joedecie

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Hey, why not buy my new book Collecting Sticks. Give it as a gift this christmas? Your local book shop should be able to get it in, no problem.

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The 15th Annual Thought Bubble Official Unofficial Taste Test Challenge: Fake Milk.

Judges (r to l) Lizz Lunney, Joe List, Joe Decie. This September the humble yorkshire town of Leeds played host to The Comic Award Non-Comic Related Event Of The Year, Hosted By Cartoonists for Cartoonists, The 15th Annual Thought Bubble Official Unofficial Taste Test Challenge.

This year our panel of judges were given a selection of non-milk-milk alternative-milk-like beverages. They’re like milk but not from an animal. And there’s lots of them to choose from. Especially if you live in Brighton. And I do live in Brighton. The shop I visited had well over a hundred varieties to choose from, so I just grabbed as many as I could carry. And then I paid and left.

They were:

Rude Health Brown Rice, Oatly Oat Drink, Provamel Organic Soya, Koko Dairy Free Coconut Milk, Good Hemp Simply Delicious.

The Results:

Well, they were mostly quite horrible actually. Good Hemp Simply Delicious wasn’t delicious at all, it was yucky. Oatly Oat Drink drink tasted like the leftover milk you’d find in your bowl after eating some really bland cereal, but not as fun. Koko Dairy Free Coconut Milk was quite nice, but nothing like milk. It was more like coconut milk, all coconutty. Provamel Organic Soya coated your mouth in this odd kind of soya taste which wasn’t all that pleasant. Rude Health Brown Rice, which I chose assuming it would be revolting, was not revolting, it was actually very nice. All the judges agreed you could just drink it as a drink. Quite sweet though, so I wouldn’t put it in your tea, unless you like sweet tea. But anyway, best by far it was the winner. I’m sure they’d all have tasted better had they been chilled rather than served in a warm tent. So don’t take our word for it, go out and try some fake milks of your own. Rice milk, almond milk, we completely forgot those. Next year, maybe.

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Oh hi there. I drew some board graphics, and I wanted to tell you about it. A while ago the good people of Welcome (a brilliant skater owned store in Leeds UK) got in touch with me about doing a board to celebrate the birthday of OK Comics (a brilliant comic shop in Leeds UK) They’re neighbors see, the shops are opposite. So, coinciding with this years Thought Bubble festival, we launched this. It turned out nice.

I toyed with the idea of drawing a comic strip, but comics are difficult, so I just went for a bunch of stuff instead, I’m quite good at drawing stuff. But I didn’t really know where to start, so I first made some mock ups, which I could then draw from, like doing a still life. I’m not sure why I did that, seemed like a good idea at the time.

I had fun with it, and put in lots of little jokes that only I would get. Like for instance Grim Tuna was a zine that my big brother made (it got reviewed in RAD magazine) but he only produced one issue, so I thought I’d give him a second. The Wee Joe and Greasy Decie bottle caps are reference to nicknames I had in the years I lived in Leeds (there were others too, hurtful and mean ones) I called the comic Zombie Skate Dads as a big thumbs up to all my mum and dad friends who are still skating despite onset of middle age. I put a lego brick on there coz you find that stuff everywhere, try not to step on it.

Anyway, you can buy the boards here for £40. They ship worldwide. Ride it, put it on your wall, burn it for fuel in the winter months.

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Brighton tattoo flash

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Come and find us, all next week.

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Behind-the-scenes with Joe Decie

Welcome to the studio of Joe Decie…

Pots of pens - I live in constant fear that my favourite tools will be discontinued. I stockpile for the winter.

Mechanical pencils - nobody needs this many pencils, I just like em. Some people buy nice new shoes, or pay for haircuts… I buy pencils instead.

Leads - I have more chargers than I have electrical items.

Paperwork - I keep paperwork loose on my desk, less important items get filed to the back until they eventually fall off and get lost for ever.

Notes - Bits and pieces get clipped up on a string. Size guides for various projects, drawings by my boy. Gathering dust.

Drawers - I just cram everything in. I dream of having muji level organisation, but I’m just too messy.

