Toonhound - Striker Comic

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      'Muddy Mildred!'
                            - Eric Openshaw exclaims
    ______________________________________________________________________

    'Striker', the comic follows the misadventures of the management, players
    and associates of Warbury FC, an uncomfortably real football team with
    topflight aspirations. The strips are presented in glorious computer-generated
    3D, with the artists skillfully blending real footy stars and celebrities in to the
    mayhem of Warbury life. All the trials and tribulations of the tabloids are played
    out through the squad, who are a hotchpotch of homegrown talent and
    international imports with associated hang-ups, peculiarities and foibles.

    The striker of the title is actually Nick Jarvis, Warbury's player-manager with a
    premierleague history behind him that folks have been able to savour since 1985,
    although this splendid full-colour comic only hit newsstands a few months ago.
    That's because Peter Nash's 'Striker' started life as a daily strip in Britain's
    'favourite' tabloid 'The Sun'.

    Read all about it!

    Back in November 1985 Nick Jarvis was the star player for a fictional football
    team called Oakvale. After Nick's dazzling display in a cup-tie with Manchester
    United Nick was poached by Thamesford FC and football stardom beckoned.
    Peter Nash's strip charted the highs and lows of Jarvis' career through to 1995
    when a new team and a big new name entered the frame.

    The team was Warbury FC, newly-promoted from the Vauxhall Conference
    League, and the name was that of Eric Openshaw their larger-than-life
    Chairman. Eric signed up Nick just as his star was beginning to fade and
    he was brought to Warbury Warriors as their new player-manager. Eric
    had a dream; promotion to the premierleague in successive seasons. As
    it happened, they didn't quite achieve that elusive dream, but Warbury did
    indeed reach the big time two years later than planned, in 2000. But the
    joys of topflight football were snatched from them at the end of the 2001-
    2002 season and Warbury now reside in the First Division.

    Since the arrival of Eric and Warbury, the Striker strip has had its tongue
    well and truly in its cheek and all the joys and pains of topflight football have
    been thrust upon the stars - both on and off the pitch. Eric and Nick have a
    continuing love-hate relationship; they love to hate each other! Loudmouthed
    Eric wouldn't know subtlety if it came up and bit him on the leg. And actually,
    neither would Nick, because at the end of the last season he resigned from the
   club and moved to Australia - only to get his leg bitten off by a shark off
    Bondi Beach. Ouch.

    Black and white and read all over

    When Peter Nash started 'Striker' in 1985, the strip was a traditional black
    -and-white affair. Stoylines were often spicy, but still in keeping with the kind
    of 'Boys Own' tales one expected of a national newspaper.

.   The shift from 2D black-and-white to glorious Photoshop 3D took much
    perseverance. A hiccuping first attempt almost consigned the idea to the
    comic strip scrap heap. But the effort paid off, and Striker became a regular
    3D fixture in 'The Sun' every Saturday from January 1999. What's more,
    the content had moved on with the times too. Now it was mirroring the
    absurdities of football life as The Beautiful Game flourished into a front-page
    obsession, with larger-than-life characters awash with premiership salaries.
    Clearly there was room for this super soccer parody outside of its
    tabloid home.

    Nash set up Striker 3D in June 1999. He assembled a topflight team around
    him with big plans for his strip; plans that they all hoped might still involve
    their then publishers. But after various shenanigans, back-peddling and
    publishing tomfoolery, the Striker 3D team struck out on their own.
    'Striker' the web site was thus born, and 'Striker' the comic subsequently
    launched on August 28th 2003. And what's more, the comic surpassed
    everyone's estimates, shifting more than 38,000 copies of its first edition.
    The gamble had paid off handsomely. 'The Sun' though, tried to scupper
    the departure of its top strip with a pale copy. Cheekily they even hinted
    at the demise of Warbury FC in the opening panels of their toon. But it
    was too little too late. Nash and his team had already snatched comic
    glory. Mind you, stuffy newsagents have been confused by 'Striker's arrival.
    Some bury it amongst the kiddie comics, others slot it on the upper shelves
    next to 'FHM' and 'GQ', but the title is perched cheekily somewhere
    between the two...

    Striker scores

    'Striker' the comic is a hit, and a hoot. It's a mixture of Lads Mag humour
    and top Photoshop artwork. Each week there's a continuing main story
    concerning life off and on the Warbury pitch, plus a support item detailing
    the team's encounters on it against their 'real life' opposition. Those original
    older strips are also reprinted here.There are dolly-bird pinups and 'star'
    reviews of the latest sports cars and accessories and it's all irregularly
    introduced by the unforgettably absurd Eric 'muddy' Openshaw.

