Brendan: These are some sketches from when I was fiddling about with an idea for a mini series about The Fantastic Four... A kind of 'What If' alternative take on the FF... Stan Lee originally titled them "The Fabulous Four" and later changed it to the title we now know. I never pitched this as I figured it was a bit too whimsical for Marvel, so I never took it past the stage of these inital scribbles. I have subsequently re-thought the idea into something much better. But I'm not sure if Marvel have much appetite for my style of comics.

On sale now from DC/Vertigo, Scalped issue 50. Which includes a contribution from Brendan...

Here's a preview of Brendan's upcoming story for 'Rocketeer Adventures' issue three...

Brendan: I enjoyed working on this story, my little homage to the late and great Dave Stevens. I met Dave in Los Angeles, way back in the early 1980's on my first trip to LA. He was a very nice man and we hung out a bit in his studio. He liked my art and we kind of shared a sensibility... I had been really getting into the few installments of The Rocketeer that had been published so far. He introduced me to Dean Mullaney at Pacific Comics, and they commissioned my first American comics gig, Freakwave. That led onto Strange Days, and the rest is a minor footnote in comics' history.

IDW's Scott Dunbier approached me about doing an 8 page story for his Rocketeer anthology a few months ago... He's assembled a great line up. I had an idea for a story about a flying femme-fatale called The Aeronaut. I asked for an American writer to script it, as I wasn't sure I would have an ear for that period US dialogue. The great John Arcudi did a superb job. I really liked his tightly-written script.

It's out sometime in August. Hope you enjoy it.

Brendan: "Here's an image of the cover of Sometime Stories number 2, incredibly rare, it turned up recently and I snapped a picture of it on my camera phone. I hadn't seen it for about 20 years... Brett Ewins now has the original safely locked up in a padded bag in super-secret laser-protected vault.

Although we actually wrote and drew two issues, the first one was the only one published. Then the publisher went out of business. Nothing of the second one was ever seen. Until now."

More info about Sometime Stories here

You won't have to wait several decades for Brendan's next Judge Dredd story, because coming this May is 'DeaDredd'. I've read the full story and personally I rate it alongside Brendan's classic Dredd strips. It also features a lot of Zombies so how can it get better! Written by Rob Williams the story will appear in Judge Dredd Megazine 311 in May.

There's no 'punch drunk Fat Elvis' period in Brendan's future as he continues to evolve and innovate. Also coming up a new Rocketeer strip for IDW, script by John Arcudi also a guest piece for the Scalped 50th issue. Also in development is a mysterious new series with ace Brit writer Al Ewing, called 'The Zaucer of Zilk'.

It's about time Brendan did a Creeper series for DC, don't you think?

On sale now from DC Comics, Xombi #1 with a variant cover by Brendan

Brendan: Weird Spider-Man pastels... 'Lemon Dream Exit' and "Spidey-God' were two pictures I generated whilst doing the FEVER books for Marvel. Sometimes, after days spent drawing small B&W panels in a comic strip, I want to loosen up and be more expressive in colour and a bigger size. I never plan these type of pictures -- for me the fun is seeing what randomly comes through the 'automatic artistic ether'.

Sketchbook ideas generated when Brendan was working out material for his issue of DC Comics' SOLO

Brendan: "I just came across this rejected DC Comics pitch artwork for a LORD OF NOTHING series from a year or so ago. It didn't fly, for whatever reason... but I had some good ideas for a LON comic.

His character was a bit mysterious, kind of like a 'Sandman' of Trash and Garbage and of the Discarded and Unwanted. I was going to use a lot of litter picked up from the street to create a graphic 'trash' look, as suggested in the story that appeared in SOLO 12. I'd use a lot of big graffiti lettering, as well as sprays and stencils to get a unique look to the comic. Print it on rough paper.

I thought he might possibly hang out with the Kubert version of Ragman."

Designs for a possible Spider-man:FEVER sequel...

Brendan: "Some pitch images from a recently rejected proposal for a sequel to FEVER called CARNIVAL OF LIGHT, for Marvel Comics. They are tightening their line up and stuff like FEVER is probably a bit "fringe" and sales aren't likely big enough in these recessionary times... "

Sketchbook ideas generated when Brendan was working out material for his issue of DC Comics' SOLO.

Hi-res versions of the Judge Dredd:Dr. What? preview pages (Warning! Large-ish files)

Veteran 2000AD artist BRENDAN McCARTHY has plotted and illustrated a new JUDGE DREDD two-parter, with comics writer AL EWING scripting.