FOREWORD - A NOTE FROM MAM TOR

Richard 'James Johnson' is three men in one body. He apparently never sleeps.

As a design lecturer he’s inspirational. For example - shining light through naan bread to create the perfect simulated nebula.

As an artist he has remarkable range, and treads easily through the usually conflicting realms of classic contemporary commercial art, and science-fiction / fantasy art - wisely (and this is rare) refusing to place one above another in terms of their meritocracy.

As a writer he’s an engineer. Whether it’s a short, punchy comic story or a novel, Rich brings to it the inherent eye of the Midlander. Derby (coincidentally our joint home town) is famous for its engineers. From Rolls Royce aeroplane engines, to the railways, canals and narrowboats - it built a reputation for hard work and an eye for detail. Every machine-head, cog and piston supremely crafted, well oiled and made to last. You can’t escape the form and function he brings to bear on his work, the clarity of his vision. The invention.

More than that, though, Rich is a great guy to go for a beer with. He has a voluminous knowledge of many things, music and film chief among them. He has an endlessly inquisitive, and quick mind - always alert, and interested. And he has boundless enthusiasm. He works bloody hard to achieve his richly deserved goals.

I’m going to sit back now and just enjoy watching him fly.

Liam Sharp
Editor in Chief, Mam Tor Publishing

As with most British comicbook artists, Liam Sharp broke into the scene via 2000 AD during the 1980s. After the sucess of Death's Head II in the early 90s, he worked on X-Men, Hulk, Spider-Man, Superman and Batman. Setting up his own publishing company, Mam Tor in 2004 saw the launch of the critically acclaimed and award winning, Event Horizon - an anthology that has featured the work of comic book veterans Glenn Fabry, Simon Bisley and Alan Grant, to name a few.

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