    Striker 3D are capitalizing on their success. You can now buy yourself
    a replica Warbury FC football strip, binders, and a Striker TV series has been
    mooted. There are rumours too of an all-new action comic coming our
    way in the future. And that's 'muddy' marvellous, isn't it?

    All in the detail

    Eagle-eyed fans should keep their eyes on indiviual Striker panels.
    There's always plenty to look for. Here's a quick quartet for you:

    •  In issue #4, in the first panel of 'Lose 9-0 or Vanessa's Toast' we are
       shown Chronos Restaurant - an addition from artist Gio Chronopoulos,
       perhaps?

    • In issue #2, our nasty villains in 'Loose 9-0' are drinking 'Strong Beer'
       with a big strong boy on the label. Surely it's one of the 3D team.
       Does anyone know who, exactly?

    • From issue #10, the main Striker strips became officially sponsored
       by a Pinner-based businessman. His company names appear on all
       the hoardings in the strips, and they even feature in the cover detail!

    • Ah, the pressures of producing a 3D weekly. If you look at issue #3,
       bottom of page 6, you'll find the whiteboard in the Warbury changing
       has been printed back-to-front by mistake!

    ______________________________________________________________________

     In the news

     The Hound: April 2004
     Striker Comic seeks investors...

     The Hound: August 2003
     Striker Comic is launched...

    ______________________________________________________________________

       Strip credits

       'Lose 9 - 0 or Vanessa's Toast!'
       story & storyboards: Pete Nash
       3D artists: Simon Ravenhill, Juan Carbrera
       final artists:  Joel Carpenter, Gianluca Bonomo
       other 3D artists:  Jason Edwards, Gio Chronopoulos,
                                 Kevin Richter, Chris Dymond,

       'Chuck's Choice'
       story & script: Pete Nash
       3D artists: Simon Ravenhill, Juan Cabrera,
                        Will Turner, Jimmy O'Ready, Matt Pearson
       final artists:  Joel Carpenter, Luca Bonomo

       'The Big Match'
       3D artists:  Damian Ram, Adrian Denne
       final artist:  Joel Carpenter

    ______________________________________________________________________

     On the web

       Striker - The Web Site
       http://www.striker3d.net
       A great official site here, updated regularly with all the Warbury news
       you could wish for, plush a history of the team, player info, and a very
       thorough 'real' strip history from creator Peter Nash...

       unofficial Striker site
       http://www.geocities.com/warburywarriors/
       A regularly updated fan-site offering additional news and info...

		...cartoon links reviews interviews and news from the UK!
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			STRIKER COMIC Aug 28th 2003 - / every Thursday Striker 3D Ltd / created by Peter Nash

