The official Lew Stringer interview

It gives me great pleasure to present the interview I conducted with Lew on Sunday 3rd October 1999. Thanks again Lew!

Blue: Paul Yellow: Lew

How did you come up with the idea for Combat Colin? What was the reason you chose to do a strip like that as opposed to a strip like Calvin & Hobbes'?

L:  I always felt there were a lack of British strips mixing comedy with adventure. There had been a few when I was a kid such as "The Cloak" in POW! and "I Spy" in SPARKY, which had been a big influence on me. I wanted to do that style of humour; crazy and offbeat, with a plot, rather than a short gag strip. The idea for the character came from him being a Rambo/Indiana Jones sort of spoof. I wanted to do something more original than the usual fare in comics of the time.

Which is your favourite of all of the strips/writing you have done?

L:  Combat Colin is my favourite character, as I was pretty much allowed to do as I wanted with it, developing the strip over the years. I don't have a particular favourite of the Combat stories, but I think the mid-period Brain/Mars stories were probably the strongest.

I was a huge fan of Pete and his Pimple, any plans for him the return, he kinda reminded me of myself as a kid?

L:  Reprints of early Pete strips currently appear in the back of HERMAN HEDNING, the Swedish comic I contribute to. (I do a new strip called "Suburban Satanists"). I would like to bring him back. After all; acne will never go out of fashion.:)

Why wasn't the character 'Push-along' (the robot that transformed into a pram) from the Robo-Capers strip given his own comic book or graphic novel?

L:  It's amazing. That character is the one everyone remembers! I must have been using funny ink that day.

I'm really interested in drawing cartoons. Do you have any advice as to how I can become a comic strip artist?

L:  Well, comics are dying out these days it seems. A good way to learn though is taking a look at any "How To..." books on cartooning. Peter Maddocks did some a few years ago, so your library might have them. Practice is important, and looking at how other cartoonists draw stuff. I don't mean copy their style, but just to see how they draw hands, or use perspective for instance. Above all, you need a good imagination!

Does Semi-Automatic Steve really look like Steve White?

L:  Exactly like him. You'd swear a cartoon character walked past if you saw him. :) (Actually, no.)

Where abouts is Yampy?

L:  In my head.

What does Colin have for breakfast?

L:  A Sherman tank filled with porridge, fired at him as he sits in a reinforced chair with his gob open.

What does Lew Stringer have for breakfast?

L:  As above.

Can you give me the phone number of the Giggly sisters?

L:  Afraid not. They're both married now. Not many people know this, but a lot of the characters in Combat Colin were based on real people! Julie Giggly is now married to the Amazing Dave (based on real-life magician mate of mine David Jones) and Joanne Giggly is married to Moptop!  In real life, the Gigglies were not sisters, but Julie did look very much like her comic counterpart.  Also, Skydriver is based on an ex-bus driver I know, and Doctor Peculiar is a paranormal enthusiast who we used to know. Oh yeah; Jane Bondski was real too. I'm not making this up, honest!

What work are you doing for the Beano? Will there be any elements of Combat Colin or Robocapers appearing in the strips?

L:  I did a few pages for the current BEANO SUMMER SPECIAL: "Silly Surfboards" and "Potty Picnics". I've also drawn two FUN SIZE BEANO stories: "Very Away Games" (featuring Ball Boy) and "Calamity James' Big Date". The first comes out in November, so I believe. The other not until next year.  Great fun to do, but no elements of Colin or Capers I'm afraid. I'm still a newcomer at the Beano, but if you want to see more of my stuff there, write to them and demand it! (Politely of course).

What were your main influences that helped you formulate the style and scripts of Combat Colin and Robocapers?

L:  Influencial cartoonists when I was young were Leo Baxendale, Ken Reid, and Mike Higgs, who all created strips for sixties comics WHAM!, SMASH! and POW!  Years later, I would be lucky enough to work as an art assistant to Mike Higgs, which coincided with me doing Robo Capers.  Working with an established cartoonist gave me a good start, helping me to correct some flaws in my style and develop.

How did you come to work on the Transformers comic?

L:  I'd previously sold my first cartoons (one off spot gags) to Marvel's DAREDEVILS comic, and so when TRANSFORMERS came out, I thought I'd submit a strip, having got a "foot in the door" as they say. Fortunately, Editor Sheila Cranna liked Robo Capers and it just developed from there. At one stage, when Richard Starkings was the managing editor, he said a Marvel UK comic wouldn't be complete without a Lew Stringer strip in it! How times have changed since his departure.

Have you ever had any amusing experiences during your time with Combat Colin?

L:  There's a complete Combat Colin strip where he falls down stairs and lands on top of Joanne Giggly. That actually happenned! Believe it or not, I had a friend called Colin, who looked just like the comic character, although it was just a co-incidence! Anyway, we were all at a party in Wales one night and, worse for drink, Colin rolled back down the stairs of the cottage and had his fall cushioned by Joanne. He'd also managed to drop a few glasses and break them, so in the end Julie gave him a saucepan to drink his booze out of. (Hence the references to saucepans in the strips).  I guess you had to be there really.

Thanks Lew!

There's another Lew Stringer interview here

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