When I was young and lived in the UK, back in the crazy 80’s, a friend of mine had a comic book called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

He loaned me the comic book, I think it was the one with a concrete villain and laser lady hero. It barely showed the Turtles, although they turned up in a VW van with April. The entire comic book blew my mind, up to this point I had read a lot of UK comics, like Warlord, Battle, the Beano, Tiger and 2000AD, but this comic book was so different. Up to this point I didn’t know you could draw your characters and make a comic book out of them, it was a revelation. The artist of the book was a guy called Jim Lawson.

Fast forward to now, I am prepping Let’s Hunt Monstas! The Series!!! for its Kickstarter release and I decide to take a chance. I had met Jim Lawson at Springfield Comic Con last year and had a good chat with him about how it was his fault I am now doing comic books. I found his email, and pitched him on the Let’s Hunt Monstas book and asked if he would draw a cover! And to my surprise he said yes!

I was stunned, I gave Jim minimal direction and let him create. He sent me a pencil for approval and I approved it.

It had been over 40 years since I picked up that copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and saw Jim’s art, and now, he was drawing Mr. Button, my character and contributing a cover to my independent comic book! Now, that is one heckuva story to hang your hat on, collaborating with a childhood hero. Gods, I love comic books!

Thank you Jim!

• Learn more about Let’s Hunt Monstas! The Series!!! Kickstarter
• Learn more about Let’s Hunt Monstas!