	______________________________________________________________________ 'Muddy Mildred!' - Eric Openshaw exclaims ______________________________________________________________________ 'Striker', the comic follows the misadventures of the management, players and associates of Warbury FC, an uncomfortably real football team with topflight aspirations. The strips are presented in glorious computer-generated 3D, with the artists skillfully blending real footy stars and celebrities in to the mayhem of Warbury life. All the trials and tribulations of the tabloids are played out through the squad, who are a hotchpotch of homegrown talent and international imports with associated hang-ups, peculiarities and foibles. The striker of the title is actually Nick Jarvis, Warbury's player-manager with a premierleague history behind him that folks have been able to savour since 1985, although this splendid full-colour comic only hit newsstands a few months ago. That's because Peter Nash's 'Striker' started life as a daily strip in Britain's 'favourite' tabloid 'The Sun'. Read all about it! Back in November 1985 Nick Jarvis was the star player for a fictional football team called Oakvale. After Nick's dazzling display in a cup-tie with Manchester United Nick was poached by Thamesford FC and football stardom beckoned. Peter Nash's strip charted the highs and lows of Jarvis' career through to 1995 when a new team and a big new name entered the frame. The team was Warbury FC, newly-promoted from the Vauxhall Conference League, and the name was that of Eric Openshaw their larger-than-life Chairman. Eric signed up Nick just as his star was beginning to fade and he was brought to Warbury Warriors as their new player-manager. Eric had a dream; promotion to the premierleague in successive seasons. As it happened, they didn't quite achieve that elusive dream, but Warbury did indeed reach the big time two years later than planned, in 2000. But the joys of topflight football were snatched from them at the end of the 2001- 2002 season and Warbury now reside in the First Division. Since the arrival of Eric and Warbury, the Striker strip has had its tongue well and truly in its cheek and all the joys and pains of topflight football have been thrust upon the stars - both on and off the pitch. Eric and Nick have a continuing love-hate relationship; they love to hate each other! Loudmouthed Eric wouldn't know subtlety if it came up and bit him on the leg. And actually, neither would Nick, because at the end of the last season he resigned from the club and moved to Australia - only to get his leg bitten off by a shark off Bondi Beach. Ouch. Black and white and read all over When Peter Nash started 'Striker' in 1985, the strip was a traditional black -and-white affair. Stoylines were often spicy, but still in keeping with the kind of 'Boys Own' tales one expected of a national newspaper. . The shift from 2D black-and-white to glorious Photoshop 3D took much perseverance. A hiccuping first attempt almost consigned the idea to the comic strip scrap heap. But the effort paid off, and Striker became a regular 3D fixture in 'The Sun' every Saturday from January 1999. What's more, the content had moved on with the times too. Now it was mirroring the absurdities of football life as The Beautiful Game flourished into a front-page obsession, with larger-than-life characters awash with premiership salaries. Clearly there was room for this super soccer parody outside of its tabloid home. Nash set up Striker 3D in June 1999. He assembled a topflight team around him with big plans for his strip; plans that they all hoped might still involve their then publishers. But after various shenanigans, back-peddling and publishing tomfoolery, the Striker 3D team struck out on their own. 'Striker' the web site was thus born, and 'Striker' the comic subsequently launched on August 28th 2003. And what's more, the comic surpassed everyone's estimates, shifting more than 38,000 copies of its first edition. The gamble had paid off handsomely. 'The Sun' though, tried to scupper the departure of its top strip with a pale copy. Cheekily they even hinted at the demise of Warbury FC in the opening panels of their toon. But it was too little too late. Nash and his team had already snatched comic glory. Mind you, stuffy newsagents have been confused by 'Striker's arrival. Some bury it amongst the kiddie comics, others slot it on the upper shelves next to 'FHM' and 'GQ', but the title is perched cheekily somewhere between the two... Striker scores 'Striker' the comic is a hit, and a hoot. It's a mixture of Lads Mag humour and top Photoshop artwork. Each week there's a continuing main story concerning life off and on the Warbury pitch, plus a support item detailing the team's encounters on it against their 'real life' opposition. Those original older strips are also reprinted here.There are dolly-bird pinups and 'star' reviews of the latest sports cars and accessories and it's all irregularly introduced by the unforgettably absurd Eric 'muddy' Openshaw. Striker 3D are capitalizing on their success. You can now buy yourself a replica Warbury FC football strip, binders, and a Striker TV series has been mooted. There are rumours too of an all-new action comic coming our way in the future. And that's 'muddy' marvellous, isn't it? All in the detail Eagle-eyed fans should keep their eyes on indiviual Striker panels. There's always plenty to look for. Here's a quick quartet for you: • In issue #4, in the first panel of 'Lose 9-0 or Vanessa's Toast' we are shown Chronos Restaurant - an addition from artist Gio Chronopoulos, perhaps? • In issue #2, our nasty villains in 'Loose 9-0' are drinking 'Strong Beer' with a big strong boy on the label. Surely it's one of the 3D team. Does anyone know who, exactly? • From issue #10, the main Striker strips became officially sponsored by a Pinner-based businessman. His company names appear on all the hoardings in the strips, and they even feature in the cover detail! • Ah, the pressures of producing a 3D weekly. If you look at issue #3, bottom of page 6, you'll find the whiteboard in the Warbury changing has been printed back-to-front by mistake! ______________________________________________________________________ In the news The Hound: April 2004 Striker Comic seeks investors... The Hound: August 2003 Striker Comic is launched... ______________________________________________________________________ Strip credits 'Lose 9 - 0 or Vanessa's Toast!' story & storyboards: Pete Nash 3D artists: Simon Ravenhill, Juan Carbrera final artists: Joel Carpenter, Gianluca Bonomo other 3D artists: Jason Edwards, Gio Chronopoulos, Kevin Richter, Chris Dymond, 'Chuck's Choice' story & script: Pete Nash 3D artists: Simon Ravenhill, Juan Cabrera, Will Turner, Jimmy O'Ready, Matt Pearson final artists: Joel Carpenter, Luca Bonomo 'The Big Match' 3D artists: Damian Ram, Adrian Denne final artist: Joel Carpenter ______________________________________________________________________ On the web Striker - The Web Site http://www.striker3d.net A great official site here, updated regularly with all the Warbury news you could wish for, plush a history of the team, player info, and a very thorough 'real' strip history from creator Peter Nash... unofficial Striker site http://www.geocities.com/warburywarriors/ A regularly updated fan-site offering additional news and info...
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