Notebooks - I buy the cheap pocket ones. I draw in them and take notes, also shopping lists, I’m not precious. I usually have a few on the go at a time. 

Desk - I don’t know why there’s a nit comb there, we’re a nit free household.

Collecting Sticks by Joe Decie is published by Jonathan Cape on 13th April.

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Q&A: Joe Decie

In a couple of weeks we publish Collecting Sticks by Joe Decie. As someone who spent many family holidays sitting in a tent in Wales while it rained outside, it rang verrrrry true. And it’s also brilliant about parenthood, and all the best, little, quiet things in life. Joe answered our Q&A…

What was the first comic you wrote?

I discovered indie comics by accident through trading zines. 92 or 93? something like that. There wasn’t really an internet back then, so it was just by chance I stumbled on a copy of Delaine Derry Green’s seminal Not My Small Diary. And enjoying what I read I sent her a contribution in the hope that she’d send me a free copy of the next issue. I was very interested in the subtle differences between UK and US culture and life, and an anthology of diary comics was a wonderful insight into these differences. We’re probably more homogenised these days, back then it took postal workers, paper and stamps to communicate. 

Who are your comic heroes and influences?

Influences are far and wide. I’ll just name a few people I admire, the top of my head… David Mckee, Marcel Duchamp, Chris Morris, Alexei Sayle, Kate Beaton, Ronald Searle, Todd James, Janet Ahlberg, Pattie Smith, Mike Leigh, George Maciunas, Yoko Ono, Tove Jansson, Joann Sfar, Annie Koyama, MF DOOM, Emily Carroll, Brandon Graham, Nigel Slater, Roman Muradov, Philippa Rice… Just a list of names really. I wouldn’t say any of those people directly influenced me, but I’m sure they’ve all inspired me to work.

What was the last comic you read?

Megahex by Simon Hanselmann… sad, depressing AND funny. Stoner tales. It’s very good. One Hundred Demons by Lynda Barry. Also sad, depressing AND funny. It must be the genre I like. 

What’s your favourite comic or graphic novel?

I really like the Donjon series. It covers the length and breadth of french artists and is a great fun take on Dungeons and Dragons tropes. 

What helps you write?

A walk to the supermarket.

What’s the best holiday you’ve ever been on? And what was the worst?

Had some pretty miserable holidays as a child in a caravan up a hill in Wales. Had some pretty wonderful ones too, though. 

Collecting Sticks by Joe Decie is published by Jonathan Cape on 13 April 2017

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Yes, come to this.

Hello friends! Come and raise a glass to celebrate the publication of the excellent Collecting Sticks by Joe Decie at Gosh! Comics on 13th April. There will be sticks and books. Lots of sticks. And lots of books.

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I drew this strip for Draw The Line, a website where over 100 artists illustrated positive actions aimed at making life better. It’s a lovely project and there are some amazing artists involved. Check it out and maybe take inspiration. Oh look, they have a tumblr too.

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I have news. My new book Collecting Sticks, will be out April 13th. I’m having a launch party at Gosh in London, if you’d like to come along. You can RSVP on the facebook event if you like.

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Lose weight with this one neat trick

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Can’t wait to get my hands on this... one is on it’s way to me right now.

Collecting Sticks

Super early advance copies of Collecting Sticks, the debut graphic novel by Joe Decie, have just arrived, hot off the press.

The grim fluorescent lighting in our office is making it look darker than it should, but given that it’s January and there is almost no natural light, you’ll have to bear with us until you can see it in the flesh yourself.

Have you ever been on a terrible camping trip where it rained all the time? Then glamping might be the holiday for you! Or not, as Joe discovers.

Collecting Sticks by Joe Decie is published by Jonathan Cape on 13th April 2017

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#lifehack no regrets in 2017

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Also: New comic Dogs Disco is available to own and keep and treasure. Each copy comes signed and sketched.

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Did some life drawing.

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It’s all true. Speaking of shops, why not pay a visit to my online boutique Joe’s Lovely Shop, where you can pick up a nice selection of my minicomics. Although, if you’re in North America Spit and A Half stock a good selection cheaper.

New collection, just out. Dogs Disco. You can buy it.