they do have a habit of finding great new cartoonists. And The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott truly is an auspicious debut…

“Billie Scott is an artist.

Her debut gallery exhibition opens in a few months.

Within a fortnight she’ll be completely blind.

As Billie struggles to deal with her impending blindness, she sets off on a journey from Middlesbrough to London; into a world of post-austerity Britain and the problems facing those left behind. Her quest is to find ten people to paint for her exhibition, as well as the inspiration to continue with her art, and the strength to move on with her life.”

“Zoe Thorogood has dramatically arrived as a fully formed artist with her first major book, ‘The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott’. Thorogood exudes a confidence of execution delivered in the most delicate fashion. This book is a stunning revelation of a tender heart, embracing all the tools the medium of comics have to offer. What does Billie Scott want to say? Sit back and let Zoe Thorogood show you.” – Declan Shalvey (Moon Knight, Bog Bodies)

“A striking exposition on the art of creation and acts of kindness, “The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott” is an impressive debut.
Shelly Bond, editor of Eisner award-winners Bitter Root, Fables and The Sandman Overture. Creator/Editor of Black Crown and Minx

I’ve been involved in comics commentary for nearly 14 years at Broken Frontier and trust me when I say that I have rarely seen a first graphic novel as accomplished as this one.
Andy Oliver – Broken Frontier